THE curtain has gone up on the Wardens’ 34th annual panto in Aberystwyth, revealing to the sell-out first-night crowd an Arts Centre stage transformed into a magical scene complete with enchanted forest and Prince’s castle.

The scene was set for Beauty and the Beast, an uplifting fable of redemption and the value of true love.

Always a visual treat, the Wardens this year surpassed themselves with a West End-worthy backdrop, helped in no small part by the fact the principal costumes had waltzed their way to the Arts Centre stage all the way from the Strictly Come Dancing studio floor, where they wowed that show’s 10 million-strong audience. The impact at such close hand was all the greater.

And so the stage was set for a couple of hours of pure escapism.

The central couple are of course key to the success of the production – and in Alex Neil (Prince Florizel/the Beast) and Hannah Priestley (Belle), a finer duo we could not hope for. This was the strongest vocal performance I have ever witnessed in a pantomime. The vocal excellence was further enhanced by the extraordinary singing talent of Kedma Macias, in her first ever principal acting role as icy-cold bad fairy Frostbite.

A sprightly Ioan Guile was in the finest of fettle as Belle’s dad and Dame Cheri Trifle’s love interest, Professor Nutty.

The best supporting gong goes to Marcus Dobson (Willie): surely the hardest-working man in pantomime! It was exhausting just to watch.

Laughs aplenty came courtesy of the Dame - an on-form Richard Cheshire (who else?); the inimitable Carl Ryan, who was on fire in his role as Monsieur Chandelle; and also from a few first-night hiccups that merely enhanced the riotous hilarity that is the Wardens panto. A real tonic for a miserable January.

One sad note to the night’s proceedings was the absence of Wardens regular David Blumfield, who sadly passed away last year. Best known for his performances as many a baddie, David is missed by the company and audience alike. Tributes in the programme and a collection in his memory allowed all the theatre-goers a chance to remember David fondly.

Beauty and the Beast continues at Aberystwyth Arts Centre until 23 January, with matinee and evening performances.

Review by Natalie Betteley

Photos by Stephen Griffiths