A joyously reimagined Sleeping Beauty that celebrates everything we love about Cambridge panto
If you want proof that pantomime is still alive, glittering, and gloriously bonkers in 2025, look no further than Sleeping Beauty at the newly refurbished Cambridge Arts Theatre. The show opened the theatre’s new auditorium on December 2nd, and it felt less like a mere production and more like a love letter to the venue, the city, and the cherished annual tradition of Cambridge panto.
As any seasoned panto-goer knows, a panto is only ever as good as its Dame. The excellent news? This one has a great one. Matt Crosby returns to Cambridge for his 20th year to take on the role of Nanny Nutkins, and is nothing short of sensational. He owns the stage with that hard-to-define but instantly recognisable combination of warmth, anarchy, and comic timing that separates a serviceable Dame from a legendary one. Crosby is no doubt the magnetic centre of this show.
But panto thrives on ensemble energy, and Sleeping Beauty has it in abundance. Steven Roberts as Happy Harry is a particular joy. Roberts has that rare talent for making every appearance feel like a burst of serotonin – his enthusiasm is infectious, his jokes land with satisfying predictability, and he forges an immediate bond with the audience.
This year’s story gives us a twist on the classic tale. Princess Rose (Daisy Twells) has been forced to hide in the Cambridge Botanical Gardens until her 18th birthday, in the hope of avoiding Carabosse’s deadly curse. The villain herself, played with wicked relish by Tricia Adele-Turner, is pure pantomime evil: sharp, commanding, and every boo-hiss thoroughly earned. Adele-Turner knows exactly how to work an audience, holding her own wonderfully and grounding the story in some proper fairy-tale peril.
And then, there’s Prince Ken. In this universe, Prince Ken is created – almost as a magical insurance policy in case Rose does, in fact, prick her finger. Joseph Hewlett attacks the role with smouldering, slightly unhinged delight. His entrance, complete with a ridiculous and hilariously effective rewrite of “It’s Raining Men” into “A Prince Called Ken,” is pure cheesy genius. What begins as a comic gimmick develops into a surprisingly sweet character arc as his love for Rose helps him become a real human. Hewlett, wisely, never leans too far into sincerity; he keeps things over-the-top, charming, and just the right amount of silly.
Musically, the show strikes a perfect balance between nostalgia and contemporary chaos. There are throwback hits from S Club 7 and Take That that send the “young(ish)” portion of the audience down memory lane, while newer tracks like “Apt” and “I’m Just Ken” keep things fresh for younger theatre-goers. The blend isn’t subtle – but nothing about panto ever is. It should be loud, recognisable, and full of surprises, and this soundtrack delivers exactly that. And threaded between the musical numbers are jokes that blessedly soar straight over the heads of the children while landing squarely (and sometimes crudely) in the laps of the adults. For this young(ish) viewer, those cheeky winks and barely disguised innuendos were a particular delight, adding an extra layer of mischievous sparkle to the evening.
The sets are colourful homages to Cambridge itself, through bright interpretations of the city. There’s a warmth in seeing Cambridge reimagined through a panto lens: exaggerated, sparkly, and full of whimsy.
And truly, this production feels stitched together with community spirit. Before the show, the theatre’s CEOs spoke with genuine warmth about the venue’s history and future, and that sense of pride and affection seems to reverberate through every element of the evening. From the cast on stage to the box-office team and the cheerful, glittery staff behind the bar, the whole building seemed to glow with panto joy. It’s rare to feel such a collective sense of celebration within a theatre’s walls, but this performance manages it.
Ultimately, this panto is the best kind of family show – it’s chaotic, affectionate, and confidently silly. If this is how the newly refurbished Cambridge Arts Theatre begins its next chapter, then the future looks very bright indeed.