Beauty and the Beast Panto

Deck the halls with laughter and cheer because City Academy’s “Beauty and the Beast” 2023 panto is back, and it’s a festive delight that “sleighed” my expectations. This December tradition is rapidly becoming the highlight of my holiday season, and I must say, it’s a Christmas cracker of a show. With its loose interpretation of the classic tale, it brings back some of the most heartwarming hits from movies like “The Prom” or “Nativity!” – whatever your December season classic is.

Panto Delight: Beauty and the Beast Gets a Comic Twist

Following last year’s hit with pop song mashups (read my review from 2022 here) that had me dancing in my seat (I still remember their “Teenage Dream/Break Free” mashup, such a fun scene!), this year’s rendition takes on the timeless tale of Beauty and the Beast with a camp twist.

The creative team has sprinkled the script with jokes that could make even Scrooge crack a smile – from basically an unlimited license to make jokes about the French, to 2023 TV commentary (yes, there is of course “The Traitors” joke), and a slight political angle (Priti Patel does get an un-honourable mention), the dialogues are wrapped it with a huge bow of humour.

Enchanting Characters of Beouf Bourguignon

The plot unfolds in the distant realm of Beouf Bourguignon. The narrator, fairy Fondant Fancy, is perfectly cast. Although Charlotte Emerson initially takes a moment to warm up (singing the first song with a bit of a tight throat), once she finds her stride, she establishes fantastic communication with the audience, causing instant smiles whenever she graces the stage.

The character list includes a family that could give the clan of Kardashians a run for their money – a book-loving Belle (charming Cheyane Brown) and her sisters Beaux (Lili Eder) and Tox (Danelle Jordan). Add in the slightly life-tired Papa Petit Pois (Petro El Hage), his extravagant wife Dame Dolly Donut Ring played by Sergio Altamirano (shouting “look at that ring” loud never gets boring in this show), and the most camp character this year, the family horse called Sarah Jessica Parker Bowles (Navin Nair). This family is so poor that we, the audience, had to collectively express our sadness – talk about a Christmas tearjerker!

In the little town, we meet Pierre En Lair, a gender-bending hunk (phenomenal Emma Gemoli, because who says this is a male-only role) with a serious Gaston vibe, and his retail-themed duo of H and M (hilariously portrayed by the mostly quiet yet dynamic duo Andrea Giovagnoli / Alvin Zapata), who collectively manage to sneak in a 90s boyband vibe during the “She’s The Brightest Star” performance. Then, of course, we have the Beast / Prince Laurent trying to fix their overgrown beast-style facial hair situation by finding true love. I have to say, the way the show casts 2 people in this role – Chloe Bourke and Dennis Klyver – clever, very clever!

Inflatable Guitars and Musical Marvels

It’s always a big must for a musical to end act 1 with a bang. Here, the first part of the story concludes with the entire cast rocking out to “Here I Go Again” while wielding inflatable guitars. I mean, if this doesn’t immediately ignite the desire to burst into a karaoke performance, I don’t know what else could.

Music-wise, it’s such an array of music genres and a collection of songs that we all know and love. From “Love is an Open Door” from Frozen, and a classic “Chu-chi face” from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to a wonderful show’s finale to a medley of “Move Your Feet / Sunshine Day”. As the show went on, it seemed like the cast got more comfortable and had more fun on stage with every minute. The big group finale was full of energy and wrapped things up perfectly— I had a quiet hope for an encore!

Costume Capers and Stage Shrinks: Theatrical Charms Amid Spatial Squeeze

The costumes steal the spotlight with an impressive number of changes, featuring classic Disney-esque variations of French local townsfolk. Notably, the “Be Our Guest”-inspired outfits showcase the magical creatures residing in the Beast’s castle, including the iconic golden Candlestick ensemble. Speaking about the Beast – the hairy mask earns a solid 10/10, boasting a moving jaw and overall excellent quality.

But I’m not going to surprise anyone by saying that the biggest applause for the costume goes to the Sarah Jessica Parker Bowles outfit, complete with golden harness, tail and a majestic horse mane. The whole look enhanced Navin Nair’s over-the-top camp performance and made it hard to forget – a story of this horse could easily be expanded and staged in Soho Theatre one day if you ask me.

The stage may be smaller than usual, causing some choreographic constraints, but the energy and enthusiasm of the cast make up for it. Only half of the usual Bridewell Theatre stage is accessible for the actors, due to the large projection screen set – it does get busy and it does get a bit too cramped in some group scenes. The projection is a bit half-baked this time – very static, but the lights make the village pictures look almost half-transparent and sometimes barely visible. Granted, the projections or stage set are not the main focus of a panto, but it would be nice to work on them a bit more (if I reckon, the setup was the same last year).

I was there for the opening night, so as expected, some issues with microphones hanging loose and sound not being switched on at the correct moments happened, but that was kind of expected for the first show of this cast and didn’t affect the enjoyment of the show much.

The City Academy team holds a little sweet spot in my heart – their genuine passion for AmDram shines through in every show, and you can witness the sheer joy each actor experiences in the spotlight. Their enthusiasm is contagious, and it’s evident they relish every moment on stage. If you’re keen to skip a West End show from time to time and give an amateur show a chance, I would definitely start with one of City Academy’s productions.