CUADC/Footlights Pantomime 2021: Rapunzel
By Sophie Stemmons, Libby Thornton, and Izzie Harding-Perrott
November-December 2021, 2 weeks, ADC Theatre
Welcome to Rapunzel! In a land where art has been banned and all the Dames have been banished, can this kingdom be brought back to life?
In a dastardly plan to keep them away from his crown, the evil King sends his nephew and niece, Prince Victor and Princess Stella, on a quest to save Rapunzel from her dragon-guarded tower in the hopes that they perish. Along the way they instead encounter adventure, hilarity, and friendship. Join Victor and Stella on their way to save Rapunzel and, ultimately, the entire kingdom.
Rapunzel brings live pantomimes back with a queer and colourful bang. A celebration of individuality and self-love, Rapunzel is not to be missed.
Co-directing alongside Flo Winkley, this Pantomime created by three Footlights students included original music, a large cast and an ambitious set. We devised how to bring a queer reimagining to the classic Panto format, with inclusive casting and LGBT+ storylines at the forefront. This included drag workshops, accessible audition packs and conscious casting.
During this production, we were able to hold the theatre’s first Relaxed Performance. We created visual guides and content warnings for the production, and sensory adapted tech.
Photography by Rebecca Tyson
“The production of Rapunzel was executed flawlessly. Directors Elliot Aitken and Flo Winkley tested the capability of the ADC with frequent set changes, complicated lighting and sound effects. […] Yet this was ultimately an ensemble piece and Aitken and Winkley played to everyone’s strengths. This panto never departs from its form. While the writers may have reimagined Rapunzel, weaving in strands of queerness and self-love, the play hardly departed from the norms of the form. It has the complete package of audience participation, knowing jokes, simply drawn characters and a happy, festive ending. This is not a challenging piece of theatre but it is an incredibly entertaining one, a celebration of Cambridge talent and an excellent night at the ADC.” Varsity
“Immediately clear from the outset is the excellent characterisation. It’s difficult to execute a play with a cast of over fifteen and make sure that every character has their own memorable, unique personality– but the directors and cast of Rapunzel have done it with ease.” The Tab
Cast
Rapunzel – Oyin Olukotun
Stella – Chani Merrell
Chad – Theo Tompkins
Victor – Zachary Green
Dame DragOn – Penn Balint
Buttons – Iona Rogan
Arson – Dulcie Whadcock
Rumplestiltskin – Clancy Peiris Jr
Sugar Plum Fairy – Grace Beckett
Shrok – Saul Barrett
Scout Leader – Claire LS
Topsy Turvy – Joy Adeogun
Pied Piper – Xander Pang
Muggim – Jemima Langdon
Ensemble – Aria Baker, Louisa Grinyer, Ben White
Band
Conductor – Joseph Giles
Keys I – Bolin Dai
Keys II – Joseph Giles
Violin – Alice Drury, Jemma Starling, Emily Abbott, Jim Tse, Claire LS
Cello – Elizabeth Vogel, Matthew Wadey
Reeds – Georgia Rawlins, Emily Bretz, Jonathan Parapadakis, Kirsty Ryall
Trumpet – Nicholas Dibb-Fuller
Guitar – András Droppa, Tim Hargreaves
Bass – Gabriel Margolis
Trombone – Carl Ashworth
Percussion – Lucy Molnar
Reeds – Mia Grant, Rose Blyth
Creative
Writer – Sophie Stemmons, Libby Thornton, Izzie Harding-Perrott
Director – Flo Winkley, Elliot Aitken
Choreographer – Ffion Godwin
Costume Designer – George Jones
Head of Props – Izzy Collie-Cousins
Lighting Designer – Mahon Hughes
Musical Director – Bolin Dai, Joseph Giles
Sound Designer/Engineer – Kit Treadwell, Lily Blundell
Technical Director – Lucas Holt, Jeremy Zolnai-Lucas
Producer – Hannah Collins, Josh Baumring-Gledhill
Composer – Matthew Mayes, Jonathan Whiting
