Full Cast Announced For BEAUTY AND THE BEAST At Mercury Theatre

Mercury Theatre has announced the full cast for their pantomime this Christmas, Beauty and the Beast, written by Andrew Pollard and directed by Olivier Award-winning Donnacadh O'Briain. Joining the previously announced pantomime royalty Antony Stuart-Hicks (Betty Bon Bon) and Dale Superville (Almondé), are Alexandra Barredo (Belle), Daniel Jagusz-Holley (Prince Friedrich/ Beast), Sasha Latoya (L'Amour/Cupid), Jaimie Pruden (Spite), Shelby Speed (Hemlock) and Nick Brittain (Toadstool). The pantomime opens on Saturday 3 December at the Mercury Theatre, with previews from Saturday 26 November 2022, and runs until Sunday 15 January 2023.

The mysterious Beast imprisons beautiful Belle in his enchanted castle. Can she escape with the help of her family and melt Beast's icy heart before it's too late? Will Cupid's plan work before the last rose petal falls?

It's a tale as old as time and a panto that will be unmissable for the whole family. Discover what it takes for true love to conquer all and whether love is all you really need!

Antony Stuart-Hicks plays Betty Bon Bon, returning to Mercury Theatre following appearances in Aladdin, Cinderella, Jack & the Beanstalk, Snow White and Dick Whittington. He is also co-ordinator for the Mercury Theatre Colchester's Creatives Mentoring Programme, and has worked extensively as producer, director and writer. His previous acting credits include Legally Blonde (Jersey Opera House), Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens (Criterion Theatre), Silence! The Musical (Above the Stag), A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest, Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet, The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Rainbow (UK tours), Snow White (Royal Court Liverpool/Central Theatre Chatham), Dick Whittington (Royal Court Liverpool) and Sleeping Beauty (Queen's Theatre Barnstaple).

Dale Superville plays Almondé, returning to Mercury Theatre following performances in Aladdin, Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Spamalot, Dick Whittington, James and the Giant Peach, The Wind in the Willow, Jack and the Beanstalk, Habeas Corpus, She Stoops to Conquer and Oh! What a Lovely War. His other work includes Forever Young, Grandpa In My Pocket (Nottingham Playhouse/UK tour), Absent Friends, Dick Whittington, Aladdin and Cinderella (Watford Palace Theatre), A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Pinocchio (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), Return to the Forbidden Planet (The Haymarket, Basingstoke), The Knight Of The Burning Pestle (Mercury Theatre/Barbican), The Wind in the Willows (Oldham Coliseum), Simply Heavenly (Young Vic), Rumpelstiltskin (Unicorn Theatre), Epsom Downs (Nuffield Theatre), Mother Goose and Cinderella (Salisbury Playhouse), Big Nose (Coventry Belgrade Theatre), Having A Ball, Fings Ain't What They Used T'be, Of Mice and Men (Queens Theatre Hornchurch) and You're Thinking About Doughnuts (Nottingham Playhouse).

Alexandra Barredo plays Belle. Her theatre credits include Romeo and Juliet (Chelmsford Civic Theatre).

Daniel Jagusz-Holley plays Prince Friedrich/Beast. He is known for being part of The Kingdom Tenors, a twelve-piece harmony group who made it to the semi-finals of Britain's Got Talent. His other credits include ABBAphonic (Royal Albert Hall), Expo 2020 Dubai with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Starlight Express (Starlight Express Theatre, Bochum, Germany), Big Girls Don't Cry (UK tour) and Hansel and Gretel (Longborough Festival Opera).

Jaimie Pruden plays Spite. Her theatre credits include Little Miss Sunshine (UK tour), Company (Gielgud Theatre), The Secret Garden (Barn Theatre, Cirencester) and Emma (Nebraska Repertory Theatre).

Shelby Speed plays Hemlock. Her theatre credits include Here Comes Santa Claus (New Wimbledon Theatre Studio), Aladdin (Towngate Theatre, Basildon), Gigi, Fantastic Mr Fox (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre) and Singin' in the Rain (Adelphi Theatre).

Nick Brittain plays Toadstool. His theatre credits include Rapunzel (South Mill Arts/UK tour), Me and My Girl (Frinton Summer Theatre), The Crumple Zone (The King's Head Theatre), The Cat in the Hat (Turbine Theatre/Edinburgh Pleasance), The Hired Man (Union Theatre) and Hotel for Criminals (New Wimbledon Theatre Studio).

Directed by Donnacadh O'Briain. O'Briain is an Olivier Award-winning director specialising in new writing. His world première production of Rotterdam by Jon Brittain opened in Theatre 503, transferred to the Trafalgar Studios, and went on to win the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre, subsequently playing in the West End, Off-Broadway and touring the UK. His recent acclaimed production of Electrolyte premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe, subsequently touring the UK and Ireland, and is in planning for runs across the UK and US. Select further credits include: Operation Mincemeat (Southwark Playhouse), We Like to Move It Move It (UK tour), Saviour (Jermyn Street Theatre), Always Orange (RSC), Mother Christmas (Hampstead Theatre) and PEEP (Edinburgh Fringe/Latitude Festival). O'Briain spent three years with the RSC working on ten productions including the multi award-winning The Histories Cycle (The Guardian's 'Production of the Decade'). As an Assistant director he worked alongside Michael Boyd, Dominic Cooke, Simon McBurney, Greg Doran, Jonathan Mumby, Rebecca Gatward & Alan Stanford. He also teaches acting at various drama schools, including RADA, LAMDA, and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

Written by Andrew Pollard. Pollard is currently the resident pantomime writer for Greenwich Theatre (Offies Award winner for Best Pantomime 2019), Watford Palace and Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch. He has also written pantomimes for Salisbury Playhouse, Theatre Royal, Richmond, Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield and Chipping Norton Theatre. He has written three stage adaptations of classic children's novels for Northern Broadsides Theatre Company - The Water Babies, Treasure Island and Heidi - A Goat's Tail (nominated for 'Best Children's Play' in the T.M.A. Awards and the Adrienne Benham Award for Children's Theatre Writing). All three shows had Christmas residencies at Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre, and Heidi was also staged for a Christmas season at Bath Theatre Royal's young people's theatre, the egg. He has also co-written and starred in the production Tom, Dick and Harry which premièred at the New Vic Theatre in Stoke before a run at Alexandra Palace earlier this year.

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