Children give Disney ice show high marks

With “101 Dalmations” set to open shortly, its only fitting that Bangor got a taste of live-action, Disney-style.

Walt Disney’s “World on Ice” presented a live version of the Academy Award-nominated animated feature “Beauty and the Beast” Wednesday night, the first of eight shows to be performed through Sunday at the Bangor Auditorium.

With characters every bit as two-dimensional as their celluloid counterparts, “Beauty and the Beast” traced the now-familiar tale of the good-hearted Belle and the Beast whose heart she had captured.

Still the production put a new spin on an old tale. Colorful backdrops and lights added sparkle to the 60- by 90-foot rink, as did vibrant costumes.

The lead skaters, while not world class, certainly didnt disappoint. Graceful Florentine Houdiniere as Belle in the “It Works!” scene, acrobatic Victor Baryshevtsev as Gaston in “Bonjour” and the pair of Valerei Artioukhov and Yulia Borissova as wolves in “Forest Furies” stood out. Joey Daysog as Le Fou provided comic relief in a number of scenes.

The evening opened with a cast of Disney favorites, led by Mickey Mouse, having “Fun With Music.” They even invited eight children from the audience to perform on specially designed instruments during the overture of “Beauty and the Beast.”

As in the movies, the shows best scenes are at the Beast’s castle, with such wacky supporting characters as Mrs. Potts, Chip, Lumiere and Cogworth stealing the show.

The evenings show stopper was “Be Our Guest.” Its just hard to top skating place settings and tabletops performing in a precise Busby Berkeley-style routine, leading up to an explosive finish.

A couple of quibbles. First, the music was quite loud, especially for young, delicate ears. Volume problems are likely to be worked out before subsequent performances.

Also, parents should be warned that, even after paying relatively high ticket prices up front, they will be assaulted by the Disney merchandising machine. From the front door to the exit, in the aisles, and in every little cubbyhole in between, Disney products were vigorously hawked.

The show clocks in at two hours, with a 15-minute intermission. That might be a little long for some younger children. But most kids at Wednesdays shows didnt seem to mind.

In fact, ultimately, thats how “Beauty and the Beast” has to be rated. Young faces around the auditorium were lit up with joy at seeing the Disney characters they love come to life. And while it’s impossible to fully capture the genius of Disney animation live, most children went home more than happy.