A FIRST LOOK AT BEAUTY AND THE BEAST AS IT OPENS AT STORYHOUSE IN CHESTER

Beauty and the Beast has swept on to the Storyhouse stage to entertain and enchant Chester audiences over the Christmas holidays.

The feelgood family show captivated theatregoers of all ages on its opening weekend when it invited them to ‘be our guest’ at the very special seasonal spectacular which is bursting with joy, laughter and amazing adventure.

Beauty and the Beast now runs at the Hunter Street cultural venue until Sunday 4th January. Ticket prices start from £17.

The colourful and exuberant seasonal production promises a heartwarming story and unforgettable moments, along with a sing-along selection of sensational pop favourites including Pink Pony Club, I Wanna Dance with Somebody, I Put a Spell on You and K-Pop hit Golden, making this a Christmas show the whole family can share together.

The sparkling adaptation is written by acclaimed playwright Anne Odeke (Shakespeare’s Globe, Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre) and directed by John Young who is well known in the city for his acclaimed productions at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre, including Romeo and Juliet and The Gangs of New York, as well as the 2023 Chester Mystery Plays.

Katarina Zofia plays Belle and Daniel Bowskill appears as ‘the Beast’ Henri, while back by popular demand are Tom Richardson (Marcel/Pascal) and Caitlin Drake (Amélie),

They are joined by Poppy Afolabi (René/onstage understudy), Tom Lloyd (Grégoire/the Judge), Miriam O’Brien (Nightshade), Tom Pigram (Faby/onstage understudy), Emmy Stonelake (Lavender), Panav Viswanathan as Pierre and House of Dance as ensemble.

Beauty and the Beast’s musical director is Rebecca Applin while choreography comes from Christopher Tendai. Chloe Vickers is assistant choreographer, and Kaitlin Howard is fight and intimacy director. The designer is Amy Jane-Cook, with lighting design by Aaron Dootson and sound design by Kieran Lucas.

Each performance is captioned, with additional audio-described, British Sign Language-interpreted and relaxed performances offered throughout the run to ensure everyone can enjoy the magic,

Storyhouse Creative Director Suzie Henderson said today: 

“What a wonderful opening weekend, we couldn’t have asked for a better start to Christmas 2025!

"Director John Young and our fabulous cast and creative team have brought to life a truly enchanting piece of Christmas Magic. Anne Odeke’s Beauty and the Beast has all the ingredients to dazzle theatregoers of all ages, and there’s a real sense of excitement and joy both in the auditorium and throughout the whole Storyhouse."

For more details on Beauty and the Beast visit: 

www.storyhouse.com

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