Interview with Mark Paterson

The Grand Theatre’s gVlog presenter Mark Paterson caught up with Panto stars of Beauty and the Beast; Nick Wilton, Ben Harlow and Marcus Knibbs to to talk all things Panto! From rehearsals to Nick's costumes!
Watch Here: 🎞 https://bit.ly/2GA9u3N
https://bit.ly/2pt1Bli

Ooh-la-la!

Favourite panto moment so far this year: 

at a packed schools’ morning show in the moment 

just before Beast’s dance with Belle. 

You could hear a pin drop as he takes her hands, 

then one little voice breaks the silence - 

“Oooh-la-la!”

Priceless.

Review 4: Theatres Online

The perfect festive pantomime

By: Heidi Archer

The tale of Beauty and the Beast has made its way to Blackpool giving families across the region a magical night to remember. We were lucky enough to catch the show last week and are still smiling at the memories. This take on Beauty and the Beast is true to the original love story between Belle & the Beast, keeping the fans at bay. But in this magical adventure, you will find yourself on a real rollercoaster of emotions - in fits of laughter one minute then reaching for the tissues the next. 

From start to finish, the cast were dedicated to their role and each gave a faultless performance. Louis La Plonk (Steve Royle) and his mother Polly La Plonk (Nick Wilton) carried the show along and kept the audience in high spirits throughout. 
The Beast (Danny Walters) gave a stunning performance, showing the depth of his dark character being both sensitive and fiery. Belle (Amelia Adams-Pearce) gave the audience an awe-inspiring performance, especially with her magnificent rendition of ‘This is Me’ that reconfirmed we were experiencing such a high-quality show. 

The performances & narrative made for easy viewing (we say this in the nicest way) so that the whole family could appreciate all elements. Furthermore, the stage and props were fantastic and really added to the magic of the show.

The highlight of our night had to be the hilarious ‘Baby Shark’ sing-along with Steve Royle – it had the whole audience fully engaged, even the Grandads were jigging along in their seats! Beauty and the Beast was a magically beautiful show, perfect for the whole family. So, if you are still yet to book your Pantomime trip this year, we highly recommend it!

Happy Panto Day!

Review 3: UK Theatre Network

Does Beauty & The Beast bring five-star Christmas cheer to Blackpool? 

⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️       Oh yes it does!       ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Blackpool Grand plus panto equals a double dose of glitz and entertainment and this year’s show does not disappoint. Featuring a superb cast of local celebrities, stage and soap stars, Beauty & The Beast is clearly an absolute delight for all ages judging by the audience reaction.

All generations of "shark" willingly stand up to play their part in the Baby Shark Dance at the request of Louis La Plonk, aka radio presenter and comedian Steve Royle.
Audience participation is always the best bit and he orchestrates this brilliantly, whether it’s poking fun at the adults with a French accent, or teasing the kids with a Chorley one.

UK Productions’ larger than life characters create an expert blend of fun and drama. 
Nick Wilton is endearing as the Dame, Polly La Plonk; radio presenter Hayley Kay shines as Fairy Bon Bon singing The Great Showman’s This is Me; EastEnders star Danny Walters shows his sensitive side and fantastic vocals as The Beast; and Amelia Adams-Pearce proves her musical theatre prowess with a plucky manner and powerful voice as Belle. Taking full advantage of the strong female role, she fobs off the foppish French Hugo Pompidou (portrayed with ding-dong aplomb by Ben Harlow), takes care of her father Clement (played by the highly likeable Marcus Knibbs), and swoons but keeps her cool as The Beast woos her.

The set and costumes are just gorgeous, from the sparkling purple drapes in the dramatic Beast scenes, to Belle’s famously exquisite yellow ballgown. The talented dancers from the Barbara Jackson Theatre Arts Centre do choreographer Katie Hill’s routines real justice, with ballerinas fluttering daintily beneath towering forest backdrops.

This definitely rates as one of the best pantomimes I’ve seen in a while. 
It strikes a lovely balance of hilarity that's not over the top with tender moments that aren’t too deep. The Beast's transformation into Belle's handsome Prince really does make you go "Ahhh" and the laughs really do make your belly ache.

Beauty & The Beast brings five-star Christmas cheer to Blackpool.

And if you don’t know the Baby Shark dance already, make sure you learn it before you go. 
  
Kirstie Niland

http://uktheatrenetwork.com/post/7830309/beauty-amp-the-beast

School shows start today!

Our early school shows start today,

Lines buzzing in my head,

I have woken prematurely

So I’m going back to bed.

Beauty & The Beast, Grand Theatre, Blackpool

Shows today at 10.15 and 1.30

Review 2: Blackpool Gazette

“Could be the best panto Blackpool has seen for years.”

