326 posts
|
Post by Figaro on Aug 20, 2021 21:41:35 GMT
Looks great!!
|
|
5,268 posts
|
Post by mrbarnaby on Aug 20, 2021 22:12:40 GMT
They are clearly going to use the video wall to do a lot of work
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2021 22:20:32 GMT
They are clearly going to use the video wall to do a lot of work How is that clear? They havent shown every piece of scenery thats in the show. I think it looks great, especially compared to the last tour which was a few backdrops and not much else. Hopefully i can get out to Bristol to see it.
|
|
5,268 posts
|
Post by mrbarnaby on Aug 20, 2021 22:21:56 GMT
They are clearly going to use the video wall to do a lot of work How is that clear? They havent shown every piece of scenery thats in the show. I think it looks great, especially compared to the last tour which was a few backdrops and not much else. Hopefully i can get out to Bristol to see it. I say that based on some other photos I’ve seen of the show during tech.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2021 3:57:46 GMT
I think it looks good on the whole. Doesn't look tacky, it's got the opulent fairytale feel of the original but scaled back a little, less 80s/90s excess. Also a million times better than any previous version since the original. I agree I think the screen is going to be used to add depth and the trick will be how well they merge the big set pieces with the screen to create an overall complete scene with depth, rather than one big piece and a screen.
|
|
|
Post by jacob on Aug 23, 2021 21:31:21 GMT
|
|
42ndBlvd
Ensemble
come and meet those dancing feet!
|
Post by 42ndBlvd on Aug 23, 2021 23:12:38 GMT
|
|
|
Post by jacob on Aug 25, 2021 18:01:57 GMT
|
|
18,777 posts
|
Post by BurlyBeaR on Aug 25, 2021 18:53:06 GMT
Deliberately not paying attention until they announce Palace MCR dates. We all know you’ll be there, stop messing with us.
|
|
|
Post by Boob on Aug 25, 2021 18:58:01 GMT
Urgh, not a fan of that curtain. The original was simple and classy (unlike everything else in the show).
|
|
|
Post by SuttonPeron on Aug 25, 2021 19:34:47 GMT
http://instagram.com/p/CTAb8IqAllQ Orchestra credits. Just 10 musicians, and missing instruments that, in my opinion, are crucial to the score, such as Oboe, English Horn, Harp or a second French Horn. Bass must be in the keyboards.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2021 21:37:37 GMT
This looks EXACTLY like the kind of show you'd see on a Disney cruise. Not the worst, but I was expecting better.
|
|
375 posts
|
Post by Theatre Fan on Aug 25, 2021 23:48:18 GMT
This looks EXACTLY like the kind of show you'd see on a Disney cruise. Not the worst, but I was expecting better. Kinda agree, relies heavily on the LCD screen (not a bad thing but some will not like that) but it did have some lovely moments, strong cast, look forward to seeing it again when they've got into their groove. Strong first performance x
|
|
5,268 posts
|
Post by mrbarnaby on Aug 25, 2021 23:52:19 GMT
It just looks cheap. And video just sucks the life out of some shows, which looks like it’s the case here. It looks very American in the worst possible way.
|
|
723 posts
Member is Online
|
Post by FairyGodmother on Aug 26, 2021 8:15:02 GMT
This looks EXACTLY like the kind of show you'd see on a Disney cruise. Not the worst, but I was expecting better. The new Disney Cruise BatB looks really impressive actually, I was surprised! Look around 8 mins for Be Our Guest. It's based on the live action film rather than the animated one. (When I say impressive, I was really talking about the puppets, not the sort of pantomime dame food situation that's going on!)
|
|
5,426 posts
Member is Online
|
Post by oxfordsimon on Aug 26, 2021 8:37:50 GMT
This looks EXACTLY like the kind of show you'd see on a Disney cruise. Not the worst, but I was expecting better. The new Disney Cruise BatB looks really impressive actually, I was surprised! Look around 8 mins for Be Our Guest. It's based on the live action film rather than the animated one. (When I say impressive, I was really talking about the puppets, not the sort of pantomime dame food situation that's going on!) Much as I can appreciate the visual flair the cruise version has attempted, that only shows how much weaker the score and lyrics are in the live action film. The new words are poor. The changes to the music diminish the power of each number. The original theatrical version is so much stronger I cannot understand why Disney approved so many changes. Shows how they have lost their way.
