“The Magic Comes Alive On Stage” well I certainly don’t think anybody could sue Disney under the trade descriptions act here, because they most certainly have brought all the classic Disney Magic from the hit film directly onto the Hippodrome’s Stage in an enchanting evening of entertainment for all the family.

 The show directly lifts from the film of the same name, and it is extremely Disney! It tells of the endearing love story; courageous Belle living in France, and the young prince, who has trapped by a spell and is now a Beast. If he can't learn to love and be loved the curse will stay, if he can however he will become a man again, but his time is running out, if he doesn't learn his lesson soon he and his household will be doomed for all eternity. The show features all the original characters from the film, and of course those classic songs…with a few new ones added to make this recipe a lot sweeter! 

There is no point beating around the bush, the show is quite frankly extremely spectacular and magical, the sets are purely stunning, extraordinarily moving on and off the stage or spinning round. Fireworks, Illusions, and breathtaking lighting all add to the effect, making the pure spectacle of the show something to behold. It honestly will amaze every audience member, as they think, “How is that done” and “WOW!” The two highlights of this are easily “Be Our Guest” and the “Transformation.” Be Our Guest not only features everyone’s favourite song, but also manages to leave you jaw opened applauding for more. The flashing lights, fireworks, singing cutlery and showmanship of Lumiere all spell out a riveting number. The Transformation manages to feature magic which left everyone spellbinded! The lighting was perfect and the illusion is worth your ticket price alone!

Not only are the sets highly detailed and cartoony, which keeps the feel of the Disney movie throughout, the costumes are also unbelievable. So much attention to detail and time must have gone into making them that its almost a shame that you can’t just look at the actors up close! The Beast’s makeup and fur is believable yet still manages to show the person inside, and Lumier's flame lit candlestick arms are a brilliant addition to his costume. This show really does LOOK magical, stunning, and well just incredible.

 Unfortunately there is a downside. The show seemed to take a while to warm up, and especially at the beginning, you have trouble connecting and getting into the story. You can often hear the movement of the sets over the speech and song and at times the set overpowers what is being said and you loose your concentration, and that “Disney” magic can at times seem a bit too tacky and distract from the action. These however are only very small flaws in the action because the stylised dancing and note-perfect singing will make you forget all about them! The choreographer, Matt West perfectly compliments the shows feel and style. “Gaston” is a number which moves away from the film, and comes into its own theatrical right. Moments like this light up the stage because the director Robert Jess Roth has obviously taken the decision to move away from the film for a bit, which is what is needed at times. The problem lies in Disney just transferring the film to a stage version, which works fine but it can never keep as much magic, or hold as many effects as the film (although they damn well try!) Having seen The Lion King, another Disney Production, I saw exactly what someone can do with a Disney film, while still keeping the characters but not having to keep the look of the film, at times Beauty and the Beast could have done with this.

I want to end this review on a good note, because on leaving the theatre I most certainly felt very happy at having enjoyed a eminent production, therefore I must speak about the cast, who gave there all to the show that they are going to be performing in 8 times a week! They delivered believable performances showing the characters in different lights. Alistair Robins, Beast showed the person behind the monster, making you really feel for him and often delivering extremely comic lines, with precise timing. In fact the Beast is much less of an animal than in the film, and it certainly helps this production seeing him in that light. Annalene Beechey plays Belle much like the cartoon version, and there is nothing wrong with that. Her strong voice carries her through the evening, and her turning from hatred to love for the Beast is realistically showed. Gaston and Lefou (Ben Harlow and Anthony Clegg) are a pantomimey comedy double act, bringing smiles to everyone’s faces and faultless performances. Lumiere, Cogsworth and Mrs Potts (Stephen Matthews, Barry James and Julia Goss) are the main enchanted characters and not only show the person but also the object they are turning into. There is in fact no way of faulting any of the cast, they all can sing well, act well, make us laugh well, and quite frankly play their character brilliantly. No amount of special effects can make a production worth seeing, but a cast can and even without all the gimmicks, they could still carry this production and produce a dazzling performance.

 The show feature humour, pantomime style, magic, classic songs, and brilliant sets. It is nothing but a magical show, for all to enjoy. So don’t wait you only have 16 weeks to see this show, and no Christmas would be the same without a visit to your theatre. So basically, go and see Beauty And The Beast, you will not be disappointed at all; in fact you will leave humming, smiling and wanting to go back for more.

Buy the Beauty And The Beast Soundtrack

 Buy tickets for events:

The Tick List

Music

Lyrics

Story

Set

Lighting

Costumes

Cast

Overall

(4 1/2)

Ticket Prices:

£5 - £31 with Concessions available

 Performance Times:

Tuesday to Saturday evening's at 7.30PM

Wednesday and Saturday Matinee at 2:30PM

Sunday Matinee at 3PM

Sponsors