Beauty and the Beast at The Hexagon Review
Written by Eleanor V for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Panto season is truly in full force and the festive offering this year at the Reading Hexagon is their interpretation of Beauty and the Beast. Including all of the story-beats you would expect, a prince is transformed into an angry monster and it takes the kindness of Belle (Samantha Dorrance) to teach him how to love again. But in this version Belle lives and runs the Just Inn with the landlady Nanny Pint (pantomime dame Paul Morse) and her son Arthur Pint (Justin Fletcher) while her affections her pursued by Hunky Dory (Carl Tracey). It takes the group coming together in a hilarious fashion to save the day and help both Belle and the Beast.
This show was truly wonderful, with varied elements which will have the whole family laughing along. It was a brilliant evening which certainly put me in the Christmas spirit!
The set is very impressive, filling the whole Hexagon stage. Although it was quite static, the excellent lighting and screen designs transported the audience to varied locations and really added to the production. The costumes were also beautifully bold, exactly what you would expect from a pantomime, with a brilliant array of dresses and wigs for Nanny Pint. It was always fun when she appeared on stage in a new ensemble which garnered a great audience reaction.
The pacing of the story is done well and include all the elements of the classic story. They have also integrated some of the comedy and slapstick elements which you would expect. I particularly enjoyed the little shopping trip taken by Arthur Pint, which includes a number of musical interludes. The overall run time is quite long, at 2 hours 20 with the interval, which may need to be considered if you’re planning to take young children but the story moves very quickly and has a fair amount of audience interaction to keep everyone engaged.
My favourite moments often came from Paul Morse and Justin Fletcher in their scenes together. They are absolute pros and are clearly having fun on stage. A particular dance number they perform with balloons was a standout and had the whole audience in fits of laughter. Samantha Dorrance as Belle and Ally Cox as her mother carry the story effortlessly among the madness and have some wonderful musical moments. I also loved the inclusion of the junior ensemble who bolstered group scenes and added to the well-choreographed dance numbers. I would have loved to have seen more from Eloise Lord as the enchantress, who has just finished in the tour of SIX, but recognised this would have added to the overall run time.
This version of Beauty and the Beast is fun filled and overflowing with humour and will be a great outing for both a seasoned panto-goer or first time audience members. With something for everyone, the bold visuals and excellent performances make this the perfect Christmas outing for the whole family.
Beauty and The Beast is playing at the Reading Hexagon from the 6th December 2025 – 4th January 2026.
★ ★ ★ ★