|
|
|
Post by 10642 on Aug 26, 2021 9:32:37 GMT
Can anyone who saw it last night confirm if they used If I can’t love her, Evermore or both?
|
|
375 posts
|
Post by Theatre Fan on Aug 26, 2021 9:42:51 GMT
Can anyone who saw it last night confirm if they used If I can’t love her, Evermore or both? It's the stage musical. No songs are used from the live-action remake x
|
|
|
Post by 10642 on Aug 26, 2021 9:44:23 GMT
Can anyone who saw it last night confirm if they used If I can’t love her, Evermore or both? It's the stage musical. No songs are used from the live-action remake x Perfect thank you!
|
|
4,158 posts
|
Post by HereForTheatre on Aug 26, 2021 9:53:20 GMT
A lot of criticism about a production most people haven't actually seen yet again.
|
|
485 posts
|
Post by WireHangers on Aug 26, 2021 14:01:57 GMT
Can anyone who saw it confirm that Belle’s dress is indeed based on the drawing we saw previously, the one that looked very haut couture
|
|
|
Post by jacob on Aug 26, 2021 20:21:13 GMT
interval now, it’s .. something disclaimer - 15 year old average musical goer writing !! Full house , lots of families .. a few screams, obviously uncomfortable child next to me which is very annoying! for a Disney show, I’m honestly expecting more:( won’t talk about actors as this is the second proper show for them, and of course they get the tour to refine their characters individually.. The stage feels sometimes empty.. set is fairly minimalistic so far, with 3 large rotating silver parts (sort of ‘castle coving’) that do look great when moving on and off, as well as having small lights on them.. however, my issue being that the expensive parts of the show just contrast too much with scenes like Be Our Guest, that does reference the older version of B&tB with the circular set frame pieces .. projections are used for the arch at the front, with PowerPoint like transitions in the song that made me cringe a little !! It’s a great number that woke me up though, with Gaston’s number being fairy large before that too. As a whole so far, the show is struggling to find its feet a little, with jokes that feel very panto-y, and the main characters are not as affectionate towards each other as I’d like !! Lumiere has more chemistry at this point with that duster than Belle did with her father and the beast :/
|
|
4,361 posts
|
Post by shady23 on Aug 26, 2021 21:34:46 GMT
I saw a post on twitter with photos of the merch for people interested in that kind of thing
T shirts are £40, apparently. Yes it's Disney so you expect prices to be high but tshirts at Bedknobs and Broomsticks are half the price.
