Tale as old as time

THE transition year students of St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Castlebar, invite you to join in with an entertainment event you’ll never forget.  

Tale as Old as Time is their magical performance of the fairytale Beauty and The Beast, and will be staged tonight (November 18) and tomorrow (November 19) at the Royal Theatre, Castlebar, starting at 8 p.m. both evenings.

This is an enchanting story about a girl named Belle (Sarah Moran) who is ostracised from her provincial French village. Her father Maurice (Siúbhán Conlon) is captured against his will by a misunderstood Beast (Lauren Hastings), who lives in an isolated castle.

Belle is determined to save her father but she has to exchange her freedom in order to save him, selflessly sacrificing herself to protect those she loves. While she is in the mysterious castle she bonds with melancholic servants who have been destined to a life of misery as their fate leads them to live as furniture and utensils forever. The instruments once had a life of their own and they cling to Belle as she is their only chance to be set free from their lives of slavery.

Something wonderful happens which moulds Belle’s feelings for this cursed Beast. His disarming generosity slowly leads to a surprising connection, much to the delight of the utensils who secretly wished for this.

Join Belle on this magical adventure as she finds the hidden beauty inside Beast and helps him to put his past behind him, opening him up to new possibilities. 

The cast of 70 TY students, under the musical directorship of Ms. Deirdre Lee and Donna Ruane, have been busy rehearing since September. Hazel McGlynn has worked hard on the choreography to ensure that there are lots of energetic, colourful and dynamic dance routines, while Ms. Ann Geary and Ms. Ruth Flannelly have put together an extravagant and vivid set with help from Eugene Finnegan and Peter Rabbette.

The sets are complemented by the wonderful array of costumes put together by Ms. Niamh Sweeney. Ms. Aoife Morrissey, the TY coordinator, has been quietly supporting the transition year students in their endeavours. 

The dance routines, musical chorus, set design, costumes and acting skills all together create a memorable experience that will remain with the audience a long time after the final curtain is drawn.

Tickets cost €10 and are available from both the school and the Royal Theatre box office.