Huddersfield’s festive season officially burst into life with Lawrence Batley Theatre’s latest pantomime, Beauty and the Beast — a production that embraces silliness with such wholehearted enthusiasm that resisting its charm feels impossible.
From the opening moments, it’s clear that director Rachel Gee and her creative team has leaned joyfully into panto tradition. The set is a riot of colour (Aaron Ward & David Clarkson), the costumes are gloriously over-the-top, especially those belonging to dame Betty BonBon (Pete Toon). The jokes fly thick and fast, Some are clever, some are groan-worthy, and some are the sort that prompt a laugh you didn’t mean to let out — the true hallmark of a successful pantomime.
The cast delivers the goods with unwavering commitment. The leads, Sonia Wrightson (Belle) & Reece Carter (Beast) anchor the tale with warmth and sincerity, providing just enough emotional grounding to make the magical transformations matter. Around them swirls an ensemble intent on squeezing every drop of fun from Andrew Pollard's script. The comic turns are particularly memorable, thriving on audience participation and the kind of well-timed slapstick that has children howling and adults pretending they’re not laughing just as loudly.
Musical numbers sparkle with energy, helped along by Rachel Gee & Keisha Hamilton's clever choreography and a band that seems to be having just as much fun as the performers. Even when the pace becomes delightfully chaotic — as it inevitably does — it never feels out of control. Instead, the show rides a wave of joyful mayhem that keeps the auditorium buzzing.
What makes this pantomime stand out is its balance of heart and humour. Beneath the layers of silliness lies a well-crafted production with an eye for detail and a genuine affection for its audience. The result is a show that feels both lovingly handmade and impressively slick.
In the end, Beauty and the Beast at the Lawrence Batley Theatre is exactly what a festive panto should be: bright, boisterous and blissfully daft. A wonderfully silly celebration of live theatre that leaves you grinning long after the final bow.
Magnifique!
Reviewer - Simon Oliver
On - 3rd December 2025
