Writer: Jon Monie
Director: George Ure
There are several pantomimes around Yorkshire that are based entirely or indeed loosely on this tale as old as time. It seems that other than the Beast himself, pretty much everything else is up for grabs with regard to creative licence, including the inclusion or exclusion of Disneyfied crockery and furniture.
It was perfectly possible that with the new creative team in place, and Berwick Kaler out of the picture, that something weird and wacky could be done to Beauty and the Beast at York’s Grand Opera House, to show off a new and different feel to the productions in an attempt to distance themselves from the previously somewhat tired formula. Luckily, there was nothing wacky, as the team showcased a refreshingly collaborative production combining a range of set pieces, tried and tested gags and songs from musicals to thoroughly enchant the audience.
The show is cheesy, it’s camp, it’s a little rude in places and there’s a lot of innuendo that will generally go over the kids heads. This is no bad thing, it was actually refreshing to see something a little bit more near the knuckle than your average family pantomime and the mums and dads in the audience were definitely howling appreciatively at some of the cheekier jokes.
The fantastic, highly experienced Leon Craig took to the stage as Polly La Plonk, a Dame with some pipes (always nice to see a Dame who can hold her own in a song). He was absolutely hilarious, brilliantly dressed and a joy to watch. Son Louis La Plonk, played by Phil Reid, entertained the audience (and other members of the cast) with energy and enthusiasm and it really paid off. Physical comedy, slapstick routines and speedy word play, it was all there to be soaked up.
This production does not have an evil villain in the truest sense of the word. The villain is never really the beast (despite his beastly temper) or Hugo, the hunkiest man in the town of Camembert and Belle’s love (dis)interest, but there are still enough opportunities to boo and hiss.
Dani Harmer, star of CBeebies hit programme The Story of Tracy Beaker, takes on the role of the fairy in this show. Her Fairy Bon Bon is by turns funny and cute but always with a hint of attitude, which develops as the show goes on and is a welcome addition to the fairy trope.
One of the absolute standout performances came from Phil Atkinson as Hugo Pompidou – a total master class in being strong, sexy, silly, camp, and downright stupid all in one character. The audience shrieked with delight every time he turned up on stage, partly because they never knew what items of clothing he would or wouldn’t be wearing next, but also to hear him sing (beautifully) and see some of his ridiculous dance moves (very Eurotrash).
Samuel Wynn Morris’s Beast was a delight combining the frustration and angst of the character with a beautiful voice, and the ability to tease a little humour out of the role, which is quite unusual for this role. One of the funniest scenes for him was in the dining room when trying to make small talk with Belle, he ended up so stricken with formality that he ended up sounding like the Siri voice.
Six the Musical star Jennifer Caldwell is truly a Belle by name and Belle by nature. She is funny and feisty and she shines on stage. Her voice is, unsurprisingly, excellent and she gives the character real spark and finesse.
It was lovely to see the stage filled with the ensemble, with young dancers as well as an excellent team of professional triple threats who contributed to all of the songs with ease. A particular number of note is at the end of the first act when a version of One Day More from Les Miserables really soars to a crescendo.
The panto itself may be a touch over long, and the choice of doing the Chichiwa dance as an audience participation routine rather than your usual sing along probably added almost 10 minutes to the show that wasn’t really needed, but it may get quicker as the run goes on.
The one thing that was missing was any real connection to the curse that is introduced as the start, that the beast has been put under. There is a large and beautiful rose sat in one of the upper boxes for the entirety of the performance, but nobody references it, nor do any of it’s petals fall off meaning that there is no real sense of urgency to get anything done.
There were elements of so many musicals in this show and it was a real treat to spot the different nods to Joseph, Wicked, Les Mis and even Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. There was even a refrain from Jesus Christ Superstar whenever Hugo entered the stage. This was like finding little Christmas treats or Easter eggs dropped throughout the show for those in the know to grab hold of, and definitely added a layer of fun and enjoyment.
There was of course something there for the much younger audiences, who were treated to a rendition of H.O.T.T.O.G.O by Dame Polly, complete with hand actions – a truly Tik-Tok worthy moment. As this show runs, and gets a little tighter, audiences are sure to experience two hours and 45 minutes of fabulous family fun.
Runs until 5th January 2025.
