Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast
Our Beast, whilst slowly being consumed by the castle vines, was full of remorse, regret and self-loathing. Belle entered his world full of curiosity, integrity and a willingness to challenge what others fear. She illuminated the Beast’s darkness and gave him the courage needed to confront himself.
For the cast of 22 performers from LC2 to SFC2, this was the culmination of over six months of rehearsals, costume fittings, choreography classes, long weekends and learning lines. In return, it is safe to say that for those three special nights, every performer brought their A-game and delivered performances that will be remembered for a long time.
The cast was backed by a band whose talents elevated the whole experience to something magical. The musicians were mainly students, supported by professional players where necessary. This mix was mirrored backstage, where students and staff worked side-by-side on lighting, video and stage-management.
The most remarkable thing about the musical was the way it forged relationships that otherwise would never have come to pass - the performers in a huddle after their vocal warm-up (“We are Beauty and the Beast!”), the band enjoying interval drinks together in their greenroom, and everyone looking out for each other to make the very best show. Long after trigonometry, valency and rhetorical devices are forgotten, the power of performing together will be remembered.
I have not mentioned any names, as to name one is to forget two and producing a show is a team endeavour. Those who helped are myriad, but please know that we see you, appreciate you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
As with all aspects of school life, there is something new to look forward to, and we hope to see you in school again for our Open Air performance of The Tempest in June and the Summer Concert in July.
Dr Starkey
Events and Theatre Technician and Teacher of Chemistry