Dane Agostinas as Beast and Emily Behny as Belle
Image by: Joan Marcus
Logan Denninghoff as Gaston and the cast
Image by: Joan Marcus
In 1991 the Disney animated film Beauty and the Beast captured
the imagination of young and old, and its theme song launched Celine Dion. It
is so popular in fact that it returns to theatres in 3D in a few weeks. The
original fairy tale was written over 250 years ago, yet it remains a timeless
story of seeing past a person's exterior to who they are on the inside. The stage production runs until January 1st in Calgary and January 3rd - 8th
in Edmonton at the Jubilee Auditoriums in each city.
It should come as no surprise that Disney knows how to put on a musical. Anyone
who saw The Lion King a few years ago or has seen Mary Poppins or
The Little Mermaid on Broadway can attest to that. From a stunning set
to amazing new songs written for the production, it is a dazzling experience.
Opening night Tuesday saw a mix of adults who were likely kids themselves when
the film arrived, along with young children. Many young girls were dressed as Belle,
the beauty of the story. The show is so female centered that the only child's
shirt they had was pink with Belle on it, which didn't appeal to the 5 and 8
year old boys attending with me. It was a special night for those attending
with kids, many of whom were seeing their first live stage show. "Are they
real?" was an awe inspired question asked of many parents that evening.
Experiencing it through the eyes of a child is pretty incredible and I highly
recommend going with your own children, or even a nephew or niece.
Emily Behny and Dane Agostinis play the title roles well, but the rest of the
cast steals the show much like in the film. Dane Agostinis especially, as the
arrogant Gaston, had the crowd laughing with every arched eyebrow and bicep
pose, while Andrew Kreup's LeFou bounces around the stage like a rubber ball.
The Beast's staff Mrs. Potts (Julia Louise Hosack), Lumiere (Michael Haller),
and Cogsworth (James May) add heart to the story, encouraging The Beast to be a
gentleman and offering support.
The song Gaston stands out with some impressive beer mug choreography,
while Be Our Guest puts the spectacle in spectacular. Yet despite the
glossy exterior, the story itself still remains strong and shines through.
As the title song,
performed beautifully by Hosack, states: Beauty & The Beast is a tale
as old as time, and timeless. Whether 5 years old or 50 it is easy to get lost
in the experience. This is a must-see, and a fine way to cap off your year of theatre.
