BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

COMBINED ACTORS OF CAMBRIDGE ADC THEATRE 5-9 DEC 2006 

This production of Beauty and the Beast, while not quite the usual storyline, had all the ingredients for a magical Christmas show for all ages - a strong story, engaging characters, a stunning set, impressive special effects, and, of course, a happy ending. It certainly seemed to be a hit with the capacity audience at the matinee, and, despite a few criticisms, overall I found it a thoroughly enjoyable experience. 

The action was played on an open stage, so that the audience immediately saw a set which I can only describe as stunning – and indeed the whole of this production was distinguished by its visual beauty. A fretwork trellis decked with white roses formed a proscenium arch, while the wings were painted to match. The special effects were, for the most part, effective, especially Hodge’s lie detector storm cone which evoked lots of laughs, the green flashes produced by his magic staff, and the rose which dropped its petals, although the jug on the Beast’s table which apparently poured itself was rather less convincing and took an age to levitate. Sound was generally sympathetic and the music well chosen, although a little too much echo was used to produce the voices of the Beast’s unseen servants. The lighting was generally excellent, although I did notice that the side lighting used during one scene between Beauty and the Beast resulted in their occasionally shadowing one another’s faces.

There were several impressive performances, especially that of Peter Sayer as Mikey, the trainee dragon. For such a young actor, his stage presence was remarkable - he looked completely at ease throughout, and his movements were at all times natural. His vocal projection and delivery was excellent – even when facing away from the audience every word was clear, and his comic lines were timed to perfection. Colin McLean’s wizard, Hodge, was engagingly inept at his profession for the most part, but on occasion was nicely surprised at his own magical achievements. His dry humour and understated asides brought chuckles from the older members of the audience.  For me, Thomas Mead as the Beast did not manage to depict the full range of emotions demanded by this very complex character. “We thought he was a beast,” Hodge remarks “but he was really a child.” A child’s emotions are mercurial, but this actor did not adequately convey the rapid changes from aggression to petulance to self disgust. I did not feel his remorse, nor his desolation when he thought that Beauty had abandoned him. Beauty must have been a difficult character to play – although her kindness and self sacrifice are evident, this can easily veer towards priggishness, and I did not always feel that Emily Loombe gave full expression to the sense of humour which could have redeemed her.  Nicola Kelly and Stephanie Winiecki obviously enjoyed themselves as Jessamine and Jonquiline. Excellent timing made their reflected actions effective, while their facial expressions conveyed what was going on inside their characters’ heads – even if this was, often, not a great deal! Stephen von Schreiber as Mr Clement looked the part to perfection and spoke his lines well, although I did find his performance a little static at times. 

The production ran a little over 2¼ hours, and  it would, like the roses in the castle gardens, have benefited from a little more pruning. In particular, the scenes in the castle could have been more tightly written. The many scene changes, while efficiently achieved, tended to slow progress, although carrying them out in half light was a good idea, making them easier for the crew and more interesting for the audience – and I did not find them too disruptive. 

In conclusion, an attractive and enjoyable show. My congratulations to cast, crew, and director Pat Hamilton – but especially to Robin Wilson, Tony Broscomb and Alison Baker for set design and construction. 

Reviewed by Chris Avery