Review: Enchanted: Alan Menken’s Music For Disney (BBC Proms, Royal Albert Hall)

Review by Daz Gale

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Both the BBC Proms and the music of Alan Menken have been a part of our world for many years now, with the BBC taking over as custodians of the festival 99 years ago, and Alan Menken’s contributions to Disney classics transcending the decades since his first collaboration with them 37 years ago. The Proms may have a reputation for their classical nature, but there is a rich and varied diversity to music that they honour through their meticulous curation, and this particular evening highlighted Alan Menken’s Music for Disney in a concert fittingly titled Enchanted. Combining the worlds of Disney and musical theatre with a dream cast of West End heavyweights at one of the most gorgeous venues in London, I knew this was one concert I couldn’t miss so I prepared to go the distance (otherwise known as the District Line) for a trip to the iconic Royal Albert Hall. Would my (shockingly) first visit to a BBC Prom open up a whole new world for me, or would this concert struggle to find the beauty amongst the beast of Menken’s material?

Anyone reading this who is unfamiliar with Alan Menken should know he is one of just 22 people to receive the much-coveted EGOT status (a winner of an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) and is best known for his work with Disney, penning some of the most legendary and loved songs from their movies of the 1990s and 2000s, with The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Enchanted and Tangled all featuring his music. All of those got an outing throughout this speedy concert, serving as a reminder of not just a reminder of Alan Menken’s skills, but the timeless nature of the gifts he has left the world over the last few decades.

The theme of this concert combined with the performers bringing these songs to life would have been enough to make this a night to remember, and make a five-star review seem almost inevitable, save for a surprising disaster. Nonetheless, my already high expectations were surpassed thanks to the curation of the concert. Much of that is down to stage director, Rupert Hands, who brought his experience with musical theatre to the Royal Albert Hall to ensure the story behind these songs was told in the best possible way, not just through vocals but through acting and even dance.

Great thought, attention and care had been given to where to place each song, rather than simply “This is the Aladdin section, this is the Beauty and the Beast section, etc…”, placing songs together that highlighted the richness and quality of Menken’s work, and making them sound grander than ever before. Whether it was the love songs section, the villains or a part of the night devoted to his work on stage, this was a faultless concert that opted to do far more than simply fan service, providing the greatest hits of a man who has left his mark on stage and screen, but also to do it justice and highlight not just the talent of Alan Menken himself, but the talents of everyone on that iconic stage.

And there really was no shortage of talent to speak of. I’m sure I’m not alone in loving a busy stage, packed with performers, an orchestra and a choir, all crammed together to create one glorious sound. More than 100 were present at the Royal Albert Hall, with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sarah Hicks, joined by National Youth Music Theatre, not to mention the lead performers (who, of course, I will be mentioning imminently). Every moment the orchestra got to play one of those iconic openings, such as the instantly recognisable ‘Beauty and the Beast’ or when they were left to perform without vocals, it was pure magic, bringing a suitable beauty to those numbers. Similarly, every time the choir stood, chills were inevitable, particularly when it came to a rousing and spine-tingling ‘God Help The Outcasts’. Some of the NYMT members also took centre stage to join the West End favourites through their numbers, and even got the opportunity to showcase their dancing skills too, with ‘Seize The Day’ from Newsies a favourite (though sadly nobody flew this time).

The promise of some recognisable names from the West End and beyond made this BBC Prom even more exciting, with six of them lending their unmistakable vocals to some of Menken’s classics. Stewart Clarke kicked things off with ‘Be Our Guest’, continuing the Beauty and the Beast theme soon after with a joyous ‘Gaston’. Ben Forster delighted with his rendition of two numbers from Newsies as well as a duet with Lucie Jones on ‘I See The Light’ from Tangled, while Sam Oladeinde was an absolute star throughout, popping up (usually in the audience) for standout numbers ‘Friend Like Me’ and ‘Prince Ali’ from Aladdin. One of the biggest highlights of the night, however, was Oladeinde’s storming rendition of ‘Go The Distance’ from Hercules, while a surprise encore of ‘Under The Sea’ with Marisha Wallace ensured the audience all left with huge smiles on their faces - and how could they not?

