Glitter, bubbles, laughter and love, this performance of Beauty and the Beast has it all.
It was an absolute honour to review this production by Blackburn Musical Theatre Company, directed by Tony Fry. I can honestly say it’s one of, if not THE best amateur production I have seen.
Definitely get yourselves down to the Empire Theatre in Blackburn to witness this magical production, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
The audience were enchanted and engaged from start to finish, I spoke with many people and not one had a bad word to say about this sparkling production.
I’ll start with the wonderful Belle (Leanna Wharf) who encompassed the role beautifully and whose vocals shone. She was a delight to watch and listen to and her solos were incredible, hitting some very difficult and lengthy notes perfectly. The cast as a whole had extremely strong vocal leads which also encompassed some strong harmonies with the rest of the cast. Belles Beast (Matt Whatley) was the perfect mix of sincerity, aggression and comedy all rolled into one. A brilliant and strong portayal which perfectly contrasted Belle and other characters. Each character was stand out, completely different and unique in their own way. From the amazing physical theatre and expressions of the obnoxious but hilariously narcissistic Gaston (Paddy Darnell-Walsh) to the bubbly, lovable and jolly Mrs Potts (Dawn-Marie Nicholls) and her adorable daughter Chip (Patsy Slater), whose costume design was extremely creative and artistic. Costumes for every character were eye catching, with meticulous attention to detail and colours, sequins and authenticity oozing from the stage. Every character was defined and individual in their own right.
I couldn’t take my eyes of Lumiere (Matthew Garnerbundy-Higgs) every time he entered the stage, him and Cogsworths (Kris Wlodarczyk) wonderful double act was hilarious, and they were such colourful characters. An absolute joy to watch every moment they stepped on the stage both individually and together. Lumiere for me was my absolute star though as his commitment to character even when he wasn’t directly involved in the action on stage was captivating.
I could happily mention every single character individually as the principle cast as a whole were outstanding. They also were strongly supported by an amazing chorus who were perfectly in time and when the whole cast were on stage together they shone in perfect unison. Their harmonies were a delight to hear, all intertwined with some stunning choreography by Katie Fry, which was no mean feat as the cast are large and despite this and the stage size, all we’re included, in time and the choreography was varied and interesting.
The scenes were shown using a visual screen and this was wonderfully timed with the lighting and sound (Paddy Keane and John Ormerod) to produce amazing effects and set the mood and atmosphere just right for every scene. The backstage crew worked incredibly hard to make every change seamless and quick.
The whole production was accompanied by the most beautiful sounds of the live orchestra all under the guidance of Nick Sanders to make sure the audience were immersed in the emotion of the production.
I travelled quite a distance for this production, and in all honesty, I would happily do it again in a heartbeat and watch it all over again and I look forward to making that journey in the future any time to see this amazingly talented cast, it was truly a magical and spectacular night. They fully deserved the standing ovation which they received, and I even cried with pride for them when the show ended. I hope every single member of the cast and crew are feeling incredibly proud of themselves.
Anyone who goes to see this production is in for an absolute treat and I urge people not to miss it. I’m so glad I didn’t. I’ve already recommended it to friends and haven’t stopped talking about it. I was blown away by the professional standard of this production and every member of the cast as a whole.
Thank you for a truly memorable and magical experience.
Beauty and the Beast in showing until the 10th May at Blackburn Empire Theatre. Book your tickets from https://blackburnempire.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173656618
Reviewer: Stephanie Wiswall
Reviewed: 5th May 2025
North West End UK Rating: