This isn’t a sponsored post.
BrumHour saw Beauty and the Beast at the invite of Lichfield Garrick.
by Dave Massey twitter.com/BrumHour
For Brum Radio’s Interval Theatre, Panto Dame Sam Rabone spoke about this year’s Lichfield Panto. Listen below:
This production contains audience participation! You have been warned.
Panto Review: Beauty and the Beast at Lichfield Garrick
Directed by Daniel Buckroyd and written by Paul Hendy
After Madame Fillop (Sam Rabone), her son Phillipe (Ben Thornton) and Danton (Jacob Kohli) go into the forest, Daughter Belle (Kat Chatterton) heads out to find them and discovers they are the enchanted home of The Beast (Melad Hamidi) which is somehow in South Staffordshire also in central France.
Even in Natalie Pilkington’s opening lines as Cupid, this production wants you to know that this is not a Disney story and won’t have Disney songs. Though there are a bunch of Disney puns pretty soon after.
This a fun and daft slice of traditional British Pantomime, an adventure, a love story, and an ensemble cast led confidently by Sam Rabone in increasingly silly outfits who is fun as ever. Ben Thornton and Kat Chatterton are also excellent, and Jacob Kohli is very entertaining as Danton. And Sarah Annakin is great as The Enchantress (Our real villain). BOO!! Hiss (Don’t people hiss at panto anymore?)
There are great costumes and sets on display and fun songs to join in with. The beast is slightly muffled so hopefully that will be sorted out, and one small person sat near to me was quite afraid of him (with his mask and horns) despite this being a family friendly production. Something to consider if you are bringing someone under the age of five. Especially as each half lasts about an hour plus a twenty minute interval.
This production has lots of silly moments and the slapstick is excellent, more of this please next year. Especially when it starts to get very very messy. The Lichfield Panto stands there with its arms wide open waiting for you to go and give it a big hug.
Plenty of fun with organised chaos, Beauty and the Beast is at Lichfield Garrick until 7th January 2024. Book tickets here: lichfieldgarrick.com/whats-on.