|
|
|
Post by jacob on Aug 27, 2021 0:11:21 GMT
The costumes and set from this version are clearly based off of those in the original production I can now see, after watching a few scenes from a full musical upload (not sure why I was expecting any different tonight ..) Scanning through the video ,I’ve randomly noticed the Gaston, LeFou and asylum man(?) song is not in this production. I’m sure more has been cut / added, but I’m not one to sit and watch a whole VHS bootleg and evaluate (my apologies for not being alive at the time to have seen the original, or being aware of any production to come after it). Act 2 felt very fast in comparison to the first tonight. 1hr 20 , and then 40 mins Will just share a few notes before I disappear:) only slightly critical as this is Disney!! It was alright In my opinion. Set was interesting to look at however could’ve had more depth, with scenes such as Belle’s library looking empty when ignoring the large screen backdrop - without, it would’ve made the show look like a panto with money.. Stanley Meyer does a gorgeous job though! Crisp visuals for some moments .. Just give me more not a huge fan of the moon in various scenes having different looks, the Ballroom scene in Act 2 is gorgeous with it then (a much larger yellow moon with a 2D watercolour appearance) but earlier on in Gaston, it looks.. Halloween projection.. even then, the effects used are great! Slight spoilers, but Lumiere does light up occasionally for comedic effect, Mrs Potts has some steam, gun fires from Gaston, the rose lights up and you see the petals glow and fall, chunky magic mirror with visible LEDs, levitating witch and Beast, strobe lightning, rain projections, confetti cannons etc. Interesting to see!! If this showing is getting a W.E. transfer like rumoured, I’m really hoping they’ll rework it further and upgrade .. i get that it’s supposed to bring back memories for some, but for those going to see this as a fan of other Disney musicals, you may be slightly disappointed. In this new UK production , it looks to be a combination of the 3 B&TB formats (the first cartoon film, original onstage musical and then the live action remake), maybe to appeal to fans who will recognise their favourite variant? Be Our Guest is an incredible and great number to see, two dimensional graphics, overly saturated and fun, (one moment, the screen at the back shows an overhead view of the ensemble on the floor in almost 42nd street leg movements and rolls, not entirely sure how i felt about that) however compared to the pots and pans kitchen before and the metallic Castle aesthetic, it just seems like a different production? i get that it’s supposed to reference the older production, and while the set looked more refined, it still felt out of place !! male ensemble costumes were meh, being blue and yellow trousers, waistcoats and cutlery embroidery.. out of context, I would’ve never have guessed B&TB! The neck tie napkin briefly placed on Belle with Sebastian the crab on the front did make me smile though Even then, you know the song is coming .. but little build up? Some of the scenes before are just too long with no meaningful dialogue .. sorry:( would it be that bad to change it? Maybe I’m just thinking too much .. The script should’ve been edited. I’m aware that it’s Beauty & The Beast, and surely it’s just that, but some characters were very one note! The Beast sings If I Can’t Love Her, but doesn’t have much chemistry beforehand with Belle, and gets more laughs trying to make an effort after being pushed by the castle objects to make a romantic move with her for the sake of turning Human(decent song !!!!) With that being said, the ensemble and choreography in ‘Belle’, ‘Gaston’, and ‘Be Our Guest’ is immaculate!! Pretty complex dancing and a lot going on in all three numbers. Some minimal set is understandable for these songs;) Throughout, the majority of the laughs didn’t work for me, being just exaggerated comments mainly for children reaction (too many oblivious kids laughing for the sake of laughing !) and a few bits were similar to wicked :0 — My conclusion, if you remember the 90s production and still feel nostalgia relating to it, go and see this. If you’re a family with children that can understand basic theatre etiquette and need a fun night out, go and see this. If B&TB is one of your favourite Disney films.. you get the idea:) Was just hoping for a more solid production! Still enjoyed it, and was nice to be back seeing a show again minus the child next to me trying to jump down into the stalls all the way up from the grand circle.
|
|
|
Post by jacob on Aug 27, 2021 0:35:06 GMT
Can anyone who saw it confirm that Belle’s dress is indeed based on the drawing we saw previously, the one that looked very haut couture Can confirm .. not able to remember exactly, but I believe the neck piece wasn’t there? draped sleeve fabric was exaggerated, Glinda bubble dress petals present too - sparkled and moved beautifully, got a gasp from the audience too when the spotlight revealed Courtney :0
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2021 5:22:49 GMT
