A contemporary yet vintage take on fairy tales has never been more magically reimagined than by Northern Ballet’s adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. David Nixon CBE’s two-hour show is an action-packed technicoloured dreamscape that sublimely captures the glowing palette of golden-era cinema.
Though watching in Newcastle’s Theatre Royal, I found myself spirited away like Dorothy in Oz, enchanted by an epic live score that was reminiscent of the classical music synchronized in Walt Disney’s early films such as Fantazia and Sleeping Beauty.
An orchestra’s power to help tell the story through music should never be underestimated, and this production is testament to that. It was with sadness that I heard of the company’s recent decision to cut live music from some of its performances due to rising transport costs. Theatre goers that are still able to, should seize the opportunity and appreciate the blissful privilege of rewarding their ears with the full experience.
However you get to see it, this development doesn’t detract from the quality of the movement on offer. The show’s wide contrast in dancing styles helps widen its allure – from the elegance of Beauty (performed by Dominique Larose) with her shimmering pirouettes and delicate tiptoeing to the angry Beast (Kevin Poeung) who frantically flails himself across stage on all fours. His animalistic approach, draws inspiration from lions, tigers, and gorillas, combining classical techniques while breaking lines to make himself less human. The contemporary choreography of the Beast’s familiars is also impressive. The conjoined troupe of goblins unconventionally trot like a phantom pantomime horse meets drunken Chinese dragon, cheekily shaking their rasping bum cheeks.
The Grand Finale doesn’t disappoint, with a majestic all-star fairytale wedding. Spritely dancers fly onto the stage both left and right, their magical dresses fluttering and caressing their torsos, golden explosions, and confetti rain down from the rafters. The newly-weds perform a Mardi Gras finisher with the prince moulding Beauty’s body as she balances upside down with his palm to her chest.
To top it off, the set design created by Duncan Hayler is a sight to behold and really helps to make you feel invested in the plot. Having previously worked on Northern Ballet’s adaptations of ‘A Mid Summer’s Night Dream’ and ‘Cinderella’, Hayley demonstrates the never-ending possibilities of transforming a space. From fantastical forests steeped in darkness to pillars in a palace folding neatly into boxes, then bundled into the back of a removal van, driven off by bailiffs who evict Beauty’s family.
This moment of visual storytelling provides us with a modern twist of – riches to rags. The original run of came shortly after the 2008 financial crisis, the end of the ‘Age of Plenty’ when banks foreclosed on people’s properties. David Nixon CBE’s reimagining of the French fairytale enables the classic to still feel relevant today.
This show has all the exciting elements for a great night out at the ballet. Be sure to catch it when it returns to Leeds Grand Theatre in June 2024.