Birmingham Royal Ballet Beauty and the Beast at The Lowry Review
Birmingham Royal Ballet
Beauty and the Beast
The Lowry, Manchester
24-27 September 2014
Reviewed by Lucy Knight
I am a regular theatre goer, however, I have only seen the ballet once before. I thoroughly enjoyed it the first time, so was ecstatic to be able to see The Birmingham Royal Ballet’s version of Beauty and the Beast, one of my favourite childhood stories.
We arrived at The Lowry Theatre prior to the show starting, we parked with ease at the Lowry Outlet Shopping Mall. Parking is chargeable if you’re not shopping at the mall and cost us £4.50 for the duration of the performance. However, if you are eating at one of the many delightful restaurants then parking is free for up to 6 hours.
Once we made our way to the theatre we were greeted by the always attentive ushers who guided us to our seats.
Reasonably price drinks and snacks are served at the bar and you are allowed to only take bottled or canned drinks into the show.
The story of Beauty and the Beast is a wonderful tale of a beautiful girl and a hideous beast. This particular version begins with a handsome prince (Tyrone Singleton) and his friends out hunting in the forest, when they came across a vixen. They were about to close in on their prey, when a woodsman came along. He turned the vixen into a beautiful girl and changed the prince into a beast and the huntsmen into animals, in punishment for what they were about to do to the defenceless animal.
The story shows the marvellous ballerinas expressing their roles through such beauty. Belle’s father (Michael O’Hare), a merchant, becomes lost in the forest in a storm, while out looking for his ships. He comes across a castle to take refuge until the storm blow over. The merchant is fed and sleeps in the castle and wakes in the morning to find his trunk full of riches. As he leaves, he sees a rose, he picks this as a gift for Belle (Elisha Willis). As he does, the beast catches him and compels him to send one of his three daughters to live with the beast in exchange for his life.
Belle goes to live with the beast and over time becomes used to his beastliness and only sees his good nature.
My favourite bit of the play is The Ball, where the beast asks Belle to marry him but she replies that although he is good and kind hearted, she does not love him. In this scene all of the animals come together to dance. It is spectacular.
Belle returns home to see her father as she has been longing to. She arrives home for the final preparations of her sister’s wedding to Cochon. Meanwhile, the beast is heartbroken and thinks that the curse will never be broken and Belle will never love him. However, Belles sisters have been tricking her by detaining her return to the beast. The vixen comes to warn her that the beast is dying and she must return. In her last efforts to save him, she tells him she has always loved him and consents to marry him.
I absolutely loved this performance, the show was packed out, the audience was enthusiastic and seemed to be genuinely having a fantastic time.
Rating: 5/5 
Tickets cost from £21 to £43 (includes £2 booking fee).
For more information or to book tickets visit www.thelowry.com.
The Birmingham Royal Ballet is on tour with Beauty and the Beast until 8 November 2014. For more details, tour dates and venues visit www.brb.org.uk.
The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays, Manchester, M50 3AZ | 0843 208 6000
