Mrs Polly knows just where to find one: the Prince/Beast’s gardens in the Castle BallyFettridge. Of course, most of these gags go over the heads of the little ones, of which there are many, but the physicality, wild costumes and easily recognisable characters make the panto’s plot easy-to-follow and fun for the kids.īrief synopsis is this: it’s Belle’s (Georgia Lennon) birthday and her dad Paddy (Paddy Jenkins) wants nothing more for his daughter’s 21st prezzie than a single, beautiful red rose. Wherever you’re from, Be it Lisburn – ‘Twinbrook, then!’ – Shankill, Moira, Donaghadee or any other bump on the road in Northern Ireland and the victim and the town will be tarred and feathered. Not even five minutes in and the front rows are being torn to shreds. Well-chosen and – with the exception of McFettridge – sung tunes, a heavy-handed dose of slapstick and a love for ripping the audience to pieces is the currency of the evening. ‘Well-worn lino’ you may be thinking, but in the hands of director Andrew Ryan, a talented cast and creative team, plus a myriad of pyrotechnics and other special effects, the end result is close to two hours of hilarity. Yes, of course, no flies on you: the title of this year’s GOH panto is Beauty And The Beast. The Prince isn’t the most charitableĪnd early on he’s turned into The Beast. Well, it’s worked for the last 29 years so why change it? This year McFettridge is Mrs Potty, housekeeper of BallyFettridge Castle and employed by Prince Sebastian (Ben Richards – of Holly Oaks, Footballers’ Wives and Holby City fame ). Let’s face it, you could put May McFettridge in a half-full room with the Yellow Pages (or ‘Yella’ in her Belfast tongue) as a script and she’d bring the house down.īut the Grand Opera House has bigger ideas. Beauty And The Beast, Grand Opera House, December 3rd, Review
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