Pantomime is the one point in the theatrical calendar where you can be forgiven for staging a show which is maybe a little looser on its storyline and which crowbars in songs and 'celebs' like nobody's business.
However it's also the time when the theatres who ignore that stereotype and put on a stunning production of a world class pantomime really make Christmas special for the city they're part of. And that's the niche that Wolverhampton Grand continue to fall into.
This is the Grand's second self-produced panto, following on from the success of Snow White last year and it once again brings together an immaculate cast and beautiful staging. It also gives our writing team a chance to shine - but we'll come to them in a second.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. A good chunk of pantomimes across the country are 'out of the box' shows and that presents a major issue. Either those shows are formulaic and lack any sort of get up and go, or they become so centred around the big name on the poster that we lose any semblance of storyline so the latest Strictly winner can do a thirty second dance break and the crowd can cheer.
What the team behind Beauty and the Beast have managed to do is find a happy medium.
Imagine Theatre are the geniuses behind the set - gorgeous physical scenery teamed with an incredible digital wall; it's lovely to see a panto merging two styles of visual but without sacrificing one for the other. A shout out has to go to Adrian Jackson who has again worked his magic as musical supervisor, teaming up with Rob Murray as MD on the night.
However I once again take my hat off to Ian Adams and Tam Ryan who, alongside treading the board for (what I think is) the 100th year running, have written an absolute masterpiece.
A few years ago, when The Grand parted ways with a large-scale company who had staged their pantomimes for years, I think we all took a deep breath. They were on their own in a festive wilderness and it could have gone one way or the other. Credit to Adrian for pursuing the idea of in-house production and what a dynamic duo he entrusted the show to each year.
Ian and Tam have once again smashed this out of the park - and it's so good that we've got a long term partnership that the audience know they can trust to write a gem of a show. Beauty and the Beast takes a classic tale, adds in the nods and local references the audience expects, throws in some great dance routines and a stunning mix of songs and packages them up with a laughter-filled bow on top.
And when you've got such a phenomenal script, it takes a stellar cast to pull it off - which is exactly what we have!
Gladiators star, Giant tops the bill as the evil 'Gladius' and plays the part brilliantly. Staying on the right side of cheesy, there's definitely pugil sticks and lycra, but the production stops short of over-egging it which is welcome. As I said before, the worry is always that the star of the big-name TV show is there to put in bums on seats, but Giant showed his versatility on stage this evening.
Tam and Ian also make a welcome return as our comic, 'Joey' and his mum, 'Madame Fifi Fou-Fou' - parts that they were born to play. The duo have amazing chemistry and just 'do' pantomime so well. There's definitely an element of repeating the material that works, but I don't think it matters - I could listen to 'I Don't Care' over and over and not get bored!
The only thing that was maybe missing was the big comedy song number. It's definitely a choice that has to be made - and they seemed to lean towards a credible story with a few smaller references to panto 'classics' but there's always something endearing about people shooting each other with water guns!
Jarneia Richard-Noel brought a sprinkling of West End glam to the stage. Probably best known for originating the role of Catherine of Aragon in the West-End cast of SIX, she's playing the epitome of 'panto fairy' in this show. Her vocals were on point, her sass on top form and she was a joy to watch.
However, for me, the evening belonged to Olivia Mitchell as Belle. This is a role so closely connected to the Disney version of the princess, it would seem difficult for Mitchell to step away and create her own version of the character. However, she managed to not only do that, but to give Belle a more clearly defined personality.
With a brilliant stage presence, Olivia's (seemingly effortless!) vocals are absolutely incredible. She's a little powerhouse and, considering she's only performed in a handful of productions since graduating, I'd put money on it that we see her leading a West End company in the next 12 months.
Everything, from the front of house team to the auditorium, to the cast and crew to the production itself just sits so beautifully in The Grand that this pantomime makes its own magic.
I said last year that Snow White was one of the best pantomime's in the country and it looks like the cast and creative team have done it again. However what feels special is that we're here at the start of the journey and I'm sure that, in years to come, this show will become the regional pantomime that all others look to for inspiration.
Beauty and the Beast runs at Wolverhampton Grand until 5th January 2025. For more information, or to get your tickets, visit grandtheatre.co.uk.
