Review: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at PCPA: Marian Theater

A Fairy Tale ‘As Old As Time’ for The Holidays

From now until December 22, the Marian Theater will remain dotted with the bright yellow dresses of little ones dressed as “Belle.” At Sunday’s matinee, they watched with eyes as large as saucers. The lively production delivers more charm than the animated film ever could.

Beautiful Maiden Falls in Love with a Beast

Generations of audiences have been attending this “tale as old as time,” the story of a beautiful maiden captured by a beast with whom she eventually falls in love. It dates at least back to Roman myth. In that telling, Cupid, the winged god of love, blindfolds Psyche to keep her from knowing his godly form. When she sneaks a look at him, she is punished. She reenters her marriage once she learns obedience.

A Curse

Audiences today are familiar with Disney’s 1991 animated movie adaptation. Its dramatic imperative shifts the moral burden onto the Beast who needs to find a woman to love him to remove his curse. Belle (played with a lyrical voice outsized for her small frame by Edella Oroz Westerfield) is no longer forced to obey. Her love, freely given, will release the Beast.

That someone would freely love The Beast (Alexander Pimentel) seems impossible at the top of the play. Red relationship flags keep falling in the first act. Belle meets the Beast after he has imprisoned her father Maurice (Michael Cone) in his dungeon. Then the Beast agrees to an exchange putting Belle in her father’s place and when she won’t have dinner with him, he takes away her food. The Narrator (Kitty Balay, who also plays Mrs. Potts) tells us that the prince was cursed for judging people based on their appearance. The action shows that he has to honor the humanity of others.

Back in Belle’s hometown, the only hot ticket in town, Gaston (Cordell Cole), has unilaterally decided Belle will marry him. What Belle wants remains outside of his concerns. He is trapped in notions of Belle as a trophy for his superiority and he thinks nothing of taking her by force. He shares the Beast’s character flaw, a commonality that PCPA’s design team dramatizes by making visual similarities between the Beast and Gaston.

“Be Our Guest”

It turns out Belle has a penchant for books and half-human household objects, which the castle happens to have in copious abundance. The castle’s domestic workers are rapidly changing into furniture and house-ware; they realize Belle is their last and only chance to become “Human Again.” 

A signature of this production is its dazzling ensemble choreography (by Keenon Hooks). The kick-line cavalcade of half-human forks, Salt and Pepper shakers, spoons, plates, knives, and napkins, pulls out all production stops for the “Be Our Guest” number. The cast takes full comic advantage of their half-object, half-human state. It’s delightful to watch Lumiere (Andrew Philpot) fumble with his candle hands as he quarrels with clock-faced Cogsworth (George Walker) while Mrs. Potts (Kitty Balay) tries to soothe everyone’s nerves with offers of tea as a teapot.

Although there are some more intense scenes in this musical, the younger audience members who were sitting near me seemed more enchanted than alarmed. The menacing forest that lies between the castle and Belle’s “small provincial town” is animated by striking puppet work, lighting, and costuming. The use of actors to play tree-like wraiths was particularly haunting, but again not too worrisome for a young audience member.

In PCPA’s “Advisory Note” they mention that this is a wonderful family show. It is. With its memorable music, lush production, and satisfying story, an outing to “Beauty and the Beast” at PCPA could be a bright satin bow on top of your holiday celebration.

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