Beauty & The Beast as presented by Marian Choral Society

Marian Choral Society 

Beauty and the Beast 

Saturday 2nd November 2024 

PUBLIC REVIEW 

As I drove through the gates of St. Jarlath’s College, Tuam, eagerly anticipating Marian Choral Society’s production of ‘Beauty and the Beast’, I was momentarily transported back ‘a few years’ to when twelve-year-old Pat stepped out of his dad’s Fiat Mirafiori and surveyed his new school and ‘home’ for the very first time. It was here that I encountered the late greats, Joe Donoghue and Noel Kirrane and it was here that I first discovered my passion for all things theatre. How special it was to return to where it all began and, even more special, to see a show produced by a group with such close ties to these two great inspirations of mine. 

MCS brought a most entertaining version of the much-loved Disney classic to the St. Jarlath’s hall. This relatively small stage is not without its limitations but that didn’t deter the production team from creating many, often unexpected, magical moments which wowed a very appreciative, final night audience. 

Front of house couldn’t have been more welcoming. A bit of a seating mix-up was dealt with very professionally and cheerfully and all was well as Cogsworth and Lumiere guided us through the necessary front of house announcements. 

Aoife McClafferty directed with a good eye for characterisation and the technical flourishes required to create that Disney magic. She found much comic business in the script, balancing these very well with the more tender moments. Ms. McClafferty created some lovely magic with the gauze and the transformation scene was a most unexpected, technical triumph as the Beast was elevated above the stage before magically regaining his princely form. There were some really effective ensemble freezes which, complemented by atmospheric lighting, were beautifully staged. Gaston’s demise was well-realised, again using the technical elements of set and lighting to good effect. 

Musical Director, Shane Farrell, did sterling work with Alan Menken’s delightful score. His eleven-piece orchestra was a joy. From the opening bars of the magical overture, we knew that this was going to be a very special show musically. Principal singing was generally very good but it was the incredible choral sound in the bigger ensemble numbers that impressed most. ‘Be Our Guest’ and ‘Human Again’ were just stunning from both orchestra and cast with exceptionally good levels from both and equally wonderful balance between vocal parts. 

Jay Molyneux’s choreography was nicely devised to suit the capabilities of his large cast. Bigger production numbers were well-drilled and rehearsed with clever formations and good use of available space. It was difficult to know where to focus in the opening ‘Belle’ number, as there was so much going on. However, ‘Be Our Guest’ did not disappoint. This was a wonderfully creative number, a kaleidoscopic treat, full of energy and precision. The can-can section worked very well, and I loved the final picture which was perfectly accentuated by the superb lighting. Likewise, ‘Human Again’ was executed well by the large ensemble cast, even if some facial expressions needed attention to reflect the joy of the characters no longer being cursed. The tankard clinking sequence was fun and precisely executed in one of the real highlights of the show.

Kate MacDonnell was a self-assured, likeable and endearing Belle whose loyalty and love for her father, Maurice, shone throughout. Diction was excellent and she had strong stage presence befitting this iconic Disney character. Ms. MacDonnell had a beautiful soprano voice and demonstrated excellent control. She really impressed with her two big numbers, ‘Home’ and ‘A Change in Me’, both of which were sung with great thought and sincerity. I did feel that the emotion could have been stronger in reaction to the Beaast’s demise before the transformation sequence but that is a very small point in what was a really fine, all-round performance from Ms. MacDonnell. 

Beast is one of the more difficult roles in musical theatre. If the traditional type of mask is used, all facial expressions and nuances become null and void once you hit the stage. Everything becomes focused on the voice and the physicality, making it a very different and challenging role to rehearse and to perform. Paul Singleton looked great in his imposing portrayal. He was angry and intimidating when required but there was a vulnerability there too which was nicely underplayed. Mr. Singleton had a fine singing voice and cleverly used his characterisation to mask some vocal tiredness in ‘If I Can’t Love You’. 

Jonathan Newman was a youthful Gaston who put everything into playing the role of the muscle-flexing, misogynistic lothario, full of his own importance. Mr. Newman had wonderful presence, delivering lines with just the right amount of knowing self-obsession and arrogance to make him both utterly despicable and likeable at the same time. After a shaky entrance in ‘Belle’, he recovered well and sang with a strong baritone voice. 

Ruadhán Gormally was another very talented young man in the role of village idiot and Gaston’s inept sidekick, LeFou. Mr. Gormally’s portrayal was brim full of character and chaotic exuberance. He was an excellent physical comedian, with hilarious facial expressions and rubber-limbed antics in what was a suitably cartoonish performance. 

The flamboyant Lumiere was played with great energy and expression by Stuart Barrows who delighted in the comic opportunities his role presented. Mr. Barrows gave us a performance full of wit and charm. His French accent was consistently strong throughout. He had great cheeky banter with Babette, revelling in the flirtatious fun with a comic campness that endeared him to the audience from the start. He performed his big showcase number ‘Be Our Guest’ with great aplomb, displaying a fine voice to boot. 

Making up the other half of this impressive double act, Norman Quinn gave a standout performance as a cantankerous, pompous Cogsworth. This was a superbly judged and very funny characterisation which Mr. Quinn clearly enjoyed every minute of. Mr. Quinn sang very well, particularly in ‘Human Again’, always maintaining his wonderfully stuffy accent and demeanour. A top notch, funny performance. 