Beauty and the Beast, Blackpool Grand Theatre 

Published: Monday 10 December 2018
MICHAEL HOLMES

The trees and lights seem to go up earlier every year, with only Bonfire Night and Halloween keeping them from popping up in early November. But it’s never really Christmas until panto season gets under way. And if inflatable snowmen sat on muddy lawns surrounded by puddles and blown over wheelie bins don’t quite fill you with festive spirit, Beauty and the Beast at Blackpool’s Grand Theatre certainly will. 

Running until January 6, this telling of the iconic fairy tale stars Eastenders actor Danny Walters as the Beast, resort favourite Steve Royle as Louis La Plonk, and stage star Amelia Adams-Pearce. Joining them is a talented cast of Gazette columnist Hayley Kay as Fairy Bon Bon, Nick Wilton as Polly La Plonk, Ben Harlow as Hugo Pompidou, and acting veteran Marcus Knibbs as Clement. 

Set in France, the three-hour show is filled with pop culture references; adaptations of modern songs, including ear-worm Baby Shark; and quips aplenty. A few jokes were missed by some, or felt a little inappropriate in 2018, like “My best friend is a fairy... well I’m a modern type of guy,” but most were both topical and funny - including jabs at the Brexit mess and the resort’s ongoing traffic woes. 

While the ever-dazzling brilliance of Steve Royle continues to cast a huge shadow, the talent of Danny Walters, who wowed with his incredible singing voice, and the acting ability of Marcus Knibbs, saw them stand out as stars that shone just as brightly to the benefit of the whole production.

Nick Wilton’s Polly was both cheeky and ballsy (sorry, I couldn’t help it), and Hayley Kay retained her usual delightful stage presence. Ben Harlow played his part of the cocky Huge Pompidou well, though he seemed to stop short of being a proper pantomime villain and was a bit-part figure, so much so, in fact, the audience forgot to boo him at points. The band, and supporting cast, including youngsters from the Barbara Jackson Theatre Arts Centre, did themselves proud. They did so in front of resplendent sets and backdrops, and while wearing beautiful - and sometimes zany - costumes. 

Steve Royle did his usual act of pulling youngsters on stage for a quick audience-participation singsong at the end, which meant people left the historic venue chuckling and smiling and that’s surely the point of the whole thing.
This could be the best panto Blackpool has seen for years.

Read more at: https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/review-beauty-and-the-beast-grand-theatre-blackpool-1-9485512

Review 1: North West End

"This is the show you need to drag everyone out to see!"

 

Beauty and the Beast - Grand Theatre, Blackpool

Reviewer: Katrina Brown - 6th December 2018

⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Beauty and the Beast is a love story between beauty also known as Belle and the big scary Beast who lives in a castle. But in this magical adventure of a storyline they will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions that everybody needs to see. Pantomimes are for kids? Not this one! This is the show you need to drag everyone out to see! Even the grandparents, especially the grandads as they were short of a few tonight for a special performance involving sharks. 

Right from the very beginning I found myself beaming and smiling at the show the whole way through and thanks to Steve Royle aka Louis La Plonk and his mother Polly La Plonk (Nick Wilton) for moving the show along and filling in the gaps with their great on stage relationship and comedic characters that are guaranteed to have you crying with laughter or chuckling the night away as they make the audience part of the show and even give out some goodies if you’re good.

The special star Keanu, I mean the Beast (Danny Walters) stunned me with his sensitive and angry sides of the beast and his beautiful voice that gave me all the feels and even brought a tear to my eye. 

His beautiful co-star Belle (Amelia Adams-Pearce) really raises the roof belting out the newest and best song with her amazing voice and livening up the show making you just want to get up and boogie. If you’re like me, I’ve heard the Greatest Showman a little too much now. So, when they sung their version of “This is me” I was intrigued to listen to the words and found myself falling in love with the song all over again.

How the actors/actresses performed and make the show so clear and easy to follow really makes the whole thing feel special. There were some moments where I felt that the characters rushed the jokes and made it feel scripted but I still found everyone including myself thoroughly enjoying it. The use of the staging and props really brings the show together and adds to the effect of magic. The little dancers from Barbara Jackson Theatre Arts Centre really showed their professionalism and are destined to be big stars when they are older! The way those girls used their faces and performed the routines superbly really stole the show every time they came on.

Overall, the show was a great spectacular with something for everyone. It is a fun filled night with dazzling dancers, comedic fun, magic skills, show and movie references that everyone knows and a bunch of laughter to brighten anyone’s spirits. Well done to the whole cast and crew for pulling off an amazing show. I look forward to seeing future productions.

