Exclusive Review: Beauty And The Beast Musical Thrills Indian Audiences!

For the first time ever Indian audiences were able to witness the grandeur of Beauty and the Beast right here in Mumbai! For the first time ever, Indian audiences are treated to a production on the same level as Broadway and audiences couldn’t be more thrilled! From set designing by Varsha Jain to music by Leslie Lewis, costumes by Gavin Miguel to acting by principal characters Meher Mistry (Belle) and Edwin (Beast), there are no stones left unturned to bring Beauty and the Beast to India and it is done in style. Kidsstoppress highly recommends that every child over the age of four be taken to watch this production to not only reiterate the existence of magic and fairy tales for children but to witness the opulence of a true blue stage production of a classic love story.
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It is the classic love story that has been told for generations. A love story between a small town girl and a young prince who is transformed into a fearsome Beast because of his vanity. This simple story has had the power to enthrall audiences since it first released as an animated Disney classic in 1991 and then on Broadway in 1994. For the first time ever Indian audiences were able to witness the grandeur of Beauty and the Beast right here in Mumbai!

Beauty and the Beast in India, has been directed by Vikranth Pawar and has been advertised widely as an international production with local talent. On Friday, as audiences waited for the curtain to rise there were still murmurs of doubt over whether India could really pull off a production that was known world over to be grand and opulent. But as soon as the curtains went up, audiences were audibly mesmerised by the sets!

Beauty andthe beast - kidsstoppress

The show kicks off with a disclaimer by the candelabra and the clock who emphatically announce that there will be no lip syncing in the production. Audiences are immediately privy to the sheer opulence and the brilliance of execution and direction from the first few minutes of the play itself. But as someone watching the show with two young children, the first half could have been heavily edited by at least 45 minutes.

We are introduced to Belle and her father immediately and the set transforms into a village setting complete with villagers and gives the audience the feeling of being in a rural setting. There was the quaint bakery, the hutments, the woods and they all serve to transport you to another world. A world where Beauty lives and is about to embark on a journey of a lifetime. Later at the enchanted castle, where Belle is taken prisoner by the Beast, the set changes completely and paints a vivid picture of opulence, danger, and brooding sorrow. The magnitude, grandeur, and magical style anyone would expect out of a Disney play are all there and don’t disappoint. Those who are familiar with the story will await certain moments like the wilting of the rose, the dungeon, the magical verandah where Beauty and the Beast dance and I must say honestly that I my expectations were all met.  Needless the say the sets and art direction stay with you long after you have seen the play and all credit goes to Varsha Jain for her outstanding effort

Keeping beat with sets and art direction, there are countless high points to the production. My daughters loved the costumes and couldn’t stop talking about it. Gavin Miguel, the designer has managed to outfit each and every character in spectacular outfits!

beauty abd the beast - outfit female - kidsstoppress

beauty abd the beast - outfit male - kidsstoppress

The high point of the first half definitely has to be when the Beast invites Belle for dinner and tea cups, plates, spoons, knives, and forks all break into a song! This opens the doors of imagination not only for children but adults as well and reiterates why this is a fairy tale. While children will be carried away by Leslie Lewis’ foot tapping, soul-stirring music, older members of the audience will enjoy the over the top dramatization! Choreography sequences by Terence also serve to string the audiences along, especially Belle’s dance with the Beast.

The second half is much faster than the first and had us spellbound, with never a dull moment. It definitely had us on the edge of our chairs!

The brilliance of the show is the fact that all the arms of production are woven together seamlessly. For the first time ever, Indian audiences are treated to a production on the same level as Broadway and audiences couldn’t be more thrilled! From set designing by Varsha Jain to music by Leslie Lewis, costumes by Gavin Miguel to acting by principal characters Meher Mistry (Belle) and Edwin (Beast), there are no stones left unturned to bring Beauty and the Beast to India and it is done in style.

Kidsstoppress highly recommends that every child over the age of four be taken to watch this production to not only reiterate the existence of magic and fairy tales for children but to witness the opulence of a true blue stage production of a classic love story.

Beauty and the beast - review - kidsstoppress

Things To Remember: 

  • Ensure reaching on time because its starts on time
  • Make sure you reach at least 45 mins prior to collect your tickets. That will give you enough time to take photos in the carriage, have some time to eat, and even use the wash room if you have children.
  • Make sure to carry a jacket for the children and maybe even for you.
  • I took along my three-year old and had to translate the whole time. The acoustics could be much better so the dialogues could be heard better.
  • Ideal tickets to buy would be Rs 4000. You will be seated in the centre so you can see the stage and mid stage clearly. The Rs. 5000 section has revolving chairs. It would be hard for the younger kids to see and experience the magic beyond these two bands

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