Musical theatre princess Lucie Jones let out the Disney Princess inside of her with beautiful takes on ‘Part Of Your World’ from The Little Mermaid, and ‘Belle’ from Beauty and the Beast, but it was her ‘God Help The Outcasts’ that proved her finest moment of the night, with her gorgeous vocals on fine form during this spine-tingling number. Celinde Schoenmaker showcased her versatility with a sweet ‘True Love’s Kiss’ from Enchanted before letting out her inner villain with a riotously good ‘Mother Knows Best’ from Tangled, before teaming up with Sam Oladeinde for a fantastic ‘That’s How You Know’ in some of the best examples of comic acting displayed on the night.

The star of the show, however, was undoubtedly Marisha Wallace, who acted as host of the concert as well as performing herself. No stranger to an Alan Menken musical, she starred in Aladdin on Broadway and even had a cameo in the live-action movie a few years ago, which she brilliantly paid homage to in a rather tasty throwback. In recent years, Wallace has defined herself as one of the biggest and brightest stars of the West End, and this concert played to her strengths phenomenally. ‘Colors Of The Wind’ offered a more restrained and subtle side to her voice, while her duet with Ben Forster on ‘A Whole New World’ was a highlight of the night. She effortlessly embodied all the Muses from Hercules on rousing Act One closer ‘Zero To Hero’ before taking on one of the more iconic numbers of the night with a spectacular ‘Beauty and the Beast’.

However, if I was to single out one particular performance as the standout number of the night (not an easy thing to do on a night with so many incredible numbers), it would have to be when Marisha Wallace embraced the Disney villain within her to become Ursula on an outstanding ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’, a performance I would encourage everyone to seek out as a clear example of why Marisha has deservedly become such a huge star in recent years.

If you are a lover of the BBC Proms, musical theatre or Disney, this Alan Menken concert was certain to blow you away. If you are a lover of all three, it could only be described as a dream. Though I expected big things from the night, it still managed to blow me away in a way I never predicted. The sheer quality of the evening from the curation of the setlist, the orchestra, choir and performers was unmatched, leading to one of the most joyous and thrilling nights at a theatre I have had in quite some time. The evening didn’t just act as a testament to the legacy and genius of Alan Menken, but also why the BBC Proms are such a staple in the calendar of many a music and theatre lover. A truly magical evening, it is a shame this particular concert is unlikely to be experienced again in person, but a blessing that it has been immortalised to listen to and watch on repeat.

Vocalists:

Stewart Clarke - Be Our Guest

Lucie Jones - Part Of Your World

Stewart Clarke - Gaston

Sam Oladeinde - Friend Like Me

Marisha Wallace - Colors Of The Wind

Sam Oladeinde - Out There

Lucie Jones & Ben Forster - I See The Light

Celinde Schoenmaker - True Love’s Kiss

Marisha Wallace & Ben Forster - A Whole New World

Marisha Wallace - Zero To Hero

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Sam Oladeinde - Prince Ali

Lucie Jones - Belle

Celinde Schoenmaker - Mother Knows Best

Marisha Wallace - Poor Unfortunate Souls

Lucie Jones - God Help The Outcasts

Sam Oladeinde - Go The Distance

Ben Forster - Santa Fe/Seize The Day

Celinde Schoenmaker & Sam Oladeinde - That’s How You Know

Marisha Wallace - Beauty And The Beast

Marisha Wallace & Sam Oladeinde - Under The Sea

Enchanted: Alan Menken’s Music For Disney played at the Royal Albert Hall as part of BBC Proms on Monday 31st August 2026. It will be broadcast on BBC Two this Saturday 5th September at 5.30pm and available on iPlayer. It can also be listened to on BBC Sounds right now at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0030j7d

The BBC Proms season continues until 17th September. For programming and tickets to the rest of the season, head to https://www.bbc.co.uk/proms

Photos by Jennifer Hawthorn