Beauty and the Beast continues until the 6th January 2019. 
Performance times and tickets can be found at https://www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk/event/beauty-and-the-beast-pantomime/ 

http://northwestend.co.uk/index.php/professional-reviews/panto2015/3756-beauty-and-the-beast-grand-theatre-blackpool

Busy couple of days ahead

One day to go!

Tech and Dress rehearsal today.

Second Dress and opening night tomorrow!

Tech - Day One

Last night in tech we got up to the Beast’s first entrance - it’s a wonderfully theatrical moment and Danny plays it beautifully; very dramatic and incredibly moving. He’s got an amazing voice and his song is going to bring the house down.
Jon Monie (who I’ve spent the last three years with at The Theatre Royal Bath) has given us a script packed with excellent comedy (obviously) but there’s also some very beautifully written and incredibly touching scenes.
He should be very proud. He’s written a great show.

We open on Friday!

Counting down to Opening Night

Back in Blackpool

Thrilled to be going back to The Grand Theatre, Blackpool this Christmas in Beauty The Beast (my 19th year playing Dame).
Really looking forward to working with Steve Royle & Hayley Kay again (had a great time with them in Sleeping Beauty in 2014).
It's also going to be fun to be back on stage with Danny Walters, who I last worked with in 2013 when I had to take over the part of John Smith for the last week of Ray Cooney's Caught In The Net at The Mill at Sonning. Our paths haven't crossed on EastEnders yet!
It's a fantastic, brand new script for UK Productions written by resident Theatre Royal Bath panto comic, Jon Monie, who I've shared my last three Christmas seasons with.

Panto Reviews - Bath 2017

Reviews for SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS at the Theatre Royal Bath from: 

BATH CHRONICLE, BRISTOL POST, WESTERN DAILY PRESS, WILTSHIRE TIMES, THE BATH MAGAZINE,SWINDON ADVERTISER, WHAT’S ON BATH, FINE TIMES RECORDER, THE BATH & WILTSHIRE PARENT, STAGE TALK MAGAZINE, FAMILIES IN BATH,THE STAGE,  THEATRE BATH and GLOBALMOUSE TRAVELS.

Links to reviews available online:

THE BATH MAGAZINE:

https://thebathmagazine.co.uk/review-snow-white/

SWINDON ADVERTISER:

“Muddles and his mother, Dame Dolly (Nick Wilton) up the comedy ante this year with their corpsing, wisecracks and impressive feats of endurance (we were out of breath just looking at them running laps around the stage). Prepare for heaps of laughs, a jolly old time and to dodge the odd airborne bra…”
http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/leisure/reviews/15715628.REVIEW__Laughs_galore_at_Snow_White_in_Theatre_Royal_Bath/

WHAT’S ON BATH:

http://www.whatsonbath.co.uk/Reviews/Theatre%20Reviews/Snow%20White%20And%20The%20Seven%20Dwarfs%20Theatre%20Royal%20Bath%20Review

FINE TIMES RECORDER:

http://www.theftr.co.uk/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs-theatre-royal-bath/

THE BATH & WILTSHIRE PARENT:

http://thebathandwiltshireparent.co.uk/…/review-snow-white…/

WILTSHIRE TIMES:

http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/leisure/wtimesleisuretheatre/15714318.Review__Snow_White_and_the_Seven_DwarfTheatre_Royal_BathUntil_January_7/

STAGE TALK MAGAZINE

http://stagetalkmagazine.com/?p=17126

FAMILIES IN BATH:

https://www.familiesinbath.co.uk/review-snow-white

THE STAGE:

https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2017/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs-review-at-theatre-royal-bath-high-on-shine-but-low-on-jokes/

THEATRE BATH:

https://theatrebath.co.uk/blog/review-snow-white-the-seven-dwarfs-theatre-royal-bath/

GLOBALMOUSE TRAVELS:

https://www.globalmousetravels.com/snow-white-and-seven-dwarfs-review-the-perfect-pantomime-bath-theatre-royal/

Additional online review from MUSICAL THEATRE LIVES IN ME:

“Harriet Thorpe played a suitably evil Wicked Queen, receiving plenty of boos and hisses from the audience who hung on her every word. I especially enjoyed any scenes she shared with Jon Monie as Muddles and Nick Wilton as Dame Dolly, with brilliant comedic timing and interaction.  With the dame being one of the most popular parts of any pantomime, Nick Wilton took the role in his stride, interacting directly with the audience with ease and delighting in rushing around the stage in multiple over the top costumes”.

https://musicaltheatrelivesinmesite.wordpress.com/2017/12/16/oh-what-a-pantomime-snow-white-is-a-family-hit/