Author: Chris Bridges

THEATRE REVIEW | Briefs: Close Encounters, Underbelly Festival

★★★★ | Briefs: Close Encounters, Underbelly Festival

Those naughty Briefs boys are back in town with their own unique brand of burlesque, drag and circus skills. In a brand new show themed around alien encounters (but without a single mention of anal probing), they display their quirky brand of queer cabaret in the iconic Spiegeltent on the South Bank.

If you’ve seen any of their previous shows then you’ll know to expect a lot of male flesh on show, a hint of subversive kink and a tongue in cheek sense of fun pervading the proceedings. If you’re a Briefs virgin then prepare to be titillated and amused.

There’s an inevitable hint of hen party to it all but the boys play with this idea, put a pin in the inflatable man and turn the idea of men gyrating for your pleasure on its head. They then laugh in its face whilst tickling it with a pair of massive false eyelashes. From the moment they appear as saucy cheerleaders with giant pink powder puffs and morph into a buttock flashing troupe of feather wielding alien life forms, you know that you’re in safe and well-manicured hands. There’s a weird re-enactment of Kate Bush’s ‘Hounds of Love’ video, juggling, trapeze work and some dance routines that make you feel like you’re on an acid trip. Whilst the circus skills are likely to be things you’ve seen before they’re styled in a way that you almost certainly haven’t. Although the show doesn’t always feel as consistent as it should be it’s still a great night out.

Is it tacky? Is it bizarre? Is it raucous? Of course. Are those bad things? Of course not!

Briefs: Close Encounters plays at the Underbelly Festival until the 30th September 2017

24th July 2017
THEATRE REVIEW | Catch Me, Underbelly, London

★★★★★ | Catch Me, Underbelly, London

It’s a sure sign that summer is here when the Underbelly opens on London’s Southbank. If you haven’t seen it before on its travels, it’s an upside down giant purple cow that acts as a big top for international circus acts. This year they’re showcasing more Canadians with Quebec’s acrobatic troupe Flip Fabrique with a show called ‘Catch Me’.

You’ve seen one circus/gymnastic/acrobatic troupe and you might think that you’ve seen them all. If you think that then you’ll be pleasantly surprised by this show. Even the most jaded and cynical are at risk of sitting with their mouths open in awe like they’ve got some sort of chronic sinus problem.

The show contains all the usual stuff: balancing, juggling, trampolining and a handful of hot men one of whom is hypnotically beautiful when he whips off his top and reveals a torso to die to die for. There’s more to it than that and it’s not the vague and unnecessary storyline (that you won’t even realise is there unless you read the program) that makes this show so enjoyable. Just as you complacently think you know where a stunt is going, the performers snap you back out of that and you’re treated to a spectacular and unexpected twist on a theme.

The last fifteen minutes is a frenetic sensory overload that leaves the audience gasping like children at a firework display. They’re a quirky bunch and there’s a hipster vibe to their styling. Most of all this is a fun night for a summer evening. Enjoy!

Catch Me, plays at Underbelly, until 9th July 2017

25th May 2017
THEATRE REVIEW | Judy, The Arts Theatre

★★★★★ | Judy!, The Arts Theatre

If you were off from gay school the week that they covered gay icons then this is the play for you. If you’re already well versed in Garland mania then you’ll love this too. Judy is a potted history of the life of Judy Garland told with wit and warmth from the clever perspective of having three Judy Garlands on stage at different points in her life.

Judy Garland was the child stage actress and star of pappy films who hit the big time after landing the role of Dorothy in the iconic film ‘The Wizard of Oz’. Her frenetic delivery on stage, her fragility and her belting unique voice made her a public favourite in spite of her flakiness, late stage arrivals and occasional no-shows. Behind the spotlight, she was a troubled figure and the familiar story of the Hollywood legend played out: psychiatric problems, drug and alcohol abuse, multiple marriages and an untimely death from a Barbiturate overdose aged 47 in London in 1969.

Ray Rackham presents us with three Judys. Firstly we have hard drinking and waspish middle-aged Judy struggling to keep her temper, plagued by debts and desperately trying to make a failing TV show work. Secondly, we have pill-popping mid-life Judy: mother to Liza Minnelli, box office poison, about to risk everything by embarking on marriage number three and throwing all her remaining cash into a risky venture of a grand show on Broadway. Finally, we have awkward teenage Judy, dominated by her pushy show business mother and being used and abused by the film studios.

The device works well and showcases not only a number of songs but manages to portray both uplifting and funny side of Garland as well as the not so joyous times. There’s a cast of twelve with cast members doubling up as the live band too. Oh and the Judys? They’re pitch perfect and totally on point both in mannerisms and vocal style. They’ve clearly had great direction from Ray Rackham (part of the team behind the hit musical ‘Apartment 40c’) and spent a lot of time on YouTube studying Ms Garland’s unique style.

