Review: Beauty and the Beast | the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow 2025 Christmas show - deliciously dark
- Lisa in the theatre
- 20 hours ago
- 4 min read
The Citz first Christmas show in their reopened building, Lewis Hetherington's Beauty and the Beast offers a magical piece of atmospheric storytelling for the festive season. Read my review below.
Beauty and the Beast, Citizens Theatre ★★★★★
Review: 5 December 2025 | Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
If you're looking for something other than pantomime to entertain the family this Christmas, the Citizens Theatre's Beauty and the Beast ticks all the boxes. A mysterious, magical fairytale brought to life by a wonderful cast and creative team, Beauty and the Beast is a fun but pleasantly frightening piece of storytelling for the festive period.
First of all, this story is dark! This isn't the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast; there are no singing teapots nor candlesticks here. Instead Lewis Hetherington's story sticks closer to the menacing eighteenth century fairytale where our adventure takes place in a cold, winterty land full of fallible and troubled humans, and tormented magical beings, and where everyone has to learn a lesson to reach the inevitable happy ending. It's a bold and welcome breath of fresh air amidst, what can be, the unrelenting frivolity of pantomime at this time of year.
Baron Aaron (Tyler Collins) is a wealthy merchant who, thanks to some less than "excellent financial decisions", is forced to move to a shack in the countryside with his daughters Beauty (Israela Efomi) and the inventive Bright (Holly Howden Gilchrist.) When one of Aaron's long lost ships returns, he heads off in search of his fortune, but when he finds that the crew have taken the cargo, he is once again left penniless. Lost on the way back home, the Baron takes shelter in a castle owned by a terrifying beast (Nicholas Marshall.) The beast is hospitable at first, but when the Baron steals a rose from the beast's prized garden for his daughter Beauty, the beast demands that the Baron send one of his daughters to live with him in the castle in exchange for sparing his life.
Beauty and the Beast at the Citz is not a panto, but a festive play; and the most exquisite piece of spellbinding storytelling
Before the curtain even rises on the Citz Beauty and the Beast, the cast appear on stage and coax the audience to join them in a festive, and ambitious, singalong; various sections of the theatre battling against one another in a carol-off. It's a great way for the actor-musician filled company to show off their musical talents but also a unexpected and boisterous welcome for those taking their seats in the auditorium.
When the show begins, we find that our tale is narrated by a cat, Mr Mittens (the phenomenal Michael Guest) and a dog, Captain Biscuits (an exuberant Martin Donaghy.) So as much as the core story and staging here can be macabre, the show is undeniably festive and full of humour, magic and heart. It's a joyous mix of mystery and even a bit of music, that results in the most exquisite piece of spellbinding storytelling. From an adult's point of view, it's one of the few festive shows this year that I've genuinely been transfixed by and grinned at the whole way through.
Much of that is down to the enthralling performance from Michael Guest who arguably has the lead role as our all-seeing narrator, Beauty's instinctive and intelligent cat, Mr Mittens. Guest's pitch-perfect accent, his enchanting voice, his riveting stage presence and storytelling ability are all designed to draw adults and kids alike into the bewitching story. I've seen Guest excel in a number of productions on the Scottish stage previously, but always in straight, serious roles and never like this. What a creative and inspired way to tell the story. Magnificent.
Also outstanding, Elicia's Daly's Mrs Flobberlyboo is at once eerie and foreboding, but also deadpan hilarious. As is Martin Donaghy's dog Captain Biscuits, whose boundless energy and witless enthusiasm are note perfect. The always wonderful Tyler Collins and Holly Howden Gilchrist breathe life into supporting characters the hapless baron and gifted sister Bright respectively, making them more rounded and memorable than they may have been. While recent graduates Israel Efomi (Beauty) and Nicholas Marshall (Beast) do a beautiful job with the pivotal central characters.
Marshall's beast has a cartoonish, blue fur that shrewdly softens the appearance of the fearsome creature, although some of the shadow puppets and props that signpost his arrival are altogether more frightening. The entire production similarly hits all the right notes in terms of balancing the atmospheric, cautionary tale with uplifting, family-friendly entertainment. It's expertly judged.
Co-directed by the Citz Artistic Director Dominic Hill and award-winning Joanna Bowman, Beauty and the Beast is designed by Rachael Canning, whose inventive staging is extraordinary. The Beast's castle is striking and imposing; and the use of seemingly endless red doors and moving staircases fascinating. The costumes and visuals are teeming with thoughtful details, and it's all beautifully lit by Lizzie Powell's dynamic designs.
What makes Beauty and the Beast all the more impressive is that all of the scenery, costumes and props are made in house by the Citizens Theatre workshop. Glasgow has waited a long eight years for another Citizens theatre Christmas production, and this deliciously dark Beauty and the Beast has absolutely been worth the wait.
I loved this. It's different, exciting and engrossing. A perfect piece of festive theatre. ★★★★★
Beauty and the Beast plays at Glasgow Citizens Theatre until 31 December 2025. Age recommendation: 6+
MORE: Find out more about the 2025 Citizens Christmas show cast here: https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/post/citizens-theatre-beauty-cast
MORE: Take a look at the beast as he escaped inside the Citizens Theatre here: https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/post/citizens-theatre-beast-escape
MORE: Find more Scottish Christmas shows and panto news and reviews at: https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/panto
