Review: Kaunotar ja Hirviö

COMEDY FLOURISHES IN THE MAGICAL WORLD

When Disney released the animated adventure Beauty and the Beast of the 90s
I was in elementary school myself. The fairy tale hit like carbon monoxide.
After the visit to the cinema, we got the story home for a video, which
I looked through it so many times that I could recite almost all the lines
and sing the songs along with the story. I even remember swinging in elementary school
during recess and sang loudly with my friends Beauty Belle’s
songs.

15 years later, Beauty and the Beast became Finland’s first
Disney musical made for the theatre stage. Helsinki City Theatre
Sitting at the premiere, I still find myself remembering almost everything
dialogues and songs by heart.

It’s fun to see how closely the lines of the performance follow
the formula of the original animation. However, even if you feel like singing
it is better to leave it to the one who knows it better.

Marika Westerling, who plays the role of Belle, is really good at singing.
Westerling, who also played as a backing vocalist for Elton John’s summer tour, is
has studied musical theatre at the Royal Theatre of London
Music Academy. Belle as well as the monster with Sören Lillkung
The songs of Kari Arffman take turns smoothly moving the story forward
in an almost completely composed musical.

However, the best part of the performance is the work of Risto Kaskilahti and Eero Saarinen
performed by the humorous duo Lumiére and the bell Cogsworth. The public does not
You can’t help but burst out laughing when you twist with a French accent
Kaskilahti throws out a few sips in his candle costume.

Without this comical duo and the banter between them
The story of Beauty and the Beast would be missing something essential. Humour is
the one that appeals to both the younger and older viewers of the family.