The Plaza, Stockport – until 22 April 2019
Reviewed by Carla Whittaker
4****
Regal Entertainments brings this year’s Easter pantomime of Beauty and the Beast to the Stockport Plaza, staring Kiera-Nicole Brennan from Channel 5’s Milkshake as Belle. I was really excited about this as Beauty and the Beast is my favourite, and so I was happy to be starting our Easter weekend with this magical fairy tale which was certainly delivered at Stockport’s Plaza!
The curtains lift and the show is opened with sparkle and glamour by the wonderful Sarah Walker as Fairy Rose. The story follows Belle in the French village of Petit Pois. Belle is pursued by the egotistic Garston played by the hilarious Philip McGuinness who storms around the stages determined to win the hand of Belle, with the audience eliciting boo’s throughout. However, Belle had her sights on the handsome Prince (James Lacey) which Madam Botox (Hannah Potts) takes it upon herself to sabotage this by giving the unknowing Prince a poison which turns him into a hideous beast with the intention that Belle will not fall for the beastly creature. Will Belle be able to see passed the unsightly exterior of the Prince or, will Belle live an intolerable life with Gaston and his wicked mother? With the help of the long standing duo Simon Foster as Potty Polly, Lewis Devine as French Frank and Fairy Rose the Prince is resurrected and Belle gets her dream of falling in love with the Prince, with the traditional ending of all panto’s of a glitzy wedding.
The acts of Potty Polly . . . . yooo’hooo are French Frank were hilarious and definitely stole the show for me. There were buckets of classic and modern comedy which created a lighthearted ambience and atmosphere that only a panto can conjure. My son was particularly fond of the scene when French Frank is turned into a frog, and a member of the audience has to help him back onto the wall multiple times – it was hilarious! The atmosphere was uplifting, and my son was laughing out loud throughout the whole performance. The content was perfect for both adults and children, with plenty of audience participation making it the perfect must see performance.
Panto is definitely something which everyone should experience, which I really enjoy as does my son. Beauty and the Beast is running until Monday 22nd April and I highly recommend if you have not got tickets that you go and get them for some traditional Easter entertainment!