Beauty & The Beast

This was Tom Whalley’s version of “A Tale as old as Time” or Beauty & The Beast.

I have seen a number of variations of this panto but not this one, however I cannot understand why as it is a really good script and in the right hands, as it was here is a very funny script with lots of laughs, hisses and boos all in the right places.

The story opens with a storyteller in the guise of Ian Hartley who started to narrate as on stage a grand ball was taking place, Prince Claude entered played by Kaly Nicholson, of course Kaly was playing the part before the curse was placed on him by Sacre Bleu, a wicked enchantress who has been turned away from the ball.

Sacre Bleu was played here by Louise Hirst who was able to deliver her lines with conviction to make this part believable.

Opposite to Sacre Bleu we had The Spirit of The Mirror, Charlotte Noon who was every bit the force of good against the evil Sacre Bleu.

When Sacre Bleu has placed her spell on the prince he turns into a hideous beast, enter Albert Roberts who was excellent, his powerful voice both in singing and spoken was exactly right for this character and even though he did look a little scary I don’t think any of the children in the audience feared him.

I think everyone will know the heroin of this story is Belle and Daisy Baum was every bit the Belle which we all think of. She was outstanding, her voice so beautiful you could hear a pin drop each time she sang, Daisy is certainly a young lady to watch.

Belle’s father is the bumbling Professor Philippe who continually tries to invent things but never actually succeeds, Michael Madden played this character to a tee, his delivery of the lines and his gait made it so believable.

As with the Disney version this one also has the village flirt, Francoise, who thinks all the girls fancy him, of course he only has eyes for Belle who, as we all know is not in the least bit interested in him. Richard Armstrong was superb, he strutted about the stage, always looking at his reflection at every opportunity and preening himself. Richard also had a great commanding voice which completed the image.

Francoise has a side kick, Clochard who was always scurrying around him tending to his every whim, enter Annette Conway who was able to play this part well.

Francoise, as I mentioned thinks all the girls fancy him, well maybe not all but certainly he is fancied by Annette, Babbette, Cosette and Tracy played by Adama McCullough, Carrie Dring, Marie Koiseff and Jemma Hayes who were all able to bring these characters to life.

Inside The Beast’s castle all the staff have of course been turned into utensils as part of the evil spell, such as spoons, salt and pepper pots and forks.

These characters, Sale, Poivre, Fourchette and Cuillere were played superbly by Gemma Buckley, Bethany Broughton, Lindsey Farrow and Harry Moxon respectively, all of them taking on the extra costume to symbolise their characters with ease.

No good panto can deliver the goods without some good comedy and here we had some of the best, the “Silly Billy” character we all know, and love here was Brie, and in the more than capable hands of Chris Sheard, the audience loved him, especially the kids, of all ages. Chris gave the audience just what they wanted especially in the baking scene when he really did get a “trifle” messy.

And of course, we need a dame, here we had Dame Nightnurse played to the full by Steven Holt, I’m not sure how many times Steven has played the dame, but everyone loved him right from his first entrance. Both Steven and Chris bounced off each other delivering double entendre one after the other and they had everyone in stitches.

Complementing the cast was an excellent chorus and youth ensemble who sang a danced all the way through.

Congratulations to everyone involved in this superb production, a big shout out must go to Michael Kirkby as Director, Ian Abbott as MD and Charlotte Wilson as the Youth MD.

 

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