This is a great show in its third incarnation after successful runs as ‘Through the Mill’ at London Theatre Workshop and Southwark Playhouse. It a piece that’s tightly written and will both move you and fill you with equal parts of joy and sadness. Go see it.

Judy! runs at The Arts Theatr e until 17th June 217

20th May 2017
REVIEW | Liza Sings Streisand

★★★★★ | Liza Sings Streisand

It’s a lot of gay men’s wet dream to see the words “Liza Sings Streisand’. Before you get too excited though, n this instance it is Liza with a Zee singing the back catalogue of Barbra but it’s a thoroughly British Liza, Ms Pulman who’s a member of Fascinating Aida. Don’t let the fact it’s not Minnelli disappoint too much though.

This Liza has got style oozing out of her pores and a belting set of lungs that do justice to Barbra in a lovingly curated cabaret show.

This isn’t ‘Stars in Your Eyes’. She doesn’t come out with crimped hair, a false nose and a Brooklyn accent and to be fair, why would she? We know that Barbra is busy in her underground shopping mall viewing her antique collection so a loving tribute is better than an imitation. Liza Pulman is very English and beautifully poised. Dressed to kill in stylish gowns and backed by a six piece band, she starts out with a few brief reminisces about Streisand, recapping some of her career highs. She’s comes across as warm, knowledgeable but definitely more Home Counties than New York.

The primary attraction though is her musical output. She captures Barbra’s style perfectly and it’s no surprise, given her voice, when Liza talks about her own past and operatic training. She’s clearly a Barbra mega-fan and has studied Streisand’s style and rhythmic anomalies. She’s also taken care in choosing a wide range of songs with a few Broadway numbers, as well a sweep through the decades. There are also some musical re-arrangements done in full Barbra style that actually work really well.

Liza is touring the UK through till November with return visits to The Crazy Coqs at Zedel in Piccadilly in May and June. She’s a treat for jaded eardrums and a great night out for any Streisand fans.

Find out more http://www.lizapulman.com/liza-sings-streisand/

12th May 2017
THEATRE REVIEW | Late Company, Finborough Theatre, London

★★★★ | Late Company, Finborough Theatre, London

Much like the recent Netflix smash hit series “13 Reasons Why”, “Late Company” examines the events surrounding the suicide of a teenager.

In this case, Michael and Debora, a wealthy politician and artist have invited round for dinner another boy involved in the online bullying campaign which they blame for contributing to their gay son’s death. Accompanied by his parents Tamara and Bill, Curtis is a mess of teenage angst as they face a dinner party with the potential to be a vision of hell. No prizes for guessing that the earnest plan for ‘closure’ that Tamara is hoping will help Curtis to move on isn’t going to be easily attained.

Young Canadian writer Jordan Tannahill has created a thing of devastatingly tender beauty in this one act play addressing some of the issues around being a teenager or a parent of one in the 21st century, responsibility for our acts and grief. It sounds gloomy and hard going and at points it is but it’s also surprisingly humorous and compelling to watch.

It’s a tense but brisk 75 minutes and is a play where the audience feels a constant switch in allegiances and perspective. Was Curtis such a monster? Were Michael and Debora really such good parents? Was the bullying all it seemed? What at first glance seems to be a given set of circumstances is more complex, as things so often are in life.

The play is tightly scripted and well acted with five sterling performances. This is a startlingly relevant play which will is both entertaining, thought-provoking and heartbreaking. Go see it.

Late Company plays at The Finborough Theatre until 20th May 2017

5th May 2017
THEATRE REVIEW | Whisper House, The Other Palace, London

★★ | Whisper House

The Whisper House is a 2009 musical with music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik, writer of the multi-award winning rock musical Spring Awakening. Never performed before in the UK, this felt like it could be an exciting possibility for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new venue. The bar has been set high with recent jazz musical The Wild Party and the raucous studio hit This Joint is Jumpin’. Sadly, this ghost story felt more soulless than spooky. It was more of a stifled yawn than a sneaky whisper. In spite of a great cast, clever use of lighting and an evocative set, it’s a musical with a dreary book and songs that seem to merge into one anther.

In wartime America, pre-pubescent Christopher is sent to his aunt’s eerie old lighthouse following the death of his father and his mother’s subsequent admission to a psychiatric hospital. Aunt Lily is a mournful woman, encumbered by a club foot and haunted by a past event. Oh, there’s also two convenient singing ghosts who waft about the stage making dramatic hand movements around people’s faces and pulling quaint horror film faces. Yes, it’s as bad as it sounds. There’s also a flimsy plot involving a Japanese man who works for her and the xenophobia of the times. There are storms, of course, and water swishing about. It’s a weak storyline and an inadequate framework for the equally dull songs. There’s something strangely hypnotic about the whole thing and not in a good way. I came away unsure how long I’d been in the theatre, whether there was a storyline and without any ability to recall the songs.

