Disney’s classic love story, immortalised in the stunning 1991 Oscar nominated film, lands at the Liverpool Empire this week, and is sure to delight youngsters from all across Merseyside.
Based on the fairytale of the same name, Beauty and the Beast follows the life of Belle, a pretty girl from a small French Village who is locked in a castle by a monster who has been place under an enchanted spell. As time passes, Belle begins to grow fond of the Beast and his servants, and the spell beings to break.
The beginning of the show is visually impressive. An animated video is projected onto a screen at the front of the Empire stage. The screen then becomes transparent whilst the animated video is still playing. This effect is used again and again throughout the show and is visually stunning. It is a very clever effect and should be used in more productions.
The cast were all good in the roles they played, but particular mention must go to Ashley Oliver, whose Belle will be remembered in the hearts of children for a long time to come – she wasn’t just playing the young girl who transformed into a princess, she was that character. Ben Harlow had an excellent voice, but his Gaston a bit too camp.
The first act is good in setting the scene, but is riddled with too many songs that aren’t in the film. The songs which are well written are received well, but there were lots of restless children during some of the other songs, and one feels that some could be shortened or cut completely. I’m not completely sure whether the new songs lack the charm of the songs which are from the film, or whether it is just because people don’t recognise them, but there is a definite change in the air when a recognisable song is performed.
Of the musical numbers Be Our Guest was a highlight. It was a visual feast cabaret number, and the audience loved every second of it. The interval should have followed this song because it was such a spectacle. The following song, as a result, lacks the punch it requires and so the next few minutes seem a bit laboured. It is a shame because If I Can’t Love Her is probably the best new addition of songs in the show.
The second Act does seem much more focused. “Beauty and the Beast”, sung by Angela Lansbury in the film version is performed to perfection and many a young princess in the audience will have this scene etched in their memory for many years to come.
Simply charming!
Belle of the Ball
8/10
Thursday 13 August 2009
Monday 10 August 2009
David's theatre trip!
Last month I packed my bags and travelled 300 miles across the country to spend a full week attending the theatre. Chichester Festival theatre, and its younger sister The Minera, are world renowned for the quality of shows they put on. During the summer months the theatre produces all of the shows they put on which is a rarety in this current economic downturn, especially when you consider the costs of producing your own plays. Additionally, Chichester puts on its shows in rep so that visitors to the area like me can watch alot of theatrics in a short amount of time. And so, 3 plays, a musical and a theatre tour later it was time to look back and reflect on my week of cultural heaven.
The first play that I watched was called Grapes of Wrath, which is directed by Chichesters Artistic Director, and based on a John Steinbeck novel of the same name. Set in the American mid-west in the 1940's, Grapes tells the story of an ordinary American familys quest to travel the country to California, where they are promised work and a better life. When they get there they realise that they, along with everyone else in the area, have been misled so that they can be manipulated into working for the lowest possible wage, and so end up being in a worse off position.
The staging of the show was excellent - the floor was a sea of wooden planks which represented the baroness of the American mid-west. The stage was raised so that during a particularly impressive storm sequence, the rain could run into a make-shift lake at the side of the stage. Otherwise, the set was quite minimalistic (a running theme throughout Chichesters productions this year, as you'll read later), although there were some clever props which descended from the ceiling which transported you from a cold, stormy evening, to a warm, cosy barn. Grapes has a very big cast, comprising of actors of varying sizes and ages. The majority were very good, although there were several dodgy accents in there. The story was compelling, even more so when you realise that this story was the same for millions of people across the region.
7/10- a good start to the week
The theatre tour on Saturday morning was another little treat. It took us from the props room to underneath the stage to witness the mechanics that kept the shows running. It also gave us an opportunity to stand on the main stages and to give us an idea of how the actors feel with 1500, and 300 seats facing their way! It amazed me to realise how close every seat was to the action. There were also some fun facts in the way of dead spots and sweet spots - the areas on the stage where the accoustics work best. There were other nice bits of information to keep me excited, but there were also some slight disappointments - some places we couldn't go for example, but I realise that every tour is different, and that visiting the dressing rooms may not have been entirely possible with a group of 25 blue rinses, a wheelchair user and some young-uns walking round.
