Review: Beauty and the Beast by Birmingham Royal Ballet
Thursday 29th September 2011, 12:39PM BST.
Beauty and the Beast
Birmingham Royal Ballet, The Hippodrome
Review by David Lumb
An enchanting story of inner beauty, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s production of Beauty and the Beast is a sure-fire hit.
From the rich costumes to the elaborate set designs and neat props, everything about the show is highly polished.
Based on the 18th century fairytale rather than the Disney animation, the show gets off to a slowish start but gathers pace quickly with dance routines becoming increasingly complex.
A scene in which Belle is flown to the beast’s castle at the end of the first act, is very impressive.
Scene changes are seamless and choreography is crisp. The dancers are as elegant and graceful as you would expect.
Most overwhelming, though, is the breathtaking set which dwarfs the dancers and captures the intimidating mood both inside and outside the beast’s castle brilliantly
Little touches such as the magic chair that wraps its arms around Belle while she sleeps, and the magic tea pot that pours her a drink also boost the show.
And in true fairy tale style, the happy ending is a guarantee that the audience will leave feeling uplifted.
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