At Portobello Town Hall a near packed crowd were entertained by a stellar cast and a right “guid time” was had by all.

A bit of a modern twist with some cracking vocals, particularly from the female cast members made this show a real Beauty!  Beira the Queen of Winter, played by Christine Mills, gave an outstanding performance from her very first number to her last. Bravo. Her stage presence was amazing and boy can she belt out a tune.

Bella, played by Sarah Alexandra Brown and Erin Robertson as Will-O, both delivered strong and confident musical numbers which added to the overall experience.

There was the usual puns and slapstick in bountiful proportions, played well by Alec Westwood and Ross Jamieson as Bonnie Scone and her hapless son Tattie, and while some of the gags were a little bit cheesy, they kept the crowd entertained.

I’d like to praise the dancers who looked like they were having the time of their lives on stage, with boundless energy and enthusiasm as well as permanent smiles.

Special shout outs to costume and wardrobe, wow, and also to lighting, both helped to make this a panto to remember.

This production delivers on many levels and although it may be in a wee town hall, it can hold its head high and compete with much larger productions.

A thoroughly enjoyable evening had by all.

****

Reviewed by Gavin

Portobello Town Hall

5th to 28th December 2025