THEGAYUK

Author: Paul Szabo

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Titanic, The Musical, Sheffield Lyceum

    THEATRE REVIEW | Titanic, The Musical, Sheffield Lyceum

    ★★★☆☆ | Titanic – The Musical – Sheffield Lyceum

    Titanic - The Musical - National Tour review

    Titanic – The Musical – National Tour reviewDespite it being over 100 years since Titanic slipped under the waves, the fascination with the ship and those on board hasn’t faded, as evidenced by the packed house of this revival of Moury Yeston’s musical. The story of the ships maiden voyage and, ultimately, its demise is told through a wealth of characters from all classes of passengers and from the crew on board.

    The set, all sheet metal and rivets, towers above the audience instilling in them the impression of the sheer scale of the ship whilst a simple two-tier stage evoked an image of the decks and worked effectively. But from the off, the cast were on top form, as the magnificent ensemble belted out the opening numbers with such gusto that it reverberated in the chest, like the sounds of the engines of the great ship itself.

    And therein lays the strength of this production. Its cast was outstanding, and whether singing alone, in small groups or as an ensemble, the whole thing was beautifully sung and more akin to an opera than a musical. The three leads Philip Rham, Simon Green and Greg Castiglioni bounced off each other nicely as the Captain, owner and designer of the ship, and Niall Sheeny impressed as the stoker Fred Barrett. Whilst the direction was fairly minimal, the cast switched between their multiple roles seamlessly, spilling out into the aisles on occasions to engage the audience; whilst on a technical level, the lighting and sound design, the costumes and the balance between actors voices and orchestra were all absolutely spot on.

    Sadly, an overly long runtime, a handful of similar-sounding songs and a few too many story threads anchored down the first act to an extent, but the second act picked up the pace as the race to abandon ship took hold.

    What comes out of the production is an underlying theme of love between the characters, from the newlyweds to the eloping couple to the elderly husband and wife, and it is this which packs the emotional punch and brings the human cost of the tragedy sharply into focus.

    Titanic – The Musical is at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield  until Saturday 26th May 2018 before continuing on its national tour

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella

    ★★★★★ | Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella

    Matthew Bourne's Cinderella review

    From the muted grey-scale colour palette of the opening act, through the smoke-filled streets of the Blitz and onto the underground dance halls of war-torn London, Matthew Bourne’s bold,  vivid and visually stunning reimagining of Cinderella is an utter delight. Doting to her father, mercilessly teased by her (extended) stepfamily and berated by her stepmother, Cinderella finds love amongst the destruction, as she falls for Harry, a dashing pilot.

    Bourne creates a world which is rich in characterisations, from the transformation of the mouse-like Cinderella into the belle of the ball to the Cruella de Ville style stepmother and the humorous, and deliciously creepy, foot-fetishist stepbrother. Every dancer tells an individual story, and each character has their own tale to tell. Yet despite having so much to look at, Bourne’s choreography seamlessly blends dance styles including lindy hop, jazz and ballet to create a clearly defined and easy to follow narrative; and there is a tangible sense of atmosphere permeating the theatre both within and throughout every scene. But underneath the fairy tale spectacle of it all, is a slightly darker story of love, yearning and belonging, bringing with it the power to pack an emotional punch.

    In a cast of technically precise dancers, Ashley Shaw is captivating as the titular heroine, whilst Andrew Monaghan simply excelled as he cut a swathe across the floor as the dashing pilot, proving that the romanticised notion of the leading man is still very much around. Lez Brotherston’s set design is superb, reflecting the hum-drum monotony of Cinderella’s home life in Act 1 before (quite literally) exploding into a riot of colour and movement in the second act and continuing to surprise well into Act 3. The show has a cinematic quality and feel to it, and is as inventive and multi-layered as it is visually exciting.

    Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella is a phenomenal breath-taking production which is absolutely sublime on every level.

    The show runs at Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until 19th May 2018 before continuing on its national tour. New Adventures has recently announced a new national tour for Swan Lake for 2018/19

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Rat Pack – Live From Las Vegas – National Tour

    Falling somewhere between a tribute act and a musical revue, The Rat Pack – Live From Las Vegas, brings together the kings of cool, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davies Jr, as they play a fictional night of variety on the stage of the Sands Hotel. Renowned for their old boy’s club style of camaraderie and songs that defined a generation, the three leads rattle their way through their classics, including You Make Me Feel So Young, That’s Amore, Mack The Knife and My Way.

    With a sparse set and little changing visually throughout the show, there is a reliance on the songs and performances to carry the production. The aces in the pack here are Stephen Triffitt with an intonation and vocal style which is undeniably Sinatra and Nicola Emmanuel with a naturally soulful, jazz infused voice as Ella Fitzgerald. But the show’s greatest strengths lies is in its musical numbers, and whilst the classic status of the songs is undeniable, the real joy was to hear them accompanied by a live orchestra creating a sound which reverberated in your chest, and with not a synthesizer or drum machine in sight.

