Beauty and the Beast (Stourbridge Pantomime Company)

If you’re in the West Midlands and looking for some outright pantomime fun, you won’t be able to do much better than Stourbridge Pantomime Company, currently performing at Stourbridge Town Hall with their production of something a little less traditional but, equally if not more entertaining, that being Beauty and the Beast. If you’re expecting an array of eating, drinking and cooking utensils parading around to the sounds of ‘Be Our Guest’, you’ll be disappointed but, you will get something much more flamboyant and engaging.

Richly colourful costumes, some stunning dance numbers choreographed by Amy Williams, singalong songs (including a terrific Gloria Estefan medley) from George Stuart and his musicians, an authentic set adorning scene after scene from Margaret Taylor and her stage management team all expertly moulded into an unforgettable night of entertainment by Steve Humpherson, simply something you don’t want to miss.

In the title roles Sophie Ruddick has almost dropped straight from the Disney Movie and totally charms as Belle with Jonathan Hunt managing to walk the tightrope of a dual role as Prince Danton/ The Beast and doing so with great effect, the two performing effortlessly together to deliver emotion in every way to the audience.

Delivering that continual battle between good and evil are Sami Brasenell's, Good Fairy Flora with a delectable Welsh accent and an engaging smile, opposed by Julia Tromans as the rather nasty Belladonna (a class piece of baddie acting and annoying the audience), I had better not call her a Bad Fairy, she'd probably take exception and cast a spell on me ! I should at this point also mention Ben Simpson as Monsieur Le Fou, one word, scary, is all it needs but, a great piece of characterisation.

David Shaw's quintessential dame, Madam Fifi explodes on to the stage in a multitude of costumes and a volley of jokes and double entendre, finding no problem in dishing-out various forms of physical admonishment to son Jacques, played with energy and a likeable twinkle in her eye by Hattie Rudge.

Belle's sisters (of the ugly variety, although I feel more ugliness of soul than face) are played with broad Black Country twang and considerable comedy value by Dawn Shillingford (Whitney) and Emily Jeavons (Britney). Couldn't help at one point, feeling sorry for them in their vain attempt to endear themselves to village hunk Gustave, played with considerable 'joie de vivre' by Ricky Hammond but, my feelings soon changed as they ran riot over their poor unsuspecting father Alphonse, played in true 'Baron Hardup Style' by Peter Goldsmith.

Running the local Beauty Parlour are a quick-witted pair in the form of Marcel (Adam Chester) and Monique (Sammy Tromans), full to the brim with one-liners and panto sarcasm, eliciting some of the largest and longest laughs from the audience (although I would steer clear of their establishment if I were you, anywhere that Whitney and Britney frequent probably isn't achieving its objective !).

This is Panto at its best and supplemented by an ensemble cast that bring everything to life, put simply you shouldn't miss this and it runs until 25th January 2020.

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