Beauty and the Beast - Liverpool Empire Theatre

10:57am Monday 7th January 2008

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THE petite frame of Ashley Oliver leads an enthralled audience through the dramatic highs and lows of one of the stage's favourite heroines at the Liverpool Empire theatre.

The angelic actress must have needed little, if any make-up, to transform into the feisty yet friendly young girl fed up with this provinicial life' and the frightening possibility of a life married to the hideously macho hunter, Gaston.

Oliver took the leading role in a touring production of the famous fairytale at the Lime Street theatre during an impressive week-long performance.

It's a tale as old as time, with all the old favourites including jobsworth Cogsworth, the beautiful Babette, the ghastly Gaston and the delightful Lumiere.

The big musical numbers are not quite as big and bold as the show that came to the region a few years ago but that's probably down to a smaller cast.

Judging by the numbers that packed the Empire at Thursday night's performance, the masterfully choreographed numbers of Be Our Guest and Human Again are as entertaining as ever.

Some comedy handbag' moments from Matthew Lammelle as the beast and Ben Stock as the scene-stealing Lumiere, added to the show's charm and the transformation of Lammelle from Beast to Prince on a spinning trapeze was well worth the admission fee for the many excited youngsters in the audience who donned fancy dress for the occasion.

This beast's a real beauty.