An award-winning team of costume and set designers have reimagined Blenheim Palace’s festive indoor trail to modernise the story of Sleeping Beauty.
Led by designer Clare Elliot, the staterooms in the palace have been transformed for the telling of the classic fairy tale for a new generation including the moment when the princess is awoken.
Each room tells a different chapter in Sleeping Beauty’s story but this version has been given a contemporary twist.
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A senior designer for Culture Creative, Ms Elliot said: “In our version of the story, the lilac fairy reverses the evil fairy’s spell which breaks after a hundred years and reawakens Sleeping Beauty.
“In other versions it is the Prince who kisses her awake, so our version focuses on life’s magic saving the day.
“We don’t use long story scripts that visitors need to read, the story is interpreted visually. And to keep younger visitors engaged, we include a fun mouse trail.”
The story begins at the palace’s huge Christmas tree and moves to the candle-lit bedchamber where the lilac fairy watches over a sleeping Aurora.
Visitors will wander through the evil fairy’s lair filled with toads, potions and menacing crows, then on to the busy castle kitchen frozen in time.
Looking for a happy-ever-after, the lilac fairy helps true love to find a way through the woods and together they reawaken the castle after 100 very sleepy years.
Ms Elliot has previously designed and produced indoor Christmas experiences at Blenheim Palace including Cinderella, Alice in the Palace, The Nutcracker and last year’s The Snow Queen.
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She has worked on numerous children’s TV series going as far back as 1980, including BAFTA award winners Wind in the Willows (1983), The Reluctant Dragon (1987) and The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship (1991).
Other credits include the feature film Mars Attacks!, TV series Noddy, Bill and Ben, Andy Pandy, Postman Pat and many more.
She added: “Seeing the excited and delighted faces of the first visitors coming up the steps and through the huge front doors into the Palace is one of the most satisfying parts of the job.
“I also really enjoy working with the team throughout the year, everyone is so enthusiastic and invested in making the Palace experience so fantastic that it makes every working day really pleasurable.”
Tickets are on sale now for both the indoor trail and the outdoor trail, which run from Friday, November 17 to Monday, January 1.
The outdoor trails will feature glowing tunnels, heart-shaped arches and an eight-metre sphere filled with more than 20,000 moving LED lights.
From Friday, November 17 until Sunday, December 17 there will also be a Christmas market in the main courtyard.
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