Tag Archives: Beauty and the Beast

Choreographer: Carlos Pons Guerra Reviewer: Dawn Smallwood For one evening at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre, DeNada Dance Theatre presented Carlos Pons Guerra’s TORO: Beauty & the Bull. The intriguing dance production is dark and has a contemporary retake on the popular fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. Act one opens with The Girl (Emma Walker) who works as a ...

Director: Stuart Wade Musical Director: Dean McDermott Choreographer: Emily Taylor Reviewer: Mark Clegg Although not a fairy tale that traditionally received the panto treatment, Beauty and the Beast has become increasingly popular to adapt following Disney’s 1991 movie. Having this production coincide with this year’s release of the live-action remake has been a canny business decision and although the basic ...

Writer: Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve Devised by: New International Encounter, Cambridge Junction and Alex Byrne Director: Alex Byrne Reviewer: Claire Hayes  Bristol’s Tobacco Factory has garnered a deserved reputation for the quality of its family Christmas shows and this year’s playfully quirky Beauty and the Beast is no exception. Think Disney unplugged; New International Encounter (NIE) and Cambridge Junction under the direction ...

Writers: Phil Lowe and David Bown Music: Nick Lacey Director: Phil Lowe Choreographer: Sophie Zealand Reviewer: Sophie Dodworth Upon entering Harrogate Theatre, elegant Christmas decorations have been hung, and harmonic sounds from the Harrogate Theatre Choir fill the air. The grand decoration of the venue, following its 2011 refurbishment, contributes to the flamboyant energy emitted by this quintessential family pantomime, ...

Writer: Jessica Lea Director: Sam Donovan Reviewer: Robin Winters The Black E on the edge of Liverpool’s China Town has become the latest venue to give a home to pantomime. Offering its own unique localised and intimate take on the family favourite, new company Drops of Light present the epic tale of love Beauty and the Beast. Sam Donovan’s fast-paced ...

Writer: Liam Mellor Director: Chantelle Nolan Reviewer: John Roberts St Helens Theatre Royal was one of the first venues to start producing an Easter pantomime, starting off as a three show experiment over 10 years ago, this has now grown into something far bigger and puts some producers' pitiful Christmas offerings to shame - but that’s no surprise given the ...

Writer: Chris Hannon Musical Director: Ward Baker Director: Karen Simpson Reviewer: Flip Miller Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the annual visit to a traditional family pantomime and, this year, it’s the turn of Beauty &The Beast at the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds. The story has the classic threads that we all know and love.  The mysterious Beast, the shy ...

Choreographer: David Nixon Reviewer: Laura Jane Bateman The story of Beauty and the Beast has been immortalised by Disney’s animated film, but Northern Ballet’s adaptation, first presented in 2011, takes the story back to its 18th-century fairy-tale roots. Choreographed by artistic director David Nixon, it is a simple and well-danced production which is let down by underdeveloped characters and garish ...