Beauty and the Beast at the Liverpool Empire Theatre _180
BEAUTY and the Beast is a show for those who like a little bit of magic with their musicals. There are enough theatrical tricks in it to cheer the most jaded of theatregoers.
It is based on the Disney animated film feature and follows the story and look of that pretty closely.
Indeed, it opens as a film with a screen showing a book whose pages turn over followed by a forest with the camera moving towards a typically fairy tale castle.
The screen rises and we are suddenly in stageland with live characters on stage and a live orchestra in the pit.
Having quickly explained the story of the boy prince turned into a beast and the curse upon him – he can only become human again if he loves a girl and she returns his love – the story proper begins with local girl Belle being romanced by vain chauvinist Gaston.
It all travels along quite rapidly with villagers dancing and singing, Gaston singing about himself and the appearance of Belle’s inventor father in the beast’s castle.
It is a strong version of the clas- sic tale in the script by Linda Wool- verton, happily mixing drama with comedy, romance with slapstick.
The songs (by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice) are variable but the show has at least two big numbers in the title song and the raucous Be Our Guest.
Be Our Guest is saved for near the end of the first act and is a total delight as the human furnishings in the enchanted castle invite Belle to dinner with the song. It’s a little camp at times with some tinsel and kitchen foil costumes but the cast give it their all, not least Ben Stock as the human candle, flashing his flames on and off, and Susan Humphris as the human teapot Mrs Potts prancing around in grand style.
The title song is the big romantic number and while repeated on and off gets its finest outing in the second act with the Beast trying to win the hand of Belle.
In Matthew Cammelle the show boasts a fine beast, a good voice and a bellow which made some kids jump and Ashley Oliver is a lively Belle. The tall Ben Harlow goes nicely over the top as Gaston. With sudden appearances, films, an amazing transformation scene and lots of (literally) fireworks, Beauty and the Beast remains a jolly family night out.
