Beauty and the BeastOpening Date: Dec 16, 2017
Closing Date: Dec 31, 2017 Air date: May 21, 2020 Medium: online Where to watch: Chichester Festival Theatre (May 21 - June 19, 2020 only) |
Stage Production Notes
Set in 1940s England, Beauty and the Beast is an original re-telling of the well-known fairytale. A family of children arrive at a huge mansion in the country, evacuees from London. The children already living at the house share that the house is home to a variety of exotic animals, and a mysterious creature in the forbidden south wing.
With a book by Anna Ledwich, with music and lyrics by Richard Taylor, Beauty and the Beast was commissioned by the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre in 2017 for their annual family Christmas production.
Ledwich and Taylor attempted to put a new spin on the story, focusing on the idea of self-worth as not tied to image, and that our actions and how we perceive ourselves shape who we are as people.
Beauty and the Beast was workshopped with members of the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre, the largest youth theatre program in the United Kingdom.
With a cast of 75 young performers, the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre production of Beauty and the Beast opened on December 6, 2017.
Writing for The Daily Echo, reviewer Ian Murray described the production as “captivating” and a “fabulous romp,” and the Chichester Observer’s Phil Hewitt noted it was “quite simply stunning.” Sardines Magazine reviewer Susan Elkin stated Beauty and the Beast was a “splendid show” with “glitteringly professional numbers.”
Reviewers unanimously praised Dale Rooks' direction, Ryan Dawson Laight's costumes, Nick Barnes' inventive puppetry, and the surprisingly strong performances of the young cast. Several reviewers also praised Anna Ledwich’s clever book, and compared Richard Taylor’s charming score to Stiles and Drewe, and Sondheim.
Beauty and the Beast played its final performance on December 31, 2017.
Set in 1940s England, Beauty and the Beast is an original re-telling of the well-known fairytale. A family of children arrive at a huge mansion in the country, evacuees from London. The children already living at the house share that the house is home to a variety of exotic animals, and a mysterious creature in the forbidden south wing.
With a book by Anna Ledwich, with music and lyrics by Richard Taylor, Beauty and the Beast was commissioned by the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre in 2017 for their annual family Christmas production.
Ledwich and Taylor attempted to put a new spin on the story, focusing on the idea of self-worth as not tied to image, and that our actions and how we perceive ourselves shape who we are as people.
Beauty and the Beast was workshopped with members of the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre, the largest youth theatre program in the United Kingdom.
With a cast of 75 young performers, the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre production of Beauty and the Beast opened on December 6, 2017.
Writing for The Daily Echo, reviewer Ian Murray described the production as “captivating” and a “fabulous romp,” and the Chichester Observer’s Phil Hewitt noted it was “quite simply stunning.” Sardines Magazine reviewer Susan Elkin stated Beauty and the Beast was a “splendid show” with “glitteringly professional numbers.”
Reviewers unanimously praised Dale Rooks' direction, Ryan Dawson Laight's costumes, Nick Barnes' inventive puppetry, and the surprisingly strong performances of the young cast. Several reviewers also praised Anna Ledwich’s clever book, and compared Richard Taylor’s charming score to Stiles and Drewe, and Sondheim.
Beauty and the Beast played its final performance on December 31, 2017.
Filmed Production Notes
Beauty and the Beast was filmed live at the Chichester Festival Theatre on December 20, 2017. The recording was edited live and streamed to children in St. Richard's Hospital, Chichester, and Worthing Hospital.
In response to the COVID-19 shutdown, Chichester Festival Theatre released Beauty and the Beast online between May 21 - June 9, 2020, for viewers to watch for free. The theatre had previously released Flowers for Mrs. Harris and The Midnight Gang.
In addition to the free stream, viewers could purchase an online programme for £2.
Beauty and the Beast is not currently available to view.
Beauty and the Beast was filmed live at the Chichester Festival Theatre on December 20, 2017. The recording was edited live and streamed to children in St. Richard's Hospital, Chichester, and Worthing Hospital.