The costumes and set from this version are clearly based off of those in the original production I can now see, after watching a few scenes from a full musical upload (not sure why I was expecting any different tonight ..) Scanning through the video ,I’ve randomly noticed the Gaston, LeFou and asylum man(?) song is not in this production. I’m sure more has been cut / added, but I’m not one to sit and watch a whole VHS bootleg and evaluate (my apologies for not being alive at the time to have seen the original, or being aware of any production to come after it). Act 2 felt very fast in comparison to the first tonight. 1hr 20 , and then 40 mins Will just share a few notes before I disappear:) only slightly critical as this is Disney!! It was alright In my opinion. Set was interesting to look at however could’ve had more depth, with scenes such as Belle’s library looking empty when ignoring the large screen backdrop - without, it would’ve made the show look like a panto with money.. Stanley Meyer does a gorgeous job though! Crisp visuals for some moments .. Just give me more not a huge fan of the moon in various scenes having different looks, the Ballroom scene in Act 2 is gorgeous with it then (a much larger yellow moon with a 2D watercolour appearance) but earlier on in Gaston, it looks.. Halloween projection.. even then, the effects used are great! Slight spoilers, but Lumiere does light up occasionally for comedic effect, Mrs Potts has some steam, gun fires from Gaston, the rose lights up and you see the petals glow and fall, chunky magic mirror with visible LEDs, levitating witch and Beast, strobe lightning, rain projections, confetti cannons etc. Interesting to see!! If this showing is getting a W.E. transfer like rumoured, I’m really hoping they’ll rework it further and upgrade .. i get that it’s supposed to bring back memories for some, but for those going to see this as a fan of other Disney musicals, you may be slightly disappointed. In this new UK production , it looks to be a combination of the 3 B&TB formats (the first cartoon film, original onstage musical and then the live action remake), maybe to appeal to fans who will recognise their favourite variant? Be Our Guest is an incredible and great number to see, two dimensional graphics, overly saturated and fun, (one moment, the screen at the back shows an overhead view of the ensemble on the floor in almost 42nd street leg movements and rolls, not entirely sure how i felt about that) however compared to the pots and pans kitchen before and the metallic Castle aesthetic, it just seems like a different production? i get that it’s supposed to reference the older production, and while the set looked more refined, it still felt out of place !! male ensemble costumes were meh, being blue and yellow trousers, waistcoats and cutlery embroidery.. out of context, I would’ve never have guessed B&TB! The neck tie napkin briefly placed on Belle with Sebastian the crab on the front did make me smile though Even then, you know the song is coming .. but little build up? Some of the scenes before are just too long with no meaningful dialogue .. sorry:( would it be that bad to change it? Maybe I’m just thinking too much .. The script should’ve been edited. I’m aware that it’s Beauty & The Beast, and surely it’s just that, but some characters were very one note! The Beast sings If I Can’t Love Her, but doesn’t have much chemistry beforehand with Belle, and gets more laughs trying to make an effort after being pushed by the castle objects to make a romantic move with her for the sake of turning Human(decent song !!!!) With that being said, the ensemble and choreography in ‘Belle’, ‘Gaston’, and ‘Be Our Guest’ is immaculate!! Pretty complex dancing and a lot going on in all three numbers. Some minimal set is understandable for these songs;) Throughout, the majority of the laughs didn’t work for me, being just exaggerated comments mainly for children reaction (too many oblivious kids laughing for the sake of laughing !) and a few bits were similar to wicked :0 — My conclusion, if you remember the 90s production and still feel nostalgia relating to it, go and see this. If you’re a family with children that can understand basic theatre etiquette and need a fun night out, go and see this. If B&TB is one of your favourite Disney films.. you get the idea:) Was just hoping for a more solid production! Still enjoyed it, and was nice to be back seeing a show again minus the child next to me trying to jump down into the stalls all the way up from the grand circle. Thanks for the review. Interesting reading and my hopes are fading. It does sound like they have just one set piece and then rely on video projection without depth. To be honest this version doesn't sound like the original at all. The original was lush, opulent and romantic fairytale. Not minimal in anyway. I assume Maison Des Lunes has been cut due to avoiding mental health complaints which is a shame as its a key plot point. But it makes more sense than cutting belles apron
|
|
|
Post by jacob on Aug 27, 2021 9:44:43 GMT
@mark84 the screen wasn’t horrendous, with sharp backdrops, and also some of the animations on there were clever enough to look like set pieces moving in and out .. but the fading transitions were slightly noticeable and ruined the look for me. Scenes like the beginning of the castle looked great, but seemed to appear much smaller when looking at Stanley’s sketches. For how rushed some moments felt, I can understand the theory behind the screen.. Going back to watch more of the Broadway production, and this does look better:)
|
|
|
Post by jacob on Aug 27, 2021 10:02:56 GMT
…previews, right? Hoping that does mean we’ll slowly get a few changes as well as production photos and maybe a trailer, as I’m already tired of that silhouette logo with the petals … *cue audience members shaking the grand circle causing the projected curtain for the show to move* - it does become even more animated though as the show starts with the petals moving, however it didn’t look too bright to begin with^ an a5 programme with no Act 1 and 2 songs listed and also no on-stage cast photos (even rehearsal ones would’ve been nice) was disappointing
|
|
426 posts
|
Post by alison on Aug 27, 2021 11:41:46 GMT
An opinion from the opposite perspective here (old enough to exist when the film came out and it was THE film of my childhood). I’ve never seen the Disney production before but saw the cheaper UK Productions tour a couple of times.
