Panto fun starts at the Civic Hall... and it’s a cracker!

Cracker of a festive panto in store at Bedworth Civic Hall

PANTO season has kicked off in style with the classic French fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, delivering a feast of fun-filled entertainment for all the family.

Celebrating its tenth anniversary, The Civic Hall Pantomime Company has pulled off another cracker of a performance packed with goodies, baddies, laughs and showstopping songs.

The excellent witch Malabelle (Lori McLare) warms the kids up by getting straight into the “oh no you’re not/oh yes I am,” repartee and carries the storyline with her fast-paced riddles drawing plenty of boos.

Her unsuspecting love interest Felix the poodle (Ethan Bradshaw) adds a splash of colour, comedy and plenty of the wet stuff when the water guns come out, while Capucine (Jas Nisic) is hilarious in her pursuit of Jacques’s (Robbie Noonan) hand in marriage.

Beauty (Lizzie Sheard) brings a brilliant end to the first half performance with an impressive rendition of ‘Let it go,’ from the hit movie Frozen, while one of the highlights of the second is a joint effort as the cast belt out ‘A Million Dreams’ from The Greatest Showman.

Complemented by lavish costumes, great sets and largely locally sourced dancers, this is a thoroughly professional production guaranteed to get you in the festive spirit.

Any pantomime wouldn’t be complete without a dame, and Madame Mavis de Pamplemousse (Anthony Williamson) is the life and soul of the panto party, while audience participation is taken to the max with a rendition of The 12 Days of Christmas, including a bra that was made to hold three instead of a partridge in a pear tree.

A must see this Christmas.