Review: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at Teatr Muzyczny Poznan

Some goods cannot be damaged (or you think so), and one of them is this musical classic. Not only is the Poznan show undamaged, but it is also pure, elegant, magical, and beautiful in the most moving way.

Before you start paying attention to the music or the action, you see the costumes (by Agata Uchman), very creative and poetic. Each inhabitant wears an original pattern that forms an innovative image. They are still peasants, don't get me wrong, but they are far from average. After all, there's nothing ordinary about this interpretation except well-known music (by Alan Menken) amazingly performed by an ensemble led by Tomasz Szymus.

Every little girl has her favorite princess and according to modern psychology, that says a lot about who we are in adult life. Mine was Beauty, maybe because I love to read, I've never been afraid of the dark woods or I wanted to make a prince out of a beast with my good intentions and love (big mistake... I think Disney should tag their movies: Don't Try To Do It In Real Life Little Girl). Nevertheless, I'm glad I didn't see this Bella when I was young because I'd probably move to a small French village near a castle to increase my chances of being trapped in one... Joanna Rybka-Soltysiak as Bella is out of this world. Her Disney groove is even hard to describe. Her voice, her gaze, and her movements are simply taken from a dream. She's a treasure and should become a national promoter of reading as she makes it extraordinarily magical and spiritual (I'm sure libraries would be as popular as bars). She has this indescribable power when she sings, to make you believe that all forces of nature are compelling her. When she is happy and excited, it feels like little birds on a blossoming tree accompany her, and when she's sad, flowers suddenly wither. You cannot learn it, you have to have it and she is true Bella with all her vulnerabilities and vitality.

On the other hand, when Beast (Rafal Szatan) sings, it's just him. Period. You don't need anything else. There are no dancers, no super special lighting and it's only at the end of the song that you realize he's the only one on stage. He's taking you to his complicated world, whether you want it or not. He's true in the scary and vulnerable parts. They make a great duet complementing each other like coffee and steamed milk foam in cappuccino with tremendous chemistry.

Pawel Kubat who plays Gaston, surprisingly makes a narcissistic creature extremely interesting! This guy is dumb, proud, and covered in self-love like icing covers a donut. You'll feel that sticky texture between your fingers and love every minute of it. His sidekick Lefou (Patryk Kosnicki) is like colorful sprinkles with his vitality and unconditional comic devotion. The group of palace residents is also perfect. Enthusiastic Lumière (Wojciech Daniel), masterful Cogsworth (Jaroslaw Patycki), playful Babette (Oksana Hamerska), the duo: elegant Mrs. Potts and young Chip (Anna Lasota), a diva Madame de la Grande Bouche (Anita Urban) form the group in which each is characteristic but with energetic coherence (it's joy paired with despair, which always produces an interesting effect when played well). Last but not least spirited Maurice (Wieslaw Paprzycki) is a funky devoted father that every little girl needs.

Every detail is well thought out. The dancing is great. The choreographies (by Karol Drozd) are smooth, energetic, and joyful, which makes tracks like Be Our Guest or Belle even more amazing. The movements of Thorns, as I call them, add an extra effect to the overall atmosphere, they are like spiders, ghosts, and dark forces coming together. Finally, lightning (by Katarzyna Luszczyk) is a bright cherry on this perfect pie. Each scene had a big, colorful air surrounding it, which was the perfect complement to the overall view and makes it more and more magical!

Director, Jerzy Jan Polonski, makes us believe in magic with attention to detail, a sense of humor, and great storytelling skills. We believe we are there and he makes us wonder how to stay there forever.

The small stage is a challenge for the theater with such great ambition and capacity. After a while, you stop regretting that it's not bigger but we enjoy every moment of the show. It's like having concentrated syrup in a glass but I can't wait to see what the theater will do in a few years on a bigger stage.

Do you know the magic touch every great chef has that turns a dish into a work of art? In Poznan, they all have in this show and it goes on and on for 140 minutes. Be enchanted!

Photo by Dawid Stube

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