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Dec. 2, 2005
Enjoy cartoonish splendor
Arts Club’s Beauty is enchanting for both adults and
children alike
KELLEY KORBIN
Looking for some Chanukah entertainment for the kids? The Arts
Club’s production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
could easily fit the bill.
From all appearances on opening night, the Arts Club has a hit on
its hands. Director Bill Millerd and his cast had the audience enchanted
from the opening scene right through to the standing ovation.
The story is familiar. In fact, it has been around for centuries
in various incarnations: a handsome but spoiled and selfish prince
refuses to provide shelter to an old beggar woman. She then transforms
herself into a beautiful enchantress and casts a spell on the prince,
changing him into an ugly beast and bewitching his castle, turning
the hired help into ordinary household objects. The spell can only
be broken when the beast finds someone to love him, despite his
hideous appearance.
The Disney version of the fable was first released in an Oscar-winning
film in 1991. The Tony Award-winning theatre version opened on Broadway
in 1994 and is still going strong. It’s still Disney to be
sure, and the kids will love it, but the stage production is great
for adults too, as the original film has been adapted to include
more in-depth characters and dialogue rife with double-entendres,
especially between the characters in the castle. The interaction
between the uptight grandfather clock, Cogswell, and the flashy
candelabra, Lumiere, is often hilarious. Of course, it’s still
a cartoonish production, but that makes it all the more magical.
Warren Kimmel is a superb Beast. His hunchbacked growling manners
are offset by his fabulously rich voice, especially evident in “If
I Can’t Love Her.” He is well-matched with Amy Wallis,
who, as a wonderfully lyrical Belle, never misses a note. The chemistry
between the characters was enough to convince the audience to root
for the inevitable happy ending.
Other cast stand-outs were Jonathan Winsby as the bigger-than-life
pompous playboy, Gaston, and the entire cast of the bewitched castle:
Shawn Macdonald is wonderful as the fastidious Cosworth; Matt Palmer
gives a brilliantly vivid performance as Lumiere; Sara-Jeanne Hosie
sparkles as the duster, Babette; her aunt, Dorothy Hosie, is the
melodious Madame de la Grande Bouche; and Susan Anderson is the
wonderfully maternal Mrs. Potts.
My son also enjoyed the ensemble wolves who stalk some of the characters
as they travel through the forest. They have piercing red eyes and
may prove to be the only scary part for the younger crowd.
Creating costumes for a quasi-animated production including sentient
household objects had to be quite a challenge, but Rebekka Sorensen
did an outstanding job making crockery and furniture come to life.
All of the characters looked great, but my favorite was Madame de
la Grande Bouche, who is transformed into a fuchsia armoire, complete
with doors that open and ballgowns inside.
Set designer Alison Green and choreographer Valerie Easton made
excellent use of the relatively small stage at the Stanley Theatre.
The imposing castle sits at centre stage and revolves to reveal
the village scene.
Overall, this production shouldn’t be missed by anyone who
loves a fairytale.
Beauty and the Beast plays at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage
through to Jan. 15. Tickets are $29 to $59.50. Call 604-687-1644
or 604-280-3311.
Kelley Korbin is assistant publisher of the Independent.
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