REVIEWS
Disney Fairytale Musical a Lavish Production
Reviewed by Tina White
Fairytale musical, fairytale theatre - Beauty and the Beast and the Regent on Broadway were well matched at Friday night's opening.
It's certaily a lavish show, with its Disney-inspired, Weta Workshop-made costumes, special effects, 56 actors, 40 strong backstage crew and romantic orchestral music.
The story has been around for cenuries but got a new airing when Disney turned it into an animated movie, which in turn inspired the stage musical.
In order to save her father's life, beautiful Belle must stay in a castle where everything, including its ruler, the Beast, is under a magic spell. Only a love that can see beyond his ugliness will save him.
Its messageis threefold; it's OK to be different, never judge a book by its cover, and true beauty means more than just a handsome face.
The Abbey Musical Theatre with Regent on Broadway Promotions, along with director/choreographer Dean McKerras and musical director Barry Jones has turned out another first rate piece of ensemble theatre.
Though it's a stand alone musical with its own iconic characters, now and then it throws up strong traces of bygone musical comedies; a pinch of White Horse Inn in its village scenes, a nod to Busby Berkeley in the Be My Guest number - even a touch of Phantom.
The key character is Belle, who has to be beaitufil, feisty, graceful and an excellent singer. On all counts Louise Flynn is spot on.
Her wonderfully growly Beast (Dean O'Flaherty), while not quite the enormous monster of the film, has presence and pathos. And Richard Shaw's Gaston is sheer, force of nature energy.
Supporting players, including Lumiere (Scott Andrew), Mrs Potts (Sue Philips) and Cogsworth (Mark Kilsby) make the most of every appearance, while wearing heavy andcomplicated costumes, no mean feat in itself.
Seven year old Oliver Lodge (Chip) almost steals the show during his brief scenes and curtain call, but last night some of his lines, and those of Hayden Giles (playing Monsieur D'Arque) were inaudible because of sound glitches.
Beauty and the Beast is a family show, probably be best appreciated by slightly older children, say, over nine or 10.
It's definitely worth a visit - after all, on a wet winter day a little magic never goes amiss.
Cast Brings Life to Tale
Reviewed by Bobbie Nicholls
Magic is alive and well at the Regent on Broadway, while Beauty and the Beast is being staged for the next two weekends.
"A tale as old as time", the story follows the adventures of the beautiful Belle, who must stay in the enchanted castle with "the beast" and his spell-bound servants, to ensure the freedome of her father. The Disney musical has been staged in 13 countries since 1994 and retained its popularity with both children and adults.
The music is wonderful, the costumes amazing and the scenery simply magical, but the cast deserve the credit for bringing the magic alive on stage.
Every one of the leading roles was well portrayed but credit must be given to Mrs Potts (Sue Philips, who sings the lovely title song), Cogsworth (Mark Kilsby), Lumiere (Scott Andrew) and Madame de la Grande Bouche (Andrea Lundy) who managed to slip on and off stage with grace while wearing heavy and awkward costumes as they transform into household objects.
Belle (Louise Flynn) and the Beast (Dean O'Flaherty) are suitably sweet and growly and work well together, while the transformation from the prince to the beast and back again is achieved with fireworks and masses of smoke, all adding to the magic.
Also standing out for their characterisation and energy are the cocky Gaston (Richard Shaw) and his sidekick Le Fou (Richard Rewa) who, along with the ensemble, brought the show to life in the big production numbers.
Unfortunately on the first night, sound issues meant the audience missed some vital lines from Chip (Oliver Lodge, aged 7) and Monsieur D'Arque (Hayden Giles).
I have one criticism - not enough emphasis was placed on the magical rose, which is a pivotal part of the story, yet was all but invisible to the audience.
While youngsters will love the characters and the story, at two and a half hours the show may be too long for the very young, but the special effects and voices will be appreciated by adults.
Scenes to Remember
Reviewed by Roger Buchanan
After struggline to stay awake through the Broadway production in New York in 2001, I have since been unsure whether it was me or the show at fault. So, it was with mixed feelings I joined a disappointingly small audience for the opening night of Beauty and the Beast. This time I left more than satisfied and without a hint of a droopy eyelid.