Enron was the next show that I got to see, and it was showcased in the Minerva theatre, a much smaller, and more intimate theatre space. Written by Lucy Prebble and directed by Rupert Goold, Enron tells the story of the collapse of the conglomerate energy company. Although slightly fabricated, the story is an interesting one, and despite having no previous knowledge of the story, or economics, I was suprised to find the story very understandable. This is because the writing is very impressive - theories and jargon is explained in terms which are easy to relate to so the story moves along at a nice pace. The acting is superb, with Tim Pigott Smith and Sam West standing out. The staging is excellent, and is utilised fully. It isn't as extravagant as one of Goolds previous shows at the Minerva - Macbeth, but it evokes so much from the imagery. Colour, and lights and singing and dance and costumes all add extra layers, which make this production stand out from the rest. The highlight of the trip, and one of the top 5 theatrical pieces I have seen. 9/10
The first play that I watched was called Grapes of Wrath, which is directed by Chichesters Artistic Director, and based on a John Steinbeck novel of the same name. Set in the American mid-west in the 1940's, Grapes tells the story of an ordinary American familys quest to travel the country to California, where they are promised work and a better life. When they get there they realise that they, along with everyone else in the area, have been misled so that they can be manipulated into working for the lowest possible wage, and so end up being in a worse off position.
The staging of the show was excellent - the floor was a sea of wooden planks which represented the baroness of the American mid-west. The stage was raised so that during a particularly impressive storm sequence, the rain could run into a make-shift lake at the side of the stage. Otherwise, the set was quite minimalistic (a running theme throughout Chichesters productions this year, as you'll read later), although there were some clever props which descended from the ceiling which transported you from a cold, stormy evening, to a warm, cosy barn. Grapes has a very big cast, comprising of actors of varying sizes and ages. The majority were very good, although there were several dodgy accents in there. The story was compelling, even more so when you realise that this story was the same for millions of people across the region.
7/10- a good start to the week
The theatre tour on Saturday morning was another little treat. It took us from the props room to underneath the stage to witness the mechanics that kept the shows running. It also gave us an opportunity to stand on the main stages and to give us an idea of how the actors feel with 1500, and 300 seats facing their way! It amazed me to realise how close every seat was to the action. There were also some fun facts in the way of dead spots and sweet spots - the areas on the stage where the accoustics work best. There were other nice bits of information to keep me excited, but there were also some slight disappointments - some places we couldn't go for example, but I realise that every tour is different, and that visiting the dressing rooms may not have been entirely possible with a group of 25 blue rinses, a wheelchair user and some young-uns walking round.
Enron was the next show that I got to see, and it was showcased in the Minerva theatre, a much smaller, and more intimate theatre space. Written by Lucy Prebble and directed by Rupert Goold, Enron tells the story of the collapse of the conglomerate energy company. Although slightly fabricated, the story is an interesting one, and despite having no previous knowledge of the story, or economics, I was suprised to find the story very understandable. This is because the writing is very impressive - theories and jargon is explained in terms which are easy to relate to so the story moves along at a nice pace. The acting is superb, with Tim Pigott Smith and Sam West standing out. The staging is excellent, and is utilised fully. It isn't as extravagant as one of Goolds previous shows at the Minerva - Macbeth, but it evokes so much from the imagery. Colour, and lights and singing and dance and costumes all add extra layers, which make this production stand out from the rest. The highlight of the trip, and one of the top 5 theatrical pieces I have seen. 9/10
Hairspray to tour UK with Michael Ball!
Whatsonstage.com are reporting that West End legend, Michael Ball is to tour the UK next year reprising his award-winning turn as Edna Turnblad in the smash hit Hairspray!
Ball, who opened the show in London in October 2007, will return for the start of the tour, which is due to open in Cardiff's Millenium centre on the 30th March 2010. The musical will run concurrently with the West End version of the show, and will visit cities up and down the country, including Glasgow, Southampton, Wolverhampton, Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool. Further dates are to be announced in the future. Ball will appear in Glasgow, Southampton and Manchester as well as Cardiff. Further star casting for Edna and other principal parts has yet to be announced.
The return to Hairspray also herald a new, closer working relationship between Michael Ball and the show’s UK production company, Stage Entertainment. Ball has been appointed as associate producer and will work with Stage in developing new work and roles, including ones specifically tailored to the actor. These will include a major musical revival in 2011.
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