Review: Beauty and the Beast at Harrogate Theatre.

Eighteen years ago he was the Prince of buffoonery, now, nearly two decades on he is the King of Comedy who has the audience in the palm of his hand.

He really is a talented slapstick comedian. The corny one liners roll off his tongue and his mimickery, falling around and split-second timing are the result of one thing, rehearsal, practice and rehearsal.

I have seen him as Sleeping Beauty’s Silly Sidney in 2013 and Wishee Washee in the 2016 offering, Aladdin. This time he was back, son and foil to his wonderful mother, aka Phil Stewart as dame Pam Au Chocolat and another veteran of five Harrogate pantos. They are a great team.

This year the panto centres around beautiful Belle – Maisey Bawden has a fine set of pipes – and the Beast, a troubled prince who has been placed under an evil spell for a hundred years. If he can learn to love and be loved in return, then hopefully the spell will be broken and he will return to his true self.

Everyone lives happily ever after and there’s a big mash up at the end. An uplifting evening that will thrill the kids and leave parents rolling in the aisles thanks to a couple of near the knuckle quips that go right over the heads of their young charges. Great fun.

To January 21.