Do you want Beauty or the Beast? – Beauty and the Feast

Beauty and the Feast is a blend of theatre and a supper club from the designers Darling & Edge.  This is their latest immersive event that is happening in The Vaults with the story being loosely based on the well-known fairy tale Beauty and the Beast.  Be warned though this is not your average panto as this is for adults only, so leave behind your kids.

WARNING there are spoiler alerts throughout my blog so you have been warned. Plus I have added some quotes from the famous Beauty and the Beast story but can you guess which quotes come from which fictional characters?

Beauty and the Feast – Once Upon a time…..

Bar area

Once upon a time… me and Henri we adventured through a magical mirror (long glittery curtain) and into the Enchanted Forest (the main bar area).  There I saw various style chairs and sofas perched literally everywhere.  So I just had to climb up onto one of the high sofas and feel like a princess looking down at everyone whilst sipping on my delicious ‘Belle’s Eau De Toilette’ vodka cocktail, complete with edible rose petals.

After a while Hatstand, Fairy Liquid and an Bootrack came mingling within the audience making us all feel welcome within the forest.  All were so stylishly dressed. I loved Fairy Liquid’s hair which was piled up high like a beehive and bubbles sat within it.

I also loved Bootrack who played with her food curiously like a child.

After a bit of fun taking many selfies and interacting with the characters Belle came in and she was in the mood to party!  However she is worried that if she does she will disturb the sleeping Beast.  So in order for us to have the party we all had to creep upstairs like a mouse to the banquet room.

The banquet room ready for the feast

The banquet room was dawned with chandeliers and a theatre stage and long tables for us all to sit at. There were empty plates, glasses and water jugs upon the table but I cry “No… tea… no… tea…” what is one to do.

It was with our deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we were welcomed tonight. And invited to relax, pull up a chair, and dine.

Before the feast was brought out we are greeted with slapstick back and forth humour. The food then came rolling out and consisted of venison sausages, bean stuffed pumpkin, savoury cheesecake, potatoes, peas and numerous picked vegetables (dietary requirements can be catered for).

We all had to share between us however it was unclear in how far the bowls should be shared between us and the gravy well that disappeared completely right down the table. So “pick up your bowl and slurp it like the Beast”. However I was not that bothered how much food I got as I personally did not like the food as was lukewarm and was not to my taste. “Try the grey stuff, it’s delicious! Don’t believe me? Ask the dishes!” but in this case perhaps not.

Before dessert was served the Beast woke up and disturbed our feast and party.  Belle panics and we all end up shouting the famous words “It’s behind you”. She then eventually turns and sees the Beast but it seems as though they had some sort of sexual disagreement from earlier so it was then in turn for us all to try and get Belle and the Beast to make up.  In order to try and bond them back together we all had to flirt with Belle or the Beast, whoever takes your fancy really to make each other jealous.

The question on most men’s lips to the Beast I would imagine was “Did you honestly think she’d want you when she can have someone like me?” 

I tried to flirt with the Beast as I so wanted him to myself but he just wanted Belle so I comforted him and he said “I’m just fooling myself, she’ll never see me as anything… but a monster”

During this time we get to eat dessert which is always the best part of mealtime for me but alas on this occasion it was a huge disappointment once again.  The dessert coconut ice cream which came in a shape of a rabbit which looked fun but it did not taste like ice cream more like a frozen Angel Delight type moose served along  with some grape flavoured jelly and a meringue shaped mushroom.

Anyway back to the flirting this was not working as Belle was not getting jealous at all even though the Beast was but then disaster strikes the Beast starts to choke on some popcorn that I and my friend Henri through into his mouth along with some other’s so Belle at this point comes running over in a panic and saves the Beast. This is when Belle realises that she’s in love with the Beast.

The Grand Finale ends us all chanting “Release the Beast” with Belle singing “I’m just a girl” in then which she becomes a full-on beastly diva. Warning Belle is not to be deceived by appearance, for the beast is found within and she want’s much more than a provincial life and wants adventure in the great, wide somewhere.  To see what I mean go and see the show.

The End my verdict

In short, this is an amusing panto style supper club but expect an amateur theatre production (not West End) and school canteen type food (not Michelin star) so if you love cabaret, getting involved and don’t mind canteen style food and love having a laugh then this is most certainly the type of show for you to see however if you are seeking more of a classy night and high quality entertainment then this is not the show for you.

Don’t forget to take a photo of the Beast as then you will always have a way to look back … and remember the Beast.

“Goodbye, Belle”

To book to see Beauty and the Feast click here however be quick as 14 January 2018 is The End.

Thank you Darling & Edge for inviting me to experience Beauty and the Feast set within The Vaults. It was a feast. All my opinions are my own.