Vulgar, depraved, colourful and hilarious were the words floating around my head after seeing Sleeping Booty. Writer and director Stuart Saint and leading lady Dusty ‘O’ are now in their third year of panto at the venue, so they’re definitely doing something very right. And it seems Mrs ‘O’ may have found her (new) calling…
From the outset it was clear that they’d pulled out all the stops for this year’s production. The set looked magnificent, and the opening really adds an air of true professionalism. Then there’s The Evil Mangelina’s (Dusty) costumes. Just WOW! They suit the character’s acerbic personality just perfectly, with their sharp edges and feel of grandiosity. Dusty delivers a polished performance, throwing herself into the role of Mangelina at full pelt. Her mannerisms and facial expressions add an extra special facet to an already twisted character. In her first solo number I was getting full on Eartha Kitt and during her dialogue pieces I could feel old school British camp coming through, with a tinge of Molly Sugden.
The dialogue is aplenty, with some very clever writing, and jeering of recent topical events/celebrities. Dusty even pokes fun at herself, “I had my own TV show this year, you know! Even though no fucker watched it.”
The rest of the cast are on par with each other beautifully, showing just how well they work together. This is displayed in the ensemble numbers, which are a pure joy to watch. You get the feeling these guys are really enjoying it, and of course, when that’s the case it transcends to the audience. The only slight criticism I’d make would be perhaps that the innuendo and filth comes at such a speed that there’s little time to digest it. However, there are some superb one-liners, “What you are about to see will make Frozen look like a puddle of panto piss.’
Sleeping Booty is NOT for the prudish or conservative-minded of you out there, and even those who aren’t willing to wince a little, but it IS a laugh-a-minute, perfectly put together piece of festive fabulousness.
• Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX
Runs to Saturday 17 January
£22.00.
Box Office: 08448 733433 or online at: www.leicestersquaretheatre.com