Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the price was spoiled. selfish and unkind. But then, one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold.
Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away, but she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within. And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress.
The price tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart, and as punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast, and placed a powerful spell on the castle, and all who lived there.
Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself inside the castle, with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. The rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his twenty-first year. If he could learn to love another, and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. In for, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair, and lost all hope, for who could ever learn to love a beast?
Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away, but she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within. And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress.
The price tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart, and as punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast, and placed a powerful spell on the castle, and all who lived there.
Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself inside the castle, with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. The rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his twenty-first year. If he could learn to love another, and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. In for, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair, and lost all hope, for who could ever learn to love a beast?
The Cast
Beast - Ross Woodhouse
Belle - Megan Abbott
Lefou - Matthew Kerslake
Gaston - Jamie Nutall
Maurice - Steve Brooks
Lumiere - Tom Watson
Cogsworth - Leslie Judd
Babette - Fiona Haylock
Mrs Potts - Gemma Laing
Chip - Charlie Gotts
Wardrobe - Susan Power
D'arque - Matthew Austin
Silly Girl / Enchantress - Amy Kent
Silly Girl - Lizie Spavin
Silly Girl - Hayley Hewitt
Lady Village - Laura Anderson
Lady Villager - Jenny Baxter
Butcher -- Michael Bullock
Lady Village - Amy Camp
Baker - Chip Carpenter
Lady Villager - Karen Girdwood
Bookseller - William Johnson
Lady Village - Rachel Marshall
Lady with Baby - Natalie Mills
Milk Maid - Leah Nutall
Lady Villager - Kate Oldfield
Hat Seller - Su Read
Villager - Ben Robinson
Lady Villager - Patsy Taylor
Fish Seller - Daniel Wagg
Egg Seller - Irene Whitehouse
The Crew
Director - Kristen Dutton
Producer - Mike Cooke
Musical Director - Amy Power
Choreography - Penny Cooke
Lighting and Sound - Barry Ayres
Stage Manager - Debbie Hiles
Set Construction - Seamus Power, Barry Ayres, Gemma Laing, Richard Bennett
Backdrop Designing - Gemma Laing and Cast of Beauty and the Beast
Wardrobe - Judy Parsons, Claire Cooper and Kate Carpenter
Make-up Artists - Jenny Lewis
Props - Margaret Mould and Barbara Curtis
Programme Design - Gemma Laing and Megan Abbott
Publicity - Amy Kent and Megan Abbott
Bar - Nerys Brooks
Front of House - Cyril Pike and Friends of the Society
Beast - Ross Woodhouse
Belle - Megan Abbott
Lefou - Matthew Kerslake
Gaston - Jamie Nutall
Maurice - Steve Brooks
Lumiere - Tom Watson
Cogsworth - Leslie Judd
Babette - Fiona Haylock
Mrs Potts - Gemma Laing
Chip - Charlie Gotts
Wardrobe - Susan Power
D'arque - Matthew Austin
Silly Girl / Enchantress - Amy Kent
Silly Girl - Lizie Spavin
Silly Girl - Hayley Hewitt
Lady Village - Laura Anderson
Lady Villager - Jenny Baxter
Butcher -- Michael Bullock
Lady Village - Amy Camp
Baker - Chip Carpenter
Lady Villager - Karen Girdwood
Bookseller - William Johnson
Lady Village - Rachel Marshall
Lady with Baby - Natalie Mills
Milk Maid - Leah Nutall
Lady Villager - Kate Oldfield
Hat Seller - Su Read
Villager - Ben Robinson
Lady Villager - Patsy Taylor
Fish Seller - Daniel Wagg
Egg Seller - Irene Whitehouse
The Crew
Director - Kristen Dutton
Producer - Mike Cooke
Musical Director - Amy Power
Choreography - Penny Cooke
Lighting and Sound - Barry Ayres
Stage Manager - Debbie Hiles
Set Construction - Seamus Power, Barry Ayres, Gemma Laing, Richard Bennett
Backdrop Designing - Gemma Laing and Cast of Beauty and the Beast
Wardrobe - Judy Parsons, Claire Cooper and Kate Carpenter
Make-up Artists - Jenny Lewis
Props - Margaret Mould and Barbara Curtis
Programme Design - Gemma Laing and Megan Abbott
Publicity - Amy Kent and Megan Abbott
Bar - Nerys Brooks
Front of House - Cyril Pike and Friends of the Society
NODA Review
Another production where front of house has been bedecked in a French provincial style, and once again my congratulations to the team responsible. Watlington Players never seem to shy away from a challenge being quite bold in the work they tackle, and the teams they appoint to deliver that challenge. This production was in the hands of Kristen Dutton, making her debut as director and MD Amy Power with her first full scale musical. Other hallmarks of the Players on display were the good and innovative use of the stage, their technical wizardry in a village hall setting and the quality of their wardrobe. The production, performed in the presence of NODA Vice President Fred Piggford, moved with good pace and clarity of projection from most of the cast. Given the constraints of a village hall this was a very good production, and will have done nothing to harm the reputation of Watlington Players. Indeed, this good reputation may go someway to explain why so many on the local amateur scene appear in their productions. The 15 main characters were well cast and all contributed to the crispness of this production. The enchanted objects; Tom Watson (Lumiere), Leslie Judd (Cogsworth), Gemma Laing (Mrs Potts), Charlie Gotts (Chip) and Susan Power (Wardrobe) looked magnificent in their respective costumes and collectively were quite splendid performance wise. Lead roles taken by Ross Woodhouse (Beast) and Megan Abbot (Belle) were a delightful match for each other, both giving fine performances. Good support was provided by the chorus and other eight main leads. Highlights for me were the song and dance routine performed with the aid of drinking tankards and the classic Be Our Guest number. It was also nice to note from the programme that the back cloths were designed and painted in house by company members.
