Category: Brett Herriot Review

***** (5 Stars)

“Calls to the child like heart in all of us!”

The beloved 1991 Disney animation Beauty and the Beast would launch the Mickey Mouse company into a glorious revival renaissance period that would see the film achieve classic status. The film would also become Disney’s first venture into live stage adaptations and the tale as old as time would become an Olivier award winning smash hit.

The show is now available to local theatre companies across the UK and Edinburgh’s long running Edinburgh Music Theatre brings the tale to life for a week long run at the Church Hill Theatre in a stunning production that truly calls to the child like heart in all of us.

 Beauty and the Beast with Music by the legendary Alan Menken, lyrics by the late Howard Ashman and Sir Tim Rice featuring a book by Linda Woolverton tells the tale as old as time of a prince forced to live under a enchantment due to his selfish ways only to discover that the power of true love can set him and his servants free.

EMT’s production beautifully captures the spirit of the animated original thanks to the ingenious use of a giant video wall featuring animation creative designs from the shows Director Louise Sables. Sables also ensures her top drawer cast are sprinkled in enough stage magic so it delivers to a professional level befitting any theatre in the country.

Performances are universally excellent with Wallis Hamilton Carmichael as Belle and Seb Schneeberger as Beast leading the company with beguiling performances that capture the characters beautifully and they have the vocals to match too. Andrew Hally’s “Cogsworth” and Peter Tomassi’s “Lumiere” are comedy joy and shine every time there on stage. Special mention must go to Lauren McAnna as “Mrs Potts” whose pathos rich delivery of the title song brings tears to the eyes in a stunningly emotional moment. Every Disney story needs a good baddie and Louis Delaney delivers in spades as “Gaston” he walks a fine line of villainy but succeeds thanks to his onstage partner “Le Fou” played with a wonderful physicality by the sublime Sean Vannet.

David Bartholomew’s “Maurice”, Sheona Dorrian’s “Babette”, Mia Hatch’s “Chip” and Sarah Louise Donnelly as “Madam de la Grande Bouche” all shine whenever they grace the stage as does Lindsay MacLaren, Elizabeth Martin and Amanda Woodhouse as “Les Filles”. The principals are joined by a twenty two strong ensemble company who truly bring Belles world to life especially when delivering Chanel Turner-Ross inventive and well executed Choreography.

Musically the show is a triumph with musical Director Libby Crabtree ensuring every ounce of emotion from the score is felt by the audience thanks to the peerless vocals onstage and gorgeous nine strong pit orchestra under her baton, it’s truly the cherry on the cake.

Production wise EMT has delivered well within the constraints of the intimate theatre that the church hill is. Jacob Henney’s lighting design captures the magic of piece perfectly and Rhys Tuner’s Sound design is faultless ensuring every lyric and note is heard with ease and never overpowers.

The unmitigated high point of the show has to be Lauren McAnna’s (alongside playing Mrs Potts) staggering Wardrobe design. The costumes knock the eye out and while they capture the essence of the original look of the Broadway show they also feel fresh and relevant for a show which has celebrated its thirtieth anniversary and incredible achievement for a local company.  

EMT’s Beauty and the Beast is everything you could wish for and so much more and is a perfect evening of musical theatre magic that rightly deserves its standing ovations and sold out performances its currently enjoying.  You never know you might just be lucky enough to get a return ticket for an EMT show that will go down in history as setting the bar to stratospherically new heights! Wonderful stuff indeed.

EMT Presents Beauty and The Beast, Church Hill Theatre, Edinburgh, runs until Saturday 5^th April, For more information and tickets go to: Beauty and the Beast – Edinburgh Music Theatre

***** (5 Stars)

“The true heart of the ocean of comedy musicals!”

James Cameron’s 1997 motion picture retelling of the Titanic disaster featuring the beguiling love story of Jack and Rose has been parodied many times but none more successfully than in 2017 when Titanique debuted in Los Angeles.

Featuring a book by Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle and Constantine Rousouli this comedic tour de triumph retells the movies story from the point of view of Celine Dion, Played by the stunning Lauren Drew in the performance of lifetime. It’s a one hundred minute long romp blending Dion’s hit songs with up to date musical and cultural references in a show that simply can’t fail to raise a smile with its joyful heart.

This show directed by book writer Tye Blue features an outstanding ensemble cast lead by Drew as Dion and everyone of them shine and no wonder as it features the very best of the current generation of west end stars.  Rob Houchen “Jack Dawson” and Kat Ronney “Rose DeWitt Bukater” are everything Leo and Kate were and so much more delivering excellent comedy timing and honey soaked vocals throughout. Darren Bennett “Victor Garber”, Charlotte Wakefield “Molly Brown” and Stephen Guarino “Ruth DeWitt Bukater” equally shine and make the most of there on stage time.  Every show needs a good baddie and west end star Jordan Luke Cage delivers in spades as “Cal Hockley” he enshrews panto villainy but captures the comedic potential of the character beautifully.

In the role of Seaman/Iceberg is strictly come dancing break out star Layton Williams who works hard especially in drag as “Iceberg” but as with all the shows Williams does heis simply being himself on stage rather than a character, that being said he does himself awfully well! Rounding out the onstage company are three powerhouse vocalists, Adrianne Langley, Madison Swan and Rodney Vubya who bring extra sparkle and magic to the songs which are delivered in polished style by musical director Adam Wachter and his four piece onstage band.

Production wise this is a show that can hold its head up high with any of the bigger productions and theatres in the west end and proves that while the Criterion is one of the more intimate venues it’s a beacon for the arts. Gabriel Hainer Evansohn and Grace Laubacher’s scenic design perfectly captures the essence of Titanic’s grandeur but also the golden era of musical theatre. This is enhanced by Alejo Vietti stunning costume design that perfectly recreates Jack and Rose from the film alongside the other characters but also ensures Layton looks stunning in full stockings, Heels and silver glittering drag. Paige Seber lighting design makes the most of the Criterion’s stage and auditorium and gives true musical glamour to the whole show which is ably supported by the excellent sound design from Lawrence Schober.

Titanique was due to have limited run in the west end but has proven so popular it’s been extended into 2026 and its the true show of the moment and brings to the stage the one thing we need more than any other right now in our lives and that’s Laughter! This is a joyous extravaganza that is the true heart of the ocean of comedy musicals and long may its heart go on! Unmissable! So grab those tickets now!!!

Titanique, the Criterion Theatre, London booking until January 2026, For more information and tickets go to: Titanique the Musical