User reviews

I have enjoyed this, but I can understand why others may have not.

This is not a direct adaptation of the story as much as it is an homage to the original story and how that came to be. It is part documentary, part adaptation with mixed results.

I have found H. E. R. To be a charming Belle, Josh Groban was great as Beast (though underused), Joshua Henry was a fantastic Gaston and Rita Moreno was a delightful host. Shania Twain was not bad as Mrs. Potts, but lacked the theatricality that Angela Lansbury brought to the role. Martin short was Martin Short, meaning a joy and David Alan Grier was well cast Cogsworth.

I liked the sets they used and the costumes, though I have found the Beast to me a little more frightening than it might have been intended. The musical numbers were well done and well sang.

The different styles flow better in the beginning than they do in towards the end and I feel that for what they intended to do they showed too much of the original movie.

Is this bad? No.

Do you miss out on anything if you don't watch it? Depends on how much of a Beauty and the Beast fan you are.

I'm thinking they just tried to do too much here. They tried to combine storyboards, animated version footage and live actors to tell the story again, but it was too much of a mish-mash to make sense. Including the small live audience who applauded at the strangest times. Disappointing too that the couple never danced together nor kissed! Not very romantic. Josh Groban had gushed about the amazing costume/contraption they built for him but it didn't come off well with him peeking out from underneath. And as much as I admire H. E. R.'s talent I thought having her come down the stairs playing her electric guitar was just weird.

I saw the original many years ago but don't remember much about it, so even the animated movie was like seeing this for the first time. I have also seen a version with Robert Carlyle as The Beast aka Rumplestiltskin and Emilie de Ravin as Belle, as one of the stories told in the ABC series "Once Upon a Time". The animated movie, of course, was fantastic. Narrator Rita Moreno, who did a fine job, introduced us to the animator responsible for Belle. He did a wonderful job, as did everyone involved in the excellent animation, and I have to stay the more realistic animation in movies now doesn't quite have that degree of charm. And the acting performances were wonderful. Of course Angela Lansbury's Mrs. Potts was great, and I had forgotten how good Paige O'Hara was.

So we were promised that live action sequences would be musical numbers. That wasn't quite true, as they tried to add some spoken word or dance sequences. We could see the cast walking past a portion of the live audience and that was nice. But after the animated film began, somehow I didn't see the first of the live action sequences as working. I was pleasantly surprised by H. E. R. Most of the time. I don't care for today's music and don't see talent when I see any of today's stars performing what passes for music. But H. E. R. Was fantastic in most of her numbers. Josh Groban was great too, at least as a singer, but his costume looked very strange and I can't imagine something that big being comfortable.

Martin Short was very good, especially on the amazing "Be Our Guest". Still, I couldn't stop comparing him to Jerry Orbach and sometimes felt something was missing. Most of the cast members with spoken lines did a very good job. Joshua Henry had a Shakespearean style that seemed overly pretentious for what is essentially a kids' production, but fine for something more sophisticated.

And I can't say enough about "Be Our Guest". Great singing, dancing, and objects appearing mysteriously from under the table as if by Disney magic.

The conventional dance numbers were great. Not sure how to feel about the wolves or whatever those were. But was the Pilobolus/Esther Williams routine really necessary? It just seemed strange, even if they were quite good.

Great costumes, except for the Beast. In my opinion, Groban should have performed offstage with someone else wearing that hideous thing. I mean hideous in a good way, if we can't see him in it. Great sets, too.

But not all was good. I still saw some of the live action sequences as pointless or not done as well as in the movie. And Shania Twain did not show how talented she really is. I don't know if she didn't have the voice for this sort of production, or whether the problem was her mike. When she sang "Beauty and the Beast", it was better. Not great, but the live audience seemed to like it. As I recall Twain didn't have lines, because of course only Lansbury could really do them right. Maybe Lansbury's vocals would have worked better.

And they couldn't avoid what passes for music in today's world. Actually, music of this type has been around a while, but that doesn't make it good. At one point heavy metal guitar was used, and I didn't care for it. And toward the end, why did H. E. R. Need to pick up a guitar and play that garbage? And some of the music toward the end sounded more like today's music than what was in the movie. Also, H. E. R. Couldn't avoid doing the extra syllables so many stars want to do today.

Mixing the animation and the live action may not have been a bad thing, and some of the live action was certainly good, but in other ways, live action just showed how much better the movie was.

I suppose it was worth seeing.

This is obviously mostly a vehicle to showcase how progressive ABC and Disney have become through the casting of H. E. R as Belle. H. E. R. delivers here, using the "R" in her acronym to reveal her beautiful eyes, shedding her edgy persona to temporarily become a Disney princess, and she is a great sport at it. Her exotic looks and exotic voice give Belle the texture we need in 2022. And as a bonus, H. E. R gives us a taste of her electric guitar skills at the end which is a nice surprise. At 25, she is only two letters away from EGOT, so I hope this live stage experience will open the doors for her to win a Tony next. Josh Groban performs as expected with his soaring voice, and the supporting cast, specifically Martin Short and Joshua Henry as Gaston, are awesome to watch. Overall, this is a good Christmas-time production, but the progressiveness stops on the surface, as deep down the "Beauty and the Beast" storyline is quite problematic. If you think about it, young girls should really be shielded from the dangerous messages lurking in this horror disguised as a classic Disney fairly tale. It's insidious.

