Running from December 6, 2025 to January 4, 2026, the show stars Samantha Womack as The Enchantress, Su Pollard as Mrs Potty, Sheri Lineham as Belle, Jamie Leahey as Silly Billy and Ben Stock as Dame Betty Bouffant.
From the moment the curtain rose, the set and costume design created a bright and glittering world, transporting the audience to the fictional village of “Bromley” and the grand “Bromley Castle”.
The technicolored village scenes, enchanted woods and the Beast’s lavish palace truly brought the magic of pantomime to life, giving the entire show a vibrant and fantastical feel.
Samantha Womack delivered a wonderfully dry and witty performance as The Enchantress along with some singing numbers.
Her on-stage banter and playful rivalry with Mrs Potty injected a steady stream of adult humour, filled with tongue-in-cheek references that really got adult audience members chuckling.
But it was Su Pollard who, for me, stole the show as Mrs Potty, teaming up with Ben Stock’s flamboyant and jovial Dame Betty Bouffant.
The pair formed a brilliant comedic double act throughout the show.
Su brought heaps of humour, sharp satire and bursts of her iconic Hi-di-Hi! Pegg-like charm, which really brought a lot of nostalgia to the night.
Sheri Lineham gave a confident and polished performance as Belle, bringing a touch of West End sparkle to the production with her strong vocals and smooth choreography.
Meanwhile, Jamie Leahey had the audience in hysterics as Silly Billy, blending ventriloquy with quick-fire jokes and cheeky nods to the local area.
His improvised interactions with the audience only added to the fun, proving a big hit with both children and adults.
The show was peppered with pop-culture references that kept the humour fresh and modern fom Su Pollard donning a spot-on Claudia Winkleman impression à la The Traitors to gags about Wolverine and Star Wars.
Local jokes about Orpington, Chislehurst and Croydon also landed particularly well with the Bromley crowd.
In in true pantomime fashion, musical numbers were woven throughout with popular hits like “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish and“Nice to Meet Ya” by Myles Smith among them.
Overall, Beauty and the Beast at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre is a feel-good festive treat full of sarcasm, wit, and classic British banter.
