On Thursday 27th May I attended the performance of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ together with the NODA Councillor, Jacquie Stedman and her husband and we thoroughly enjoyed the performance. I was also fortunate in that I attended the Saturday performance in my capacity as your NODA Rep’ and I sat through the performance totally entranced with what the Sainsbury Singers presented on stage, this also gave me the opportunity to review both sets of children.

Mr. Gold later manages to collect the shards of the cup and keeps them in the safe of his shop. When the Trigger to destroy Storybrooke is activated, he uses a potion given by Leroy that helps people regain their true memories, which must be drunk from an object that's important to them, and restores the cup from the shards. He then pours the potion in it for Belle and himself and has her drink it in a toast. Belle regains her memories and is reunited with Mr. Gold. Season Five: " The Dark Swan" • " The Price" • " Siege Perilous" • " The Broken Kingdom" • " Dreamcatcher" • " The Bear and the Bow" • " Nimue" • " Birth" • " The Bear King" • " Broken Heart" • " Swan Song" • " Souls of the Departed" • " Labor of Love" • " Devil's Due" • " The Brothers Jones" • " Our Decay" • " Her Handsome Hero" • " Ruby Slippers" • " Sisters" • " Firebird" • " Last Rites" • " Only You" • " An Untold Story" The opening of the story was much welcomed. Similarly to the Disney animation the story began with the brief narration of how and why the Beast earned his monstrous appearance. This was beautifully illustrated with still images viewed behind a transparent curtain. A curtain, that in fact, was a clever means of subtly dividing this artistic introduction from the story plot. Original: Prologue • Belle • Gaston • Be Our Guest • Something There • Human Again • Beauty and the Beast • The Mob Song Big Hero 6: Hiro • Baymax • Fred • Wasabi • Honey Lemon • Go Go Tomago • Tadashi Hamada • Yokai • MochiInside Out: Joy • Sadness • Anger • Disgust • Fear • Bing Bong • Frank and Dave • Forgetters • Jangles • Rainbow Unicorn Abi Kirkwood–(BELLE) – This young lady exhibited an acting ability far in excess of her 24 years. Her initial abhorrence towards the ‘Beast’ to her eventual love for him was all beautifully portrayed. This young lady has enormous talent, not only in her acting ability but in her vocal quality, Abi presented a singing voice of exceptional clarity together with control and power. Her singing in her various numbers was a joy to listen too and in particular her number with her father ‘No Matter What’– Congratulations on a terrific presentation. Give a Little Whistle" • " Heigh-Ho" • " With a Smile and a Song" • " Beauty and the Beast" • " Part of Your World" • " Fathoms Below" • " Cruella De Vil • " Some Day My Prince Will Come" • " The Unbirthday Song"

The Ensemble – Villagers, Wolves, Plates, Spoons, Knives, Forks, Corkscrew, Salt and Pepper Pots, Egg Timer, Napkins and Statue In the Edge of Realms, after Mr. Gold and Belle build themselves a new home there, they decorate the inside of the house, with the chipped cup being one of the items placed on display. Following Belle's death, Mr. Gold has the chipped cup placed on her coffin. Sleeping Beauty: Aurora • Phillip • Maleficent • Flora • Fauna • Merryweather • Diablo • Samson • King Stefan • Goon • Owl • RabbitDisney Characters introduced in Kingdom Hearts Union χ: Sultan • Samson • Vanellope von Schweetz • Fix-It Felix Jr. • Sergeant Calhoun • King Candy • Sour Bill • Cy-Bugs • Hero's Duty Troops Fireworks: Celebrate! Tokyo Disneyland • Disney Dreams! • Disney Enchantment • Disney in the Stars • Harmonious • Illuminate! A Nighttime Celebration • Magic, Music and Mayhem • The Magic, the Memories and You • Magical: Disney's New Nighttime Spectacular of Magical Celebrations • Momentous • Once Upon a Time • Wishes: A Magical Gathering of Disney Dreams • Wonderful World of Animation • World of Color • Wondrous Journeys As with ‘Chip’Isaw both groups of children on the two nights I attended.I was impressed by the way each and everyone enteredinto the spirit of themusical presenting their own individual characterisations – Well done to all of you. Make-up and Wigs– Make-up had been well applied and the various characters had been well brought out and all looked authentic under the stage lights. Wigs also looked good they appeared to have been dressed correctly and were of a good fit.

