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Post by oxfordsimon on Sept 1, 2022 19:06:03 GMT
She can't be seen running her own business or standing for the local council.
She is a fairy tale character trapped in a quiet village with a father who dotes on her but who cannot cope on his own. Her only escape is into the world of books.
Surely it is important to reflect the life that Belle actually leads rather than try to impose modern attitudes onto her.
Being seen hanging out washing or tending her garden doesn't demean her. It doesn't say to a modern audience that this is all that women are capable of doing.
And modern audiences are perfectly capable of understanding that they are seeing a fairy tale musical and that it does not reflect how contemporary women live their lives.
It is far more important to see Belle loving books and understanding the transformational power of literature than trying to force some sort of modern agenda onto her character
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Post by LaLuPone on Sept 1, 2022 19:14:54 GMT
Personally I think this version would have been better if she was an influencer…
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Post by h86 on Sept 1, 2022 19:37:37 GMT
She can't be seen running her own business or standing for the local council. She is a fairy tale character trapped in a quiet village with a father who dotes on her but who cannot cope on his own. Her only escape is into the world of books. Surely it is important to reflect the life that Belle actually leads rather than try to impose modern attitudes onto her. Being seen hanging out washing or tending her garden doesn't demean her. It doesn't say to a modern audience that this is all that women are capable of doing. And modern audiences are perfectly capable of understanding that they are seeing a fairy tale musical and that it does not reflect how contemporary women live their lives. It is far more important to see Belle loving books and understanding the transformational power of literature than trying to force some sort of modern agenda onto her character So many kids look up to these Disney princesses, removing gender stereotypes is important. Obviously people on this board enjoy and still want them but I’m glad this show has made some changes just to make Belle a little more current. No modern agenda is forced on anyone and Belle still loves her books |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Sept 1, 2022 19:48:26 GMT
Belle is far more independent than pretty much any of the Disney heroines who preceded her.
More recent films have moved even further away from the damsel in distress tropes that are common place in earlier cartoons.
But Belle is who she is. She stays strong when things go wrong for her. She doesn't settle for a provincial life.
Not everything has to be updated to suit what you want it to represent.
And it is disrespectful to assume that audiences have to be spoonfed. Even young audience members can understand who Belle is without it having to be spelled out for them.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Sept 1, 2022 19:49:34 GMT
And it is massively disrespectful to smear board members as liking gender stereotypes.
That is frankly unwarranted and unpleasant of you.
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Post by h86 on Sept 1, 2022 19:54:57 GMT
Belle is far more independent than pretty much any of the Disney heroines who preceded her. More recent films have moved even further away from the damsel in distress tropes that are common place in earlier cartoons. But Belle is who she is. She stays strong when things go wrong for her. She doesn't settle for a provincial life. Not everything has to be updated to suit what you want it to represent. And it is disrespectful to assume that audiences have to be spoonfed. Even young audience members can understand who Belle is without it having to be spelled out for them. I don’t want it to represent anything. I just enjoyed the small changes that were made to Belles character that give her a bit more feistiness. And please don’t say that I’m being disrespectful. The storyline hasn’t changed, it the same fairy tail that has been told for years, it’s just got a few updates that make it more relevant for this day and age |
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Post by SuttonPeron on Sept 1, 2022 19:56:38 GMT
Except Belle is as current as ever, but less likeable as a character when she is less funny and sarcastic. So much of her humor, the quality that made her different from the rest of the Disney princesses, has been removed. And I really don´t think helping an older man with the housekeeping is gender stereotypes, something I most certainly do not enjoy.
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Post by hadeswasking on Sept 1, 2022 20:02:25 GMT
Please say we're not going back to complaining that she has to wear reading glasses. 🙄
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Post by h86 on Sept 1, 2022 20:09:48 GMT
Please say we're not going back to complaining that she has to wear reading glasses. 🙄 “Woah what?! We can’t have Belle wearing reading glasses as she didn’t before and the audience won’t care whether she has reading glasses and she doesn’t really need to have reading glasses as it’s a fairytale….” |
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Post by h86 on Sept 1, 2022 20:16:44 GMT
And it is massively disrespectful to smear board members as liking gender stereotypes. That is frankly unwarranted and unpleasant of you. Respect works both ways. Multiple board member have blasted and joked about my opinions on the changes. |
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Post by 141920grm on Sept 1, 2022 21:30:13 GMT
And, on top of that, the characters feel much more flat. Especially Belle. She is much less quirky than how Susan Egan shaped the character for the show, and sadly resembles Emma Watson´s onedimensional take. For example, Belle no longer replies "Thanks for asking!" to Gaston at the end of Me. Am I supposed to think those changes are for the better? I really missed that line at the end of Me tbh! It always wrapped the scene up nicely, a cheeky but conscious rejection of his proposal instead of just... running away with a slam of the door, which was much less satisfying lol |
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Post by sph on Sept 1, 2022 21:52:12 GMT
And, on top of that, the characters feel much more flat. Especially Belle. She is much less quirky than how Susan Egan shaped the character for the show, and sadly resembles Emma Watson´s onedimensional take. For example, Belle no longer replies "Thanks for asking!" to Gaston at the end of Me. Am I supposed to think those changes are for the better? Belle is much more strong willed and feisty in this newer version. Thank god she isn’t sorting the washing in ‘Me’ like the original and that she doesn’t thank the chauvinistic, misogynist Gaston for proposing!! Changes for the better in this modern world. She was holding a potted a plant when Gaston disturbs her in the original, not doing washing. But anyway, she was being sarcastic when she "thanks" him at the end of the song. She very clearly turns him down. In fact she spent the whole song being somewhat horrified and at times mildly amused by the plans Gaston had for their life together. |
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Post by SuttonPeron on Sept 1, 2022 22:13:13 GMT
Belle is much more strong willed and feisty in this newer version. Thank god she isn’t sorting the washing in ‘Me’ like the original and that she doesn’t thank the chauvinistic, misogynist Gaston for proposing!! Changes for the better in this modern world. She was holding a potted a plant when Gaston disturbs her in the original, not doing washing. But anyway, she was being sarcastic when she "thanks" him at the end of the song. She very clearly turns him down. In fact she spent the whole song being somewhat horrified and at times mildly amused by the plans Gaston had for their life together. Indeed she was!  |
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Post by sph on Sept 2, 2022 21:45:14 GMT
Yes, I knew that as the new "modern" princess of the 90s they'd be very careful about her doing washing or something like that!
