REVIEW: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Musical is an Enchanting Must-See in the UK!
Earlier this month, I was lucky enough to watch a performance of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at the Liverpool Empire theater in the UK. This revival production of Disney’s classic tale is currently touring the country, and is such a magical experience that I wanted to share my thoughts with you all!
Prepare yourselves, as this may be the most gushing review I have ever written!
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast originally opened on Broadway in 1994, closing in 2007 to make way for Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Apparently they thought two Disney princess musicals playing simultaneously would be too much. I can’t say I agree, but there we go.
It has been announced that the show will return to Broadway in the future – although we don’t know when.
Liverpool Empire Theatre
Beauty and the Beast closed in London’s West End in 1999, so it was great to see the show was making its grand return over on UK soil. It has been touring since the summer, and we can’t wait to see where the show goes from there.
But, that’s enough background information! Let’s talk about the show experience itself!
Starring in the show was Courtney Stapleton (Six) as Belle, with Gavin Lee as Lumiere, Tom Senior as Gaston, Sam Bailey as Mrs Potts, and Nigel Richards as Cogsworth. At the time, Emmanuel Kojo was playing the Beast*, although this role has since been taken over by Alyn Hawke.
The cast board for the performance I attended
Courtney Stapleton is a perfect triple-threat of a performer. Her vocal range is incredible, her acting perfectly romantic and dreamy as Belle and her dancing throughout multiple musical numbers was perfect. In the movie, Belle just sort of sits at the table and sways around during “Be Our Guest”. In the musical, Belle was tapping, swinging, and performing as passionately and expertly as anyone!
The role of the Beast is surely a tricky character to portray correctly. After all, he is meant to be a frightening monster with a rude attitude and quick temper, yet still relatable, deep and – eventually – enough of a charmer for Belle to fall in love with. Kojo took this task, and delivered. Although the musical was somewhat fast-paced for the “falling in love” part of the narrative, it still felt sincere and romantic for the mismatched couple.
The full cast for Beauty and the Beast – Image Credit: Disney
In fact, all the cast shone in this performance. The standout for me was the actor playing Chip, whose small but significant performance was enough to make anyone tear up with joy!
However, the aspect of the show which really truly stood out was the set design and costumes. For a touring performance, the set was impressively technical and effective, with moving scenery and set pieces which really transported us to the magical, fairytale setting.
The grandeur of the Liverpool Empire theater
The costumes, too, were breathtaking. I have never seen a version of Belle’s ballgown quite as stunning as the one Stapleton wore in this production, it glittered like the sun and was truly mesmerising.
Even off-stage, the splendor was all around. The Liverpool Empire theater is grand enough as it is, but was decorated especially lavishly in honor of the show.
Perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing of theater bars?
Red roses adorned the foyer, wrapped around columns and added romance to the bar area, making the whole front of house look perfectly like a fairy tale. It was so atmospheric and beautiful, that it truly brought the Disney magic to the front of house.
There were roses everywhere!
I did wonder whether there was some kind of on-site Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, there were that many little girls and boys dressed up as Belle and the Prince!
The main merchandise stand in the theater foyer, adorned with red roses and greenery
Of course, the merchandise needs a shout out here! Theatre merch is usually take-it-or-leave it in my opinion, but the selection of souvenirs on offer was particularly impressive for this show.
The magnet and keychain board
Of course, there were the standard programmes, key chains, magnets and t-shirts with the show’s logo emblazoned on them, but other special items were available too.
There was so much awesome and unique merchandise items available to purchase at this show
Dolls of Stapleton’s Belle seemed to prove very popular amongst all the little princesses in the audience, and there was a cool ‘Gaston’s Tavern’ t-shirt which was surely a favorite amongst the adults. A fancy tin of Mrs Potts’ tea would make a fantastic gift, and there was a stunning library-themed tote bag on sale to carry everything home in.
Water bottles, programmes, and the sweetest Belle dolls were all available
Of course, we are in 2021, and I should probably mention COVID and the restrictions in place throughout the theatre. Please bear in mind, these rules are in line with current guidance in the UK, which will likely differ from the US and the rest of the world!
Yet another of the (many) merchandise stands throughout each level of the theater
Before entering the theater, guests were required to show proof of vaccination (NHS COVID pass), evidence of a recent negative COVID test result, or be subject to temperature screening. Bag checks were in place just inside the doors, as per usual, and hand sanitiser was aplenty. Face masks were not compulsory anywhere inside the theater, and I noted that very few people had opted to wear them.
Entering the theater auditorium, guests were met with this stunning display.
All in all, this production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast was a magical experience, and a show I cannot recommend enough. If you are yet to purchase your tickets, new dates and locations have been added to the tour schedule, so make sure you get them booked!
Me (Madeleine!) having a magical time
Note: Since this article was written, allegations have come to light regarding the behavior of actor Emmanuel Kojo. Kojo has since been suspended from the role, and more information can be read about the situation here.
