Beauty and Beast

Beauty and the Beast is a magical pantomime based on the children’s classic, and is delighting audiences this week at St Paul’s Drama Group, mainly due to Derek Elmore’s direction and Kelly Harrington's choreography. Derek chose his cast well: Belle (Kelly Harrington) the love interest shone and has a pleasant voice as well as setting the chorography: a good job, well done Kelly.

Good characterization from Steve Manning and Emma Everitt as beauticians Marcel and Monique. Good and Bad fairies Belladonna and Flora (Mel Newman and Sam Digby) gave us good narration and kept the evilness going… as well as good audience participation. Gustave (Jon Selmes) gave us the “I’m it“ good-looking suitor for Belle, alas not winning the day. Nick Swain as Madame Fifi: Nick ruled the roost as the dame character, keeping us welcoming him to the stage. Andy Soper as the Beast, his make-up was excellent but Andy coped well. Whitney and Britney (Kathy Milner and Sally Murphy) bounced off each other and had most of the comedy, and it was well delivered. Other supporting roles played, all added to a good evening’s entertainment. Those being, Alphonse (Paul Harris), Jacques (Esther Murphy), Prince Danton (Janine Davis), Monsieur Le Fou (Colin Parker), and Keith Jackson in several roles!! A good ensemble backed all these players, Lorrain Camp, Sharon Davis, Ysabelle Dowen-Cloughton, Marion Marshall, Joe Sarr,a nd Clare Watton. Costumes, as per usual were good, (Eleanor Hall Sue Balneaves and Ina Perry). Up-to-date songs by Musical Directors Chas Alder and Peter Bailey were not to loud and perfectly balanced. This Beauty rolled along nicely due to stage management of Lily and Al Dollimore.

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