IT is a brave theatre company who would choose (accidentally I assume) to run the same pantomime as the city's Swan Theatre.

Thankfully, scriptwriter Chris Bennion had ensured that Norton Theatre Group's Beauty and the Beast was a completely different affair to the Swan's show.

Opening with our three narrators Jimmy, Jewell and James (George Creese, Anna Annis and James Foster) the trio provided comedy interludes throughout as well as a joyful audience sing-a-long to Always Look On The Bright Side of Life.

Boos and hisses were in abundance for baddie Morfina (Vicky Blake) and her bungling not-so-evil sisters Teal and Tribble (Laura Deacon and Abigale McFarlan).

The sycophantic sisters were devilishly dim-witted but they were perhaps not as mean as Beauty's sisters Bobbi and Bernie (Ruth Wakefield and Lucy Ray) who were the perfect antidote to the leading lady's sweetness and light.

In fact, their feigned disgust whenever Beauty (Sarah Bennion) said anything drew lots of giggles from those watching.

While Beauty may have been a meek and mild character her vocals were strong and powerful in the songs Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again and Song That Goes Like This.

Beast (Chris Taylor) was sufficiently grumpy but it would have been nice to see more of his relationship with Beauty before she has to return to her father (Carl Ives) at Roxie's Tavern where the ravishing Roxie Morgan was playing nurse to an injured Maurice Dubois.

Paul Jones as the dame got into the swing of the part as the show went along and by the end was as wisecracking and bombastic as a dame should be.

This was a pantomime that wasn't afraid to poke fun at itself either through set pieces or song including Whatever Happened to My Part? a powerhouse performance by Jo Howe, playing Beast's servant Egonessa.

The script could have done with tightening to bring the running time down a bit and there were a few muffled lines but it was clear the audience was right behind the show until the very end, happy to join in the shouting and singing.

The energy was kept high thanks to the young dancers who performed lively routines to Razzle Dazzle, Thriller and You're the One That I Want.

Special mention to set designer and lighting crew who managed to create wonderful scenes with limited space as well as the sound technicians and musical director Pauline Baker - was great to have a keyboardist and saxophonist alongside recorded music and sounds.

Catherine Phillips