In response to the COVID-19 shutdown, Chichester Festival Theatre released Beauty and the Beast online between May 21 - June 9, 2020, for viewers to watch for free. The theatre had previously released Flowers for Mrs. Harris and The Midnight Gang.
In addition to the free stream, viewers could purchase an online programme for £2.
Beauty and the Beast is not currently available to view.
Beauty and the Beast PRODUCTION CREDITS
Theatre: Chichester Festival Theatre
Producer: Chichester Festival Youth Theatre
Book: Anna Ledwich
Music and Lyrics: Richard Taylor
Director: Dale Rooks
Musical Director: Colin Billing
Orchestrations: Richard Taylor
Movement Director: Lizzi Gee
Scenic Design: Simon Higlett
Costume Design: Ryan Dawson Laight
Lighting Design: James Whiteside
Sound Design: Gregory Clarke
Puppetry: Nick Barnes
Stage Manager: Sally Ann Garner-Gibbons
Cast: (in order of appearance)
Evie Carter (Rose), Noah Peirson (Dennis), Albie Stisted (James), Georgina Liley (Perkins, Library), Aflie Scott Peter, Ella O’Keeffe (Violet), Ellie Dickens (Edith), Rudi Millard (Roger), Oluwafunmilayo Ajayi (Poppy, Library), Dominic McGreevy (George), George Bailey (Mr Villeneuve, Docker), George Craig (Henry), George Waller (Sebastian), Emily McAlpine (Adeline), Freya Collins (Caroline), Mia Cunningham-Stockdale (Beauty), Jennifer Goodier (Winston, Sewing Bee), Callum Beavan (Docker), Jake Butlin (Docker), Richard Chapman (Docker, Waiter Crab), Hal Darling (Docker), Crispin Glancy (Docker, Kiki), Sam Hemingway (Docker, Sewing Bee), Benedict Hothersall (Docker, Waiter Crab), Connor Read (Docker), Isaac Sturge (Docker, Mr Keys, Mr Perkins), Tadeus Ruiz Harrison (Beefy Man, Speak-No), Kai Terry (Shifty Man, Legs), Heather Falconer (Statue, Butterfly), Freya Peake (Statue, Butterfly), Hal Darling (The Beast), Eliot Biddle (See-No, Waiter Crab), Jack Taylor (Hear-No), Thomas Lunn (Dot D’Otter), Daniel Kitt (Pele), Freddie Dempster (Reg), Erin Oldmeadow (Mrs McTeek), Nancy Cook (Library), Sophie Cook (Library), Carmen Dawtrey (Library), Katherine Henry (Library), Alice Roberts (Library), Freya Shepherd-Bland (Library), Leila Solly (Library), Scarlett Taylor-Jones (Library), Hannah Wadey (Library), Rosie Wharton (Library) , Anna Grindel (Lady B), Jake Butlin (Kenny G), Jessica Oyo (Chas), Jessica Page-Smith (Butterfly), Olivia Edwards-Cox (Sewing Bee), Grace Lyon (Sewing Bee), Alex Phillips (Sewing Bee), Ben Philips (Sewing Bee), Francesca McBride (Sewing Bee), Grace Watkins (Sewing Bee), Callum Beavan (Waiter Crab), Esme Kane (Waiter Crab), Joe Russell (Waiter Crab), Lael Smith (Waiter Crab), Lucie West (Waiter Crab), Ensemble: Tweogbola Ajayi, Megan Bewley, Archie Biddle, Ellie Bradbury, Libby Connor, Patrick Durand, Archie Eliot, George Goldsmith, Lindon Jones, Megan O’Hanlon, Gemma Sangster, Hugh Talbot, Lucy Tebb
Theatre: Chichester Festival Theatre
Producer: Chichester Festival Youth Theatre
Book: Anna Ledwich
Music and Lyrics: Richard Taylor
Director: Dale Rooks
Musical Director: Colin Billing
Orchestrations: Richard Taylor
