Beauty and the Beast Reviews

MetroWeekly- Recommended

"...An uber-cool feast for the senses, Synetic Theater's Beauty and The Beast resoundingly reclaims the notion of the fairytale, yanking it firmly back from the ravages of corporate America and bringing it, fully burnished, into the realm of unfettered imagination."

BroadwayWorld- Recommended

"...This show is definitely a more artistic approach to the story first known as La Belle et la Bête. I recommend going to see it as you may likely have not seen anything like it before. Each person on and off the stage worked very hard to create a massive and intense piece of art. As noted by Synetic Theater: "This production of Beauty and the Beast contains fantasy violence and may be scary to younger children. This production is not the Disney musical.""

Talkin Broadway- Recommended

"...The ensemble slides easily among roles, as Belle's spoiled sisters (Nutsa Tediashvili and Irene Hamilton) at times become part of the corps of human statues serving the Beast in his castle. Original costume designer Kendra Rai, and Delaney Theisz who costumed this production, depict the servants in skin-tight suits the color of dusty granite. Other eye-catching outfits are Small's tattered black dress and large shawl (Emmeranne can transform herself into a crow); the vivid red shirt worn by Avenant (Jacob Thompson), who futilely pursues Belle and ignores her two sisters; and the costuming in a scene when the ensemble members turn into a pack of wolves."

Washington City Paper- Recommended

"...While this Beast isn’t as beastly as some other fairy-tale princes and kings, his redemption follows the trope. But Gankhuyag cleverly portrays the character’s evolution by making the Beast’s posture become increasingly upright as he regains his humanity—even before being restored as a handsome prince. However, both the Brothers Cunis and Synetic offer an ambiguity that allows for nuance: Because of this Avenant can be both pompously silly and violently jealous and Emmeranne can grieve without wanting to stand in the way of her former lover finding happiness at last."

DC Theater Arts- Recommended

"...When Synetic Theater arrived in Washington, DC, it changed the landscape for theater presentation in the region. The company's most recent offering, a remounting and reimagining of its 2014 production of Beauty and the Beast, is, by turns, delightful, surprising, magical, sensual, and awe-inspiring. While this production has its minor glitches, it also shows us what is unique about Synetic that makes it a company worth visiting again and again."

MD Theatre Guide- Recommended

"...The actors tell the story in Synetic's signature style through movement, visual effects, and emotion. No words are necessary, with the exception of Emmeranne, our spirit guide to this dark and mystical world. Originally staged by Synetic in 2014, the current production has an outstanding cast, notably Zana Gankhuyag in the role of the Beast. Gankhuyag's Beast is fearsome, fearful, shy, exasperated, and beautiful. We understand how Belle (Irina Kavsadze) loses her repulsion for him and falls in love with his kindness and charm. Flanked by her comedically jealous sisters, Claudette and Marie (Nutsa Tediashvili and Irene Hamilton), Kavsadze never falls into caricature as the studious, honest, and true third daughter of the merchant, Jean Paul (Irakli Kavsadze)."