Beauty and the Beast

From the first few bars of the overture we could tell from the quality of Suzanne Stewart’s  orchestra, that we were in for a treat.  This was confirmed quickly thereafter by Malcom Burnett’s excellent direction.

Belle (Megan Reddie) was the essence of a Disney Princess. She perfectly captured Belle’s kind, intelligent, and independent nature, and her beautiful singing voice was a true highlight of the show. Her performance was both heartwarming and inspiring, and she truly brought the character to life. Her interactions with the other characters, particularly with the Beast, were a joy to watch, as their love blossomed throughout the production. Scott Hunter’s Beast too, was equally compelling with his transformation from a gruff, misunderstood figure to a more tender character. His costume was fantastic and added to the character’s intimidating presence.  As the villain, Gaston, played by Adam Campbell exuded the arrogance of the character, and his interaction with his sidekick Le Fou (Lewis Walker) developed some of the most humorous moments in the show. Charlie Sinclair’s performance as Maurice, Belle’s father, was heartfelt. His interactions with Belle were tender and brought a genuine sense of warmth and care to the character. Lumière (Matt Hodgeson) and Cogsworth (Andy Dolan) brought the Castle’s magic to life.  Audrey Jones as Mrs. Potts, brought a warm, nurturing energy to the character, and her rendition of Beauty and the Beast was beautiful. The role of Chip was well played by a shared team of Harrison Spence and Reuben Syczynski. Lucy Turner offered us a charming Babette, while Jilly Martin gave a suitably larger than life performance as Madame de la Grande Bouche. As we come to expect of the LADAMA chorus, they delivered beautiful harmonies and outstanding performances in all the musical numbers. Choreography, although not in vast quantities in this show, was in the capable hands of Claire Robertson. Each dance number offering the same energy and vitality, matching the rest of the show.

Sets were very appropriate and were well-handled by Stage Manager, Sheona Goodall, and her trusty team.

Tonight’s show had all the feelgood moments one comes to expect of a Disney show – so we were never disappointed!

Many thanks for the invite to LADAMA’s 2025 show!

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