Beauty and the Beast at St Helens Theatre Royal Review
I’d heard great things about St Helens Theatre Royal Pantomimes so I was excited to take my family along to the press night of the February half term Panto. Read on for my Beauty and the Beast at St Helens Theatre Royal Review. Find more great Family days out North West England here.
Ad – We were gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The photos are all the press images.
I’m going to have to start by saying that I love a panto! It’s a great British theatre tradition that is perfect for families. The team at Regal Entertainments and St Helens Theatre Royal have done another fantastic job with Beauty and the Beast.
My kids love Beauty and the Beast but it was our youngest daughter’s first time seeing a panto as far as she can remember anyway. We all loved the show, it was the perfect balance of jokes aimed at all ages, music, stunning choreography and the classic fairy tale. There was a real mix of original songs and classic hits and current references too like Wicked.
The actors are fantastic delivering their lines with comedy timing (and able to make a joke if they slip up in a tongue twister etc). The costumes are fantastic, so detailed, colourful and sparkly too. We loved the sets too which really helped bring the story to life.
Lewis Devine as French Frank is fantastic and stole the show for our family. He’s high energy and very cheeky with plenty of slapstick jokes (and inuendo too) for the adults as well as the kids. He’s everything you expect in a panto star. My sides were aching from laughing but don’t pick seats near the front if you’re not prepared to be included in the show!
Richard Aucott as Potty Polly is the perfect pantomime Dame. The dame costumes are over the top and fabulous. Richard also has the audience in stitches at times with his one-liners and comedy timing.
Rachel Wood as Madam Botox and Conor Barrie as Gaston are the villains you love to hate! There were plenty of boos from the audience and some shouting at them too. The whole theatre really joined in with lots of the show in the way that only happens at a panto!
Chantelle Morgan as Fairy Tik Tok is fantastic and is my girls favourite after French Frank. The occasional stops to film a Tik Tok number bring the story into the modern world perfectly.
Belle and the Beast are beautifully played by Lauren Mccrory and Lewis Burrage. They have lots of costume changes and big singing and dancing numbers.
There were some real standout scenes from the show and every time I looked at my kids they were laughing, shouting or dancing in their seats. They’ve already asked if we can go back to the Easter Cinderella Panto!
One of our favourite scenes is between French Frank and Potty Polly where everything Potty Polly says, French Franks throws back a clip from a big pop song. I don’t think we’ve laughed as much in a long time. Even Lewis Devine couldn’t help but laugh as the scene went on!
Beauty and the Beast is on at St Helens Theatre Royal until 23rd February 2025. Book your tickets here, you won’t be disappointed – Beauty and the Beast
Or if you’re thinking further ahead, tickets are already on sale for Cinderella which is on from 5th – 21st April 2025. Book here – Cinderella
Find more February half term Liverpool family activities (and the rest of Merseyside too).
Find more Easter events Liverpool and Merseyside here.
