Fakenham and District Light Operatic Society’s (FADLOS) pantomime Beauty and the Beast was perfect example of Christmas-time entertainment

There is nothing more quintessentially British than a good old-fashioned pantomime, and this theatre group’s annual family production did not disappoint.

The Fakenham And District Light Operatic Society’s (FADLOS) performance of Beauty and the Beast was a perfect example of Christmas-time entertainment, and there is nowhere else I would have rather been on a cold and wintry evening.

Despite a few minor hiccups with sound and lighting, cast members were not phased and adapted accordingly, often in a comedic way.

I attended the opening night at Fakenham Community Centre on Tuesday with my friend Charlotte, and I must admit we were worried that we might be some of the only adults there.

However, we were very quickly put at ease when we found that there were plenty of grown-ups seated and ready to enjoy the show.

Happy faces started to appear around the room as the curtains opened to a bright set and wonderful costumes for the opening song ‘Get On Your Feet’ by Gloria Estefan.

Sarah Chessie (Beauty) and Jeremy Barker (The Beast) both delivered strong vocals throughout which complemented each other nicely.

Andy Grout played a very convincing evil Zorag, soon betrayed by his right-hand man Lucien (Chloe Regester) whose movement and voice made for a funny character.

Additionally, it was a pleasure to see Ben Francis back on FADLOS’ stage as the Dame, for the first time since 2017, and it is safe to say the crowd missed his quick thinking and improvisation – a skill that can only be gained through years of theatre experience.

One particularly striking moment was when cast members performed the chorus of ‘Never Had A Dream Come True’ by S Club 7 in sign language, which gained the biggest applause of the night.

Overall, credit must be given to the director Alex Chidichimo for putting together a well-casted show, with beautiful costumes and a talented ensemble – Charlotte and I left feeling very festive.

The pantomime continues every night at 7.30pm until Saturday, December 9, when there will be an additional matinee performance at 2.30pm.

Tickets can be purchased here.

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