Beauty and the Beast as presented by St. Mary's Choral Clonmel

St. Mary’s Choral Society, Clonmel 

Beauty and the Beast

Saturday 19^th April 2025

A couple of months ago, if someone had asked me if ‘Beauty and the Beast’ could be staged in the White Memorial Theatre, Clonmel, I would most likely have responded with a resounding “no.” With practically non-existent wing space to accommodate the required set pieces and oversized costumery, I’d have been fairly confident in my assertion. It just couldn't be done. Or could it? Well, St. Mary's Choral Society showed me. And how delighted I was to be proved wrong! Channelling the creativity and resourcefulness that I have witnessed up and down the country this season, they overcame all of the challenges, thanks to some ingenious work from their set designer, and produced a thoroughly entertaining production of the Disney classic.

There was an exceptionally warm welcome from the house management team who did a great job in keeping things moving in the foyer and ensuring that patrons were all looked after. I attended a matinee performance and there were lots of children in attendance. It was lovely to see how well looked after they were.

Director Des Henn gave us an entertaining, generally slick, and well-directed production. There were some very nice touches, like the levitation of the enchantress at the top of the show which, combined with great lighting, gave us a wonderfully magical and theatrical moment. Characterisations were generally strong, particularly the leading characters of Beast, Belle, and Gaston. The first number of castle scenes lacked flow, with what felt like numerous, unnecessary blackouts interrupting fluidity. Pace suffered quite a bit due to overly long pauses, particularly in the castle scenes. Sight lines were an issue at times. Belle and Beast were obscured by the balustrade during ‘Home (Reprise 2)’ so we couldn't see Belle's face, which was unfortunate in such a dramatic moment.

Niall Kelly was musical director and there was an exquisite sound from his magnificent orchestra which brought Alan Menken's wonderful score to life. Along with Laura Cotter, chorus mistress, they got a very impressive choral sound from the cast, particularly in ‘Be Our Guest’ and ‘Human Again.’ What was most notable about both of these numbers was the exceptionally good balance between vocal parts. This was particularly evident also in the rousing final chorus of the title song, ‘Beauty and the Beast.’ Principal singing was equally good, with Beast and Belle giving exceptional vocal performances in songs such as ‘If I Can't Love Her’ and ‘Home.’ 

Barbara Meany's choreography was well rehearsed and dynamic. ‘Belle’ was a nicely moved but somewhat limited by a lack of depth downstage of the village set. Gaston was a great number, very well-rehearsed and full of life. However, the cast appeared precariously close to the pit at times. I loved their wonderful percussive work with the tankards in what was one of the stand-out routines of the show. ‘Be Our Guest’ was a visual delight, moved very well with great use of the space. ‘The Mob Song’ was exceptionally strong, with great energy and violent intent from the ensemble, who were totally committed. Wonderful work from Ms. Meany overall.

Eighteen-year-old Saoirse Scully turned in an amazing performance as Belle. She encapsulated the iconic Disney character with her charming stage presence and sweet voice. Ms. Scully was a very clever actress with excellent emotional depth, which laid bare her innermost struggles and aspirations. Vocally, Ms. Scully was so strong and tuneful.‘A Change in Me’ was a vocal highlight of the show, with exceptionally good control in what was an incredibly mature performance. ‘Home’ was equally mesmerising, not just vocally, but in the dramatic intent behind the song, in which she showed remarkable strength and determination. A superb all-round performance from a young lady that we will definitely be hearing lots more about in the future.

The wonderfully talented Emmet Donlan gave a fabulous portrayal of Beast. His portrayal was ferocious, yet vulnerable; cruel, yet sympathetic. Mr. Donlan had a wonderful rapport with Ms. Scully, and together they gave us some of the show's most dramatic and comedic highlights. Mr. Donlan's voice was exceptionally expressive. ‘If I can't love her,’ highlighted his fabulously rich, resonant baritone; one of the musical and dramatic highlights of the show. 

Cormac Maher gave a cartoonish portrayal of the misogynistic, muscle-bound cad Gaston. This was a very funny performance, dripping of narcissism and egotism. Mr. Maher got the perfect balance between Gaston as villain and his more comedic side. His over-the-top posturing and preening was quite hilarious, as he strutted and swaggered around the stage in his very narcissistic performance of ‘Me.’ 

Cian Corcoran was a delightfully eccentric Lumiere, the irrepressible candelabra. This was a performance with great comic potential. Mr. Corcoran’s accent and facial expressions were super. Pace and cueing were not always secure though and Mr. Corcoran just needed to be a little bit quicker to pick up his cues. His signature tune ‘Be Our Guest’ was performed with great energy and theatricality as he introduced the various groupings.

Kevin Fahey gave an excellent comic performance of the stuffy, self-important Cogsworth. This was a very funny portrayal, full of bluster and over the top silliness. Mr. Fahey had great presence and deliciously clipped diction that gave him a perfect air of superiority. He provided good vocal support in choral numbers and solo lines were secure and accurate in ‘Human Again.’

Niamh Healy had a gorgeous disposition as a very warm and maternal Mrs. Potts. Her rapport with Chip was most endearing. Ms. Healy’s performance of the title song, ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ was suitably heartfelt and her beautiful, crystal-clear voice was most impressive. Overall, a captivating performance of an iconic role.

George Barry played Belle's bumbling father, Maurice, with a touching believability. He was a most sympathetic character and his fatherly love for Belle was genuine. ‘No Matter What’ was delivered with a beautiful sincerity and warmth. Mr. Barry’s scenes with Ms. Scully were so tender and believable. I loved how his character developed throughout the show, descending into panic as he tried to protect Belle from harm.

