Risque jokes and laughs with Beauty and the Beast

You know the feeling you get the day after you’ve put in a solid workout at the gym? That welcome burn that reminds you of your efforts and eases your conscience as you reach for yet another office mince pie.

I felt a similar pain this morning in my face after going to see this year’s Kings Theatre pantomine – Beauty and The Beast. The tale as old as time is given a modern overhaul with mentions of selfies, flossing and a good few melodies from The Greatest Showman soundtrack.

Seasoned stars Allan Stewart and Grant Stott return as the dame and villain respectively while their regular co-star Andy Gray takes time out following doctor’s advice following a blood cancer diagnosis in August.

What’s immediately clear is that the production value of the show continues to rise as sets, costumes and special effects are even more impressive. As it’s the festive season, I won’t be mean and reveal any spoilers so I’ll just tell you now that their pièce de résistance is enough to rival any West End production I’ve ever seen.

Stott is hilarious as smarmy new baddy ‘Flash Boaby’ who believes himself to be the ultimate ladies man and the best looking guy around, while Mrs Potty, played by Allan Stewart brings his impeccable comic timing and warmth to the stage as usual. Their coincidental double act works well and their sketches have you laughing whether you want to or not.

The comedy value is high but there is a worry that the spate of innuendos won’t be completely lost on younger audiences or if they are, that the extended periods of dialogue might prove a little boring for restless wee ones.

So if you have kids, be warned, you can expect more than a few penis gags and risqué rhymes. There’s a good deal of interaction with the audience which once again leaves faces aching with laughter as Stott and Stewart provide insults peppered with compliments on a lucky few.

The plot of the story leaves a lot to be desired as fellow characters Belle (Gillian Parkhouse) and The Beast (Chris Cowley) have little time to develop a believable romance which is a shame as it is one of my all time favourite stories. The Enchantress played by Jacqueline Hughes has a gorgeous singing voice which adds a touch of class to the whole affair. Belle’s brother Dougal the inventor (Daniel Cullen) plays the role his way and thankfully doesn’t try to fill the giant shoes of Andy Gray.

I have no doubt that the kids will be amazed by the sets, special effects and costumes, particularly Belle’s iconic yellow ball gown, but I do wonder if the writing has moved too much towards the adults in the audience.

Forever a kid at heart, I won’t stop loving a trip to the panto at Christmas and I hope that the children who watch Beauty and The Beast feel just as entertained and engaged as the grown ups.