Beauty and the Beast (Graves)
by Warren C Graves

THE STORY: While closely following the traditional fable so beloved by all, this imaginative adaptation cleverly compresses the salient points of the story to make them more theatrically effective and easily staged.

The main line of the action deals with the merchant Blotti who wanders into the castle of the Beast.

Having lost his fortune, he is reluctant to return home to his hopeful daughters—until the Beast promises him riches if he will send his youngest (and purest) daughter, Beauty, to the castle.

There are scenes of humor and daring as Beauty's haughty sisters argue over who will take them to the ball, and the valiant Manello challenges the Beast to a sword fight.

But, above all, there is the magic of Beauty's innocence and goodness that sees beyond the ugliness of the Beast to the handsome young prince whom the purity of her love will restore to his rightful form.

An established favorite among stock and amateur companies in Canada, this deft and affecting adaptation of the beloved classic is now widely available for the first time.