Beauty and the Beast

Since the Disney film and subsequent stage musical adaptation of Beauty and the Beast some 20+ years ago, that version has become a much-loved local theatre stalwart, virtually guaranteed to sell out at all performances. 

However, a pantomime retelling recently presented by the Bunbury Players in Mildenhall, Suffolk, has much charm of its own, and in the hands of the Bunburys, this rendition provided the foundation for a witty, sparky and sparkling production.

Co-directed by first-time directors Jack Cutting and Hannah Strathern, this Beauty crackled with sly good humour without sacrificing the requisite sweetness of its Belle (the eponymous ‘beauty’ of the title, played by Alyssa Foster) or the mournful grumpiness of its Beast (Darren Hitchings).

The dame in this instance was Smelle (Colin Musgrove), Belle’s less attractive sister (of course!) and smitten with Carlos (George Lane), a swashbuckling but all-too cocky, would-be suitor of Belle. 

Pulling the strings of magic to manoeuvre the action were the competing fairies Goody Two Shoes (Amy Noonan) and the very naughty Fairy Bovver Boots (Lisa Crosby). The punky and shrill Bovver Boots transformed the vain and selfish Prince Trueheart (Carrie Parsons) into the Beast, and it was a race against time for Beast to find a good-hearted damsel who loves him for himself.

The Beast’s ‘man Friday’ was the oh-so French Pierre (Michael Heslop), who runs the household and acts as a gatekeeper to keep visitors away from the damaged prince inside. And once we were at the Beast’s castle, the romance at the heart of this fairy tale – and the action! – went into full tilt.

Exuberant musical numbers and some highly polished stand-out comedic performances contributed to a show infused with a contagious joy. The cast in named roles delivered uniformly appealing characterisations, with special nods to Alyssa Foster’s naturalistic, sweet Belle, the golden voiced Amy Noonan as the good fairy, and the very funny Lisa Crosby as Bovver Boots. A standing ovation goes to 18-year-old George Lane who in his portrayal of Carlos presented a sophisticated and terrifically funny blend of Hugh Grant and Ewan MacGregor with a confident nod-and-a-wink approach all his own. Lane’s characterisation had you rooting for him ultimately, instead of the Beast, to get the girl. A rose also goes to Michael Heslop, whose comedic timing, his lead in not one but two big ensemble numbers and onstage savoir faire belied his 13 years.  

Witty lyrical localisation by co-director Strathern that featured in one of the big ensemble showcases was laugh out-loud funny and a very effective bit of advertising for local Mildenhall eateries. The hair and make-up team of Mandy Morrish and Heather Southgate created some dazzling effects, particularly for the hair and make-up of the two fairies. Fairy Bovver Boots also benefited from a striking green and black costume that was both fun and fashion forward, thanks to the costume team of Mandy Morrish, Hazel Thompson, Sheila Goodall of the Littleport Players and Strathern. 

The company offered an especially nice touch at the show’s end. Little girls dressed in their own Belle costumes to attend the show were invited up to have their photos taken with the production’s Belle afterwards. That gesture would certainly have made a lifelong impression on me at the age of three or four.

If the Bunburys were to stage Beauty again, here’s what I’d suggest: trim the overlong final audience participation scene and have the creative team transpose the musical arrangements for two numbers in which the singers had difficulty hitting the notes.

But those are small points for what was both an assured and exciting directing debut by Cutting and Strathern, and a rather magical evening

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