Beauty and the Beast is King's panto for first time in 72 years

PANTO returns to The King's this week, but there's someone missing. The regular cast are minus one of their number, the irreplaceable Andy Gray who had to pull out of this year's festive extravaganza due to ill health

Beauty and the Beast

Which means it will fall firmly on the shoulders of his cohorts, resident dame Allan Stewart and pantomime baddie Grant Stott, to raise the laughs and keep the fun flowing.

If that means this year’s line-up is a bit different to recent productions, so too is the title producers Qdos Pantomimes have chosen for the Capital, Beauty and the Beast.

Last staged as the Christmas panto at the King’s Theatre way back in 1946, the ‘tale as old as time’ will be brought bang up to date with popular songs, spectacular special effects and hilarious comedy routines.

The production stars Stewart as Mrs Potty and Stott as the dastardly Flash Boaby.

Gillian Parkhouse, who enchanted audiences as Cinderella last year returns as Belle and is joined by Daniel Cullen as Dougal, Jacqueline Hughes as the Enchantress and Chris Cowley as the Beast.

Michael Harrison, Managing Director of Qdos Entertainment, producers of the show, and executive producer of Beauty and the Beast says, “Edinburgh audiences are in for another pantomime treat as comedy takes centre stage in a top drawer and unmissable production.”

The production is directed once again by Ed Curtis and Duncan Hendry, Chief Executive of Capital Theatres, who manage the Festival and King’s Theatres in Edinburgh adds, “We are thrilled to be bringing Beauty and the Beast back to the King’s Theatre Edinburgh stage after a break of over 70 years.

“It gives us an opportunity to give our panto fans something they’ve never seen before, a familiar story from the Disney films but done in our totally unique panto style.’

Seen by more than 90,000 theatregoers every year, The King’s pantomime is the best-selling pantomime in Scotland, and one of the Top 3 most popular pantos in the UK.

Renowned for its big budget special effects, high production values, show-stopping musical numbers and shed loads of sparkle, it has become an Edinburgh institution.

Beauty and the Beast opens on Saturday 1 December 2018 and runs until Sunday 20 January 2019.

Tickets can be booked online at www.capitaltheatres.com/beautyandbeast

Beauty and the Beast, King’s Theatre, Leven Street, Saturday 1 December 2018 to Sunday 20 January 2019, various times, £17.50-£35, 0131-529 6000