Beauty of this panto is everyone, just like Johnny, enjoys the fun and games
Beauty And The Beast
King’s Glasgow Mary Brennan ****
HIYA pals ... and welcome to the village of Clydeside – home to Belle, her brother Shuggie and some nattilydressed (frequently) dancing villagers.
Affable Mrs Potty and her lackadaisical son Jack would love to live there, but – alackaday – they bide up in the nearby castle along with their master (mega-eek!) the hairy, scary Beast.
This Clydeside is, in fact, a couthy wee spot in the Pantosphere. A fantasyland where fairytales become the stuff of spectacular Christmas entertainment for young and old folks alike.
In keeping with time-honoured panto traditions, this Beauty And The Beast disnae do Disney.
Instead, there’s a rollicking flow of daft jokes, even dafter comedy cantrips and bursts of rapid patter that take tongue-twisting wordplay to the verge of risque slips.
Elaine C Smith’s Mrs Potty navigates the potential pitfalls with a knowing twinkle as Shuggie (Darren Brownlie) and Jack (Johnny Mac) mischievously try to trip her up.
It’s just one of many bits of crowd-pleasing business that the trio deliver with such ease and camaraderie that Johnny Mac’s personal catchphrase – “I’m enjoying myself!” – is seemingly shared by his panto pals.
Just in case the plot slips your mind while the fun and games unfold, the Enchantress (Rachel Flynn) provides narrative updates.
You would think she would get booed for turning the Prince into a Beast, but no – our scorn is directed towards Malky Mcsneer (Mathew Mckenna), a vainglorious muscle-mary with lecherous designs on Belle.
She, however, sees through him. Hurrah!
She also sees beyond the Beast’s ugly exterior – romance blossoms with Blythe Jandoo and Calum Mcelroy the couple who give us the happy ending.
Lavish designs, lots of pop culture references, lively musical numbers and impressive special effects – the King’s audience, laughing and applauding, certainly enjoyed themselves.