The well-known saying 

“Beyond the best there is a better” must have been foremost in the mind of Ada Powell when she first started putting the Westward Ho! Follies through their paces in October in preparation for their eighth annual pantomime “Sleeping Beauty” which is being presented at the Kingsley Hall, Westward Ho! all this week.

When she produced her first pantomime last year – Mother Goose’s Folly – audiences claimed it the best of the series they had seen to date. It may confidently be submitted that this year’s show is even better, judging by the reception given to it by enthusiastic audiences.

Continuity is a fault which sometimes tends to mar amateur productions such as this but Sleeping Beauty runs very smoothly and has been tightened up to a brisk show of about one and a half hours.

There are, naturally, pauses between scenes and acts but the audience is fully occupied listening to pianist Fred Verney, a former Church organist. The author of the show is Norah Gibbs who under the pen-name of ‘Claire Ritchie’ has written a series of novels.

If one could pick a star from this show the spotlight would fall on Jean Moon in her part as Dumkins. She receives excellent support from her partner, Count Borokwid (Graham Humphrey).

Muriel Eagle brilliantly portrays the sinister role of bad fairy. Carol Slaymaker makes a delightful Princess Bellarosa. Her opposite number, young Margaret Humphrey, as Prince Trulova, shows up well in her stage debut. Another young performer is Carol Grey, not the one of Archers fame, and she made a charming fairy. Three tiny tots – Thelma and Wendy Wathen and Margaret Jeffery – deserve a special mention.

Cast in order of appearance – Dorothy Lewis, Arthur Feron, Doris Hudson, Lee Lancaster, Carol Grey, Janet Moon, Patricia Fisher, Thelma and Wendy Wathen, Margaret Jeffery, Muriel Eagle, Carol Slaymaker, Rosemary Hosegood, Patricia Fisher, Jean Moon, Graham Humphrey, Margaret Humphrey, Arthur Eagle, Muriel Eagle.

Stage manager, A Eagle; electrician, T Ryan; props, P Alexander; stage staff, E and R Westoby, J Mouncey; dancing arrangements, Dorothy Taylor.

Full article dated 10 January 1958