Tomorrow (8th December), Bessy Ewa commences her run as Belle in Beauty and the Beast at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre, working closely with Aidan Banyard as Beast, Duncan James as Danton, Jennie Dale as Cupid, Max Fulham as Phillipe Fillop and Damian Williams as Madame Bellie Fillop, with the pantomime ending on 7th January. Earlier this year, Bessy was performing in the UK Arena Tour of Disney 100: The Concert (including at The O2 Arena), and she played Estella in Great Expectations at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester. Bessy has performed in the West End when she understudied the lead role of Juliet in & Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre, and she understudied Jennifer Parker for her West End debut in Back to the Future the Musical at the Adelphi Theatre. Speaking to us recently, Bessy told us about preparing to play Belle in Beauty and the Beast at the Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield, performing in the UK Arena Tour of Disney 100: The Concert and understudying Juliet in & Juliet and Jennifer Parker in Back to the Future the Musical.

What are you looking forward to for starring as Belle in Beauty and the Beast at the Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield this Christmas?

Apart from wearing Belle’s beautiful costumes, I’m most looking forward to sharing the stage with so many talented people!

How do you think you’ll find the experience interacting with a pantomime audience?

I’ve heard that Sheffield has the friendliest audiences, which I’m super excited to interact with! I’m especially excited for the school performances and welcoming anyone whose first time it is at the theatre!

Have you seen Beauty and the Beast as a pantomime previously and what will you bring to the role of Belle?

I’ve actually never seen another pantomime performance of Beauty and the Beast! Belle is a very feisty and confident character but she is also kind and romantic. The nature of panto means that I have the opportunity to quickly switch between the two extremes, which is super fun!

Why would you recommend families book tickets to see Lyceum Theatre’s production of Beauty and the Beast?

I would recommend families book tickets to see Beauty and the Beast at the Lyceum because it’s hilarious and heartfelt all at once. It’s a spectacle with something for every family member to love! You never forget your first trip to the theatre, it’s the best Christmas present you could give!

How was it performing on the UK Arena Tour of Disney 100: The Concert, which included a show at The O2 Arena?

I still can’t believe that I had the honour to sing some of the most iconic Disney songs to a sold-out O2 Arena. It was completely surreal. The best part was having so many of my friends and family in the audience and seeing how proud they were of me after.

You played Estella in Great Expectations at Mercury Theatre earlier this year, what was the show like to be part of?

Being in Great Expectations at the Mercury in Colchester was so different to anything I’d done before as it was a straight play, not a musical like I was used to. I learnt so much on the job and playing Estella was really cool as it’s such an iconic character. It was a small cast of five and it really felt like a family.

What did you enjoy most about being in the cast of & Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre in the West End?

The thing I enjoyed most about being in & Juliet in the West End was how much fun we had! Everyone was hilarious and every day at work was entertaining and never dull!

How was it understudying the lead role of Juliet and what was she like to play?

Juliet is a mammoth role to understudy, which was so intimidating before I started rehearsing. However, once I began rehearsals, I fell in love with the role! It’s definitely challenging, not only vocally but also in terms of costume changes, lines, swinging off a chandelier and doing different choreography from my ensemble character! But every time I got to perform, I felt like a star and loved every moment!

What was it like understudying Jennifer Parker in Back to the Future the Musical at the Adelphi Theatre?

Understudying Jennifer Parker was great! It was an amazing first West End job to have. She is also a character in the ensemble so it was a lot to learn but so fun!

Where does your love of acting and performing come from and how did you get into it?

I always loved singing! I just happened to be in a very stagey year in my primary school and we all loved performing. We would put on talent shows and performances in the playground. I used to write songs for my friends to perform. We even ended up performing Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the end of Year 6, it was the first time our school had put on a musical. And I never looked back!

Do you have any favourite theatre shows to watch and which would you like to see that you haven’t done so as yet?

I have a list of things I want to see! I want to see The Little Big Things, Sunset Boulevard and The Time Traveller’s Wife. I also cannot wait to watch White Christmas at the Crucible, a couple of my friends are in it and everything they say about their rehearsals sounds incredible!

How do you like to spend your free time?

In my free time, I like to write songs and I love to spend time with my friends and family!

What are you hoping the next year brings for you?

I’m hoping next year will bring me adventures and joy!

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