Beauty And The Beast
03 November 2018
The King’s Head Theatre
5.0 out of 5.0 stars
Being in lockdown due to the corona virus pandemic, I thought I’d use the time to work on my backlog of shows I never got around to review back when I actually saw them. I just don’t always have the time to write reviews right away and sometimes they just fall into an eternal backlog that I am now striving to work through! I actually viewed this production on 03 November 2018 and am writing the review with my theatre notes written during and after the performance.
In November 2018 I was lucky enough to grab tickets to see Fat Rascal Theatre’s musical parody of Beauty And The Beast. I absolutely love this theatre company, they do the best parodies. This version of Beauty And The Beast is fully gender-swapped, with Belle becoming Beau, Beast being a gorgeous furry lady, and Gaston becoming Chevonne.
The Fat Rascal troupe is packed with talent and great at taking any topic and making a fiercly feminist comedy version. This gender-swapped version of the well known tale was delightful and hilarious all in one. Belly-achingly funny and gorgeously presented, this fairy tale is something else. Presenting social norms and assumptions in the ridiculous light that shows their flaws clearly, this isn’t just a comedy production, it’s a statement!
Despite the props, backdrop, and costumes being somewhat simplistic, this show really has it all and convinces singlehandedly. I can’t emphasize enough how ludicrously entertaining this production is. Go follow Fat Rascal Theatre on all the social medias and keep a close eye on their production announcements. They’re worth it!