Review: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at The Nocturne Theatre

The Nocturne Theatre’s take on the classic “Tale as Old as Time” doesn’t stray too far from its source material. But that’s a good thing.

Because let’s be honest, most people who buy tickets to see Beauty and the Beast (and their kids, some of whom will inevitably come to the theatre decked out in their own personal Belle gowns) don’t want to see anything that veers too far from classic princess-in-peril plot points they know and love. 

Consequently, fans of the 1991 Disney film or the original Broadway show—a 9-time Tony nominated spectacle that ran from 1994 to 2007—will get exactly what they want: likable characters, catchy songs, and (of course) a true love's happily-ever-after.

But Meyer2Meyer Entertainment has more to offer than a been-there, done-that fairy tale. After all, the eclectic event production company (owned and operated by husband and wife team Justin and Melissa Meyer) is better known for its creepy than its sweet. Its annual “House of Spirits: Haunted Cocktail Soiree,” a Halloween bash that lets guests mingle with lavishly made-up ghosts and monsters, is so popular it’s spread to New York, Chicago, Washington DC and Seattle.  

So it is only natural that M2M’s signature spark is what gives this Beauty and the Beast (directed by Justin Meyer) an edge, bringing a Guillermo del Toro-esque flair to what might otherwise be a show you’d see between rides at Disneyland. This Beast is scarier; these wolves in the woods, more sinister. 

For anyone who didn’t have a mainstream childhood: Beauty and the Beast tells the story of Belle (played just right by Alyssa Rafael, who not surprisingly has Disneyland on her resume), a brainy beauty who is an intellectual quirk in her “provincial” French town; and the Beast (played powerfully by Andreas Pantazis), a prince who has been cursed for his selfishness to live life as an ugly and monstrous creature. When Belle’s father is imprisoned in the Beast’s castle, she offers herself up as an exchange. Thus begins the journey wherein the kind and hopeful Beauty learns to love the fearsome, misunderstood Beast.

Of course, there’s also the hunky and villainous Gaston (played by David Gallic), who wants to marry Belle and destroy the beast. Gallic pulls the right dopey machismo in delivering his lines, many of which whisk nicely over kids’ heads but still make everyone laugh. Thomas Polk also does justice to Gaston’s bumbling sidekick, LeFou. “Was he supposed to fall?” my 9-year-old daughter whispered to me midway through. Yes, he was. 

As Belle, Rafael checks all the boxes — she’s got pipes to belt out the big notes but does the softer parts with the right amount of sweetness. She won’t disappoint kids who have listened to the soundtrack more times than they can count. A Filipina-American actor, she dedicated her performance to “anyone that didn’t grow up seeing themselves on stage.” 

The Beast has the hardest job to do. After all, it’s tough to emote when most of your face is covered in a mask and bulky horns cast shadows over your mouth. Still, Pantazis' booming voice, paired with subtle body movements — a hulking chest in some moments; slouched shoulders in others — conveyed the power and vulnerability that make the monster, ultimately, lovable. Interestingly, this is Pantazi's first time playing the Beast, but he has played Gaston four times in other productions. 

The show features a score by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, plus added Broadway songs by Menken and Tim Rice that make the running time 2 ½ hours. Not surprisingly, the most invigorating numbers are the ones everybody knows best. The rollicking rendition of “Be Our Guest,” for instance, was so good — Can-can dancers! Ballet solos! Dancing Cutlery whirling around the stage! — I kind of wished the first act had ended right there (as is, there are a few more scenes after it that felt slow compared to the glorious hubbub). The same goes for the Oscar-winning title song, which has Belle waltzing around the stage in a yellow dress that glows from the inside. The effect on the darkened stage is magical.

It should be noted that Nocturne is a theatre in the round, which creates some unique set challenges, bypassed here by using innovative props, including an accordion of books that drops down from the rafters to create the Beast’s library. Kudos to stage designer Jay Michael Roberts and scenic builder Seth Logan: it’s hard to build a set when the audience is all around you.  

A huge shoutout to Creature and Costume Designer Tanya Cyr and Wardrobe Lead Gavin Dietz. They make the Beast — and all of the castle’s enchanted home goods— come to life gorgeously. The headdress alone on Lumiere (the cursed candelabra) is a work of art, with long gold spires bunched together like gnarled branches around stumps of flickering candlesticks. 

As for the Beast, this isn’t the loveable monster we know from the Disney film. Nocturne’s version is scarier, with four curled ram horns and a bony grey mask that puts his whole face in shadow. If there were more kids in the audience (there were only a handful at the 8 p.m. show I saw) I’d say this Beast — plus the pack of wolves with glowing eyes who lurk in the forest scenes — might be too scary. But they did add a delicious darkness to the show. (And, for the record, my child wasn’t scared at all.) 

Note: If you are bringing very young children, I’d advise sitting in the West section of the theatre near an aisle so you don’t have to cross the stage if your kids need to go to the bathroom or leave for any reason during the production.  

In all, Nocturne Theatre’s production of Beauty and the Beast hits all the right notes. Fans of the original story will be delighted with the stellar performances of their favorite songs, while fans of Meyer2Meyer’s macabre touch will relish the costumes and the overall ambiance of the Nocturne Theatre itself (if you haven’t been, the whole building has a distinct “Haunted Mansion” feel, with patterned carpets, dangling gold chandeliers, and a dimly-lit lobby that feels like night no matter the time).  

So go ahead: Be their guest. 

Beauty and the Beast is playing at the Nocturne Theatre, Thursdays through Sundays, through June 2. For more information, go to www.thenocturnetheatre.com.

Photos courtesy The Nocturne Theatre

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