Synopsis

Wealthy shipping merchant Philip Pelf has a large family. There’s Lynette, his beautiful youngest daughter (Beauty), her older sisters, Marilyn and Caroline (who try to outdo any of Cinderella’s ugly sisters), and the three sons, Paul Mark & Eddie.

The family faces poverty when all but one of their merchant ships are lost in a storm at sea. Philip travels in an attempt to salvage the last ship and on his way home, lost and tired he seeks shelter in the secluded castle of the Beast (a bewitched Prince Robin) whom he manages to upset by cutting a rose from the garden. Incensed at this ‘theft’ the Beast will only allow him to leave if he promises to send one of his daughters back to live in the castle.

Beauty takes pity on the Beast and travels to the castle, where she finds that she actually likes the life there and when, through a magic mirror, she sees her father is unhappy, she persuades the Beast to allow her to go home for a week. Returning with Philip she realises that she is in love with the Beats and kisses him, at which he transforms into the handsome Prince Robin.

That all sounds quite familiar, but comedy complications are thrown into the mix by the Beasts servants, Jenny Jessop (the Dame) and her son, Tony Treasure who look after their master in ways that only happen in pantomimes.

Characters