PANTO season has well and truly begun and in Bath the fairy tale classic, Beauty and the Beast has been transformed into a raucous, crowd pleasing pantomime.

Running until January 12, Belle and Beast are joined on stage by a host of comical sidekicks.

Coronation Street star Wendi Peters is the glittering, dazzling Fairy Bon Bon and wows the audience with a fantastic voice throughout. Joining her is Theatre Royal pantomime royalty Jon Monie for his 18th season in the city. Beauty and the Beast is the first pantomime he has written himself, and last year it debuted at the Blackpool Grand Theatre. It went on to win Best Script at the Great British Pantomime Awards 2019. Oh yes it did.

He plays Louis La Plonk, one half of lovable a double act with on-stage mum and dame Polly La Plonk, played by Nick Wilton. Together they had me and everyone else in the audience in stitches. Polly’s outfits were works of art, especially the croissant shaped ear rings.

My husband is from the Netherlands and at the grand age of 29 he was watching his first pantomime. It was fun to see him experience the rituals of the slapstick comedy, ghost hunts, audience participation and familiar ‘he’s behind you’ scenes through fresh eyes.

It is the story that everyone knows and loves, but with lots of new tunes thrown in. Set in the cheesy French town of Camembert, Belle and her father live their provincial life, but when her father announces he must ride to the city to sell his prized art, Belle reluctantly accepts.

After he is locked in the castle by Beast, Belle is forced to swap places for her father’s freedom. It is only then that we see a softer side to Beast, made only more obvious by comparison to the evil Hugo Pompidou who wants Belle’s hand in marriage. Belle and Beast realise they are in love with each other, but is it too late for them to tell each other?

Although we don’t have children, we enjoyed the show immensely and the theatre was packed with families sharing an evening full of laughs.

Julia Hijstek