The costumes are stunning - a human candlestick with flames, a human dresser with opening drawers, a human clock with a swinging pendulum, not to mention the teapot and the very cute Chip the teacup. Similarly, the set is suitably rand and its various parts work together well, helping to create a sense of adventure and enchantment.
Performances were mostly excellent. Louise flynn as Belle was totally convicing and despite an occasional anxious upper-register moment, her strong belt provided some lovely vocal interpretations. The wonderful comic trio of Lumiere (Scott Andrew), Cogsworth (Mark Kilsby) and Mrs Potts (Sue Philips) was inspiring, as was Andrea Lundy's Madame de la Grande Bouche. Gaston and his hapless sidekick Le Fou (Richard Shaw and Richard Rewa) created an amusing contrast of pomposity and stupidity.
Dean O'Flaherty as the Beast had mixed moments - though strong and convincing in his character and dialogue, his singing didn't always receive the support it deserved. The orchestra overpowered when, for effect, he sang softly, yet didn't maintain its support when he built to a vocal climax. Although this was partly due to the sound mix, there was also a thinness in the orchestration that at crucial times left O'Flaherty musically stranded.
Under the direction of Barry Jones, the orchestra, nevertheless,was responsive and energetic, the sound generally crisp and tight.
The numbers Be Our Guest and Human Again provided the requisite glitzy spectacle, with vocal energy, plenty of movement and interesting lighting plots. Director/Choreographer Dean McKerras should be well pleased with his staging of this big theatrical undertaking, engaging his audience through some memorable scenes.
Technological shortcomings in theatre are unforgiving, and several missed microphone cues and a generally harsh equaliser in the sound mix were intrusive. But the lighting complemented the stroy and performances very well, with clever special FX, particularly in the excellent transformation scene. The crew appeared to work well, effecting generaly quick and seamless scene changes.
Definitely a show for the whole family - though the ticket prices will put many off. Still way cheaper than New York prices, so it seems it was an expensive kip for me back in 2001, and no fault of the show!
Of Beauty and the Bledisloe
Reviewed by Richard Mays
Make no mistake - Beauty and the Beast is a tremendous undertaking. The sheer size and sophistication of the set - the startlingly elaborate character defining (as well as constricting) Weta Workshop costumes, and the almost continual orchestration, make this show a handful for any production and performance team.
Technically, opening night it has to be said, did not do it justice.
Again, the worst glitches were sound. Mics didn't work, crackled noisily, or delivered so little presence as to diminish any vocal impact, and make lyrics indistinct.
Co-ordination between performers, the set and the score wasn't always what it should have been either, and while the lighting was atmospherically gloomy, some significant action took place obscured in shadow.
All in all, opening night could be likened to the All Blacks' first Bledisloe Cup game - frustrating is simply not the word! But because all the elements were there - albeit sometimes in wayward orbits - the production certainly deserves the benefit of the doubt. Hopes and expectations are that each subsequent performance turn out more like Bledisloe Cup II.
What is so right about this show are the characteisations realised by a savvy cast and chorus. The pitch, presentation and humour exemplified by Louise Flynn as the feisty, articulate and independent Belle, Richard Shaw as the overbearingly presumptuous self-centred and caddish Gaston, Scott Andrew's beautifully timed candle-flaming Lumiere, Mark Kilsby's not-quite-up-with-it Cogsworth, and Sue Paton's busily composed Mrs Potts, really captured the spirit of this larger than life fairytale.
Dean O'Flaherty did his best to surmount his lack of physical stature as Beast with a towering vocal presence, althouigh he and a number of other characters were prone to making aimless moves. The principals were supported admirably by Sophia Parker as Babette, Andrea Lundy's Madame de la Grande Bouche, the macabre Monsieur D'Arque of Hayden Giles, Richard Rewa's buffoonish Le Fou, and the cute Chip of seven year old Oliver Lodge.
The set pieces with the Enchanted Objects were elegantly stylish, while anything with Wolves in it worked wonderfully. Certainly there is enough enchantment here - complete with pyrotechnics and a terrific well-played little orchestra - to make this (outside a Royal New Zealand Ballet production) the best dressed show of the year.
