Christmas pantomime Beauty and the Beast with Joe Swash, drag dame Michael J Batchelor and West End actor Kane Oliver Parry, written by Paul Hendy.
Beauty and the Beast opens at The Alban Arena on Friday 4 December, running through to Sunday 3 January. It's the venue's Christmas pantomime, written by Paul Hendy and produced by Evolution Productions — the same team behind their hit Aladdin.
Joe Swash headlines the cast. You'll know him from EastEnders, I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and the BBC series Stacey & Joe. He's joined by drag performer and pantomime dame Michael J Batchelor, who plays Madame Bellie Fillop; Batchelor started his career as a Butlin's Red Coat and picked up a 2024 Pantomime Association award in his 27th year as a dame. West End actor Kane Oliver Parry is also in the mix, and Phoebe Nixon plays Fairy Cupid — Nixon is a St Albans local, a London College of Music graduate who previously worked as a lead production vocalist on Cunard, P&O and Saga cruise liners. Stephanie Costi, who came third in ITV's Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream, takes on the role of Belle.
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The show leans on comedy, music and colourful costumes. There's a BSL-interpreted performance on 5 December and a Relaxed Show on 12 December, the latter aimed at younger audiences and people with learning difficulties. Tickets are £23–£35 plus a £3.50 transaction fee, and the run stretches across 48 confirmed dates from the opening on 4 December to the close on 3 January.
