When it comes to Christmas in Newcastle, while a Festive Bake might claim to be the ultimate cockle warmer, there really is nothing like a pantomime to give your seasonal cheer levels an almighty boost.
And, in Beauty and the Beast, the Tyne Theatre have a show that is full of warmth, heart, humour and fabulous costumes. Who needs an electric blanket when you have the magic of panto on a bitterly cold night in the Toon? The theatrical equivalent of a roaring fire or electric blanket, Beauty and the Beast opened on Friday night to a near packed house and with all the charm of Del Boy giving it the hard sell down the market in an Only Fools and Horses Christmas special.
That’s largely down to its stellar cast. Just like another production just up the road, which has a double act who have cemented themselves in Geordie panto folklore, the Tyne Theatre pantomimes would feel just plain wrong now without Charlie Richmond and Lewis Denny. As well as being the perfect foil for each other in all manner of scenes, individually they are a festive force to be reckoned with.
