Review: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at Quinta da Ribafria

On 17 June, the admirable Quinta da Ribrafria in the outskirts of Lisbon delighted the public with a creative and though-provoking version of Beauty and the Beast. The play was directed and written by João Ascenso, who chose to diverge from the classic Disney format we have come to know, and develop something closer to the original tale, with a stronger emphasis on mythical and philosophical themes. Ascenso decided not to present the show on a stage, but rather use large parts of this 500 year old estate to tell his version of the story. The audience walked the same steps as the characters as the narrative unfolded, continuously visiting different rooms of the manor and sections of the garden.

At the very beginning, two mythical entities introduced themselves as the guides of the crowd. The duo split the public into two groups, and warned everyone of the different perspectives a tale can have. Especially one as old as time. Throughout the play, the groups were sometimes separated, and taken to see different scenes, something only possible in a narrative format that has the audience constantly on the move, instead of limited to a confined space. These characters served as the main anchors of the narrative, being almost always present throughout the play, while providing a fine balance between comedy and philosophic reflection.

While both narrators were created from scratch, the rest of the characters are derived from either the Disney film or the original fable. The play opens with the day Prince Vicente and his faithful servant cross paths with a powerful witch in the woods. After sharing the rule of the kingdom with his grandfather for most of his youth, the prince has grown arrogant and suspicious of everyone. He chooses to dismiss the poor woman's plea for help and declares that he would destroy the unexplored forest she calls home, in order to further consolidate his dominion. The witch decides to make a stand and curses both Vicente and his servant for his blunt disrespect for nature and his fellow Man. This mystical witch has a far more prominent role in Ascenso's version, frequently interacting with other characters in her prophetic voice and mannerisms. The casting choice seemed right on the nose, since the actress who played the part acted out every scene with a sort of archaic grace and mysterious elegance.

Prince Vicente made a great transition from the rude and entitled alpha male to the centuries-old Beast, who has lived throughout the ages in reclusion and introspection. All the lines were quite well executed, but where the actor really excelled was in his body language. This character was all about the small things, from the posture to the heavy breath, yet in every single step all of these details were taken into account. Some could point out that it was hard to understand a handful of sentences in one particular half-whispered monologue, but I would say this is what made the scene so great. Seeing the Beast walk around the courtyard, eloquently rambling about his fate is not just fine acting, it's also the only believable way to present his emotions. What other kind of soliloquy could be expected from an ancient lonesome monster who had to deal with such misfortune for hundreds of years?

By his side stood his faithful squire, who suffered a less severe transformation. Ascenso chose not to include all the servants of the castle, from the charming Lumiere to the adorable Mrs. Potts, going instead with only one companion. I think this was a very reasonable move, since to this day I still struggle to understand the reasoning of an enchantress who curses dozens of innocent servants due to the acts of one prepubescent aristocrat. Plus, all the sub-plots that Disney created with the castle's characters, although highly entertaining, do diverge slightly from the core message of this tale. Thus, leaving them out in a play with a more introspective tone does make a great deal of sense. The squire had mostly a supportive role, yet several of his lines had subtle references to Portuguese popular culture, which delighted the audience with their unexpected wit.

Following the original story, the director presented Belle's father, Alberto, as a wealthy merchant who loses most of his family's fortune in a shipwreck. The wacky inventor and social outcast is replaced by a sober and pensive old man with more lines and importance for the plot than his Disney counterpart. The actor playing the part was much younger than the character, but with the help of make up and great acting skills that managed to capture the voice, the mannerisms and the angst of an old aged father, it was hard to see anything but a tired old patriarch, beaten down by a string of misfortunes.

When his ship is lost at sea, news of his apparent demise travel fast and are brought to his family by Gaston. Ascenso's version of Gaston differs greatly from that of the musical, since he is not some heartbreaking he-man, but rather a well-intended loud buffoon who is madly in love with Belle. Every single one of the young man's lines is an hilarious agonizing cry, followed by over-dramatic theatrical gestures. He is the most obvious comic relief of the play, but Belle's two sisters, Susete and Rosete, are no strangers to humour either. While it is hard to classify them as classic villains, it is true that their spoiled, shallow and entitled personalities are the most negative forces of the narrative, serving as foil to their sister in their overall attitude towards life and the pursuit of wealth. Due to the more serious tone of the play, a couple of their lines seemed a bit forced in the script, even for comic characters, yet whenever the duo got on stage they definitely stole the show. The chemistry between the actresses was notorious, as well as their capacity to present two despicable creatures, of which we couldn't get enough.

And, last but not least, Belle. The actress did a great job in presenting the image of a good-hearted young woman and caring daughter, while perfectly displaying a wide range of emotions, from grief to joy, from hope to love. However, to no fault of our leading lady, it felt a bit like we could have seen more of the character. I believe Ascenso made the choice to balance the interventions of the cast, creating a narrative that is not simply centred in one or two characters, but rather in the actions of the entire ensemble. This decision truly enriched the narrative, and therefore deserves nothing but praise, yet one of its inevitable consequences was the reduction of Belle's prominence. Since in most of her scenes Belle's unchangeable good nature and innocence is in direct contrast with either her two loud and flamboyant sisters, or the Beast's harsh and dark manners, her character ends up a bit less developed than the others.

The show will be available until the 8th of September and is definitely a must-see for anyone living around Sintra, or who is enjoying Summer in this wonderful town. Our congratulations to João Asceso, the production team and the entire cast.

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