Beauty and the Beast: Disney in Concert, Symphony Hall, Birmingham - review

But Beauty and the Beast, complete with a stunning live orchestra, was like reliving the magic for the first time all over again.

I love the film; I was one of the first in the cinema when the spellbinding live-action remake danced into our lives back in March 2017. So watching it on the big screen again at Beauty and the Beast: Disney in Concert, with a full professional orchestra accompanying, was like nothing I’d ever seen or heard.

It was incredible, almost magical, the way it was presented. I'm still wondering now: just how did they do it?

Conductor David Mahoney and the Novello Orchestra performed at the Symphony Hall so perfectly and in-sync to the film, sometimes I forgot they were there. It was only the blare of a trumpet now and then that made me cast my eyes away from the screen and onto the orchestra, as I remembered what was happening on stage right in front of me.

You don’t often applause in the middle of a film, but this show definitely called for it. The crowd clapped enthusiastically after favourite Be Our Guest, performed by Ewan McGregor as Lumiere, and Evermore, sang by Beast Dan Stevens - a song made specially for the live-action remake.

And the performance didn’t end once the film had finished; the orchestra continued throughout the credits performing three final songs including How Does A Moment Last Forever by Céline Dion, with the audience giving a standing ovation once the musicians took their final bow.

Described as ‘one of the most memorable films in history’, many would agree Beauty and the Beast is an enchanting tale on its own. But anyone who’s seen it played alongside the stunning Novello Orchestra may just be surprised how much magic it adds.

It offered a completely new way of watching the family-favourite classic musical.

I just hope this is the start of many more Disney in Concert performances to come.