Review: Kaunotar ja Hirviö

A MUSICAL SPECTACLE SUCKS YOU INTO ANOTHER WORLD

As soon as the intermission began, a little boy asked in the foyer: “When will I be able to watch again?” The enthusiasm says something about the attractiveness of Beauty and the Beast . The whole story and its presentation are so skilfully tuned that it keeps both children and adults in its grip.
The story of a beautiful girl and a prince who has been bewitched into a monster is suitable for children, but like many fairy tales, it also fascinates adults.
Who doesn’t sometimes identify with the monster in this fairy tale, whose rough exterior hides a handsome prince? And the most fascinating thing is that that inner beauty can only be revealed if someone falls in love with the monster without caring about its appearance.
No wonder that the story, which has lived for hundreds of years, got musical producers interested. However, the fairy tale only ended up on the stage through a twist, as the musical version is based on Disney’s popular animated film.


Fantasy and magic

In animation, everything is possible and transforming it for the stage has been challenging. Fantasy and magic are needed on stage, as even the servants of the enchanted castle have turned into objects. In the end, the illusion works so well for the live actors that the candelabra and the clock almost steal the performance. Especially Risto Kaskilahti , who speaks French, is phenomenal in his role.
The stage is moved with precision and the rhythm works especially in the musical numbers. Not all actors are of the same quality as singers, if you want to look for something to improve in a performance that is almost perfect in its genre. However, the main roles played by Marika Westerling, Sören Lillkung and Mikko Vihma will feature proper musical singing.
The Helsinki City Theatre’s musicals have not disappointed us before, but now they have risen to a new level. An exciting, moving and even funny story, spectacular costumes and glorious sets, fast-paced dancing and versatile music – I don’t remember ever seeing such a musical spectacle in Finnish theatre. The transformations of people and other magic tricks have been carried out particularly impressively, with the help of magician Tatu Tyni in design.
Of course, in such an international entertainment product, events and emotions are calculated, but when everything is done with Disney’s experience and skill, the viewer is forced to surrender to entertainment and throw themselves into a completely different world for three hours.