Beauty and the Beast

It is quite fitting that we spent much of the night in an enchanted castle as that word is one that can sum up this production – enchanting. I have many more too and this show pretty much deserves them all. I doubt anyone in the audience was unfamiliar with the story whether that was via the animated version (the oldies like me!), via the Emma Watson film adaptation or through any one of the many media forms that this story has been told through. Can familiarity breed contempt? Even if so, nobody could have left that venue tonight without being utterly smitten with the “tale as old as time”.

Now let’s be honest! A Disney score as famous as this one is always going to be reliable in terms of what it offers but again, it can create a level of expectation that can be difficult to live up to in the amateur world. However, Lee Smith (aided by his production team) did it absolute justice. I would imagine it is a fine line between keeping the characters large enough without tipping over into caricature cartoons and the balance achieved was perfect. Lee also handled the choreography which worked wonderfully and I still never cease to be amazed at how so many people can execute such routines in a relatively small space!

The set was fantastic and seeing sliding flats in an amateur production set in a non-professional venue was just a delight. It’s a complex set to even contemplate so kudos to the designer(s) and the obviously passionate and talented team that brought it to life.

The rose was fantastically done and I am just so grateful that someone near me noticed the petals had fallen and reacted as my attention was on the action elsewhere. But it was fabulously done. As my role is to offer constructive feedback and this production has made that so difficult, I will mention the book that Belle reads to the Beast. She was too far near the front for it to have got to the “sword out of the stone part” initially and not far enough to the back for it to have been the end (although kudos for actually progressing through the prop book). You can see how I am reaching here?!

The costumes were beautiful and varied and the ensemble carried off the multiple changes with aplomb. Gaston’s wig did a runner during the fight scene and congratulations to the actor for just powering through. The costumes of the castle staff really portrayed the enchantment that they were under and I felt particularly for Chip whose costume was a box that he spent all night in! How did you not fidget more?!

I have sometimes found that the vocal over a live orchestra can be problematic but no such issues here, the vocal clarity was great at all times. As was the orchestra, the musical director doing a fabulous job. One comment about the lighting and I am unsure as to whether this was artistic choice or something had gone slightly awry – on occasion, a principal was singing in complete shadow. Obviously, the castle needs to be lit according to its spooky and oppressive style but a balance needs to be struck so principle solos are not impeded by lack of light.

Beauty (Belle) and the Beast (Vix Quigley & Andy Last) – Vix was delightful, her portrayal of Belle incorporated her character’s innate loveliness that everyone remarks upon with a steely core that means she owns her alleged “oddness” (if reading lots of books and rejecting Gaston are odd then I suspect there’s many of us oddballs!) and takes nobody’s nonsense! Her vocal was fabulous throughout and even when the stage was crowded, she stood out. Andy as the beast, gave me a “bloody hell” moment when he first sang as even amongst an exceptionally talented cast, he stood out. The vocal was superb but his portrayal of the tortured beast made you equally want to hug him or slap him, depending on the scene!

Bradley Hambleton as Gaston must have learned that it’s hard but enormous amounts of fun to play a character where the ultimate accolade at the end is to be booed! Not only was he vocally extremely strong but his portrayal of the sort of man that women like Belle hide to avoid, was spot on and hilarious! Le Fou (Jonny Stewart) was perfect as his foil and adoring “man at arms” with a part that was both vocally and visibly engaging.

The castle staff (Iain Wishlaide as Cogsworth, Joe Bromfield as Lumiere, Sharon Plummer as Mrs Potts, Catherine Moore as Babette and Amy Evans as Madame De La Bouche) really made it the Disney of our childhoods with their excellent portrayal of loyal servants trapped under the same enchantment as their master and losing their humanity a little more each day. Their desperation to break the curse but also their instinctive desire to look after a scared and trapped Belle was so nicely done.

As mentioned, Chip (Elliott Moores on the night I attended) did a  great job given his constriction, Alan Lowe as Maurice gave a lovely portrayal of a loving (if slightly dotty) Dad; Zachary Lewis as the Prince, Oly Wright as Monsieur D’Arque and Angela Wynne as the Narrator rounded out an excellent cast and a note to the Silly Girls (you’d have to be a bit silly to swoon over Gaston!) as they did both a great job of besotted wannabees but also as part of the ensemble in other scenes. Congratulations to the rest of the ensemble for some fabulous dance numbers and for adding depth to this fantastic show.

The Burton Musical Theatre Company invited me to be their guest for this amazing show and I couldn’t have been happier that they did. It was a Beauty-full evening!

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