Beauty and the Beast

It may be a tale as old as time but that didn’t stop us all taking our seats with eager anticipation for this absolute classic. This production of Beauty and the Beast was a glorious blend of storybook romance, panto‑adjacent comedy (yes, Lumiere, Cogsworth & Gaston, I’m looking at you!) and full‑scale musical spectacle. The creative team leaned into the enchantment with gusto: oversized props and glittering costumes that could probably be seen from space. Well, Stafford at the very least!

The music and direction was of a very good standard although there were some parts where there seemed to be a little lag in the transitions between dialogue and song, may just have been some opening night jitters. The set was nicely done in the versatile (but not huge) space of Crown Wharf and ably represented the different locales in the show. The costumes were superb throughout and really gave the spectacle that this show is known for. Choreography was very good in the main, a few instances of the opening night jitters causing a bit of hesitation or minor positioning issues but good use was made of the stage, especially during the big ensemble numbers with everyone involved. Good use was made again of the patron’s entrances even if it does make me a little nervous to visit the little girl’s room in case I am mown down by Gaston and his crew on the way back!

The acting standard was very high throughout, there is a pressure in taking on something so iconic and everyone absolutely stepped up to the plate and delivered.

Belle (Maddie Hall) is our heroine and I loved Maddie’s approach of quite contemporary facial expressions, tone and mannerisms weaved around the more vintage aspects of the show. Vocals were excellent and she absolutely delivered on giving us the emotional heart of the story as the origins may be historic but the messages are as relevant (if not even more so) today.

The Beast (George Harratt) had a physicality that dominated the stage, and his emotional journey gives the production plenty of substance. The transformation at the end was very cleverly done (really need to know about that particular make-up removal trick!).

Gaston (Oliver Freer) is one of the production’s comedic powerhouses. He struts, he flexes, he poses! His numbers are crowd-pleasers, and his villain turn is played with just the right amount of melodramatic flair. A strong vocal and some excellent comedic panto villain-esque antics made him an audience fave!

Lefou (Alexander Sparrow) is the slapstick element of the show and his is physical comedy keeps the energy high. His loyalty to Gaston is hilarious (possibly mildly concerning!!) and this was an excellent performance that had us all laughing.

Maurice (Andrew Bill) is the gentle soul of the story. His scenes add warmth and humanity and Andrew played him with a nice level of “slightly scatty” whenever he was on stage.

Lumière (Simon Woodward) is the castle’s resident showman. Every entrance is a performance, every line a flirtation, every gesture a flourish. Simon gave us a hilarious performance of the Casanova candlestick which was perfectly balanced by Cogsworth (Joe Jenkinson) as the other half of the dynamic duo! His fussiness, precision, and perpetual anxiety add structure to the castle’s madness. I loved Joe’s physical performance as Cogsworth particularly and the way he moved as the character who is slowly becoming a clock

Mrs Potts (Charlotte Hernandez) is the heart of the castle. This is a part with some responsibility as she delivers the title song, a song fairly firmly now linked to Angela Lansbury. We had nothing to worry about at all as Charlotte knocked it out the park with a lovely rendition.

Chip (Clara Hernadez). Adorable. Enough said! Genuinely, a lovely performance.

Madame de la Grande Bouche (Mandy Gauge) is a diva with a capital D and Mandy absolutely had the voice to match with her operatic style which you could pick out across any ensemble piece.

Babette (Charlotte Davies) adds even more glamour and her chemistry with Lumière adds a playful romantic thread in the fairly gloomy castle. Another great performance.

The main cast were fabulously supported by the ensemble. They switch from villagers to cutlery to angry mobs with alarming speed and commitment. Well done to every one of you!

This Beauty and the Beast is a joyful, high-energy, visually rich production that balances humour, heart, and spectacle. It’s the kind of show where you leave humming the tunes, quoting Lumière, and wondering whether your household appliances are secretly judging you. Stone Revellers delivered a very strong production that the audience loved and I was absolutely thrilled to be their guest again, as I always am. I hope it was as successful for you as it deserved to be.

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