Beauty And The Beast - The Musical - Review

London Palladium, London

*****

Music by Alan Menken

Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice

Directed and choreographed by Matt West

Courtney Stapleton and Shaq Taylor

From Barbot de Villeneuve’s 1740 fairy tale La Belle et la Bête, through countless stage and screen adaptations, the story of Beauty And The Beast is a classic parable of good and love conquering evil. Now, following an extensive tour of the UK, director and choreographer Matt West brings his Disney entourage into the West End where the show has opened at the London Palladium.

Disney’s magic has always lain within its imagery as much as the narratives and with Stanley A. Meyer's scenic design and Ann Hould-Ward’s costume work, West is well supported. Not only were this creative trio involved with the show’s original Broadway iteration some 28 years ago, but they have ensured that audiences are treated to treasured moments of old-style along with brand new elements both in design and delivery that keep this production feeling as new, fresh and exciting as ever. It is rare that a design has such an overwhelming impact across a production and while at times the village scenes felt a little bare amidst the vastness of the Palladium’s proscenium, Meyer’s combination of projection, video, lighting and three moving rustic scrolls into multiple configurations instantly transported the tale from village to woodland and of course the enchanted castle where so much of the story takes place.

With story and songs alike engrained in the minds of many, it’s no surprise that audiences sit with baited breath anticipating those iconic moments of speech and song. Alan Menken and Howard Ashman truly wrote some of their finest numbers for this piece of musical magic, with Tim Rice also contributing as Disney’s animated hit made the transition on to Broadway. Hits such as Be Our Guest and Human Again are both sensationally led by Gavin Lee’s Lumiere whom after a stint on Broadway returns to the West End and who holds the audience in the palm of his hand with nuance, charm and charisma. 

The energy and comedic timing of Louis Stockil as Le Fou is fun, as is the delightful giggling gossiping Madame played by Samantha Bingley who has sensational chemistry onstage throughout with the equally talented Sam Bailey as Mrs Potts. While the title number doesn’t allow for powerhouse vocals from Bailey, she still delivers with the required vocal finesse with of course the timeless Angela Lansbury (who else?) voicing the show's Prologue.

West offers a fresh take on the relationship between Courtney Stapleton’s Belle and Beast played by Shaq Taylor. Stapleton is perfect and a far more strong willed heroine / princess than has been seen before with flawless vocals throughout, in particular during ‘A Change in Me’ in Act 2. Taylor equally rises to the occasion. The traditional heavy footed, thudding, growling Beast is out. Instead, Taylor brings a far more genuine and honest approach, ‘If I Can’t Love Her’ proving a vocal masterclass, instantly generating empathy for not only one but two trapped prisoners: one in a castle, the other in his own body.

It may have been only nigh-on 30 years ago but one cannot help but feel that this classic French yarn isn’t going anywhere. It’s hard to imagine the world of both stage and screen without this iconic story, truly a tale as old as time. Never has there been a more appropriate lyric for this beast of a production that is such a beauty to behold.

Runs until 17th September

Reviewed by Joe Sharpe

Photo credit: Johan Persson

Scott Alan :Everything Worth Holding Onto - Review

St James Theatre, London

*****

There was a deliciously different diversity that Scott Alan brought to his one-off gig at the St James Theatre. Entertaining a packed house for an eye-watering (almost) four hours, his guest list ranged from West End stars and TV Reality Show finalists through to audience wannabes.

The New York based singer/songwriter has strong friendships with many of musical theatre’s leading ladies and recent years has seen Cynthia Erivo evolve into a performer who truly gets under the skin of Alan’s writing. With a 3 night Alan & Erivo residency (sold out) about to start at the venue’s smaller Studio room, her inclusion on the bill was an unexpected treat. Erivo set the tone for the evening with her signature Rolls-Royce vocal performance – immense power couched in a silky, elegant style.

An Alan gig is never less than a ballad-fest and Oliver Tompsett, guesting with Darlin’ (Without You), sealed the atmosphere of soulful reflection. It was however to be Madalena Alberto’s take on Blessing, with its verses documenting the pain of Alan coming out to his mother, that brought many to tears. 

In another moment of exquisite soprano serenity, The Phantom Of The Opera's Christine and her cover, Harriet Jones and Emmi Christensson respectively, gave an enchanting interpretation of Always On Your Side. They proved a breathtakingly beautiful pairing, with later on in the evening and also from Phantom, Oliver Savile impressing too.

Anna-Jane Casey offered an accomplished excellence to And There It Is, in yet another performance that spoiled the audience with the riches of talent that Alan is able to invite and it was a precious moment that then saw Sophie Evans, previously one of Lloyd Webber’s Dorothys and a finalist from the BBC’s Over The Rainbow, give a fresh nuance to Look, A Rainbow.  

Newcomer David Albury performed one of the writer’s most popular numbers Never Neverland with an invigorating up-tempo beat – though in a delightful twist Alan was later to invite any audience member who wanted to sing the number, to join him on stage. Reminiscent of kids called up to a pantomime stage, this impromptu people’s chorus made for a moment that was free of all pretension, with some stunning yet to be discovered voices in the routine!

Elsewhere and away from established star names, Alan had unearthed via YouTube Nicola Henderson and Dublin’s Niall O’Halloran, two performers who shone in their brief moment of West End limelight. The Irishman’s Kiss The Air proving particularly powerful.

And there was just so much more to the gig – It speaks volumes for the professional devotion of Eva Noblezada, currently performing Miss Saigon’s Kim 8 times a week, that she could find the honed energy to sing Alan’s Home with a perfectly poised passion. Lucie Jones was shown somewhat less respect in a cheekily foof-fuelled intro from Alan, but her sensational Watch Me Soar more than answered her host’s irreverence.

Teamed with Craig Colton, Zoe Birkett’s The Journey was immense. Carley Stenson wowed with her usual aplomb and in a revelatory performance Danny-Boy Hatchard, aka EastEnders’ Lee Carter took Alan’s Now, a song written amidst the still bleeding wounds of a ripped-apart relationship and stunned the room again.

Alan famously wears his heart on his sleeve, speaking to the audience of his battle with depression and doing much to trample on the stigma associated with mental health. Above all his overarching message and one that many are likely to have found inspirational, is that life is worth holding on to. (Though the frequent references to his evening’s diet comprising white wine and Xanax could have been toned down.) 

Supported on the night by a six-piece band that was all strings and percussion, Musical Director and drummer Ryan Martin delivered a perfectly rehearsed and weighted accompaniment.

As the gig came to a close Erivo returned. Broadway-bound this year as she takes her sensational Celie in The Color Purple to star in New York, when news broke of her casting Alan wrote her a song. At All captured Erivo’s excitement at the achievement of having landed the show’s transfer, yet crossed that emotion with her pain at having to leave her loved ones behind in the UK. Honest lyrics that reduced the singer to tears.

It was left to Sam Bailey to wrap a fine and moving evening with Alan’s cri de coeur, Anything Worth Holding Onto.