Beauty And The Beast

I understand that this was to be the last pantomime in Eynsford Village Hall which has stood for 120 years but retirement beckons and a new hall is to be built in the village. Riverside Players pulled out all the stops to make this an unforgettable production. 

The retelling of this familiar story begins in the French village of  Petit Pois, where everyone, of course, speaks French, until Fairy Rose (Lorraine Slipper) casts a spell so they can speak English. Dame Dolly Jolly  (Lee Bentley) wants her daughters-Belle (Olivia Bentley), Lambrini (Jen Gosnell) and Chardonnay (Lily Deal) to marry wealthy men, Lambrini and Chardonnay constantly squabble. The vain Jean-Claude (Geof Hillier) pursues Belle, while Prince Louis  (Callum Spice) returns with his valet and also falls for her. However, Countess Cruella (Lynda Newton) desires the prince, casts a spell, and turns him into a Beast (Benjamin Newton). The rest of the story follows the familiar plot. 

When action was not in front of curtains the bright and colourful scenery, lighting, costumes, energetic choreography and lively music brought this fairy tale to life. Principals and ensemble sang well, cleverly accompanied by a soundtrack with live enhancement by MD Peter Nicholson. It was nice to see adults and children involved in Heidi Phillpott’s  well thought out choreography. This was a large cast with a wide variety of ages to organise; credit must go to the children who were well drilled and sang well. All cast members, both principals and supporting roles delivered commendable performances, in both acting and singing. However, young Charlie Webb’s portrayal of Jaques, Prince Louis’ valet, showed  maturity and excellent stage presence.

Congratulations to Director Jen Armstrong, as well as the backstage crew, lighting, and sound teams for their dedicated efforts. The numerous satisfied and cheerful audience members leaving the hall were a testament to Riverside Players hard work.

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