It truly is a tale as old as time. Beauty and the Beast is an iconic love story between enchantress and creature and, during March, Birmingham Hippodrome plays home to the show which is arguably one of Disney's best loved tales.
Based on a fairytale from 1756 and first brought to life by the animation behemoth in 1991, Beauty and the Beast was reimagined in 2017 before taking to the stage in the early 90s.
Belle, played by understudy Grace Swaby-Moore, finds herself in a ruinous eerie castle occupied by the ghoulishly unmannered Beast, played by Shaq Taylor and accompanied by an endearing batch of loyal servants. To lift the curse and return the castle's occupants back to their human form, all the beast has to do is find true love.
Will the spoilt prince-turned-brute be able to change his ways, find his soul mate and save his kingdom? Or will the likes of Gaston beat him and snatch Belle from his claws?
Immediately as you enter the auditorium you’re met with a masterpiece. With a cascade of extraordinarily beautiful red roses silhouetting a remarkable red dress, this production is visually beautiful. Throughout, you’re catapulted from scene to scene with the set changing in a matter of seconds, transporting you from the disgusting depths of Beast's dungeon to the homely village where Belle resides.
When the orchestra strikes up you know you're in for a treat. Firstly, a medley of songs from the show in the overture sets the tone and, as the show progresses, the inclusion of a 10 minute song and dance spectacular version of Be Our Guest gives you a sense of the over-the-top, camp brilliance of this musical.
This doesn’t feel like a touring show. The scale and enormity of the production seems like a justified pre-cursor to Beauty and the Beast’s upcoming 12-week engagement in London such is the scale of the offering.
A huge pat on the back should go to the creative team from an exquisitely crafted and immersive show. From lighting changes to projection to voiceovers thrown around the auditorium, this show is a feast for the senses and one that was absorbed by the audience like a sponge. Pieces of set are magically moved on and off stage, with subtle nods to colour palettes which added to the continuity and emotions of each and every moment.
Then we turn to the cast who are, quite simply, world class. Every single actress, actor and dancer that graced the stage were second to none. They created a mystical yet comical, family friendly night of entertainment that swept from goosebumps to nostalgia and back to goosebumps again with a side serving of just the right amount of laughs.
Special mention to Shaq Taylor for a wickedly commanding interpretation of the Beast character and to Grace Swaby-Moore for the most awe-inspiringly magical take on a character that we all know so well. Their chemistry was palpable and, alongside Sam Bailey (Mrs Potts), Gavin Lee (Lumiere) and Nigel Richards (Cogsworth), our leads delivered a masterclass in musical theatre this evening.
Beauty and the Beast plays at Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday 26th March. For more information, or to get tickets, head online to birminghamhippodrome.com.
