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You know it’s Christmas when you are welcomed back to the Tyne Theatre & Opera House for an enchanting show of Beauty and the Beast.
Dreaming of a happier life, the beautiful Belle finds herself transported to a spell-bound castle held captive by a hideous beast. Can she see beyond the monster and fall in love with her captor before the last petal falls from the enchanted rose? Or will the Beast’s selfishness cost him the world he once knew and the hand of the girl that has melted his heart?
A fast paced comedy farce, the show is held together by Daveed Granola and Dame Brenda Brexit, played by two North East funny legends Charlie Richmond and Lewis Denny. Dame Brenda had some dramatic costume changes, I lost count there was so many- all I know is I really want her wardrobe. Daveed Granola was always entertaining the crowd and making fellow actors laugh out loud. I don’t remember the time I last had a proper belly laugh, from jokes suitable for all ages to physical slap stick comedy- their funny bone was on fire right till the very end. The relationship and camaraderie between Charlie and Lewis is something that can not be written, you could see they were really enjoying what they were doing- entertaining families in the North East.
Fairy Sugababe was of course played by Amelle Berrabah, having previously seen her last year in the panto at The Sands Centre, Carlisle I knew the magic wand was safe in her hands. Amelle brought all the sparkle and magic as the good fairy, bringing her stunning vocals to the forefront of her character-she elegantly guided the characters along to find their happy ending.
Tyne Theatre & Opera House know how to create a spellbinding panto, particularly in the scene where Beauty and Beast rewrite the stars and we see magical lights (almost star light) float around the theatre. It was a dazzling moment where not only did it create the romance between the characters but created a striking moment of showcasing just how beautiful the independent venue is.
It was hard to hate the evil Anton du Berk, played by Micky Cochrane- he was more of a loveable rogue. Desperate to win the heart of Belle, the Gaston like character had a convincing French accent as he tried to woo the audience.
I was a little disappointed to see no Disney Beauty and the Beast characters (perhaps there is a copyright issue or is it tradition in panto?) but all was not lost. The ensemble were made up of talented dancers- including four pro dancers, Anna Bartle, Millie Liddle, Jordan Nesbitt and Kinden Uppal. I was impressed by the flexibility of the dancers and the way they moved around the stage- they were so dynamic, Choreographer, Kerry Blaskett-Weatherall created some entertaining pieces of dance with some modern and ticktockable tunes to accompany them.
You can expect audience participation at Tyne Theatre & Opera House panto, oh yes you can. What you might be surprised to learn is that there is special 3D effect for children- which just adds to the enchanted spectacular that is Beauty & The Beast.
In fact that is how I would describe Beauty & The Beast- a magical and entertaining evening for all the family.
To book your ticket go to https://www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk/events/enchanted-entertainment-presents-beauty-the-beast/
Gemma's Journey 