Movement Director: Lizzi Gee
Scenic Design: Simon Higlett
Costume Design: Ryan Dawson Laight
Lighting Design: James Whiteside
Sound Design: Gregory Clarke
Puppetry: Nick Barnes
Stage Manager: Sally Ann Garner-Gibbons
Cast: (in order of appearance)
Evie Carter (Rose), Noah Peirson (Dennis), Albie Stisted (James), Georgina Liley (Perkins, Library), Aflie Scott Peter, Ella O’Keeffe (Violet), Ellie Dickens (Edith), Rudi Millard (Roger), Oluwafunmilayo Ajayi (Poppy, Library), Dominic McGreevy (George), George Bailey (Mr Villeneuve, Docker), George Craig (Henry), George Waller (Sebastian), Emily McAlpine (Adeline), Freya Collins (Caroline), Mia Cunningham-Stockdale (Beauty), Jennifer Goodier (Winston, Sewing Bee), Callum Beavan (Docker), Jake Butlin (Docker), Richard Chapman (Docker, Waiter Crab), Hal Darling (Docker), Crispin Glancy (Docker, Kiki), Sam Hemingway (Docker, Sewing Bee), Benedict Hothersall (Docker, Waiter Crab), Connor Read (Docker), Isaac Sturge (Docker, Mr Keys, Mr Perkins), Tadeus Ruiz Harrison (Beefy Man, Speak-No), Kai Terry (Shifty Man, Legs), Heather Falconer (Statue, Butterfly), Freya Peake (Statue, Butterfly), Hal Darling (The Beast), Eliot Biddle (See-No, Waiter Crab), Jack Taylor (Hear-No), Thomas Lunn (Dot D’Otter), Daniel Kitt (Pele), Freddie Dempster (Reg), Erin Oldmeadow (Mrs McTeek), Nancy Cook (Library), Sophie Cook (Library), Carmen Dawtrey (Library), Katherine Henry (Library), Alice Roberts (Library), Freya Shepherd-Bland (Library), Leila Solly (Library), Scarlett Taylor-Jones (Library), Hannah Wadey (Library), Rosie Wharton (Library) , Anna Grindel (Lady B), Jake Butlin (Kenny G), Jessica Oyo (Chas), Jessica Page-Smith (Butterfly), Olivia Edwards-Cox (Sewing Bee), Grace Lyon (Sewing Bee), Alex Phillips (Sewing Bee), Ben Philips (Sewing Bee), Francesca McBride (Sewing Bee), Grace Watkins (Sewing Bee), Callum Beavan (Waiter Crab), Esme Kane (Waiter Crab), Joe Russell (Waiter Crab), Lael Smith (Waiter Crab), Lucie West (Waiter Crab), Ensemble: Tweogbola Ajayi, Megan Bewley, Archie Biddle, Ellie Bradbury, Libby Connor, Patrick Durand, Archie Eliot, George Goldsmith, Lindon Jones, Megan O’Hanlon, Gemma Sangster, Hugh Talbot, Lucy Tebb
Sources
Books
Articles
Websites
- “Beauty and the Beast” Programme, Chichester Festival Theatre (2017)
Articles
- Susan Elkin, “Beauty and the Beast,” Sardines Magazine (Dec 20, 2017)
- Phil Hewitt, “REVIEW: Beauty and the Beast, Chichester Festival Youth Theatre,” Chichester Observer (Dec 19, 2017)
- Matt Merritt, “Beauty and The Beast @ Chichester Festival Theatre,” Sitting in the Cheap Seats (Dec 20, 2017)
- Ian Murray, “REVIEW: Beauty and the Beast, Chichester Festival Theatre,” The Daily Echo (Dec 20, 2017)
- News Desk, “REVIEW: Beauty and the Beast at Chichester Festival Theatre,” The Portsmouth News (Dec 20, 2017)
- Unknown, “Review: Beauty and the Beast,” Chichester Post (Dec 20, 2017)
Websites
- Chichester Festival Theatre, “Beauty and the Beast,” Accessed via: https://www.cft.org.uk/beauty-and-the-beast-broadcast
Written by Luisa Lyons (June, 2020)