Beauty And The Beast

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, that it is truly remarkable  how in about 14 days KHW produce such a high standard of performance that would rival any adult group. Due credit must go to the enthusiasm of the cast and the dedication of the production team.

I am sure most people are familiar with the fairytale story of Beauty and the Beast, suffice to say it is a tale  of mystery, sorcery, dreams, sadness, longing, and a just-in-time happy and moving ending.

The Barn Theatre is a relatively small stage and to fit this large cast on it, the scenery had to double as the village, a tavern and the Beast’s castle and this was accomplished by the clever use of props and lighting. The magical way the ‘Rose’ was shown to lose its petals and then become whole again, was achieved by an animated projection on the top of the proscenium – ingenious. The costume department pulled out all the stops for this one, some quite dazzling, especially for ‘Be My Guest’ when it was quite fun seeing how all the household goods were depicted. Choreography was suitable for the large cast and the size of the stage while good use was made of side aisles in the auditorium for exits and entrances. Musical direction by Michael Burbidge and Alice Dallosso gave us a well-balanced sound between singers and band, which is not always easy to achieve. 

Alexandra Absalom Sanchez as Belle was a delight to watch and listen to, portraying her compassion for the Beast (Sebastian Davies). Sebastian had the ability to show us a quite moody Beast followed by an endearing prince. The two of them certainly had the on-stage chemistry, so important in establishing their characters. I think we all had a smirk at the conceited ‘muscleman’ Gaston (Malachy Jenson) and his sidekick LeFou (Alex Cundill) who bounced off each other, quite literally sometimes! Cogsworth, major-domo turned clock played by Ellis Wilson and Emilia Kavanagh as Lumière, valet turned candelabra were a perfect match and Emilia mastered a lovely French accent. Notable performances came from Babette, maid turned feather duster (Polly Whitbread) and Lara Davis as Madame De La Grande Bouche, opera singer turned wardrobe. To complete the household we have the welcoming soul of Mrs Potts, housekeeper turned teapot (Georgina Perry). What a lovely rendition she gave of the title song Beauty and the Beast. Isabella Campbell Ratcliff was quite sweet as her daughter Chip, turned into a cup. The supporting characters together with the villagers, wolves and castle staff all added to the magic of this production

This young cast rose so magnificently to the occasion and threw their hearts into it with such joy. Some are ending their journey with KHW but Directors Ros and Imogen have made this a memorable time for them and all who took part so they can continue their love of all things theatre.

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