IF you are looking for something a little different from the sugar-coated panto performances on offer at this time of year then head to The Sherman for the production of The Sleeping Beauties. Gone are the over-the-top dames and sing alongs in favour of a dark and mystical tale of witches, magic, death and intrigue.

This adaptation of a classic fairy tale transports you deep into a dark woodland where the queen of the land, so desperate for a child, makes a pact with a witch. She falls pregnant and so does her maid and best friend Rose. The women give birth to daughters – Dawn and Eve – who also become best friends ‘day and night, night and day’. But when the queen fails to honour her promise to halt the destruction of the woodland, the witch lays a curse on princess Dawn claiming she will die on her 15th birthday after pricking her hand on the spindle of a spinning wheel.

It’s a dark and transfixing tale which explores how friendship triumphs over evil, of sacrifices made in love and how your world can change in an instant.

The stage itself is stripped of decoration, just a few lights, and it’s the power of the performances that draw you into this production. Lisa Jen Brown, as the fertility wife, is suitably enchanting while Gruffudd Glyn, as the evil witch Clove, remains a sinister and scary force despite his Cruella Deville persona. But it’s Bettrys Jones, as the irrepressible Eve, who steals the show with her humour and fighting spirit.

The audience was full of young children, including my own age 5 and 7. I didn’t think they would understand the content or enjoy the dark subject matter but they loved it. It’s different, it’s enchanting and well worth a look. The show runs until January 4, 2014.