Beauty and the Beast At The Old Rep

For their Christmas productions this year, The Old Rep Theatre are welcoming you and your family to come and watch this timeless classic of Beauty and the Beast. It is brought to the stage by Alec Fellows-Bennett and they are working again with Birmingham Ormiston Academy (BOA) staff and students, including four separate casts, playing over the next three weeks. They are currently on stage twice a day (except Sunday and Monday) until the 16^th of December 2022. There is a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted performance on Saturday 10^th December 2022 at 1.30 pm. So hurry and get your tickets now.

Yesterday, we had the opportunity to watch the show and we loved the energy from the young talented performers! Steve Allan Jones and Toby Hulse have once again joined forces to bring a new, vibrant and unique take on a family favourite. From the creative team behind last year’s Alice in Wonderland, it follows Belle who was trapped in an enchanted castle in the depths of the forest and captured by the grotesque Beast. There are a few magical surprises along the way in this reimagining of a classic fairytale.

We all know that this story poses many questions about the moral decisions we might make and the snap judgments we have about people based on their outward looks and behaviour. Have we humans changed? No. But through this classic tale, they hope that by sending out this message to everyone, someday society will change and stop judging people based on their looks and behaviour.

This show is brought up-to-date to the modern era. I almost thought we sat in the wrong theatre show! Surprise surprise! We do enjoy this brand-new take in introducing the story and love that they paid so much attention to their costumes, makeup and clever props. The music is fun and there were some nice vocal performances. The story is easy to understand for younger children and captivating for both adults and children alike. It is a lovely show and you will not be disappointed. It is about 1 hour 55 minutes long including a 20 minutes interval.

The Old Rep Theatre is close to Birmingham New Street station and it is quite easy to access. We were going to take a train except it happened to be on the day of a train strike! Sitting in queues of traffic, we nearly didn’t make it in time for the show. Please note that Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone is now in place. There are charges applied for any non-compliant vehicle driving in the zone. There is plenty of parking around the theatre within easy walking distance. But do be aware that traffic in Birmingham can get quite jammed, so it is always best to ensure you have plenty of time to spare. The theatre can offer an exclusive rate of 24 hours for £6.20 at APCOA China Town Car Park, Wrottesley Street, B5 4RT. You have to collect your ticket at the car park and validate it at the Box Office or Hinckley Bar.

The ticket prices are £21.50 for Standard, £15.50 for Preview, £19 for Concessions, £72 for Family (admits 4 people) and Schools/Educational Groups £10.50 each. The price includes a £1.50 restoration levy. Please do note that there will be flashing lights (verging strobe), haze and audience interaction throughout the show and this is not a Disney® production. Hence you won’t hear any Disney songs like Be My Guest or Belle!

This festive season, The Old Rep Theatre is asking everyone to offer tickets to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds by paying forward the cost of a ticket for someone who wouldn’t otherwise be able to visit them. By paying forward, you can give vulnerable children, young carers, newly arrived refugees, and people in communities hardest hit by the pandemic the chance to experience great live theatre. Please help them to change someone’s life this festive season. Scan this QR code to pay it forward.

Disclosure: We were provided free entrances for the purposes of writing this review, however, all thoughts and opinions remain our own. Professional images are used with permission.