John Mulrooney was a sympathetic Maurice, Belle’s crackpot inventor father. Mr. Mulrooney was a very good performer, with fine stage presence. We felt for him, especially when imprisoned by the Beast and when set upon by Gaston. I did feel that some work needed to be done with his accent, which tended to ‘travel’ a bit, but this did not take away hugely from a fine performance. 

Mrs. Potts was played by Suzanne Garvey with a lovely, maternal warmth. Ms. Garvey’s rendition of the title song was just gorgeous. Her accent was consistent, and diction was excellent throughout. Particularly impressive was how in tune Ms. Garvey was with the narrative action, even when she was not the direct focus. Her subtle, intelligent reactions to her fellow performers showed a great deal of thought had been invested in the subtext.

Rian Finegan was a delightfully enthusiastic Chip. What an amazing experience for him to get to work with such a great production team and cast. He was always confident and engaged, living every moment on stage. Line delivery was crystal clear, and he had a fine singing voice too. 

Hannah Rhatigan enjoyed her portrayal of Mme. de la Grande Bouche very much. She showed great characterisation and comic timing as the enchanted wardrobe and sang strongly throughout. 

How lucky MCS was to have the very talented Angela Staunton in the role of the saucy, amorous Babette. She brought great comedic flair to the role and her coquettish carry on with Lumiere provided many of the show’s comic highlights. 

I loved the three Silly Girls whose infatuation with the egomaniacal Gaston was delightfully cartoonish and over the top. These three worked so well together, making the very most out of every comic opportunity. 

Stephen Leo had an imposing, sinister presence as Monsieur D’Arque. I did feel that his wig needed to be off his face more so that we could see his malevolent features more clearly. 

The large ensemble had plenty of involvement and, for the most part, engaged well with the dramatic action. There was an angry energy in ‘The Mob Song’ and some incredibly disciplined freezes throughout the show which looked really effective. Choral singing was wonderful throughout and dances were well rehearsed and executed. 

Stage manager Julie McHugh ensured that the show moved along at a good pace, with well organised scene changes executed in an efficient manner. Movement of the trucked items worked well as did the operation of the midstage gauze. The operation of the two revolves was smoothly handled, although it might have worked better to coordinate turning them with cover from the orchestra, to mask the noise created. I did question the crew striking the fireplace and chair, in full view, at the top of ‘Something There’. Seeing crew walk on when there was no blackout, momentarily broke the magic for me. Congrats on the operation of the transformation ‘lift’. This looked wonderful and I’m sure it required a lot of tech time in rehearsal. Great job all! 

The set was simple but visually appealing. It worked well in what is a fairly restrictive venue. In general, there was good attention to detail. I loved the beautifully dressed proscenium arch with its ornate ‘Beauty and the Beast’ plaque overhead. The front of the revolves were nicely detailed with roses and ivy. The imposing winding staircase for the castle’s West wing was impressive, as was the beautifully detailed library which was magically revealed by Beast. Both revolves looked great and their design allowed for smooth operation. The bottom of the fireplace needed a little touch of black paint and its casters needed to be hidden. 

I felt that more work was required in the props department. ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is a ‘prop heavy’ show and requires a lot of attention to detail. Some props were excellent. LeFou’s blunderbuss looked great, as did Maurice’s wacky invention. I felt that ‘The Mob Song’ was a missed opportunity for props. It could have been brought to life so much more by the inclusion of sticks, weapons, tools, lanterns, torches etc. The few props that were used, seemed to be lost in the crowd and could have been more prominently featured. 

The lighting for this show was exceptionally good, showing great understanding of mood and atmosphere. Some wonderful effects were created throughout the show and the lighting was instrumental in creating that Disney magic on so many occasions. There were some beautifully timed reveals behind the gauze and, when the gauze was used as a backdrop, the gobos used to dress it were very well chosen. There was good use of haze, never too much, which accentuated the moving lights in some very dramatic sequences. This was particularly evident in ‘Be Our Guest’ which was a visual feast. 

Sound was pretty much flawless, in my view. Dialogue was crystal clear, especially underscored dialogue which can often be problematic. The wonderful sound design complemented the exquisite score, with superb balance within the orchestra and a most welcome stage/pit balance too. Choral singing was exceptionally well mixed and sound effects were well chosen and appropriate. 

‘Beauty and the Beast’ is such a visual show and costuming is a key factor in getting that visual element just right. For an iconic story, with such specific costuming requirements, there are certain expectations regarding how each character should be presented. With few exceptions, the costume department delivered. Principal costumes were, for the most part, in line with expectations. I loved most of the enchanted characters’ costumes which were fun and detailed. Gaston’s padded muscle suit didn’t work as well, I felt. Belle’s iconic yellow ballgown needed a little bit of attention as the centre panel was off kilter. A huge job for the costume team who deserve every credit for their mammoth undertaking. 

Hair and make-up were generally very suitable with good attention to detail throughout principal and ensemble players. Gaston and LeFou had some interesting eyebrow energy going on and their wigs were suitably cartoonish. There was good attention to detail with most wigs, particularly for the castle characters. Maurice’s wig looked great and was suitably quirky. However, more care could have been taken to hide the visible hairpins. Monsieur D’Arque’s wig needed to be pinned back as we lost his face whenever he was in side profile. 

Well done to all involved on a really entertaining production of this “tale as old as time”. It was an absolute pleasure to be in attendance. I have to commend everyone involved in the acquisition and installation of the tiered seating in St. Jarlath’s hall. What a game changer for the college and for Marian Choral Society! I have no doubt that Joe and Noel are smiling down and nodding approvingly. 

Pat McElwain 

Gilbert Adjudicator 2024/2025

Photos by Andy Newman