Be our guest! Be our guest!
Put our service to the test.
Tie your napkin ’round your neck, Cherie,
and we’ll provide the rest.
Another great welcome from Script Youth Musical Theatre Company and another fantastic production. And this was their biggest yet, now in the main auditorium of The Crescent Theatre, Birmingham. Now, it seems that only a few weeks ago I was reviewing another Script production in Legally Blonde Jr. And that is down to the company having a younger section in recent times. This means that the talent is always coming through when it reaches full potential. And this is even more important when you consider a number on stage in Beauty and the Beast were taking part in what would certainly be an emotional final performance before leaving for pastures new.
This is the classic love tale brought to life with the music of Alan Menken, lyrics from Howard Ashman and Tim Rice with a book by Linda Wolverton. Featuring well known songs such as Be Our Guest, No Matter What, Gaston and that tale as old as time, Beauty and the Beast (Title Song), the story is possibly more famous as the 1991 Disney film. But make no mistake, the stage musical is far superior and nobody I have seen has done it better than Script.
Playing Belle was Erin Phillips who was excellent in the lead role. Amazing voice and perfectly at home and confident throughout. Samuel McCormack played the Beast well, commanding the stage with authority but also showing the vulnerability the character needed. If I Can’t Love Her was amazing. Finlay Laidlaw was the arrogant Gaston who shone particularly during his own-named song. Always a good performance from the long-standing member. And the same can be said for Evie Rice in her final show. I have seen Evie many times and each role is as diverse from the last as could be possible, showing the skill of the character actor. This time it was Lefou, falling and being thrown about stage continuously in a comic fashion that Evie rose to admirably. I also need to break away from cast complements to add that she was also responsible for the design and creation of the main costumes, as part of her final year at the prestigious Birmingham Ormiston Academy (BOA).
Also shining, if you forgive the pun, was Kian Haden as Lumiere who shared excellent comic moments with the equally superb Aimee Whillis as Cogsworth. Playing Mrs Potts was Chloe Mason whose delivery of the title song was superb. A special mention to a new member in the fabulous Oliver Malkin who had the unenviable task of spending nearly all of the show in a teacup on a trolley as Chip. The rest of the brilliant principals were Zachariah Scrivens (Maurice), Jess Lewis (Madame De La Grande Bouche), Amelia Green (Bookseller), Calvin Gunn (Monsiuer D’Arc) and finally, Louise Heard as Babette, whose lovely smile throughout was infectious.
A huge shout out to the main dancers interpreting the great choreography of Kelly McCormack. These were Effie Jobling, Isabelle Round, Darci Rice and Lexie Shaw. I have to say, the performance of Be Our Guest was one of the best dance numbers that I have seen for a long time. The rest of the named cast were Frankie Donahue (Narrator), Baily Latusek (Baker), and Leo Stubbington (Young Prince). But equally as important is the ensemble which no show can do without. These were Maia Johnson, Corey Mayne, Holly Hardcastle, Dean Donnelly, Grace Bishop, Charlotte Redman, Nevada Grizzle-Francis, Isla Thorp, Dotty Twigg, Scarlette Williams and Heidi Haskins. Please correct me if I have missed anyone or spelled names wrong.
The rest of the production team were Louise Farmer (Director) and Tom Wells (Musical Direction) who can be enormously proud of what was one of the best from Script to date. Although some students are leaving, the future still looks secure with the talent awaiting. And that is great news for future productions of Into the Woods Jr. (Nov 2025), Six – Teen Edition (July 2026) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (September 2026). I highly recommend.
Cheers.
Antony N Britt
*Photos taken from social media.
Antony N Britt - Author 