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Beauty And The Beast
( Germany) - Scottish Premiere.
Part of the 2004 Bank Of Scotland Children's International Theatre Festival
organised by Imaginate.
Director - Ralf Meyer.
Designer - Angela Baumgart-Wolf.
Mask Designer - Michael Vogel.
Text - Lars Frank und Nils Dreschke based on the French story by
Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve.
Cast - Lars Frank and Ines Heinrich.
Company - Puppen-Theater der Stadt Halle Company
Website .
Seen to review on 1 June at Traverse Theatre Edinburgh.
Run Time - 50mins.
Suggested Age - 7+ years.
Reviewer - Thelma Good.
Strong theatrical storytelling.
We're less familiar with masks in Scotland and indeed we have no company
that regularly use masks in its productions. Puppen-Theater der Stadt
Halle could stimulate
a fresh look at this powerful approach to theatre. All the characters
are played by two actors, one is the Beast and the quite formal narrator,
the other with changes of masks is all three of the merchant's daughters
and the merchant.
The masks are whole face masks with strongly individualised faces, particularly
of course the Beast. Horned, lopsided and one eyed, as the story unfolds
the impression of his ugliness fades as he tries again and again to woo
Beauty, though the feeling of his potential strength is never lost. Poor
Beauty, her light hearted request to father to bring her back a rose has
a consequence she accepts with out a murmur. Her father took it from the
Beast's garden along with many valuables from his castle, to return to
Beauty and her sisters he has to agreed to sending Beauty to live with
the Beast.
Using shadows, music and crinoline cage on wheels the story is told. That
marvellous crinoline cage is deployed in several ways giving us Beauty's
dangerous sea voyage, the metaphorical and literal confinement her wish
for a rose has locked her into and the room she sadly retreats to. And
the scene where he takes her to the high cliff suggest the danger and
exhilaration of putting your trust in another.
It's a very classy telling of a classical tale set in a universe where
unicorns and dragons feel just around the corner. While the toy world
and children's TV is full of gaudy neon colours and paper thin plots this
is a production that places strong theatrical storytelling confidently
centre stage.
© Thelma Good 1 June 2004. - Published on EdinburghGuide.com
More
info and reviews on the annual Bank of Scotland Children's International
Theatre Festival.
Theatre Editor, Thelma
Good's e-mail is thelma@edinburghguide.com
Although every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the
information presented in these pages, no responsibility can be accepted
for any errors or omissions.
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