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The Tale of the Beauty and the Tail of the Beast

4 December 2022 - 7 January 2023

The North Wall, Oxford

“Tales of wonders, fairies and blunders, tales of flowers, castles and towers, tales of the beauty and the beast.”

Christmas 2022 saw us return to The North Wall for Creation’s 10th Christmas show there. With words and music by the fabulous Paul Boyd, this show was a joyful, glittery celebration of theatre and family at Christmas. Audiences were treated to Creation’s signature eccentricity, catchy songs, inventive costumes and an ample dose of festive silliness.

Monsieur Affable’s Performing Players presented the original french fairytale of Beauty and the Beast, except one of the players had gone missing, another had delusions of grandeur, and all were reading from a script in entirely the wrong order.

Watch the show’s trailer here.

 

“Guffawingly funny, poignant and ridiculous, we are enchanted by this mismatched bunch and their trials and tribulations until the very end. So yes, Creation has done it again, proving overwhelmingly why we are so lucky to have them, as the local theatre company sprinkles a little Christmas magic over Oxford. An absolute must for the festive season.”  Ox in a Box

“Off we went to the North Wall in our mittens and hats in search of something sparkly and cheering. We were not disappointed. The Tale of the Beauty and the Tail of the Beast is a little gem of a show in that it manages to deliver a sprinkling of Christmas magic without being garish or clichéd.” Daily Info

By arrangement with Paul Boyd Music (pbm)

Creative Team

Cast 

Delvene Pitt – Suzanne, also Marie and Queen @Delvene_
Emily Woodward – Michelle, also Evadne the Just and Didi @EmilyBWoodward
Anna Tolputt – Gabrielle, also Grizelda the Grim and Mimi @iettaalanna
Kofi Dennis – Barbot, also Jean/Beast, King and Herve @kofi_denn
Nicholas Osmond – Monsieur Affable, also Claude and Pierre

Artistic Team

Director – Natasha Rickman
Book, Music and Lyrics by Paul Boyd
Costume and Set Designer – Ryan Dawson Laight
Lighting Designer – Ashley Bale
Sound Designer – Matt Eaton
Musical Director: Tristan Jackson-Pate
Choreographer: Paul Isles
Production Manager: Giles Stoakley
Deputy Stage Manager – Judith Volk
Assistant Stage Manger: Elsie O’Rourke
Costume Makers: Hanna Boothman, Julie Sayers, Kingsley Hall
Scenic Artists: Milly Blue, Natalia Alvarez
Scenic Carpenter: Richard Robb
Assistant Scenic Artist: Averil Tallack

Gallery

Green: £32 / £30
Pink: £27 / £25
Yellow: £21.50 / £19.50
Blue: £13.50 / £11.50

Standard / Peak

(i) on the seating plan indicates a raised chair with a back and footrest. These are not suitable for younger children or those with mobility issues.

Concessions for under 18s and over 60s, £2 off
20% off for Creation extras 

For access information please see our access page.

The North Wall Arts Centre, South Parade, Summertown, Oxford OX2 7JN

Cast 

Delvene Pitt – Suzanne, also Marie and Queen @Delvene_
Emily Woodward – Michelle, also Evadne the Just and Didi @EmilyBWoodward
Anna Tolputt – Gabrielle, also Grizelda the Grim and Mimi @iettaalanna
Kofi Dennis – Barbot, also Jean/Beast, King and Herve @kofi_denn
Nicholas Osmond – Monsieur Affable, also Claude and Pierre

Artistic Team

Director – Natasha Rickman
Book, Music and Lyrics by Paul Boyd
Costume and Set Designer – Ryan Dawson Laight
Lighting Designer – Ashley Bale
Sound Designer – Matt Eaton
Musical Director: Tristan Jackson-Pate
Choreographer: Paul Isles
Production Manager: Giles Stoakley
Deputy Stage Manager – Judith Volk
Assistant Stage Manger: Elsie O’Rourke
Costume Makers: Hanna Boothman, Julie Sayers, Kingsley Hall
Scenic Artists: Milly Blue, Natalia Alvarez
Scenic Carpenter: Richard Robb
Assistant Scenic Artist: Averil Tallack

What is the age guidance?
The show is recommended for children aged 5+. Younger children may well enjoy the spectacle and will certainly love the songs and dancing, the running time is around 2 hours including the interval. Of course we’ll welcome younger children as part of a family trip, but the show has not been designed with pre-school children in mind.

Do you offer disabled concessions?
Disabled and companion tickets are £10. If you’d like more advice on where to sit you can check out our access information, or give the Box Office a call on 01865 766266. These tickets can’t be booked online.

Is the show wheelchair accessible?
Yes, there are spaces held for wheelchair users at each performance. The seats are on the aisle on row E, indicated on the seating plan by an image of a wheelchair and C for companion. Disabled tickets are £10 along with £10 companion tickets.

How long will it last?
The running time is 2 hours and 10 minutes, which includes a 20 minute interval.

What do you mean by ‘Adult only evening’
These are two shows (4th and 6th January) that we designate as being for grown ups. The show itself won’t change substantially, we’ll just give our actors license to be a bit more free with their ad-libs! Plus adults can book knowing that the majority of the rest of the audience will also be grown-ups. If you have an older child you’re happy to bring along please do, but we won’t be expecting any tiny ones.

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