Beauty and the Beast

Director Andy Smith chose this version of the story by Chris Bennion as it offered more opportunities for the many named characters and therefore gave a chance to expand and capitalise on the talent available. Producers Jo Cooper and Sue Balaam kept the ship on an even keel.  And with the expanded band (now 4) keeping the feet tapping and wanting to sing, and the lively choreography under the eyes and ears of Madeline and Frankie Soan all was in place for an energetic, lively and enthusiastic company giving their all for the 10th birthday, and what a success with sold-out houses.

I do not know how you managed to squeeze the Scenic set on to that shallow stage but you did, and congratulations to Carol Smith for producing all those colourful costumes. (Loved the Breton t-shirts and berets in the programme pictures). Special congratulations to the makeup department with the dame and the ‘wicked sorceress plus attendants’ good, but the ‘Beast’ was outstanding with those prosthetics of brow and jaw and the head quite amazing.

And to the talent in the cast: you seem to recruit some great enthusiasm in the youngsters from the college which lifts all your productions, several first-timers who will continue to be useful on stage. First time as Dame, Adam Bond had personality plus comedy timing, the looks and dresses good, the interaction with cast and audience showed previous experience on stage in Cambridge. Running the pub bar in village meant lots of chances in the big company numbers.

On the evil side Morfina, Charlie Wilson, looked the part and we hissed and booed her evil ways and plots, as she turned that nice Prince (James Trayton) into the monster. Well supported in a very nasty trio by Tribble (Frankie Soan) and Teal (Madeline Soan), this horrible group sang and danced in a truly evil way with style and energy.

To keep up the comedy stakes, the treble ‘jesters’ of Jack, Jimmy and Joey (George Cooke, Ryan Byrne, Martin Godfrey) were a truly well-honed group with such good interaction and teamwork, and how they worked the audience as we looked after their ‘joke parcel’, very mobile in movement and action, and working well with the dame.

To the family lynchpin of this story, and Phil Pearson as Maurice the father finally got the role he deserved after supporting nobly in all 10 pantomimes by the group, certainly his biggest role on stage and how well cast he was. His daughters Berni (Bethany Bell) and Bobbi (Laura Williams), not quite the ugly sisters as looked so good, and sounded good, on the outside, but the personality inside not pleasant as they bullied Beauty. And as Beauty, looking and sounding so good, an excellent casting of Charlotte Bevington, who played the role to father and to the Beast with style and sympathy.

Fast-track to the castle and loved dead-pan butler from Stuart Wright as Egon. But dominating the stage with size and presence and that amazing makeup, huge voice and how good the singing, we felt for Luke Jeffries as he struggled with this transformation into the Beast and his wish to be loved by Beauty. And what a change from playing the Dame last year!

Must congratulate the company (principals and chorus) on their full-on singing and projection, and the enthusiasm displayed throughout the production, you deserved the house-full performances.

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