The Wolverhampton Grand Theatre’s Panto has always been special, but in recent years, they have really bowled it out of the park. This year, they have made the unusual choice of staging Beauty and the Beast, and, it may just be their best panto yet. Honestly, I don’t think you will see a better panto this Christmas, it is an absolute triumph that literally delivers on all levels. Beauty and the Beast is the must see this Christmas!

Everything about this panto is perfect. The cast is incredible, with not one weak link. We have the Grand’s favourite duo, Tam Ryan and Ian Adams returning with laughter and merriment as Joey and Madame Fifi Fou-Fou, delivering hilarious slapstick comedy and mangling of the French language that has the audience laughing out loud. Belle, as played by Olivia Mitchell, is a perfect feisty heroine with the most incredible singing voice, and has a fantastic chemistry with Tom Lowe as the Beast. I loved Tom in Ursula in the Summer, and he is a brilliant beast in that he makes the role sympathetic, and. once again delivers a most powerful vocal performance. Timothy Lucas, as Bill-Ston ( I know! Brilliant!) aka Monsieur Le Pratt, is absolutely hilarious, stealing every scene he appears in. Jarneia Richard-Noel is a true queen as Angelica, again showcasing the most incredible vocals – all I can say is, what a voice! The real surprise, though, is the brilliant Giant as Gladius. He is the epitome of the panto baddy, perfectly hissable for the kids in the audience, but with a totally different reaction from the moms (ahem!). In a cast of theatre professionals, Giant totally holds his own, and I definitely hope he will return next year.

The sets are fantastic, a great mix of the traditional, and CGI, and the ensemble are just lovely as fairy tale characters come to life. The pace is fast and furious, and the jokes come thick and fast, meaning that, at times, your sides will hurt.  The songs are wonderful, I love the choices, ranging from Katy Perry to Elton John, as well as Ian’s trademark ‘I don’t care’, and a great take on Mary Poppins ‘Me’Ol Bamboo’.

This is a truly magical, unmissable Panto. Go see!

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

05 Dec–05 Jan 2025

Click here for ticket information

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