I bet this was fun in person, but it felt a bit disjointed as a TV special. Still, it was worth it to see Joshua Henry, who was an absolutely amazing Gaston. I loved every second he was on screen. At least skip around to watch his scenes. Really great stuff.

The beast suit was odd, but Josh Groban did phenomenal as always. H. E. R. , while an enjoyable artist, left me wanting something different. As my daughter put it, 'it felt like the credit scene took over the movie'. The pop sound did not hold up on stage next to power vocals of Gaston and Beast. Shania was also a bit weak. I know Ms Potts wasn't an epic vocal, but Angela added character that made it endearing.

I've seen a lot of crybabies in these reviews. If you feel the need to complain about the race of the people portraying the characters, you have problems. They were all talented. This wasn't meant to be a live action movie, they did that years ago. This was to show the work that went into it 30yrs ago, along with remembering the scenes in the original movie, and then watching them act out the most poignant scenes and songs of the film. What is so hard to understand about that? Too many people calling it confusing, there was nothing confusing. It was entertaining, reminiscent, and everyone who was apart of it did a great job. Stop reading into everything like it needs to be Oscar worthy before it receives praise. Not to mention if you have kids, they will enjoy it, it was wholesome, fun entertainment.

My family enjoyed the creative and unique take on a classic. I found the intertwining of the animated film, drawings, and live action to be very creative and well done.the live action actors are talented, amazing voices, and great dancing skills. They looked like they really enjoyed the performance. It is worth the watch and a great show to see with your kids. Don't listen to the negative comments. If you like Disney musicals, you will enjoy this creative version. Enjoy the music, dancing, story, and creativity of this version on Beauty and the Beast with the added history and intertwining story.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Animated "original" beauty and the beast. And just as I would settle in and watch, it was intercut with a "live" Broadway re-enaction. Which was quite distracting. The teacups just stood around and honestly, the SENIOR actors and actresses were way toooo old for this production (I'm talking about you Martin Short).

The dancing was stiff and in one segment you had a Caucasian Beauty and in the next segment it was intercut with a POC Beauty. (If I write Black this comment may be taken down) I don't know why Disney just Didn't honor the original by showing us the original.

I loved the animated BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 30 years ago, so I was looking forward to seeing this anniversary tribute. Sadly it was an over-produced and stuffed with performers who were not up to film and staged versions of this classic. The show had energy and point whenever Rita Moreno (the charming host), and Josh Groban (as the Beast) were around for the live, sung numbers. They were interspersed with the original animated film. H. E. R was a vocally wan Belle. Shania Twain as Mrs. Potts was the worst vocal casting as Mrs. Potts with nothing to compare to the transcendent Angela Lansbury in the film. Already well into her late 60s, Lansbury imbued the character with warmth and sang this character part with theatrical flair. Ms. Twain sounded mature and not in a good way. She's not known as an actress and it showed. Vocal energy arrived with the casting of Josh Groban as the Beast, and he was wonderful. H. E. R is probably a fine R&B artist vocally, but out of her depth in a musical. Martin Short as Lumiere and David Alan Grier as Cogsworth, showed theatrical flair. "Be Our Guest" is meant to be a showstopper, and it is a highlight of the original film. Here it was amplified so far beyond its charm as to be annoying. Simply put, this was an over-produced mess. No doubt, mine will be a minority opinion. But this is a rare instance of Disney throwing a fortune at a beloved animated movie classic. I just wish it had been better cast and produced with a little more restraint.

So many negative reviews - are unwarranted. This is merely a new interpretation of a classic story. Sure - Beauty and the Beast has always been about Stockholm Syndrome and the original classic is not really up to date with the current taboos of casting, plot lines and characterizations - yet it seems to be considered the high bar to which all other productions are held.

Negative reviews seem more focused on the cultural background of the chosen cast - but the same reviewers can still ignore the blatant fact that Belle is a prisoner being held by a miserable captor that insists she love him.... (huh?)

With the exception of the opening Disney lot scenes where the performers perform while standing on a bunch of white printer paper that looks like litter... this is a lovely and ambitiously designed production - colorful costumes, great performances and a theater in the round stage design. Yes - we did want to have chairs sent in for the audience standing in the sidelines... but how can anyone fault a production that includes such solid musical performances and colorful costume design.

As for Joshua Henry... turns out there is someone else in the world as talented and as gorgeous as Wayne Brady! Joshua Henry is a superstar.

Would you rather watch the original Disney animated classic or would you rather watch portions of it, interrupted by commercials, live action sequences that are more about new choreography than the musical performances, interspersed with brief pieces about the creation and development of the orignal, perhaps accented with pop-up ads and scrolls on the bottom of the screen?

