[NEohioPAL] Berko review: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST @ The Palace/PhSQ

[Roy Berko]

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*Re-envisioned BEAUTY AND BEAST short of original concept’s charm*

Roy Berko

*(Member, American Theatre Critics Association & Cleveland Critics Circle)*

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is a fairy tale about Belle, a young lady who lives in
a provincial town, and her encounter with a spoiled young prince who was
turned into a beast by an enchantress because he had no love in his heart.  He,
and the members of his household, would remain forever in his ugly state
unless he learned to love and someone loved him back.  As in all good “once
upon a time” stories, it ends with a “they lived happily ever after.”

The musical, which is in a revival national tour now lodged in the Palace
Theatre in Playhouse Square, is based on the 1991 Disney animated musical,
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.  The Broadway show opened in 1994 and ran through
2007, 5,464 performances, making it one of the top ten longest running
productions in the great white way history.

The show has tuneful Alan Menken (music) and Howard Ashman (lyrics) which
include such memorable tunes as *Belle*, *If I Can Love Her*, *Something
There*, *Human Again*, *A Change in Me*, and the title song, *Beauty and
the Beast*.

As with the movie, the original Broadway production was charming.  It
contained fairy tale sets, costumes and performances.  It was a production
which evoked smiles from the very start and some clever humorous scenes,
mixed with some moments of slight terror.  All in all it was the perfect
family musical.

This touring edition, under the direction of Rob Roth, goes in a different
direction.  The less elaborate sets are more comic book than fantasy.  The
costumes don’t encourage smiles and often look tacky, almost old time Las
Vegas.  The musical arrangements aren’t as lush, often sounding hard, not
enchanting.  There also appears to be an attempt to make this a message
musical,  the message being that we all have fears, we all have a beast
within us.

Universally, the young and mostly Broadway-light inexperienced cast has
excellent singing voices.  The choreography, though not as resourceful as
the original production, works adequately well, especially in such
production numbers as *Gaston* and *Be Our Guest.*

Hilary Maiberger, though she doesn’t have the classic Disney heroine looks
or charm, makes for a fine Belle.

Darick Pead also doesn’t have the traditional look of a Disney prince, but
his Beast interpretation has some wonderful moments, such as when he howls
like a child when Belle attempts to salve his wounds which he received
protecting her from the forest wolves when she left the palace in search of
her father.

Jeff Brooks didn’t have the body nor the attitude or natural swagger for
the bigger than life Gaston.  The tour started with 21 year-old Matt
Farcher in the role.  Unfortunately, on September 28, while in Houston, he
was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with atypical HUS, an ultra rare
life-threatening blood disease.  The cost of treatment is extremely
expensive and the cast is asking for donations to help cover the costs.  Those
interested in contributing can do so at
http://www.indiegogo.com/makingadifferenceformatt

Jimmy Larkin overdoes the prat falls and farce as Lefou, but, as in much of
the production, farce is stressed over fantasy realism.  This weakens the
wonder factor.

Erin Edelle is wonderful as Mrs. Potts, as is Hassan Nazari-Robati as
Lumiere, James May as Cogsworth, Jessica Lorion as Babette, William Martin
as Maurice, Shani Hadjian as Madame de la Grande Bouche and Charlie Jones
as Chip.

*CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:   The touring production of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
doesn’t have the charm of the original staging.  It’s more Saturday morning
television  cartoons and over-done farce than enchantment, but, as
evidenced by the response of the opening night audience, audiences will
generally like it.*

Tickets for BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, which runs through November 18 at the
Palace Theatre, can be ordered by calling 216-241-6000 or going to
www.playhousesquare.org.

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