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Post by eggemann on Sept 9, 2022 23:48:55 GMT
So went to see Joseph in the Bristol Hippodrome and boy are they trying to see tickets to this.
Not only were their flyers on most chairs, when we came in, they had every member of staff at every exit hand the flyers out to every exiting guest.
It seems odd to have it return for a long stint in Bristol having only been here for an equally long stint exactly a year ago. Surely everyone who saw it, has seen it. I loved it but not enough to pay Disney touring prices so soon.
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Post by h86 on Sept 10, 2022 2:43:55 GMT
So went to see Joseph in the Bristol Hippodrome and boy are they trying to see tickets to this. Not only were their flyers on most chairs, when we came in, they had every member of staff at every exit hand the flyers out to every exiting guest. It seems odd to have it return for a long stint in Bristol having only been here for an equally long stint exactly a year ago. Surely everyone who saw it, has seen it. I loved it but not enough to pay Disney touring prices so soon. Remember the Cardiff run was cancelled only a few shows in due to Covid restrictions in Wales at Xmas last year. No slots in the WMC to return before the end of the tour so going to Bristol gives those people who missed out a chance to see the show, albeit having to travel further to do so. |
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Post by Sam on Sept 20, 2022 11:14:13 GMT
They ran out of programmes/souvenir brochures (not sure which were available) on Saturday so if anyone has one they don't want anymore let me know!
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Post by iamamazing on Sept 20, 2022 14:35:00 GMT
So went to see Joseph in the Bristol Hippodrome and boy are they trying to see tickets to this. Not only were their flyers on most chairs, when we came in, they had every member of staff at every exit hand the flyers out to every exiting guest. It seems odd to have it return for a long stint in Bristol having only been here for an equally long stint exactly a year ago. Surely everyone who saw it, has seen it. I loved it but not enough to pay Disney touring prices so soon. Remember the Cardiff run was cancelled only a few shows in due to Covid restrictions in Wales at Xmas last year. No slots in the WMC to return before the end of the tour so going to Bristol gives those people who missed out a chance to see the show, albeit having to travel further to do so. I agree they should have brought it back to Cardiff instead for those who couldn't make those final few weeks at the WMC I wonder if they will bring it back again I also had tickets for the last show in Cardiff and was gutted when it got cancelled but I was so grateful by the fact I saw it the first weekend it was on  I hope they bring it back soon |
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Post by raiseitup on Sept 20, 2022 16:15:43 GMT
They ran out of programmes/souvenir brochures (not sure which were available) on Saturday so if anyone has one they don't want anymore let me know! I have one of the souvenir brochures, drop me a DM if you're still looking |
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Post by danb on Oct 18, 2022 15:29:57 GMT
Whats the view like from the front row for this. I just bought front row tickets for Friday to cheer an old friend up (£20!!!) and am now fearful for our comfort. I’m hoping a new beast and a year of doing it will make this a bit more ‘spectacular’.
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Post by danb on Oct 21, 2022 22:15:59 GMT
…and it most certainly was! I’ve no idea why I disliked it so much last time but it was charming tonight. Alyn Hawke made a wonderful Lumiere and everyone else handled what must be a technically demanding show very well. £20 well spent, although my wife (5’2”) and our friend (5”6’) couldn’t see very much so we moved back into some of the many empty stalls seats.
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Post by westendrebecca on Nov 8, 2022 2:31:57 GMT
Anyone know if you can film the curtain call?
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Post by anxiousoctopus on Nov 8, 2022 9:33:50 GMT
Anyone know if you can film the curtain call? A lot of people have so I think you can! |
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Post by westendrebecca on Nov 8, 2022 12:54:41 GMT
Anyone know if you can film the curtain call? A lot of people have so I think you can! Thank you! Looking forward to seeing it tomorrow! |
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Post by h86 on Dec 10, 2022 13:20:02 GMT
Todays performance have been cancelled. This show doesn’t have ex-cast to call upon like so many other shows.
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I hope they bring it back soon 
