Sleeping Beauty

Bradford & Webster

A novel take on the traditional tale. The witch, Deadly Nightshade, casts an evil spell that Princess Rose will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die before her 16th birthday. To keep Rose safe, she is hidden away in a cottage in the forest, cared for by Winifred Slaptickle, a paediatric observation officer (yes, that’s Winnie the POO), and the King’s jester, Happy Harry. On the eve of Rose’s 16th birthday, she meets a handsome young man in the forest. It is love at first sight for both of them. Brought back to the palace, Rose is angry when she is told she is a princess and must marry a prince. Prince William duly arrives and, would you believe it, it is the same handsome young man. Rose is delighted. However, due to an unfortunate misunderstanding, the Prince is thrown out of the palace, tarred and feathered and dumped on a ship heading who knows where. While Harry and Winnie are dispatched to retrieve the Prince, Nightshade’s plan comes to fruition but, thanks to the three good fairies, Lilac, Lavender and the nice but dim Lupin, Rose does not die, she only sleeps. Winnie, Harry and Lupin take the ballroom cruise to Easter Island, where they find the Prince about to go into the cannibals’ pot. The Prince returns to fight his way through a forest of thorns to deliver his true love’s kiss, thus setting the scene for a traditional happy ending.  

4M, 7F plus smaller roles, many roles can be doubled up if required