It must be the Disney magic. How else can a tale as old as time be retold countless times, yet somehow feel as though we’re watching it for the very first time?
According to Shubshri Kandiah, the Australian actress who plays Belle in the musical adaptation of Beauty and the Beast, it is the combination of masterful set design and practical effects that sells the story.
“Truly, the best of the best have designed this show. One of my favourite things is leaving the theatre at night and listening to people talk about the magic of the show. Like how did the Beast transform mid-air, and if Chip is played by a real boy,” said the 30-year-old.
From now till Jan 25, audiences can experience the Disney magic for themselves at the Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands.
The two-and-a-half show is a visual spectacle with its employment of electric hues, especially during the more fantastical dance numbers, and an auditory splendour with the over-the-top renditions of fan-favourite tracks like “Be Our Guest” and “Gaston”.
There is also a kind of magic that emanates from Shubshri’s grounded portrayal of Belle. Sure, she can belt out her solo numbers with gravitas, and can hold her own against larger-than-life characters like Lumiere and Cogsworth.
However, it is her restraint that makes Belle a believable character for the 21st century. Her scenes with the Beast, for instance, are neither trivialised for comic relief nor overdramatised to coax applause from the audience.
When Belle and the Beast share a tender moment in the castle library, her movements are deliberately restrained, so that every gesture – from the flip of a page to a gentle touch on the Beast’s hand – subtly commands attention.
“It’s my favourite moment in the show, and probably the most intimate one. It’s kind of the first moment that they’re truly vulnerable with each other, and when they start to build a friendship that then turns into something more,” Shubshri explained.
The Perth native grew up surrounded by the performing arts but never quite took it seriously.
“I learnt Bharatanatyam growing up and trained in Carnatic vocals for a bit. It was mum’s choice, but it was nice, because growing up in Australia, it was a really wonderful connection to culture and heritage that I don’t think I would have otherwise had,” she said.
She discovered musical theatre in school and enjoyed it, but decided to pursue a teaching degree instead. “Honestly, I hadn’t really put much thought into it. Then I realised it actually takes a lot to be a teacher, so I switched to Griffith University’s Conservatorium of Music.”
Still unsure about her future career, during her final year at university, she landed her first professional role: a non-speaking, non-singing part in an opera titled The Pearl Fishers. “Even having just the smallest part in a production made me realise this is exactly what I wanted to do,” Shubshri said.
She graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor’s in Musical Theatre, and has been in the industry for the past eight years. Her most notable international venture is the portrayal of Princess Jasmine in Disney’s musical adaptation of Aladdin about five years ago, which was staged in Singapore as well.
At present, Shubshri will be based in Singapore for seven and a half weeks. “It is really hard sometimes being on tour because you’re away from your family and friends. You’re in a house that’s not yours, so you don’t get to shut off from work,” she said.
However, if work meant donning the iconic yellow gown that Belle wears in the 1991 animated film of the same name, a little theatre fatigue would be easy to forgive.
“You really do feel like a princess when you put it on. The skirt alone weighs between 10 and 15 kilograms, designed based on Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation gown. I think there’s like Swarovski crystals, pearls, and petals, like a slight hint to the rose,” Shubshri explained.
“This is what I wanted 10 years ago, I am living the dream right now. Sometimes I don’t take the time to acknowledge those things, but it’s important to do so,” she added.
ssakti@sph.com.sg
