By Emily R. Zarevich, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
It’s a story everyone knows. The people of Burlington certainly know it. A cursed prince, transformed into a wretched, hideous beast, denied his place in the world unless he experiences the liberating purity of true love. A woman, a Beauty, an exceptionally kind young woman, who just might be the one to break the spell. This is Drury Lane Theatre’s choice this year for a Christmas pantomime show. This version is a little different than the Disney output that everyone first got on VHS. First of all, it’s a smidgen less dark. Second of all, it features Walk the Moon’s “Shut Up and Dance With Me.”
Directed by Eleanor Belton, Drury Lane’s Beauty and the Beast Christmas Pantomime, from start to finish, is a goofy, hammy romp, very British in style, very humorously bizarre, and very family-friendly. It takes the original premise of the “tale as old as time” and strives to make it as silly as possible so that the little kids seated on the mats before the stage can laugh as loudly as possible. Many extra elements are thrown in specifically for this purpose, like the aforementioned pop music, and some old-timey jigs. Caroline Clarke is cast as the mischievous and self-confident dog companion and sidekick Felix, whose gimmick is rolling around on the floor as a signal for the audience to shout out, “Puppy power!” No such character appears in the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast.
In homage to the movie, there is talking furniture, wearing some recognizable costumes. Without giving away too many spoilers, Beauty and the Beast do fall in love, though their on-stage romance is much more faithful to the original fairy tale than the Disney movie. Rachel Kelly makes a sweet-voiced Beauty, or Rose, as she insists her real name is in this story. Will Cramp plays a typically overdramatic Beast whose lovelorn tendencies simultaneously scare Beauty away and drew her nearer to him. However, time limits and some distracting subplots prevent their (admittedly) rushed relationship from being fully developed in an entirely believable way, though this is pretty standard for children’s entertainment. It’s only the adults who might comment to themselves, “Oh, they’re together already?”
The performers are all clearly experienced at entertaining children and knew who their core and front-row audience really was. Claire Campell makes a marvelous, spotlight-stealing villainess — the evil witch Malabelle with malicious romantic designs on the Beast — who cheerily invites the audience to boo her down every time she steps on the stage. Michael Belton drew laughs in his role as Ma, a plucky old lady who goes out into the wolf-infested woods to seek out prosperity for her family, despite having two adult-age children who could have gone instead. The Cutie Company Dancers, the Mini Company Dancers, the Junior Company Dancers, and the Intermediate/Senior Company Dancers provide intervals of charm with their dance numbers.
Audiences who are unfamiliar with the typical chaotic creativity of a pantomime might find the Beauty and the Beast Christmas Pantomime confusing. There are points where it feels like the show just cannot decide what it wants to be. Is it a jukebox musical, a slapstick, a children’s Saturday morning TV program, or a classic fairytale? Is it a vaudeville variety show or a more structured Broadway production? For the uninitiated, they may be left in a state of “What did I just watch?” by the time the curtain drops at the end. For those who do know and understand the genre, Drury Lane’s efforts very much adhere to the art form.
To purchase tickets to this show or Drury Lane Theatre’s other upcoming shows, visit www.drurylane.ca. Beauty and the Beast Christmas Pantomime runs until Dec. 15.
