CNN
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The 30th anniversary celebration of the animated classic “Beauty and the Beast” that aired on ABC Thursday night had a high, and sometimes confusing order: It was a live show, it was a dance show, and it was a look back at the making of the film, with parts of the original film strategically used to bridge the gaps in the story. A web biting off more than it should chew? A tale as old as time, one might say.
Thankfully, the artists at the center of the live performances and dance numbers brought the show to life in a way that brought the magic of a castle to the stage in a vibrant display that more than adequately honored the beloved 1991 film.
The live elements of the show, particularly the clever dance pieces, like the one in which performers imitated the movements of the falling petals of the enchanted rose, and iconic musical numbers like “Be Our Guest,” could have been alone easily and if at any point you wished you could have, you are not alone.
Perhaps it was a testimonial to the cast (David Alan Grier as an appropriately salty Cogsworth, Martin Short as Lumière, Shania Twain as the vibrant Mrs. Potts) that one could be left wanting more, especially given the unpredictable nature of the shows that have preceded.
But most of the credit must go to HER, Josh Groban, and a standout Joshua Henry in the roles of Belle, Beast, and Gaston, respectively.
The male leads kept their moments to no one’s surprise. Groban stood out the most in his rendition of “If I Can’t Love Her” from the stage version of the film and Henry showed off his great vocal power on “The Mob Song” in a way that makes you wish someone had been so smart. . enough to cast him in the 2017 movie.
But it was SHE, who defied tradition with a smashed guitar moment at the end of the show, that brought audiences the risk this show needed to break out of a powerful animated shadow and bring Belle to 2022 in a way we deserve more. .
If this is what Disney is leaning on in the next iterations of princesses, be our guest.
Source: news.google.com