It's Panto Season!!!! First of many reviews is Beauty & The Beast at Gala Durham running until 31st December
AD/ Beauty & the Beast at Gala Durham. Rachel headed to Durham at the weekend, to check out this year's panto offering...
Here is what she said!
We stepped into the warm glow of the Gala for the Panto on Saturday evening, twinkling Christmas trees decorating the building, smiles of excitement and anticipation on the faces of staff and audience alike. The anticipation was richly rewarded – Beauty and the Beast is a delight. The Gala has set the bar high in recent years with gorgeous sets, dazzling costumes, brilliant dancing and songs, and banter and physical comedy which will have the whole family laughing.
Set against an already high standard, this year’s Christmas offering was particularly magical. The audience was gripped from the opening number and utterly won over by the performances of a brilliant cast. Everything glittered, from the dresses to the smiles. But what stood out to me most this year was just how much fun the cast seemed to be having on stage. This shone through most when they met the few opening weekend gaffes with camaraderie and gentle ribbing. Their joy in the performance was contagious and sprinkled that extra bit of magic on an already standout show.
What to expect
🌟 A book-loving heroine modelling loyalty, bravery, and kindness
🌟 A silly, mashed-potato-loving bard… minstrel… clown? (played by Jude Nelson, who always delivers)
🌟 A positively brilliant baddy
🌟 A swoony romance
🌟 A clock and a lamppost that will steal your hearts
🌟 A grumpy but ultimately charming beast
🌟 Adorable forest creatures that had all the kids off their seats dancing
🌟 Gorgeous sets
🌟 Lush costumes
🌟 Professional dancing (and some impressive costume changes!)
🌟 Brilliant musical numbers, with familiar songs and mashups that had us dancing in our seats
🌟 Nonstop laughs
🌟 Local nods
🌟 A message to look beneath the surface to find true value
🌟 Physical comedy that had the kids giggling till they had hiccups
A few shout outs…
Kieron Michael as Gourmand is such a star! He revelled in his role as a baddy and had every kid in the audience in hysterics. My 3-year-old almost fell off his seat laughing, and his mashup of Parklife and Here Comes the Sun was perfection.
Monsieur Brillant and Madame Horloge, the lamppost and clanging clock in the Beast’s castle, were brilliant. My eldest’s favourites, both with fantastic comic timing and brilliant physical actors.
Things to note
• For what can be quite a scary story, they’ve done an excellent job of keeping the performance light. Particularly in the first half, however, the beast did scare some children in the audience. The moments were brief and his transformation first into a grumpy but harmless beast and finally into a charming prince dissipated any early fears, but still worth noting if you have sensitive/younger children.
• While not an exact retelling of the classic tale, it doesn’t stray too far!
• While Belle met Gourmand’s advances with more politeness than I would have managed in her position, I am always delighted to see so many strong female characters shining on the Gala stage.
• Booster seats are available on entry to the theatre, such an appreciated help for families with small children.
• Running time is approximately two hours and 15 minutes, with an intermission. Both my children (3 and 6) remained riveted throughout. There was so much to keep the littles entertained – they may have been sleepy by the end but they never got bored.
• Prices vary but peak tickets cost £25 for a full price ticket and £22 for under 16s, seniors, students, unemployed, and access. Not the cheapest day out but if a panto is in your budget this year Beauty and the Beast is a magical experience.
• Delightful and reasonably priced extras are available at a beautiful concession stand, from a beast head and tail (£4) to a sparkling tiara (£4) to a gingerbread biscuit kit (£5). My children went for the foam fingers for maximum booing impact
Like a winter rose, the Gala’s Beauty and the Beast is a shining light amidst the dark of winter. My littles were asleep on their feet as we walked back to the car, but their faces continued to beam, smiles fixed from so much laughter. Beauty and the Beast truly is a brilliant experience for the whole family
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