Princess axed from Sleeping Beauty panto and replaced with 'proactive heroine'

Replaced: The Princess in Sleeping Beauty

Disney

30 November 2015

The Princess has been dropped from a production of Sleeping Beauty over gender stereotyping fears.

Instead, Prince Percy will play the Princess’ role in the production at Bristol’s Old Vic theatre.

Instead of the Princess pricking her finger and falling into a 100-year sleep, it will be Percy – and a heroine will be the one to awake him.

Director Sally Cookson told The Sun: “We wanted a proactive heroine.

“Our fairytale heroine is able to save herself and other people. Both the hero and the heroine can be vulnerable and brave. We don’t pigeonhole.”

But the move was criticised by Conservative MP Peter Bone, who told the paper: “Are you sure they are not staging this production on April 1?

“It really is political correctness gone mad. It makes no sense.”

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