If you’re a die-hard musical theatre fan and love Spring Awakening then you might enjoy this as a rare chance to see a musical that unsurprisingly failed to hit London before. You’ll definitely enjoy the cast and their fine voices. My general advice, though, would be hollered loudly rather than whispered: stay away.

Whisper House plays at The Other Palace until 27th May 2017

22nd April 2017
REVIEW: Audra McDonald at the Leicester Square Theatre

★★★★★ | Audra McDonald

Megastar of Broadway, film and television Audra McDonald can barely pop out for a carton of milk in New York without winning another Tony Award. It’s not hard to see why she’s a record breaking award winner and it’s a privilege to see and hear her up close in the Leicester Square Theatre.

Due to break her West End virginity in June with her acclaimed performance as Billie Holiday with ‘Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill’, Audra’s in town for a flying visit with her husband and kids and decided to pop into the theatre, have a chat and sing a few songs. On one level it feels like just that, a lovely friend has popped in for coffee and a gossip but on the other it’s slick and showy, crank the drama up to maximum and let the hairs on the back of the neck rise.

Audra is interviewed and accompanied on the piano by the hilarious and camp musical theatre legend Seth Rudetsky as well as being joined by her Broadway hunk husband Will Swenson. There’s a genuine warmth between Audra and Seth as they chat on the sofa about the kind of diverse subjects we all gossip about such as childrearing, travel and working with P-Diddy.

Oh, she’s met a few legends too and gives good Barbra and Liza anecdotes. She seems to be that rare entity: genuinely nice but interesting with it. In between chats she sings. Boy does she sing. Last night she ran through Sondheim, Lerner and Loewe and Gershwin, amongst others but who knows what you’ll get if you’re lucky enough to get a seat.

She really does have a beautiful voice and it’s not hard to see what all the fuss is about. If you love musical theatre then this is an absolute must. Even if you don’t love musical theatre then go. If this doesn’t convert you then nothing will.

Audra McDonald plays at The Leicester Square Theatre until 15th April 2017

13th April 2017
THEATRE REVIEW | 46 Beacon, Trafalgar Studios, London

★★★★ | 46 Beacon

It’s 1970 and for Robert, the air is heavy with the promise of straight, gay and even group sex as the hedonistic sixties leave behind a legacy of enhanced freedom for gay men.

A suave and handsome British actor, Robert, has invited gauche teenage virgin, Alan, to his Boston hotel room for a drink and a chat (and hopefully an easy no-strings shag without his ‘room mate’ back in London finding out). The gin flows and it’s not just flesh that’s bared as they probe each other in more ways than one. Alan is overwhelmed, unsure of himself and his sexuality. Appearances are deceptive, though and Robert isn’t quite the carefree shagger he initially appears to be.

This is a charming play that’s both warm and witty with plenty of wry humour and a touching message. The pace flags occasionally but picks up again. Overall it’s a resonant play touching on themes of alienation and feeling lost within the life you’ve made that I’m sure will be familiar to lots of us.

The setting might be 47 years ago but as the saying goes: the more things change the more they stay the same. This is an incisive and fascinating glimpse of gay life that whilst humorous, I’m sure will make you wince at times as you recall your own past. Well worth 83 minutes of your time.

46 Beacon plays at Trafalgar Studios until 29th April 2017

12th April 2017
THEATRE REVIEW | This Joint Is Jumpin’

★★★★ | This Joint Is Jumpin’

CREDIT: Darren Bell

London seems to have gone a bit tap dancing mad. What with “42nd Street” and “An American in Paris’ it seems that you can barely enter a theatre before someone starts toe tapping. That’s no bad thing either.

The studio theatre at The Other Palace at Victoria (The St James’ Theatre with an oddly chosen new name) is a perfect cabaret venue. It’s intimate, stylish and only lacks an evocative haze of cigarette smoke to make it feel sufficiently retro. This lively show is a tribute to Fats Waller and the joint definitely jumped more than a little with glasses and bottles rattling on the tables and feet spontaneously tapping in the audience. Tap dancing, a live band and lively banter make this a full on joyous show to see.

It’s not so much a musical but more a jazz and tap dancing gig. There are thin links that are entertaining, funny and occasionally moving but there’s no discernible plot to link it. As well as a tribute to Waller there’s a nod to black history which adds emotional wallop. The main draw here though is the performers. Broadway star Lilias White is a mesmerising powerhouse of a pocket rocket, belting out tunes with panache and making the hairs rise on whichever part you have that rise. The tap is frenetic and loud, the songs are raucous/melodic/blasting and the men are a sight to behold. Joseph Wiggan is notable as a tap supremo with jaw dropping moves and singers Michael Mwenso and Vuyo Sotashe rock the roof off. There’s a cheeky pianist, an MC with attitude and a great backing band. It’s a tiny stage but somehow they managed to fit 11 performers on there.

