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Wee liberties: Beauty and The Beast: A Horny Love Story at Charing Cross Theatre

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It may not be a tale as old as time, but it’s still the same old story, almost, with Beauty and the Beast: A Horny Love Story currently playing at the Charing Cross Theatre .  As the title suggests, this is not family holiday entertainment, but neither is it all gay gore. And a surprisingly large number of clever gags, a gorgeous-looking production, costumes, and an ensemble make for a classy night out with the occasional lashing of sluttiness.  It’s been a while since I have seen an adults-only panto. Like many things at the theatre—ticket prices, opening nights, age of social media influencers—things have changed. Happily, things have changed for the better here. The show focuses on assembling an excellent cast. Elaborate costumes by Robert Draper and David Shields’ set pieces help give this adult panto a touch of class. There are the usual lewd jokes and a quick flash of buttocks.   The setting of the story is in the northernmost village of Scotland, Lickmanochers. Not...

New cast photos: Shakespeare in Love


New cast photos from the production of Shakespeare in Love are out. The new cast took over at London’s Noel Coward Theatre on 12 January 2015.



The production’s second company stars Orlando James as Will Shakespeare opposite Eve Ponsonby as Viola De Lesseps.


Joining them in the cast, Nicholas Asbury plays Wessex, Neal Barry plays Henslowe, Richard Bremmer plays Tilney and Sir Robert De Lesseps.

Paul Brennen plays Fennyman, Suzanne Burden plays Queen Elizabeth, Ryan Donaldson plays Ned Alleyn, Edward Franklin plays Marlowe, Ncuti Gatwa plays Wabash, Gregg Lowe plays Sam, Andy McKeane plays Ralph, Peter Moreton plays Burbage, Joy Richardson plays Nurse, Charlie Tighe plays Nol and Stuart Wilde plays Webster.

The cast also includes Aaron Anthony, Jonno Davies, Peter Hannah, Nick Hart, Joshua Higgott, Sioned Jones, Sandy Murray, Ellie Nunn, Thomas Padden, Stevie Raine, Elliot Rennie and Florence Roberts.


The limited season ends 18 April 2015.

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