A word from Laurence Boswell himself
Beauty and the Beast is now available for hire
This set has been designed for the Laurence Boswell version of this show which is a magical re-telling of the
story of Beauty and the Beast, first performed in this version by the Royal Shakespeare Company.
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When Beauty's father hears that his long-lost ship packed with pearls has landed safely in harbour, he sets out on a long, difficult journey to claim his fortune and rescue his family from poverty. But when, stumbling across a magic world belonging to a fearsome beast, he picks a rose as a present for his favourite daughter, the family find themselves
in a nightmarish predicament from which only Beauty can rescue them...
This timeless tale of the true nature of beauty and the transformational power of love is brought to glorious life in
Laurence Boswell's thrilling and inventive adaptation, which draws on the origins of the tale in French folklore,
and is filled with music, dance and song.
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Laurence Boswell's much-performed retelling of the classic fairytale was first performed at the
Young Vic, London, in 1996. It was revived, in this revised version, by the Royal Shakespeare Company
in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2003.
The main, permanent backdrop to the set is the Beast's castle, it is a solid construction 7.8m wide and 4.1m high. It was a practical door, two candle flicker practical wall lights and opaque stained glass windows which can be lit from behind to silhouette the Beast.
The Baroque Parisian Mansion is of a solid construction and trucked. It is in two halfs and can be pulled into the wings when the family loses their fortune. It's height is 2.8m and each section is 2.2m wide making a total of 4.4m when together.
The truck is 900mm from front to back.
The run down country cottage is slightly smaller than the Mansion so can sit behind it out of sight, as the Mansion is pulled into the wings the cottage is revealed as the now hardup family's new home. It's height is 2.4m high and 3.8m wide in total, it is also in two halfs for easy storage in the wings.
A trucked fireplace can be inserted between the two halves of the farmhouse trucks, this can be used for the scenes inside the farmhouse. The fireplace is 600mm wide and 1.6m high.
This is a small charging station for the robot servant.
It is trucked and can be stood on.
This measures 700mm wide, 1.8m high and 500mm deep.
Two trucks with trees attached are also supplied as part of the package and are 1.2m wide and 3m high. They are used to form woodland scenes and will help to disguise the castle when it is not required.
Two Rose hedges
are also supplied