The festive season has started in New Brighton with the opening of Beauty and the Beast. Now when I review a show usually review it alone, but this seemed like too good of a chance to share the experience so I took along my god son because I could also get a child’s point of view on what the show was like. More on his thoughts later but first the story.
It was set in the lovely French town of Camembert. Where Fairy Bon Bon played by (Melanie Walters from Gavin & Stacey). Told us the story of the Beast’s (Shaun Dalton) unfortunate event that had kept him hidden away in a dark castle in the woods. Within minutes of the first note being plucked we were mesmerised by the lights and magic beginning to unfold. We then met the wonderful Belle (Milkshakes Olivia Birchenough). Where she would say that nothing exciting ever happened to her and that every girl in the land of Camembert were head over heels at Hugo (Phil Atkinson) except her of course. Belle’s father Clement (David Alcock) goes to the city to try and raise money with the paintings he has drawn, as their funds are rather short and stumbles across beast’s castle. He is later held as a prisoner but is let go when belle instead takes his place.
There was of course great comedy moments with Pantomime Dame Polly Le Plonk (Quinn Patrick) and her son Louis Le Plonk (Sean Jones). Who both together have the audience in stitches one moment and dancing in the aisles the next. When they were on stage you knew something funny was going to happen. The show was approximately 2 and a half hours. However, it did have to pause due to a technical issue. But as the cast are professionals they handled it very well and even incorporated it in the show. In fact she the issue had a risen we thought it was a part of the show at first. A special shout out to all the backstage team as without them the show could possibly happen evidently as they were the genius’s to solve the technical issue that arose.
Now as I said earlier I bought my godson to get his opinion of the show. But to be honest, I didn’t need to ask what he thought because I already knew. He was laughing to the point of stitches and shouting boo at Hugo every time he came on to the stage. When the performance had come to its end he asked if we could go again. There was plenty of songs and jokes for the kids and even the adults for the big kid inside all of us.
I encourage anyone and everyone to go and see this wonderful pantomime and experience the French life in the town of Camembert. From the moment to enter the theatres foyer you are entering the magic. Then find out whether Belle will be free, whether the Beast will have his heart melted at Belle’s Beauty. The answer to those questions are waiting for you at the New Brighton Pavilion Theatre and it is running from December 4th until January 2nd. https://tinyurl.com/53mxx6y4
This is a pantomime by UK Productions
Reviewer: Luke Stephenson
Reviewed: 4th December 2021
North West End UK Rating: ★★★★