From February 3 – 8 NETworks presents Beauty and the Beast the musical came to Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre. The show was a near perfect live version of the Disney film. This musical incorporated their own original songs, as well as classics from the film.
This musical took the classic Disney film and added more character and personality to Beauty and the Beast. Belle, played by Jillian Butterfield , made the Disney character come to life. The Beast, played by Ryan Everette Wood, had more dimensions and personality, making the audience love him more. The show stopper, however, was Lumiere, played by Patrick Pevehouse, he brought the audience to tears with laughter.
While much can be said about the well choreographed and rehearsed actors, there wouldn’t be a musical without the orchestra. The orchestra, conducted by Kevin Finn, added mood and emotion to the musical. They made their presence known when needed, however, continued to play throughout the entirety of the musical.
The 2 and a half hour show, with a 20 minute intermission, took the audience from Belle’s hometown, to the Beast’s castle, through the woods and back seamlessly with set changes done often throughout the show. Staying relatively close to the original, there were minor changes made to the plot; more songs and more explaining what was going on. This worked well for the musical.
The show ended with a new take on Belle’s iconic yellow dress, featuring a pink sheer overlay on top of the bright yellow skirt. As the cast came out to bow, the audience was brought to a standing ovation. It was well deserved.
If you weren’t able to make the musical this time, there are many more coming to Vancouver. Later this year The Book of Mormon and Disney’s The Lion King will be at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
Review by Megan Renaud