Joy Watters reviews a production with bucket loads of festive spirit.
It is some undertaking to fill the vast concert hall with festive spirit but this show does it in bucket loads. The traditional fairy tale of Beauty and The Beast springs into life with something for all the family.
Written by Alan McHugh and directed by Ian Grieve, it is clear that these two know what an audience wants and how to give it to them.
It’s jolly to see the band performing at the front of the hall instead of hidden away. There’s young love, goodies, baddies and silly billys, lots of dancing and singing all amidst a classy looking set.
Ken Harrison’s design features a specially created proscenium arch with insets behind giving great depth to the stage, allowing the audience to focus on the story. His costumes too are rather special, paying homage to the origins of the story.
The poor prince has been cursed and turned into a beast, moping in his castle and loping about the stage. Good old Belle (an endearing sensible sort in AmyBeth Littlejohn’s playing) is not one to judge on appearances and stays with the beast, returning him to his former self.
Barrie Hunter excels again as the dame, this time it’s Betty Blumenthal, a cook. Her numpty son Boabby is everything he should be in Harry Ward’s capable hands.
There’s two baddies with the witch Deadly Nightshade, who cursed the prince, and sidekick Poison Ivy. Amanda Beveridge soars on the boo-o-meter as the former, with Angela Darcy as the latter gives her lots of cheek.
The youth cast is a team of little troupers, really giving it their all from start to finish.
It’s all underpinned by the excellent Perth Panto Orchestra, laying on a host of current chart hits and oldies given a local twist, such as a foot tapping Beach Boys number taking the cast surfing at Stanley Bay.
Runs at Perth Concert Hall until December 26, 2015.
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