Disney's Beauty And The Beast
New Theatre, Oxford |
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It was difficult to know what to expect from this adaptation of Beauty and the Beast, and I have to admit that to successfully bring this Disney hit to the stage felt like a somewhat ambitious proposition. However, the packed theatre was treated to what can only be described as a simply magical production. The cast, the music, costumes and technical expertise – it was all enough to leave the audience sitting stunned in their seats. Every member of the cast deserves a mention and special praise must go to the show's two protagonists, Belle and the Beast, played by Ashley Oliver and Matthew Cammelle respectively. It was Ben Harlow, however, playing the muscular and self-absorbed Gaston, who stole the show: his satirical cheesy grin and double-act with the compliant Lefour (played by the indefatigable Mark Connell) had the audience laughing throughout.
Even if the fairy-tale plot is a little tired for adult viewers (who, I might add, made up the vast majority of the audience), the play is worth watching for the costumes alone. Never before had I thought it possible to have people dress up as plates, cutlery, candlesticks and bottle-openers, and the sight of walking kitchen appliances on stage is enough to leave you wondering if there was something in those sweets you bought at the interval! The same is true of some of the technical stunts and, without giving too much away, the ‘transformation’ at the end is simply mesmerising. With tonight being the first performance, this musical can only get even more impressive, but with the production only running until the end of the week, I would recommend booking your ticket now to avoid missing out on a truly fantastic evening. Chrissie Sheaf, 18/04/07 |
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