Some of the new performers are great talents. If only their talents were showcased better...and they were not lip synching!

In recent years we have been spoiled by some incredible live re-creations of musical classics that make this production suffer in comparison.

It was so fantastic H. E. R was so beautiful and had a beautiful voice to and I loved all the performances and music in it. I also loved all the realistic looking costumes everyone did great performances whatever Disney classic they do next like this I would like it. This is a little better than the little mermaid because it had a lot better stuff in it. H. E. R would make a great princess in everything because of how beautiful and gorgeous she is and her gorgeous singing voice. And I was surprised to see the first song scene bonjor take place at Walt Disney studios and I was super impressed with the Drawing parts.

I adore the animated Disney version. This was just a mess of colors snd jumping around...just because they could do it. There were some imaginative costumes...like the Beast. It reminded me of The Lion King costumes. But, there was little continuity between scenes and numbers. Too much lip synch and not enough ...or any live singing. There is so much to love about the original movie. I would have liked it better as a fully staged play. Live singing and such. I had to fast forward. Then I went and watched the animated version instead. It was a delight. I will not watch this version again, and will wipe it from my memory.

I don't understand the negative reviews. This isn't the movie or a live action situation, it's theater. I also did enjoy how the original movie was re-mastered and had prominent show with the theater sequences intertwined. This is a masterpiece, and should be on Broadway. The costumes are absolutely stunning, and the casting is a home run. HER as Belle and her voice is perfection, and Josh Henry as Gaston was like no other. No one could have played Gaston better. I really didn't expect to be as blown away as I have been by this, to be honest I wasn't going to watch it but a few reviews changed my mind. I hope mine changes yours if you're on the fence. Theater people rejoice, because this is the one!

Can we be done with the vocal fry singing already? H. E. R. was just not right for the role. Or simply can't sing without adding the silly little frills.

Josh Groban and Joshua Henry were the highlights of the show musically. Henry was stellar in the recent Into the Woods production and continues to wow.

However, overall it was a rather disjointed mess. The back and forth between animated and live action was distracting and we didn't get nearly enough of some characters like Martin Short and David Alan Grier.

But the part that made it laugh out loud bad was the guitar solo. Whichever creative head made that decision probably shouldn't be put in charge of anything.

I loved the concept of celebrating the original with something entirely new. The intermingling of live performances, dance, digital media, animation, and a dash of Disney history gave the audience and viewers a new way to experience the story. I absolutely LOVED it. This format was perfect for showcasing and celebrating the talents of an impressive, diverse cast. Including legends of stage, film, and music, and new-school name makers was genius! There was truly something for everyone. Casting H. E. R. As Belle was an inspired choice-the singing, the acting, the GUITAR SOLO!!! Beautifully done! Wow!

I'm so surprised and bewildered by all of the negative comments regarding this show. I thought it was one of the best and most brilliant television musical productions that I've ever seen! The dancing was AMAZING, the singing wonderful, and the imaginative creativity was over the top fabulous! I supposed I can understand everyone that was thinking it was going to be a replica of the original movie, being a bit disappointed. But wow, how could you not be impressed by the positive energy they created! I felt like it was better than some of the Broadway shows I've seen! Pure Disney magic! I could watch this again and again! Bravo! 👏🏼👏🏼

This was a choppy, confusing presentation. H. E. R. Was a TERRIBLE choice as the lead Belle, her vocals were nasaly and inconsistent. This switched from the animated classic to live to some interpretive dance crap too frequently! The actor for LeFou was godawful, couldn't sing, couldn't dance, absolutely putrid!

Josh Groban's costume looked too much like a Chinese New Year parade float and did not invoke any semblance of the Beast at all. The vocals were meh, but it simply didn't need his name on this.

Overall, if Disney's goal is to continue making things worse with each iteration, they've certainly succeeded! This is one that should be buried deep in the Disney vault and never see the light of day again!

I thought this was going to be a staged version of the movie but I when I saw them in the parking lot I knew I was mistaken, but I guess that's my fault, it wouldn't have been a big deal but I could barely make it through the first number, the girl that played Belle couldn't even sing that great in fact most of the ensemble couldn't sing or act their way out of a paper bag, overall it just paled in comparison to the original or even the 2017 version, Josh groban as usual was great, and was really the only one that was worth any praise, I will say the set design and tech was quite nice, but just a poor attempt otherwise, stick to the original.

Alan Menkel as the director was heaven sent. The whole show was so cohesive and this was such a fun and creative take on the classic.

H. E. R. Was the highlight for me. There was so much power and control in her vocals. I loved that she brought youth to her role. It was so significant because she didn't just play a role. She was Belle.

Josh Groban as the Beast could not be more perfect. Each performance was a dream. He still had a vigor and I loved the giant beast puppet they made. The gothic style really played into the story.

Shania Twain as Mrs Pots was the surprise that kept on giving. I didn't know she could fill in Angela Lansbury's, but boy she did. She was beautiful and my favorite part was her costume!

Gaston was a force to be reckoned with. Tap dancing, singing, acting, was perfect. Couldn't have asked for a better character.