Some of my happiest Christmas memories were at a pantomime. It is such a special memory for me, seeing some actors you’ve barely heard of, running around retelling your favourite stories with cheesy jokes and slapstick violence. I have always wanted to go back and see another panto, but I was a little fearful that they wouldn’t be as fun as I remembered them to be and that maybe it would be something I had upsettingly grown up from. I was quick to test my theory and, despite my hesitance, I couldn’t get rid of the smile on my face from the first minute. For two and a half hours, I felt that child-like joy once again.
Of all the pantomimes I have seen, this is one of the higher-budget ones which means bigger and more extravagant sets. The set-pieces are fun and colourful, and benefit the wacky retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Gone is the plot of the film and instead, we have a shorter, cuter version of the story. Predictable? Obviously. Fun and sweet? Absolutely. However, neither the set nor the plot would really matter without the brilliant live music throughout the play. Seeing the band members perform each surprisingly modern song throughout the play is undeniably magical, even when the song playing is making you laugh, both for the right and wrong reasons (the modernness of the songs can catch you off guard)!
Having been raised on pantomimes, my standards for the actors are always high and I am happy to say these standards were met. Bessy Ewa and Aidan Banyard were excellent as the leads and shone with their excellent vocals. However, when it came to singing, none were better than Jennie Dale who stole every song she was in as Cupid. However, a pantomime is only as good as its comedy actors and I’m happy to say they were my highlight. Duncan James as Danton (a less evil Gaston) and Max Fulham as Philipe (Belle’s brother) were brilliant and constantly a delight to watch yet were slightly overshone by Damien Williams who played Belle’s mother. He was the source of most of the comedy and was exceptionally funny, not just to the audience but the actors on stage with him as well as even they couldn’t help but break whenever he clearly went off script.
From the messiest ice cream making to the most comical and blatant advertisement for Veezu, this play had it all. I won’t deny that pantomimes aren’t for everyone and yes, they are made primarily for children. This means the constant stream of jokes can get a bit repetitive and some puns got more groans from parents than laughter from kids. However, I am not one of those people and I am still smiling about this panto, even a few days later. It was amazing to be reminded to always look on the bright side of life.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Beauty and the Beast is playing at the Sheffield Lyceum until January 7th
