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Clever, funny and magical… panto cast its spell on all of us and we had a ball

The Central Theatre has been turned into a colourful, magical land and if you’ve not got your hands on a pantomime ticket this year, then you really are missing out.

The auditorium was packed with excited children and their parents when I went along on Friday night to see Beauty and the Beast.

My great nieces, Daisy and Millie, and their cousin, Lilly, were all looking forward to the show.

Daisy, Lilly and Millie really enjoyed the show
Daisy, Lilly and Millie really enjoyed the show

And they were right to be looking forward to it; it is full of hilarious innuendos, comedy classics, polished performances, fantastic costumes and modern songs and magic.

We even got treated to a very amusing version of Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk by the cast who knew all his funky moves.

The handsome prince, Steven Barry, was wonderful in his role and his Austin Powers style dance was a scream.

Wicked Malevolent
Wicked Malevolent

Everyone who has ever seen Only Fools and Horses couldn’t wait for Sue Holderness, who played Marlene, to make her entrance as the Wicked Malevolent and she never disappointed.

She made the audience laugh out loud with her funny references to Alan Sugar’s The Apprentice show as she and others promptly fired everyone on stage.

After putting her spell on the prince and turning him into a beast she did a tap dance during her evil song to show us all just how happy she was paying the evil Malevolent.

X Factor’s Stevi Ritchie as Potty Pierre could have found his niche in life as he was brilliant with his timing, enthusiasm and slapstick comedy.

Stevi Ritchie
Stevi Ritchie

He also had such fun completing a very complicated funny tongue-twister without fault.

He and his pantomime mum, Dame Dotty, played by Michael Neilson were the stars of the show and the Dame’s endless costume changes, just blew the audience away.

From her zany breakfast frock to her hamburger dress, they were all bold and beautiful and seemed to change at every scene.

The Dame who also has Christmas tree dress, eventually ends up wearing a snowdrop frock towards the end of the show which she even manages to pull off.

Dame Dotty Derier
Dame Dotty Derier

The pair’s camaraderie works a treat and their grotty spotty potty botty song and limericks had us in stitches. As did their plate dresser act which turned into a scene like a Greek wedding celebration which then in turn prompted a rendition of Waterloo from the Abba musical Mamma Mia.

The show is clever, funny and has just about the right mix of slapstick one-liners, jokes and gags, audience participation as well as pyrotechnics, a magical revolving stage and references to the X Factor and Only Fools and Horses.

The girls’ faces were transfixed with delight throughout the show and to be honest, so was mine.

Beauty and the Beast is at The Central Theatre, High Street, Chatham, until Sunday, January 3. Tickets from www.medwayticketslive.co.uk or the box office on 01634 338338.

Have you seen the panto? If so, let us know what you thought of it by leaving your comments below.

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