Review! Beauty And The Beast: A Horny Love Story Charing Cross Theatre 2025

Beauty and the Beast: A Horny Love Story at the Charing Cross Theatre is exactly what you’d expect from an adult panto — cheeky, chaotic, and absolutely packed with innuendo.

Set in the frostbitten Scottish village of Lickmanochers, this naughty twist on Beauty and the Beast follows Flora on her hunt for a missing will linked to an oil rig. Her quest leads her to an abandoned castle—home to the Beast, whose décor desperately needs a makeover, even if he is surprisingly charming beneath all that lustrous hair.

Huge shout-outs to Matthew Baldwin, Laura Anna-Mead, and Matt Kennedy, who bring an irresistibly funny family dynamic to the stage. Their timing, energy, and willingness to lean into the madness keep the show buzzing.

The humour is exactly what an adult panto promises: cheesy jokes, laugh-out-loud moments, and a generous sprinkling of naughty spice. It’s silly, it’s rude, and it never pretends to be anything else.

We also loved how proudly LGBTQ-positive the whole show was — from the jokes to the characters to the general atmosphere. It celebrates camp, queer joy, and all things fabulous in a way that feels completely natural and utterly welcomed by the audience.

The Christmassy set design adds a warm, nostalgic panto feel — like something family-friendly at first glance — but don’t be fooled. Beneath the twinkly lights is a whole lot of filth, and the cast revels in it.

While it’s not reinventing the panto wheel, and some jokes land better than others, it’s an undeniably fun night out if you’re in the mood for festive smut, queer sparkle, and feel-good silliness. This adult panto is messy, merry, and just the right amount of horny. 

⭐⭐⭐