The set is indeed largely reliant on the video wall. There are set pieces moved on and off (and a fair few of them for different scenes, not just one or two repurposed). It works well for some scenes - the tavern during Gaston felt sprawling in the right way, with a physical bar area and a couple of other props that I can’t remember what exactly they were now. I agree that the library did feel empty though. Hopefully they can add another physical element or two to the emptier scenes. Sitting in front side stalls, I did appreciate that the “masking” area around the proscenium was used for projections too and integrated more into the show rather than just being plain black, it felt less like my view was obstructed and more involved with the show.
Costumes are a bit of a mix. Courtney’s are generally lovely (although I don’t understand the loss of apron either). The embroidery on the blue dress looks pretty from front stalls, the skirt is full and moves well when she dances, and I really want her shoes from that outfit (blue double strap Mary Janes with a tapered heel and white floral patterns). The pink dress is the least flattering of her three main costumes but that’s kind of the point, and the design of it works but still looks well made and detailed. The ball gown is the scalloped, beaded one linked earlier in the thread and it looks gorgeous under the lights. The neck piece is more sheer and sparkly, the sort of thing you might see on a low-cut dress on Strictly. Her finale dress has the same skirt with a creamy white overlay and a slightly different top half (not sure whether it’s an adaptation of the ball costume or a completely separate dress). The long braid wig for curtain calls is only for the finale, for the ball her hair is down with a sparkly tiara.
The household staff costumes were mostly good. Lumiere works better on stage than that photo suggested - the size of his candlesticks works and the wig (grey streaked with blue) works to suggest a hot flame. I agree that some of their dialogue does come across as panto-like, and it’s so obvious where some of their scenes have been placed to allow for a costume or scenery change and don’t necessarily seem to be there for any other reason.
Jacob has already covered the ensemble costumes for Be Our Guest so I will just agree. Their villager costumes were less gaudy, not quite the level of detail from pics of the original production but not bad.
Now. The Beast. From everything I’ve seen the Beast has always seemed to have either quite heavy prosthetics or a partial mask for the majority of the show. Emmanuel has the wig/headpiece with the horns, some lower facial fuzz that I think is just his own beard, and a prosthetic nose. That’s it. His boots have beast toes and claws sticking out but nothing on his hands, which was made even more unfortunate when he sang “and when we touched she didn’t shudder at my paw” and looked at his perfectly human hand. They need to sort that. I did appreciate that being able to see more of his face allows for more nuance in the Beast’s acting though.
Two songs are gone from the original cast recording - No Matter What (which makes Maurice an absolutely tiny part now) and Maison des Lunes. I do get it, but the removal of Maison made act two feel very short. Some lovely voices among the leads, and I hope I get to see them again later in the run when they’ve settled in more and will be even better (unlikely though as it’s not coming anywhere near me in the announced dates so far).
Overall, it was worth the 5 1/2 hour round trip to see Courtney, but I wouldn’t have gone just for the show.
|
|
5,268 posts
|
Post by mrbarnaby on Aug 27, 2021 14:43:51 GMT
One of my all time theatrical Bête noirs- using the show poster or logo on the front cloth. Absolutely uninspired.
|
|