Beauty and the Beast – Orchard West, Dartford

Writer: Alan McHugh

Director: Joseph Houston

A pair of Albert Square residents bring some much-needed cheer to the new Orchard West in this year’s pantomime Beauty and the Beast.

Dartford’s Orchard West is the temporary home for theatre in Dartford following the closure of the Orchard Theatre, after the latter’s roof forced the venue to shut its doors following the discovery of the much-maligned reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) earlier this year. As a result, Dartford has been without its biggest theatre until a new, temporary, venue popped up a few yards away, bringing with it this Christmas’s festive feast.

Beauty and the Beast largely follows the well-known story, and this production is spear-headed by Shona McGarty, EastEnders’ Whitney Dean, in her first role since announcing her departure from TV’s most famous square after 15 years. McGarty’s Belle is supported by another Albert Square alumni in Harry Reid, formerly Ben Mitchell, who plays the aptly named Silly Billy. Rounding off the lead cast is Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist John Archer as Belle’s Father.

McGarty, in the leading role, is completely at ease and deservedly takes plaudits at the end. This production enables McGarty to show off an impressive vocal range and a knack for physical comedy, and the soap star looks completely comfortable on stage. In addition, McGarty shows willing to laugh at herself too, in cheekily crafted nods to her TV role, and this humour is coupled with a warmth which helps to evoke the family fun vibe the show is going for, and has lacked in previous years.

Reid, as the ever-silly Silly Billy, is over-excited and chaotic, in the right way, bringing copious slapstick humour and gags to make the kids laugh and the parents groan. Reid bounces off well with the rest of the cast and while the character does feel ever so slightly over-exaggerated in comparison to the rest of the piece, Reid does, rightly, tone this down a little in the second half, particularly during an impressive routine with dazzling acrobatic troupe The Acromaniacs.

Archer, as Belle’s Father, provides much comic entertainment and uses his slick sleight-of-hand skills to dazzle as an all-singing and all-joke-telling magician extraordinaire. Archer’s quick comic timing allows for some fun audience participation, even when this does not go quite to plan, as well as showcasing an adept ability at slapstick humour during one of the show’s more riotous moments towards its conclusion. This is a show without a pantomime Dame, yet Archer, alongside Reid, makes up for this comedic absence with success.

In addition to the leads, the supporting cast is led by Emma Jay Thomas as the Enchantress, Tom Senior as Flash Harry and Connor Carson as the Beast. Senior threatens to steal the show as the delightfully mischievous Flash Harry, indulging in the boos and jeers from the audience but never threatening to move the performance into anything more sinister. This is a strong pantomime villain performance with Senior stealing every scene he is in. Moreover, a small yet strong ensemble cast brings William Whelton’s choreography to life, with these routines slickly delivered by a cast that exuberates festive cheer.

Despite its temporary home, the theatre does manage to create a space that can hold some impressive set pieces. The rotating castle opens into an acceptable ballroom, and the glitzy costumes and props, as well as some colourful backdrops, make up for the limited space the new stage has to play with. While the jokes do, still, feel a little tired, the visual spectacle of this production feels fresher than ever, and it is clear that there has been a conscious effort to bring more colour and variety to this pantomime than ones seen at the theatre in previous years.

This has been a panto season like no other for the theatre and this production is the success the efforts behind the scenes and on the stage deserve. Beauty and the Beast is a fun and warm festive treat, aided by a brilliant cast, that has enough in it to keep the audience entertained into the New Year. This is a stark improvement on last year’s iteration and, despite the concrete setbacks, sets the new theatre on a steady path into 2024.

Runs until 31 December 2023