Justin Fletcher knows his audience and has written a perfectly pitched version of Beauty and the Beast as a pantomime for this Christmas at the Hexagon in Reading and stars as Billy Pastry with his comedy soul mate Paul Morse who returns as Dame Nanny Pastry for an eighth year. They have a lovely relationship on stage, a well-crafted partnership that delivers all the classic pantomime routines with great skill, timing, and physical reactions. The result is some of the loudest and most consistent audience reactions that you will hear this season.
Their production includes many of the classic routines that are part of Pantomime history such as a delivery to the houses of Mr Who, Mr What and Mr Idon’tknow, the classic baking scene with plenty of slosh, a fresh feeling lip-sync routine, a standard “If I was not upon the stage”, and the usual Ghost bench scene, this time with a wolf. Each is delivered with discipline, care, and good comic timing to maximize the audience reaction. However, it was the return, “by popular demand”, of the Balletic balloon dance by Dame Busty Darcell and Rudolph Nurafen that once again gets the most laughs. The simplicity of the few words spoken in it, the perfection of the ballet steps and the business with the balloons is so clever it stands repeat viewing and is the show highlight. All the routines are carefully integrated so they flow from the narrative development naturally.
The familiar story is well-staged with a picturesque false proscenium arch to frame the stage and attractive portals with a very pretty opening village set with the bakery, impressive practical castle doors and glittering Castle interiors. Though we miss seeing the rose petals falling at critical moments and don’t see the Prince (Karl Loxley) transformed into the Beast in Act 1 there is an effective and magical looking transformation back to the Prince at the end which makes a fitting ending. It is always a challenge for the actor to covert emotions with a full-face mask, but Loxley does well as the Beast in conveying the softening of his attitude.The musical choices are good, including some new songs written by Justin Fletcher, and arranged by Jerome van den Berghe starting with “Good Morning” by Beauty (Sarah Giorgina), the Dame and a tapping Ensemble, “Oh What a night” with Billy, The Twist” with the Dame and the Ensemble and a lovely BSL signed version of “For Good” with Beauty and Mr Crust (David J Higgins).
Rachel Delooze gets to double up in a good voice as the magical Enchantress and as the comical Harrington and Joseph Bristow gets to build his comic role as Bodkins to an energetic Ryan Alexander Full’s Bear Botemme, the villain of the piece, in some good comic business. Indeed, the two headline stars share the stage time with the rest of the cast in a well-balanced, well-paced show with each half running just under an hour. I would almost say the Fletcher steps back in this show and lets others take the lead in some scenes and this helps create the shared stage time of an integrated cast. Imagine Theatre are expanding their number of Pantomimes produced each year, but Founder and stage Director Stephen Boden ensures that standards are maintained and with Justin Fletcher and Paul Morse at the helm in Reading, audiences are assured of a family-friendly Christmas entertainment that is fun and enjoyable for all ages. It runs until 3rd January.
Review by Nick Wayne
Rating: ★★★★
Seat: Stalls, Row G | Price of Ticket: £29.50
