Beauty and the Beast at Gala Durham – review (AD)
We were kindly invited to watch Beauty and the Beast at Gala Durham in exchange for an honest review.*
With our tickets collected from the box office we got our snacks – a can of pop and popcorn for me and some sweets for Elsie and then headed to our seats.
The snacks are reasonably priced and the queues go down quickly.
We nabbed a red booster seat and got ourselves settled for the show.
Beauty and the Beast synopsis
Step into a world of music, magic, and merriment and join Belle, a bright, bold local lass who dreams of more than just life in the village, her eccentric Auntie Madame Perplexe, an inventor and the wandering Bard Jongleur as they avoid the unwanted attention of village bully and show off Gourmand.
In the mysterious abandoned Château de Pitié pour Moi (or Pity Me castle as the locals call it) there is a terrible curse hanging over it and its inhabitants.
Inanimate objects Madame Horloge and Monsieur Brillant come to life, and it is rumoured a terrible Beast also lives there.
Will Belle’s courage and kindness be enough to break the curse?
Can love blossom where you least expect it?
Expect plenty of laughs, thrills and fun in this magical reimagining of a timeless tale.
Packed with dazzling costumes, songs, and of course, all your favourite panto moments – welcome to the Castle…of Fun!
Cast
- Belle: Beth Crame
- Madame Perplexe: Zoe Lambert
- Jongleur: Jude Nelson
- Prince Alphonse / The Beast: Suryan Hadrick
- Gourmand: Kieron Michael
- Monsieur Brillant: Adam Donaldson
- Madame Horloge: Sarah Bulmer
Ensemble: Lucas Bradley Benson; Helen Chong; Jordan Jewell; Grace Parkin-Galway; Katie Skelton and Libby Watson.
For the first time, Gala Durham is able to offer an audio described performance of Beauty and the Beast on Saturday 7 December, 6.30pm.
Audio description provides a blind or partially blind person with detailed visual descriptions of the performance that they may otherwise miss.
It is listened to through a discreet receiver so the performance can be enjoyed with sighted friends and family.
Gala Durham is also offering touch tours prior to the audio described performance for blind or partially blind audiences.
This will be an opportunity to explore the stage, set, costumes, props and more ahead of attending the show.
If you are interested in booking for a touch tour, please contact the Box Office on 03000 266 600.
What did we think of Beauty and the Beast?
As a first-time pantomime experience for our family, Beauty and the Beast at the Gala Durham proved to be a festive delight.
Sporting our Christmas jumpers and having practised our booing, we were ready for the full panto experience, and the show did not disappoint.
The friendly staff kindly gave each child a card on one side was the cast list and the other side a hand with yoohoo and a thumbs down with boo so you could hold them up during the show.
The performance kicks off energetically with a lively song that highlights the impressive dance routines from the ensemble, who executed each move flawlessly.
Jude Nelson, as the comic Jongleur, immediately engaged the audience, cleverly breaking the fourth wall before even introducing her character.
Her rapport with the younger members of the audience was immediate, and she kept them interacting throughout the show, embodying the essence of panto with infectious enthusiasm.
She was one of Elsie’s favourite characters!
Beth Crame as Belle brought a warmth to her role as a bookstall owner.
What stood out in this production was its refreshing, largely female-led cast and a shift away from the usual male-dominated roles in traditional panto.
The Beast may have been the exception, but the rest of the men played supporting roles.
Gary Kitching’s script is full of family-friendly humour, creating a safe and enjoyable atmosphere for all ages.
Importantly, the show keeps the heart of the Beauty and the Beast story intact, with humour woven throughout, rather than veering too far into unrelated stand-up routines.
This approach made the show more satisfying, particularly for the younger audience, who likely appreciated the more traditional storytelling aspect of the panto.
Of course, there were the expected panto moments, such as the messy slapstick scene which Elsie howled throughout and some audience participation singing to wrap up the show – a nice, inclusive touch that kept the audience engaged.
The double act of Adam Donaldson and Sarah Bulmer, as Monsieur Brillant and Madame Horlodge, worked particularly well, offering plenty of laughs, especially as the action moved to the Beast’s Château.
Rachel Glover’s direction cleverly utilised the two-level auditorium and the decision to position a couple of the cast members on the upper level during the big production numbers worked well, bringing the action closer to the audience and Elsie was thrilled when Jongleur and Gourmand walked closely past our seats.
The vibrant musical backing for the singing, added to the overall atmosphere of the production.
Kieron Michael (Gourmand) portrays a charming villain with great skill; his performance as Captain Hook in Peter Pan and Wendy was thoroughly enjoyed, and we were thrilled to see him return to the Gala stage once again.
The live music certainly lifted the performance, making it feel even more festive and immersive.
For me, the true measure of a panto’s success is how involved the young audience gets and without a doubt Beauty and the Beast is undoubtedly a success.
The kids were eager to help the characters on stage with their quests, greeting cast members with yoohoo, booing Gourmand, shouting he’s behind you, and as families left with huge smiles on their faces, it was clear that this production had captured the essence of panto magic.
Our five-year-old was captiviated from start to finish.
Usually quite shy and reserved she was booing, yoohooing, clapping and even dancing in the aisle at one point – she absolutely loved Beauty and the Beast.
I loved all the little local references to towns, villages and cities particularly in County Durham and the answer to why aren’t the characters speaking French “just go with it”!
There’s still time to take a trip to Chester-le-Rue and see Belle, the Beast and the whole cast in action at Gala Durham with performances until Tuesday 31 December 2024.
Purchase tickets via the box office or online via the Gala Durham website.
Tickets are from £10, a family ticket is from £70.
A huge thank you to Gala Durham for the tickets we loved our first family panto trip and can’t wait for next year’s pantomime.
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*Disclaimer
This review has been written with 100% honesty.
I was not financially compensated for this post. I was invited to this show in return for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this post are completely my own based on my own experience.
If you would like your company/service featured on rachaelstray.com either in the form of review, sponsored post or an advertising slot, please feel free to contact me at rachaelstray@gmail.com
Please visit my contact/work with me page for more information.
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