Jim Farr
29th June 2011
Jim Farr
29th June 2011
Lynn News Review
I had seen Disney’s Beauty and the Beast last year at Fakenham and, although I liked that production, I was less sure about the show itself. This show requires a large amount of money to be thrown at it to do is justice and, although that is relative to each society and its bank balance, this looked expensive for Watlington.
From the first scene you could see excellent sets (Seamus Power, Barry Ayres, Gemma Laing and Richard Bennett) and props (Margaret Mould and Barbara Curtis) and some truly remarkable costumes (Judy Parson, Claire Cooper and Kate Carpenter), all made specially.
The chorus were as enthusiastic as ever, with William Johnson standing out. It was a large cast, with Matthew Austin omnipresent, nearly stealing the show with a master class in character cameo with as good a Monsieur D’Arque (Asylum Manager) as you are likely to see anywhere. Of the supporting cast, Charlie Gotts was delightful as broken cup Chip and it was nice to see Susan Power in full flow as the wardrobe Madame la Grand Bouche.
Leslie Judd’s butler turned Cogsworth was perfectly within his range and he gave the best performance I have witnessed since his butler in The Importance of Being Earnest.
The villain was Neanderthal bully Gaston played by Jamie Nuttall. It was a good charaterisation. As sidekick Lafou, Matthew Kerslake was brilliant and owned the sage every time he stepped anywhere near it. It was no surprise the lead went to Megan Abbott. She melted the audience with her beautiful singing voice and, although she played the part a little more cynically than the last incumbent I had witnessed, it worked just fine. More of a surprise was delightful Fiona Haylock as Babette, love interest of Lumier. She was alluring, sexy and totally convincing.
Ross Woodhouse have a superb performance as the selfish Prince turned into a Beast and back again after finding the ability to love, and be loved. The development of the character was perfect and his wonderful singing voice carried off some moving and difficult songs. Tom Watson’s performance as candlestick Lumier was worth the ticket money on its own. His credible French accent never waivered and his characterization was sincere and comedic when required, and an accomplished delivery of every song.
Congratulations to debutante director Kristen Dutton; she threw everything at this bar the kitchen sink and most of it worked. The black and white move sequence was perfect and the take home memory of the show. Congratulations to choreographer Penny Cooke, especially for the constructed Kill the Beast routine, and musical director Amy Power and he Orchestra.
The best show I have seen this year.
Stephen Hayter
29th June 2011
From the first scene you could see excellent sets (Seamus Power, Barry Ayres, Gemma Laing and Richard Bennett) and props (Margaret Mould and Barbara Curtis) and some truly remarkable costumes (Judy Parson, Claire Cooper and Kate Carpenter), all made specially.
The chorus were as enthusiastic as ever, with William Johnson standing out. It was a large cast, with Matthew Austin omnipresent, nearly stealing the show with a master class in character cameo with as good a Monsieur D’Arque (Asylum Manager) as you are likely to see anywhere. Of the supporting cast, Charlie Gotts was delightful as broken cup Chip and it was nice to see Susan Power in full flow as the wardrobe Madame la Grand Bouche.
Leslie Judd’s butler turned Cogsworth was perfectly within his range and he gave the best performance I have witnessed since his butler in The Importance of Being Earnest.
The villain was Neanderthal bully Gaston played by Jamie Nuttall. It was a good charaterisation. As sidekick Lafou, Matthew Kerslake was brilliant and owned the sage every time he stepped anywhere near it. It was no surprise the lead went to Megan Abbott. She melted the audience with her beautiful singing voice and, although she played the part a little more cynically than the last incumbent I had witnessed, it worked just fine. More of a surprise was delightful Fiona Haylock as Babette, love interest of Lumier. She was alluring, sexy and totally convincing.
Ross Woodhouse have a superb performance as the selfish Prince turned into a Beast and back again after finding the ability to love, and be loved. The development of the character was perfect and his wonderful singing voice carried off some moving and difficult songs. Tom Watson’s performance as candlestick Lumier was worth the ticket money on its own. His credible French accent never waivered and his characterization was sincere and comedic when required, and an accomplished delivery of every song.
Congratulations to debutante director Kristen Dutton; she threw everything at this bar the kitchen sink and most of it worked. The black and white move sequence was perfect and the take home memory of the show. Congratulations to choreographer Penny Cooke, especially for the constructed Kill the Beast routine, and musical director Amy Power and he Orchestra.
The best show I have seen this year.
Stephen Hayter
29th June 2011