Having walked past the theatre many times it was great to finally be in Melbourne and have the timing work out to get to this show back in March.
The Cast
I went to a matinee. First stop is always the TV with “At today’s performance…” and the cast list. I approach that with trepidation these days; I watched the recent Australian Wicked production four times across three cities and only saw the main Elphaba and Glinda together once. That one was by far the stand-out performance.
Back to Beauty and the Beast and I was pleasantly surprised to have the full cast perform at the afternoon show. They were, of course, brilliant. Shubshri Kandiah as Belle is sweet and adorable. Brendan Xavier has a complex character to bring to life in Beast; he does it really well and the two of them are great together. Like the movie, the “non-human” characters add so much to the experience. Rohan Browne was full of energy and flare as Lumiere, and my personal favourite was Jackson Head as Gaston. How they turn a boy into Chip, the cup, is also fun.
In one word…
This show is very Disney! And that’s great! What did I love most about it? Definitely the dancing. There are two big numbers in particular where you will be really spoilt for entertainment and wow. I’m sure you can guess it’s the songs “Gaston” and “Be Our Guest”.
I always prefer getting as close to the stage as possible for my seats. I choose that over seeing the bigger picture further back. But this was the first time I’ve thought that a few rows further aft would have also had advantages. Wherever you end up, these dance scenes are a spectacle and pure enjoyment for both adults and kids. It’s classic Disney where you escape to another world.
Two highlights
As is often the case, it feels wrong to single anyone from such a quality company out. But Jackson Head as Gaston is something I look forward to watching again next time. His character is so well written and he gives a 200% performance. He is full of humour and energy and indeed supported by a stunning ensemble.
Another highlight was the effects: the transformations, the clever touches, the detailed sets that hark back to the original movie.
Is it for me?
Alan Menken wrote that, “Beauty and the Beast ran for fourteen years despite relatively unfavorable notices,”1 after it opened. Were the patrons or the critics right? I definitely side with the audiences that kept this show going for so long. The new songs are great, the choreography is unreal, the characters are endearing. Plus you have all the things you know and love from the originals. Beauty and the Beast really delivers the goods.
Is it for my kids?
The age recommendation on the website is 6+ and that seems wise. Whilst there are some necessary darker moments in the story (like the wolves and the final fight), it’s probably less scary than either film because you (and your kids) can see that it’s actors. This together with the overall context and tone of the show makes it all quite appropriate. They have managed to make it suitable for the many kids who will come yet without taking anything away from the story or experience.
There is already plenty of anticipation and excitement about Beauty and the Beast coming to Perth. And it’s only just opened in Adelaide! Yes, take your kids! I want to share it with mine and it’s fun knowing already how much they will enjoy it.
1Foreword in “Defying Gravity”, 2018, Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, page 9
