There’s just that something extra when you go to watch a ballet performance. I liken it to a bit of therapy. You get immersed into the story, the costumes, the movements, the ballet and of course, the fantastic score (by Royal Ballet Sinfonia). You forget the outside world and for the duration of the performance, you are completely captured by the performance on the stage.
Birmingham Royal Ballets choice of show this season has won the public over. Beauty and The Beast captures the attention and love of all ages.
If you come to see the show expecting Disneys version, you would be very shocked. David Bintley has created an utterly amazing, gothic version. Of a cruel Prince, cursed as he hunts a vixen, becoming a terrible Beast whilst the Vixen is transformed into a Wild Girl.
You get to see The Woodsman (Jonathan Payn) who with his magical powers is responsible for turning the Prince into a Beast to save the fox that the Prince was hunting.
Belle (Delia Mathews), a huge fan of reading, lives with her father, The Merchant (Michael O’Hare). She has two very spoilt sisters Fière (Laura Purkiss) and Vanité (Samara Downs) who also live with her. In the story Monsieur Cochon (James Barton) is a very wealthy man who wants to marry one if Belles sisters but cannot decide which one.
One day Belles father takes shelter in a castle where in the garden he picks a rose for Belle. It is here that The Merchant first encounters the monstrous Beast (Tyrone Singleton) who appears, outraged at the theft.
Belle, to save her father’s life, lives with the Beast and every night, for months, the Beast asks Belle to marry him. Every night Belle declines his offer.
We witness the beautiful extravagant ball where the Beast asks again for her hand in marriage. When Belle refused again, the Beast descends into a rage.
Belle is given a rose by the Beast. She is allowed to go and see her father back at home but she must return before the rose dies or he will die too. Returning back at the last minute, Belle declares her love for the Beast whereupon the curse is lifted and he transforms back into a handsome Prince.
The performance is outstanding. Made even more magical with the fantastic set design (Philip Prowse), Lighting (Mark Jonathan), choreography (David Bintley) and the music (Glenn Buhr).
Delia and Tyrone performed the roles of Belle and the Beast wonderfully. It was a flawless performance from them both.
As a regular to the ballet, you begin to get favourite dancers and mine has always been Tzu-Chao Chou. In this performance he played the role of the Raven and his movement and ballet was just spectacular. It doesn’t matter what costume he wears, you can always tell his ballet style and know that it is him.
Another favourite for me from last nights performance was James Barton in the role of Monsieur Cochon. Incredible strength, stamina and a touch of humour too. I’m unsure I stopped grinning when he was on the stage. Along with Marion Tait who played the hilarious role of Grandmère which made the whole audience laugh out loud.
Another shout out needs to go to Beatrice Parma who played the role of Vixen which was great and Yaoqian Shang who was the transformed Vixen into Wild Girl. Her ballet performance was one of those where you realise you’re dreamily looking with your mouth open wide in amazement and awe. Well done Yaoqian Shang.
Everyone performed brilliantly and this is a great start to the new season.
David Bintley, you scored 5 stars, yet again. You are going to be sorely missed when you leave.
Beauty and the Beast plays at Birmingham Hippodrome until March 2nd 2019 where it then continues its tour to Theatre Royal Plymouth (6-9 March), Edinburgh Festival Theatre (13-16 March), The Lowry, Salford (20-23 March), Sunderland Empire (28-30 March) and Bristol Hippodrome (1-4 May).
For more details and to purchase your tickets please click here.
For children aged from 3 to 7, you have First Steps: Beauty and the Beast. Check out my previous reviews of the First Steps sessions to see what happens. The session is at Birmingham Hippodrome on 1st March at 1pm.
For more details of this session click here.
Disclaimer: We were invited along to the press night in return for an honest review. We have done that here. We absolutely loved the show and cannot wait until the next show of Seasons in Our World/Peter and the Wolf.
Photographs are courtesy of Dasa Wharton.
Cover Photo is by Caroline Holden.