Cathal Walsh played everybody's favourite punchbag LeFou with unrestrained energy. Mr. Walsh was clearly very talented, with great accent, facial expressions, and physicality. However, I felt that, even though he had great capacity and timing for physical comedy, direction avoided much of the slapstick comedy that we often associate with LeFou. Nevertheless, Mr. Walsh gave a strong portrayal. It would have been nice to see him really throw himself about though. He sang very well in ‘Gaston’ bringing great energy and comic understanding to the number.

Doireann Scully was a delightful Chip. Her fabulous expression was always in tune with what was going on around her. She was always acting and always reacting to other characters' lines. She had wonderfully clear diction and beautifully expressive delivery of dialogue. What a fabulous voice she had too in ‘Human Again.’ A standout performance from a young lady with enormous potential.

Rachel Browne was quite the flirtatious minx as Babette. This was a great display of character acting, with Ms. Browne throwing herself into the role with a vibrant energy that made her a most likable character. Her French accent, wonderful expression and sharp comic timing made her a firm favourite.

Nicole Butler was a suitably dramatic and very funny Madame de la Grande Bouche. What a fabulously operatic voice she had too! Ms. Butler’s crystal-clear soprano soared in ‘Human Again.’ How she managed to negotiate her way around side-stage in that costume is beyond me but serious kudos is due for her efforts.

Cole Flanagan was a very ominous looking but softly spoken Monsieur D’Arque. He looked wonderful but needed more edge and projection behind his voice to marry this strong look with the required, sinister characterisation.

Éabha Morrissey, Aoibhe Condon, and Katy Judge were hilariously funny as the Silly Girls. Their obsession with Gaston was clear, and they were suitably over the top in their adulation and idolisation.The ensemble was very strong throughout. There was great commitment and focus in village scenes and they danced very well in the bigger production numbers like ‘Gaston’ and ‘Be Our Guest.’ ‘Human Again’ was another great number and ‘The Mob Song’ was sinister and ominous, with the ensemble showing great strength and violent intent. Their choral singing was exceptionally good with great balance and exceptionally good tone. I loved their dismissive reactions to Maurice telling them about the Beast. Overall, great work which added layers of authenticity to the production.

Unfortunately, stage manager Jimmy Trehy didn't have the best show on the afternoon that I attended. It seemed to be one of those performances where one thing led to another: a domino effect. In spite of the few unfortunate mishaps, there were some strong moments too, however. The petals falling from the enchanted rose were brilliantly timed. The use of low fog was visually impressive and very well timed, and the petals from the vent in the theatre ceiling were a touch of magic and theatrical genius. 

There was a very impressive set which worked perfectly within the space. We had a fabulously gothic castle complete with the most wonderful gargoyles in the proscenium arch.There was amazing attention to detail with windows lit from behind. The winding staircase upstage left on the revolve was excellent. The large castle double doors upstage right were suitably imposing and I loved the clever fold-out, hinged pieces to create the village, which looked just like a storybook with its wonderfully detailed, colourful houses. Beast's library looked fabulous. Overall, an exceptionally good job from a very talented designer and builder with great attention to detail and excellent scenic artistry.

Lighting was exceptionally good. From the very opening with the rose beautifully lit in the preset by a single beam cutting through the haze, we knew that attention to detail was going to be all over this lighting plot. It was highly atmospheric, bright, and bold when it needed to be, shadowy and ominous when required. Lighting contributed hugely to the climactic, magical moment of transformation which, not for the first time during this performance, drew an audible gasp from the children (and this adult!) in the audience.

Sound was excellent throughout. I was very impressed with the balance between orchestra, principals, and ensemble. Underscored dialogue was particularly impressive, always clear, even with more dynamic, dramatic accompaniment. We could hear every single word. Beast's dialogue was full and warm with just the right amount of reverb to set him apart from everybody else. Choral balance was exceptional and there was great use of well-chosen and well-timed sound effects all through the show, adding layers of realism, excitement, and magic.

There was an excellent array of props throughout. The bookseller's stack of books in ‘Belle’ looked wonderful. Gaston's blunderbuss was visually impressive, as was Maurice's fabulous invention which seemed to have a mind of its own and almost ended up in the pit at one point. The tankards in the tavern scene were a great addition to the ‘Gaston’ number and there was good attention to detail with things like the cakes on Chip's trolley, the goblets, and candles on the Beast's table. Lanterns, brooms and even an axe were used to good effect in ‘The Mob Song.’

Beauty and the Beast is a show that requires incredible work in the costume department and I'm glad to say that an excellent job was done by the team here in creating the Disney magic that is expected. Belle's iconic yellow dress drew yet another audible gasp from children at the matinee performance. It was so lovely to hear. Overall, superb attention to detail in what is a very challenging costume plot to get right.

Hair and makeup were excellent. Again, the iconic looks for each of the characters had been given great attention. Wigs were very well chosen, adding so much to the overall visual impact of the show. Beast's mask was a superb creation. It was dramatic and grotesque but it still allowed Mr. Donlan to be expressive. I loved Cogsworth's moustache which cleverly replicated the hands of the clock. Excellent work from all. 

Overall, a highly entertaining production of Disney’s “tale as old of time.” There was a really strong sense of a hugely supportive community at work in the theatre, from the wonderful house management team to the crew, to the cast, to the audience. The talent on stage, especially the young up and coming talent, was wonderful and I am excited to see what lies ahead for the society with such marvellous talent at its disposal. 

Pat McElwain

Gilbert Adjudicator 2024/2025