Pour yourself a gin, sit back and let the music take you over. This might be retro jazz but there’s nothing dated or tired about this show.

This Joint Is Jumpin’ is playing at The Other Palace, until 15th April

8th April 2017
THEATRE REVIEW | The Frogs, Jermyn Street Theatre

★★★ | The Frogs, Jermyn Street Theatre

Stephen Sondheim is the grand master of some of the wittiest, campest and catchiest musical theatre numbers of all time. He’s also still going strong and still writing at 86. His back catalogue is staggering with Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods and Company to name a few, so it’s exciting to see a rarely revived 1974 musical re-surface.

There’s always a worry that there’s a reason a musical stayed under the water (be warned, the ‘frog’ puns are just too easy to resist) and in this case, it’s easy to see why this one floundered and never quite hit the shoreline.

The story is based on an ancient Greek comedy and concerns a demi-god and his slave who decide to travel to the underworld to bring back a great writer. It’s as silly a story as it sounds and a mad musical but one with a timely political undertone about the role of the arts in society. The chorus sidle on and off the stage playing a variety of parts, jazz-handed and legs crossing and high-kicking in the tiny space of The Jermyn Street Theatre. Dionysos and his slave have some great interactions but the songs are sparse with long discourses in between about theatre and the arts. It sounds dull but isn’t at all, apart from a peculiar piece in the second act that slackens the pace. This being Sondheim, the lyrics are densely packed and razor sharp. It can feel like a list of ‘in’ jokes at times with riffs on theatre etiquette and the behaviour of actors but they’re funny ‘in’ jokes nonetheless. Michael Matus as Dionysos is a musical theatre stalwart/legend and it’s a privilege to see him perform in such an intimate venue.

The Frogs was originally performed in a swimming pool with Sigourney Weaver and Meryl Streep splashing around amongst the cast. According to Sondheim, the acoustics made it sound like it was being sung in a urinal and it bombed. Nathan Lane (The Birdcage, The Producers and The Good Wife) re-invigorated the play in 2004 but still; it’s a difficult beast.

If like me you’re a Sondheim fanatic then you’ll love this. If you’re not initiated then it might feel like a drag.

The Frogs plays at the Jermyn Street Theatre until 8th April 2017

20th March 2017
THEATRE REVIEW | La Cage Aux Folles

★★★ | La Cage Aux Folles

CREDIT: Pamela Raith

You’ve probably heard of or seen this musical in some form or other. You might know it as the 90’s Robin Williams/Nathan Lane comedy film The Birdcage, the original French farce and subsequent film version from the 70s or the often revived 80’s Broadway musical.

It’s a queer little story in more ways than one. Drag queen Albin and his long-term lover Georges run a nightclub in St Tropez. Georges’ son (from a drunken one night stand) who they’ve raised together wants to bring home his fiancée and her ultra-conservative parents. There’s one condition, though. Albin must be hidden away for fear of embarrassing their son with his high camp ways.

Famously launching the gay anthem ‘I Am What I Am” onto the world, this is a musical that emerged during a storm of reawakened prejudice amidst the AIDS crisis yet managed to lure thousands of people into seeing a heartwarming and fun show about gay men in a committed relationship. It revved up an astonishing reaction in an army of straight men dragged along by their wives and girlfriends who then ended up dancing in the aisles and cheering on a flamboyant and camp main character as he fought against prejudice. Quite a feat.

CREDIT: Pamela Raith

This touring production is a bit of a paradox. It feels undercooked and underwhelming in parts and there’s a distinct lack of comic timing from swathes of the cast. In spite of this, it’s also incredibly good fun. Yes, it’s like a night at ‘Funny Girls” in Blackpool. Yes, it’s more Danny La Rue in pantomime than RuPaul. Yes, the drag queens would certainly get a dressing down from Michelle Visage for sloppy padding but it’s got an infectious charm nonetheless.

John Partridge (best known for his role as Christian Clarke in Eastenders) as Albin shows his musical theatre pedigree and belts out a tune with panache. He’s also not a bad ad-libber (although be warned, public transport users. The show overruns due to this). The sets are stylish but wobbly. The costumes are glitzy and although the plot is absurd it’s tolerable. Forget production values and all that stuff though. All in all, it’s a fun night and the audience at The New Wimbledon Theatre were ecstatic.

‘La Cage aux Folles” is on a national tour throughout 2017, book tickets here

19th March 2017