It goes without saying that ‘Beauty and the Beast’ from 1991 is one of the greatest Disney, if not one of the greatest animated, films of all time. It certainly is to me, having probably watched the VHS more times than I’ve breathed (and having watched the, um, interesting, remake as little as possible). So, hearing that the theatrical production version was returning to Melbourne again, I was excited to check it out. While rooted in the 1994 production screenplay by Linda Wolverton, this new version helmed by Matt West takes from the 2022 West End revival – making for an entertaining, though sadly uneven, experience.

From the outset, so much of the original film is translated perfectly into the production. The costuming and scenic work, by Ann Hould-Ward and Stanley A. Meyer respectively, were as lavishly designed as one would expect from a Disney production. Both designers have made creative adaptations of the seemingly impossible, like Beast’s servants. Lumiere’s costume is a great example of this – Hould-Ward incorporates  actual flame props into his hands, accentuating a suave performance from Rohan Browne. Meanwhile, Meyer makes the castle feel alive through constantly shifting, looming background ornaments. Screen effects are also used, but sparingly to extend the depth of the background or create fantastic rain effects like in ‘The Mob Song’. As someone who isn’t always a fan of these inclusions, it wasn’t ever too egregious (even if the flashes of violent wolf attacks may have been a touch too far). Much of the cast also feel plucked straight from the recording studio – Shubshri Kandiah’s Belle, Nick Cox’s Le Fou, Jayde Westaby’s Mrs. Potts and Zanda Wilkinson’s Chip were highlights in their vocal replications, both in song and acting. I’ll admit that I wasn’t as sold on Rubin Matters’ Gaston at first. However, while he seemed to take on a softer vocal range, his performance more than made up for it with his sheer physicality and bravado that made the role all his own.

All of the songs from Howard Ashman and Alan Menkin’s original soundtrack are naturally present, now given physical room to breathe and experiment with their presentation on stage, especially thanks to the choreography by West and associate choreographers Chandon Jones and Jennifer Rias. The fantastical ‘Be Our Guest’ is transformed into an extravagant, Vegas-style burlesque performance , with this Melbourne tour marking the first tap dance section to be implemented in the musical’s history. Meanwhile ‘Gaston’ turns inward to its rural town and pub setting, turning the entire bar into one big glass-clinking orchestra, as well as an additional mini boxing match to round off this extreme display of Gaston’s glory. While not all of the original songs are given as generous of a glow-up, they’re still given a rendition worthy of their lofty statuses, thanks to the enrapturing, if somewhat horn heavy, orchestration by Danny Troob.

Of course, not content with just a translation, the show greatly expands upon the source material with various additions, although they vary  in quality. Concepts like the castle staff’s transformations were instead made gradual throughout the performance, giving greater stakes and tension towards Beast’s love conflict than in the original movie. A lot more time is also dedicated to the supporting cast, creating opportunities to flesh out the town bimbettes, as well as the feather duster and the vanity closet (now called Babette and Madame respectively).  Thanks to lively performances from Hayley Martin and Alana Tranter,  Babette and Madame actually stood out as some of my favourites from the cast.

The song additions, written by Tim Rice and composed by Menkin in ‘94 and ‘98, are more of a mixed bag – Gaston’s ‘Me’ and Belle’s ‘A Change in Me’ are delightful insights into each character’s place in the story, with the former being an enticing appetiser for Gaston’s eponymous song later in the show. After growing up on the Special (and superior) Edition of the film, I’m also always very happy to see ‘Human Again’ adapted. However, Beast’s new ballad ‘If I Can’t Love Her’ and Belle’s ‘Home’ feel awkwardly slotted into the plot of Act One, interrupting the show’s flow to tell us what we already know from other songs or from clear character acting cues. Worst yet, this new version not only cuts two songs original to the Broadway musical; ‘Maison Des Lunes’ during Gaston’s meeting with the asylum owner, and the castle battle song; but drops those story beats altogether from Act 2. Not only does this completely rush through the ending to get to Gaston’s confrontation with Beast, but it makes every odd addition stick out even more.

This brings me to the change I feel most conflicted about – Beast. Now visually, his entire outfit, along with David H. Lawrence’s make-up design, is a miracle of costuming. The fur, the bulk of the costume, and most importantly, his seamless transformations that bookend the show’s events are a sight to behold on stage. It’s a clear example of the show providing an inaccurate, but wholly fitting recreation of the film’s ideas. Character-wise however, the show seems to shift his personality a bit too far. As if to justify his origin as a prince, Beast is now a lot softer and spoiled, sometimes coming across more as a bratty child than something actually threatening. I did enjoy this change at times; it leads to some great moments of comedy and vulnerability not seen in the original. The scene of him building courage to go see Belle in her room during her castle tour was precious.

However, the thing that was likeable about the original Beast was his unlikability , and the fact that his character development was a subtle progression over the course of Belle’s stay, culminating in him understanding love by letting her go. In contrast, this production is quick to soften the character, giving me complete whiplash when, mere minutes after Belle’s sacrifice for Maurice, Beast engages in highly comedic breathing exercises with his servants. While he’s still full of angry outbursts, most are contextualised as trivial, making Belle’s unravelling of his real nature far less satisfying. Despite this, Brendan Xavier does a great job elevating this version of the role, highlighting the character’s vulnerability and high-strung emotions that make him both a hilarious and piteous figure. He takes his voice a couple pitches higher than I was expecting, though this does make him a great fit for ‘Something There’ and his musical performances overall held a strong presence.

‘Beauty and the Beast’ remains a theatrical classic, evidenced by the strength and creative passion in West’s direction. I can’t recommend it enough, from the wit of its cast and extravagant production design, to the masterful reinterpretation of classic songs. However, the revisions made by this latest revival hindered my enjoyment and gave more focus to the show’s fundamental differences that I remain conflicted on. Still, if you’re willing to look past adaptational differences, you should still have a pleasant time as a guest at his lordship’s castle.

‘Disney’s Beauty and the Beast: The Musical’ is now playing at Her Majesty’s Theatre until 24 November 2024. Tickets are on sale now exclusively via www.beautyandthebeastmusical.com.au.

Photos by Daniel Boud.