[TR_Wolf]

I'm not sure why I've not posted this before, but I've just read several reviews of the current UK Tour of Disney's Beauty and the Beast where some people say how brilliant it is, and some just how "okay" it is...

...I feel so sorry for these people! I wish they could have seen the first UK Tour which was BY Disney, and so the same as the London/Broadway version, same staging, costumes, special effects etc and was absolutely stunningly beautiful and a pure spectacle to watch...

..as it stands, they've heard that BATB is amazing, and then they see the pathetic Amateur Dramatic looking thing being toured by UK Productions and they think THAT is the show everyone's been going on about, when it's really not, and I wish they could see the way the first UK Tour looked, the beautiful costumes the massive and amazing sets, the great acting and vocal skills, the special effects (I think there are only 2 in the new one, there were loads in the old one) and just the pure spectacle, it took your breath away!

The UK Productions version (as with everything they do) is drastically scaled down to the extent where the costumes look like high school costumes (ie the cheesegrater looks like he just has a bit of board strapped on his front and back, and the Beast looks like a Gruffalo costume), and the sets are little more than dropcloths and maybe a prop bench, and it all looks very cheap. Some of the actors are good but many like Gaston are just nowhere near as good as the original tour, not to mention the fact that as well as bad costumes, the cast number is significantly lower.

In 2002, Beauty and the Beast stationed at the Palace Theatre Manchester for about 6 months, wheras in the past 2 years, the UK Productions version is there (or at the Manchester Opera House) for 2 weeks, and then this time round, just 5 days!

It's pathetic! Im angry at UK Productions, and I would LOVE to see the original style show tour again!! See the comparison for yourself in these pictures I've made:



(In this one you can see the vast difference in the background staging too!)

[Chevstriss]

I would guess they are playing much smaller houses and a lower ticket price?

comparing a sit down company that moves in for mos at a time to a touring company that does 1-5 nighters isn't fair on your part. The original wasn't built for instant load in-out.

[Pounce]

I saw the touring Disney production of BatB a few years ago and it was excellent. It looked like the original pictures above. No show before or since has dazzled me the way that show did. And it was only staying 6 days.

So naturally, when it came back about a year ago I was anxious to see it and so was my friend. We found out that it was a tour of the Disney version but it wasn't being done by Disney. They did use some actors from past BatB Broadway shows and they were good but the sets, costumes and effects were so poor that the show was a total disappointment. But count yourself lucky TR_Wolf, our Lumiere had not flaming candlesticks but lights with small fans to blow red cellophane to make it look like a flame. The entire beginning with the old woman, prince, and transformations was all done behind a sheet in silhouette. No enchantress throwing a fireball. (I really liked that part.) The champagne bottles for "Be Our Guest" gave off bubbles instead of a shower of sparks. The beast's transformation at the end was just him rising slightly in the air with puffs of smoke below and some rustling of his white top. It was awful.

Rule of thumb: Unless it is a school production, skip BatB if it is not done by Disney.

I don't know if it is always the case but I've noticed that if it is not Disney then the sign is white with black lines showing the beast. Disney's is black with white lines for the beast.

[jimbothecrab]

I never saw a professional production of beauty and the beast, but our community play was spectacular enough to wow me. I guess I must be easily amused. I think some of the changes are ok but Cogsworth looks horrible, our low budget Cogsworth looked better than that.

[MademoiselleMusicals]

TR_Wolf.... I agree.

I was fortunate to see B&TB in the West End. It wasn't a tour but yhat was amazing.

The tour came down last summer. It wasn't that great. The set design was so flimsy like and there was a technical hitch in one of the main climaxes in the show. Poor, poor musical.

Guys and Dolls is coming on tour which I am so excited about. Fingers crossed the tour will be good.

Such a shame tours in recent years have been bad. CATS is going to be on tour so I've heard. A theatre in Torquay which hosts most of the musicals in my area is going to have it there. I don't get how theyr'e going to do it. Starlight Express was bad enough.

[TR_Wolf]

[bean_C4U]

I saw the original Uk west end show, and the original disney tour.

No way am I going to watch that 2nd rate attempt.

[MademoiselleMusicals]

I thought Belle, Gaston and Beast were brilliant.

The set and costumes though... They just let me down so much! It was all 3D stuff on screens and I can't stand that in a musical.

[TR_Wolf]

[MademoiselleMusicals]

Hmmm.... I suppose Gaston was a bit OTT but I still liked it.

Come to think of it... Beast was quite camp! Especially in the bonding scene when Belle treats his injured paw/arm.