Having been a bit of a Panto-hater until recently when a friend of mine dragged me along to see one he regarded as the best around, I was incredibly excited to see this production of ‘Beauty & the Beast – The Panto’ at the Wee Hub at Ocean Terminal. I had seen a production from Forth Children’s Theatre before, so knew the talent they had on offer and was ready to be swept up into the festive fun. Prince Angus of Edinburgh is cursed by a fairy to appear as a beast until he can prove he is a good man. When Belle, a clever local girl with a kind heart, finds herself trapped in his castle, she takes it upon herself to teach the forgotten Prince how to be a decent human. But can she succeed in time before the last petal falls and he and all his workers are forgotten forever?
Charlotte Dickinson is great as Belle. She carries the story on her shoulders very well, and plays the sweet, innocence of Belle perfectly. Dickinson is an incredibly talented singer. Her rendition of Easy On Me by Adelle provokes genuine emotion and gives the audience goosebumps. Her singing voice is very clear, and she utilises a lovely vibrato throughout that she controls brilliantly.
Luke Davidson is fantastic as Dame Maggie. He really leans into the role and doesn’t hold back in any way. Davidson has a strong grasp on his function in the production, being hilarious comic relief while maintaining expert stage presence in which he appears so comfortable. Davidson’s version of Man! I Feel Like A Woman is an utter joy and he performs it like he’s been playing Dames for years.
Joe Tulloch brings us his portrayal of this panto’s Beast, Prince Angus. He communicates the struggle his character is going through well, while portraying the short fuse of his character clearly. He provides unexpected comedy at moments, displaying a strong understanding of Panto and his role within.
Joseph Coane plays Belle’s father Muddles very well. He has the task of portraying an older character and tackles this effectively. He uses his voice, making it lower and powerful, providing many funny moments while fooling the audience into thinking he’s much older. Nathan Fisher plays the silly sidekick Joey joyously. He is constantly in the moment, having micro-thoughts and always looking for another choice to make while the attention isn’t directly on him. With this, he displays a strong understanding of acting for stage, never mind just for panto.
Corin Wake plays our villainous Big Tam with ease. His posh, snobby, full-of-himself, wannabe prince makes the audience happily boo him yet want more of him on stage, they love to hate him.
Chloe Law, Mhairi Finlay and Hannah Wilson all do well as the Fairy, the Butler and the Maid respectively. They each have less stage time but still give memorable performances, Wilson especially, as she has a couple of brilliant solo dance moments.
The ensemble gave their all, each member adding to whichever scene they were in, be it background noise, a spontaneous dance routine or spurting out the odd hilarious line, they all provide something to the production and bring a great energy to stage.
Lewis Baird understands Panto. He not only directs this production but writes it too. He clearly holds the form close to his heart and the fourth wall-breaking, rough-edged style lends itself well to Baird’s sense of humour and writing style. Baird’s choice to use a split stage during the Act one finale Shut Up and Raise Your Glass was a nice touch. One can only hope he continues writing pantos for as long as possible as they may well become a staple of the festive period.
Taylor Doig does a great job with the choreography, creating a fun and energetic style to the choreo that is infectious and brings a smile to the faces of the audience, giving talented dancers moments to shine. Erin Munro also delivers as the vocal coach of this production. Munro’s song choices were brilliant, matching the moments in the story brilliantly, while feeling fitting for his cast. With this Munro has done a great job of coaching the young cast through these bombastic numbers, it sounds great and is very effective for this pantomime. The cast seem confident in what they are doing, and that is all thanks to these creatives.
Overall, this panto was incredible fun. The cast can be proud of what they achieved here, creating festive joy and putting on a show that is hilarious, well-rehearsed and is ready to be enjoyed by many.
Get Tickets for ‘Beauty & The Beast’ here:
https://www.forthchildrenstheatre.org/event-details/beauty-the-beast-the-panto-2022-12-10-14-30
Theatre Scotland 
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