Beauty and the Beast

Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is the musical stage adaptation of the company's hit animated feature from 1991, featuring Alan Menken's Academy Award-winning score, songs by the late Howard Ashman and Alan Menken (including the Academy Award-winning title song and the show-stopping 'Be Our Guest'), plus songs written especially for the stage by Alan Menken and Tim Rice (including 'If I Can't Love Her' and 'A Change In Me'). The book is by Linda Woolverton, author of the original screenplay.

The show originally opened on April 18th, 1994 at the Palace Theatre on Broadway and transferred to London's Dominion Theatre from May 1997 to December 1999. It has toured both the United States and the UK.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST brings us the fabled Disney magic, charm and enchantment for the whole family.

Cast

Thursday 28th October 7.30pm, Friday 29th October 7.30pm, Saturday 30th October 3pm, Saturday 30th October 7pm 2010

At The Beacon Centre, Beaconsfield, HP9 1RJ

 

Reviews

BEAUTY and the BEAST Performed by Pedal Performing Arts Having marvelled and sobbed at Pedal’s quite brilliantly powerful performance of ‘Les Miserables’ last year it was with some anticipation that I ventured over to Holtspur’s Beacon Centre last week to see Pedal Performing Arts’ latest offering ‘Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’. Surely the ambitious young production team and their even younger cast couldn’t pull off another staggering success?! – Well, quite simply, this show was a triumph!

The youth group, who run classes in both Hazlemere and Chalfont St Peter, certainly don’t back away from a challenge and the cast, whose ages range from 5 to 17, were so well drilled by the production team that despite not being ‘conducted’ by the brilliant Musical Director, Carole King, not a cue was missed and all of the songs were sung with gusto and accuracy – none more so than the wonderful climax to Act 1 ‘Be Our Guest’, as a some time performer of musical theatre I can personally testify how difficult it is to sing, dance and act without somebody guiding you from the orchestra pit!

The show moved along with great energy and pace and the sell-out audience loved every minute of this Disney version of the classic fairytale which tells of a spoilt young Prince who is cursed and turned into a hideous beast and then returns as a much nicer Prince when he learns how to love and be loved. There were some great performances from Lewis Harvey-Mott as the Beast and Leah Eggleton as the Beauty. They were ably supported by Natty Wilson and Scott Brooks who, as Lumiere, was outstanding and Steve Clarke shone as Gaston. The whole ensemble danced and sang superbly and Sarah Pinkney’s choreography was innovative and well executed. The sound and lighting was spot-on and the costumes were terrific.

The look of pure enjoyment and pride on the faces of the young cast as they took their bows was reflected by an equally enthusiastic audience who had been treated to a performance of the highest quality – now that’s what I call community theatre!

Paul Woodstock