As Darlington Operatic Society prepares to premiere its most expensive show ever, Steve Pratt goes behind the scenes to find out how to turn a man into a Beast.

ONCE upon a time in a faraway land... well, Darlington actually on a damp Friday night in September.

A crowd of people who clearly know each other are waiting outside the gates of a school in Cockerton.

There’s a problem. The gates are firmly locked with no sign of the caretaker and the all-important key. Cars continue to pull up in bonnet to bumper formation.

As the minutes tick by it begins to look that, in true Hollywood movie fashion, Darlington Operatic Society will have to put on the show right here – on the pavement.

Not a good omen for the first full runthrough of Beauty And The Beast, or rather Walt Disney’s Beauty And The Beast – the stage show based on the popular Disney animated version of the story of how village girl Belle tames the beast, rejects the advances of the criminally vain Gaston and turns the ugly beast into a handsome prince.

That’s where Once Upon A Time comes in – the opening lines of the show which the society brings to the stage of the Civic Theatre from tomorrow.

It’s all very different from the last time I attended a society rehearsal of The Full Monty.

That was all dropped trousers and workingmen’s clubs. Now it’s all talking clocks, dancing teapots and a “hero” who makes Quasimodo look like Jude Law.

Director Martyn Knight sits at a long table with assistant director Jo and the musical director.

Former professional performer Knight travels the country directing amateur shows.

He’s well qualified to deal with am-dram companies as that’s where he started his stage life.

I know, because I used to review him before coming north of Watford.

He doesn’t say much to the cast during the run-through, but when he gives his notes at the end it becomes clear that he didn’t miss a thing.

Awkward moves are noted, enthusiasm rather than expertise remarked upon, and advice given on sharpening up performances.

A hard but fair taskmaster is the impression left as he sums up that it was definitely better than the previous night’s rehearsal. There are still three weeks to go before opening night, so plenty of time to smooth out the rough edges, learn those forgotten lines and make the show more beautiful than beastly.

Beauty And The Beast is a big, bold family show, only a few steps removed from pantomime with its singing teapot, French-accented chandelier and walking, talking wardrobe. It’s a case of bringing an animated film to life.

AS in all good fairy tales, there’s a moral.

On this occasion that beauty comes from within. The Beast has yet to learn this. He’s understandably confused, living locked up in his castle with only talking furniture for company.

Who wouldn’t be?

At this moment, Beast doesn’t look very beastly. He looks like Matthew McCabe, who was another misguided soul, Judas, in the society’s last production Jesus Christ Superstar. The clawed glove he’s wearing is the only sign of his unsocial character.

That will be very different when the curtain goes up on the show tomorrow thanks to Stevie Metcalfe. The professional make-up and costume supervisor has been brought in to give McCabe a makeover in reverse – he’ll start out looking like a pleasant young man and emerge after an hour as, shall we say, not a pretty sight.

Metcalfe is well versed in what’s needed in a staging of Beauty And The Beast. He spent a year as wig and costume supervisor for the Disney cruise line when a potted version of Beauty And The Beast was presented in the ship’s theatre.

Now he’s a freelance make-up and prosthetics specialist. Rather than wear a mask, Mc- Cabe will undergo an hour of prosthetics and make-up work before each show to transform him into the Beast.

“Unlike a mask, you can see through the prosthetics and see the man underneath and fall in love with him like Belle does,” Metcalfe explains.

He’ll use a fresh set of prosthetics every night for the transformation and he has ten minutes to turn Matt from Beast to Handsome Prince in time for the reveal every night.

He doubts McCabe knew what was in store for him when he took the role. “Now we’ve tried out the make-up twice, he’s so excited. He keeps looking in the mirror and can’t believe it’s him. He has a face that takes the prosthetics very well.”

DESPITE his unique contribution to the production, he feels they’ve all been working as a team on this. With more than a 100 costumes and nearly as many wigs and pieces of facial hair, the show is massive.

Metcalfe has also designed costumes for Belle, including her spectacular ballgown, and the Beast. They are based on the original designs and in keeping with the style and mood of the piece. “If you put the word Disney above the title people come with certain expectations,”

he says.

After Beauty And The Beast, he has a week off before heading to Newcastle Theatre Royal to supervise the Christmas show Robin Hood.

He’ll be working with another beast – a giant fire-breathing, wing-flapping dragon.

Back in the school hall, a woman wearing a large cardboard box is speaking. This is Elisha Jeffries as Madame de la Grande Bouche whose stage wardrobe is just that – a wardrobe full of clothes. The real thing will arrive in time for first night, the box helps her acclimatise to acting as a clothes horse.

While the Beast is beastly and Lumiere proves a bright spark, Selina Blain’s Belle maintains a smile and a song. In real life, she owns Cocoon Health and Beauty, in Coniscliffe Road, Darlington – thus enabling headline writers to proclaim Beautician And The Beast.

It’s society’s most expensive show ever and its members will be hoping the Disney magic is potent enough to attract big audiences.

■ Beauty And The Beast opens at Darlington Civic Theatre until November 6. Tickets 01325-486555