Beauty and the Beast

After their successful Pantomime Mother Goose last year, Brighouse decided to select another pantomime not performed very often.  Beauty and the Beast is a well-known traditional story that takes place in a little french village called Franglais de la Mer.  Alphonse (Paul Tankerd) has three daughters, two are rude and unpleasant, (Holly Robson and Debbie Granger) and the third Belle (Emma Newsome) is his pride and Joy.  He steals a rose from a beautiful palace in the forest for her but is caught by the Beast and imprisoned.  He begs to take the rose to his daughter and promises to return at once when he has given her the rose.  Belle returns to the palace in his place, and the Beast falls in love with her.

The first act was a little slow, but picked up in the second act with lots of action with other members in the village.  Fifi (Chris Sheard) kept up his french accent throughout and he Jacque (John Murphy) his side kick, made a good double act.  They kept the children in the audience happy with lots of  "Oh yes she did" and "Oh no she didn't".  There was lots of fun in the Beauty Parlour, and Fifi and Jacque worked hard singing along with the audience.  The Good Fairy and the Bad Fairy Belladonna kept popping up to add to the story line.  Eventually Bella did fall in love with the Beast and as he was dying her tears transformed him back into the prince.  Nice backcloths and props along with good lighting complimented this Panto. Well done.

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