Thank you for inviting me to review your latest production,it was a magical experience and I have nothing but praise for all involved in this show. It was great to see the audience give a standing ovation at the end and which was well deserved. You will certainly be hard put to top this show. May I wish you all success with your future productions. BEAUTY and the Beast is not only a particularly well known story but is also a much loved animated film and for a local musical drama group to attempt to bring the tale to a theatre audience as a live production is extremely ambitious but yet again The Sainsbury Singers do not disappoint. Their latest show at The Hexagon in Reading, the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast, was a superb, lavish and magical experience. The Ensemble of VillagersIWolvesIPlatesISpoonsIKnivesIForksICorkscrewISalt & Pepper PotsIEgg TimerINapkinsIStatue–This chorus was outstanding, not only did they wear outlandish costumes as listed above and which I imagine was no easy task, but they also presented a wealth of precise choreographic movement.At the same time,the singing was a joy to listen too, it had power and balance and was some of the best singing I have heard from this group in a while, in fact the ‘Sainsbury Sound’ has re-awakened. Stage Manager and Crew– Stage manager and crew, ‘take a bow’, you deserve it.Your manipulation of this set of complex scenery was well worked. Scene changes were swift and silent eliminating those ‘pregnant pauses’ which so often happens with sets of this nature – Congratulations.

Featured In This Story

Under the musical direction of Trevor Defferd, the first-class band of 18 musicians played faultlessly, punctuating each twist and turn in the story and creating the enchanting atmosphere that enabled the cast to tell this magical tale. Magic Kingdom, Chip's likeness can be seen on the sign of Mrs. Potts' Cupboard Ice Cream. Also in the Magic Kingdom, Chip appears in Once Upon a Time, where Mrs. Potts tells him bedtime stories of classic Disney tales. Sleeping Beauty: Aurora • Prince Phillip • Maleficent • Flora • Fauna • Merryweather • Winter Aurora • Dragon Maleficent • Briar Rose • Peridot Maleficent Tangled: Rapunzel • Flynn Rider • Pascal • Maximus • Mother Gothel • Queen Arianna • King Frederic • Cassandra • Fidella • Pub Thug

Disney Characters introduced in Birth by Sleep: Prince Phillip • Maleficent's Goons • Doc • Grumpy • Happy • Sleepy • Bashful • Sneezy • Dopey • The Prince • Evil Queen • Magic Mirror • Prince Charming • Jaq • Lady Tremaine • Anastasia • Drizella • Lucifer • Grand Duke • Grand Councilwoman • Captain Gantu • Jumba • Experiment 221 • Lost Boys The Hexagon staff; The Sainsbury Singers front of house team; Theale Green Community School; Kidz Alive! Gallery Beauty and the Beast: Belle • Beast • Lumiere • Cogsworth • Mrs. Potts • Chip • Maurice • Philippe • Gaston • LeFou • Bimbettes • Wardrobe • Wolves • Villagers Front of House–Sainsbury Singers still retain the high standard one has come to expect from the Front of House staff – keep up the good work. Costumes– These costumes were incredible, they were descriptive, colourful and had been made by a costumier who knew his/her business. They were well fitting, clean and had a dramatic impact on the audience.Cinderella: Cinderella • Fairy Godmother • Gus • Prince Charming • Jaq • Lucifer • Anastasia • Drizella • Lady Tremaine • Wedding Cinderella • Pink Dress Cinderella • Holiday Cinderella • Iolite Fairy Godmother In her first leading role with the society, Abi Kirkwood was excellent as Belle, the Beauty of the story. Disney heroines are always saccharine-sweet and naïve but Abi managed to give Belle added depth and strength of character; her clear diction and singing were a joy. Her duet with Maurice, her eccentric inventor father, delightfully played by Peter Cox, was particularly enjoyable as their voices blended together so well. The Sainsbury Singers presented Beauty and the Beast on 26-29 May 2010 at The Hexagon Theatre,Reading. Peter Cox–(MAURICE) – As the inventor father of ‘Belle’, Peter was excellent. This seasoned performer gave this character a life of his own displaying all the eccentricity called for in the part. His feelings towards his daughter ‘Belle’ was beautifully portrayed and vocally, his duet with ‘Belle’, ‘No Matter What’ could not have been bettered – A great performance.