BEAUTY AND THE BEAST by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice (Young Peoples Theatre, 165 Front East). Runs to January 7. $10-$49. 416-862-2222. See listing. Rating: NNN
If you know Beauty And The Beast from the classic Disney animated movie or the glitzy Broadway adaptation, youll be surprised by Young Peoples Theatres production.
Clocking in at an efficient 85 minutes (no intermission), its a modest, stripped-down version of the show that still captures the spirit of the tale of Belle (Celine Tsai), who braves imprisonment by the Beast (Stewart Adam McKensy) in his enchanted castle in order to save the life of her eccentric father, Maurice (Neil Foster).
What Allen MacInniss production lacks in flashy set pieces it makes up for in imagination. Sue LePages moveable screens help the action move quickly from town to forest to castle, while Joanna Yus inventive costumes do a lot with a little.
I particularly liked the swirly lines on Lumieres (Damien Atkins) curvy costume, suggesting dripping wax. The one sartorial misstep is the location of the spout on Mrs. Pottss (Susan Henley) teapot. Yup, Im afraid it looks like she’s wearing a strap-on.
The cast does terrific work in the solo and group numbers, particularly in the show-stopping Be Our Guest. Atkins, Andrew Prashad (as Cogsworth) and Jacob MacInnis and Aaron Ferguson (LeFou and Gaston) are best at bringing out the multiple meanings in Howard Ashman and Tim Rices clever lyrics.
Unfortunately, the leads arent as memorable as they could be. Tsai exudes a petulant, spoiled air that seems off-putting rather than resourceful and independent, and McKensy lacks a big booming voice or presence to suggest the Beasts danger or power.
But the infectious songs and the message of looking beneath the surface of things still work their charm.
