I’ve been dropping in on “Beauty and the Beast” rehearsals over the last couple of nights and have been greeted by scenes of chaos and cacophony – angry outbursts and even fist fights.
Fortunately, there all in the script. Doug has been working hard to polish the Mob Song and Fight Sequence, which is the scene when the villagers, led by Gaston, storm the beast’s castle only to be turned away by its enchanted inhabitants.
This is a group of especially lovely people, so it is rather surreal to see them running around the green room trying to look fierce and hateful. Most of these people wouldn’t hurt a fly- but they actually do a pretty convincing imitation of an Angry Mob. That’s thanks at least in part to Doug, another gentle person, who is a specialist in stage combat of all things and who knows a thing or two about making a fight on stage look realistic. In fact, two nights ago, as I slipped in the side they were doing a scene between big, burly Gaston and is comedic sidekick LeFou- and at one point in exasperation Gaston grabs LeFou by the head and seemingly rams his head on to the top of the table. I hadn’t been in rehearsal in awhile, and when that happened – and I heard that huge thud – I actually let out a concerned “WHA. . . ?” convinced that Dan (a voice student of mine at Carthage) had just had his head slammed for real! I guess that’s why they call it stage combat. They must have it worked out so that they are faking it extremely well. What an art form this is, in and of itself. I remember watching Doug stage the fight scene in “Guys and Dolls” which is between Sarah and a Cuban dancer – and it was as elaborate and detailed as any intricate dance. And it must be such a kick for normally civilized people to pretend to knock the tar out of someone. That’s what was so funny and amazing about the big mob scene. . . and part of why they did it which such glee.
Yet another reason not to miss the RTG Beauty and the Beast! (plug plug)