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ShowsYou are in: Northamptonshire > Entertainment > Theatre > Shows > Beauty and the Beast ![]() Lauren Adams as Marie Beauty and the BeastReviewed by Martin Borley. An 18th Century theatrical troupe transports The Castle audience into a magical world.
Help playing audio/video Forget the Disney version. Beauty & The Beast at The Castle is more magical. The audience is transfixed by a fairy-tale world conjured up by a talented group of actors and musicians. ![]() One of the song and dance routines The show is set 300 years ago. A troupe of travelling players is rehearsing stories to a group of children. By using songs, costumes, props and shadow puppets, the players bring to life the weird and wonderful tales. I lost count how many musical instruments are played during the show. There are strange-looking horns, flutes, gongs and even a harpsichord. The musicians are on stage amongst all the action, and from time to time the main actors join in by playing a violin or plucking a lyre. Paul Boyd's script and music is stylish (and wordy at times) but there were a number of jokes to amuse children and adults. He's gone back to the original fairy tale. ![]() The musicians played umpteen instruments Hissing and booingDon't go expecting a pantomime. There's not even a hint of Christmas during the show and no hissing or booing. Audience participation is just clapping along to the catchy songs. In recent years, Christmas shows at The Castle have been rough and ready and bright and brash. The Castle's new artistic director Karl Wallace, who's also the director of Beauty & the Beast, has single-handedly raised the standard. His production is sophisticated and atmospheric - the sort of quality we'd normally associate with Northampton's Royal Theatre. last updated: 06/12/07 Have Your SayWrite your own review of Beauty and the Beast
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Peter J Walton You are in: Northamptonshire > Entertainment > Theatre > Shows > Beauty and the Beast |
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