    Despite its musical prowess, the show stumbles with an over indulgence of on stage banter which grows old and tiresome towards the end, whilst the portrayal of Dean Martin’s alcohol use descended from witty observation into comedic parody; but it was the racist, misogynistic and homophobic jokes which sat the most uncomfortably, and whilst they may have been reflective of the time, there doesn’t feel any reason why they should have been included for a modern audience.

    But there is still plenty of pleasure to be found here, with a barrage of songs, toe-tapping beats and singalong classics coming together to form a fairly undemanding evening of entertainment.

    The Rat Pack – Live From Las Vegas is currently at Sheffield Theatres until 5th May 2018 before continuing on its national tour.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Fat Friends The Musical – Glasgow

    ★★★☆☆ | Fat Friends The Musical, Glasgow

    *Review taken from the Sheffield production*

    As her wedding day approaches, Kelly buys her dream wedding dress, even though it is two sizes too small for her.

    When Julia Fleshman, the head of a national slimming club chain, comes to town to judge a slimming contest live on TV, Kelly ends up going viral with her body confident comments; and seizing the opportunity for some publicity, Fleshman offers to pay for Kelly’s wedding if she can slim into the dress in time for the big day. But with the wedding only six weeks away, the pressure is on…

    Fat Friends is very much a piece of crowd-pleasing theatre. Pulling together multiple stories of the good folk of Headingly, a town near Leeds, the stage is filled with likeable, if slightly caricatured, characters and is a straightforward evening of undemanding fun.

    The show boasts a good cast, with Jodie Prenger taking the lead as Kelly, and doing so with a cocky northern confidence and a belting singing voice. Sam Bailey (The X-Factor) is great as Kelly’s Mum and Natasha Hamilton (from Atomic Kitten) is the scheming Julia Fleshman. Thrown into the mix is an affable turn from Kevin Kennedy (Coronation Street) and ex-cricketer Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff, who takes to the stage and fares better than expected with a slightly stilted, if not tongue in cheek, portrayal of Kevin, Kelly’s nice but dim fiancé.

    The songs are amiable enough and used to move the story forward, and whilst they were perfectly pleasant to listen to and shoehorned a few laughs into the lyrics, they served their purpose well enough in terms of keeping up the show upbeat and jolly, but were ultimately fairly forgettable. The live orchestra added to the atmosphere within the theatre and the set design was a colourful cartoonish affair which was well lit and effective in its simplicity.

    Written and directed by Kay Mellor, who wrote the original TV series that the show is based on; Fat Friends is a rather loud, boisterous and upbeat show, which really resonates with its target audience. It’s a rather clichéd musical by numbers, with a heavy-handed script, fairly trite lyrics and a rather unsubtle approach to its humour, but what it lacks in sophistication, it makes up for with likeable characters, a few good belly laughs and buckets-full of near the knuckle, northern charm.

    Fat Friends is at the King’s Theatre Glasgow, Glasgow until the 5th May 2018, book tickets click here

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Sunset Boulevard

    ★★★★☆ | Sunset Boulevard

     

    Sunset Boulevard celebrates the golden age of Hollywood, where fading silent screen icon, Norma Desmond is trying to put herself back into the spotlight, with the assistance of Joe Gillis, a screenwriter who literally crashes into her life and is seduced by the lifestyle she can offer. However, scratching beneath the surface of the glitzy show business veneer exposes a dark tale of unrequited love, obsession, jealousy and controlling and manipulative behaviour, which brings people to the brink of insanity and murder.

    Sunset Boulevard is not necessarily Lloyd-Webbers strongest work, although it does have a score which, at times, is reminiscent of Evita; but it certainly entertains. And whilst, in the words of the musical, Evita may have brought with her “just a touch of star quality”, Ria Jones brings an abundance of dazzling West End class with a powerhouse performance as Norma Desmond, proving that she is every bit the star that her character once was. Danny Mac (Strictly Come Dancing) is also very impressive as Joe Gillis, strutting the stage with a cocksure swagger and holding his own against such a strong leading lady.

    But this production it is not all about the performances. Colin Richmond’s set design is top-notch, with a real attention to detail and some inventive visuals; and the scenes transform smoothly and elegantly from one location to another whilst projected images enhance the multi-layered set. The staging is grandiose and inventive, moving from the large open spaces of the studio backlot to the intimacy of darkened rooms of Desmond’s mansion. The 16 piece orchestra is delightful and the lighting design washes the stage with the orange and gold glamour of Hollywood before fading into the dimly lit locations of the darker corners of the story.

    Sunset Boulevard is a standout touring production which oozes with class, sophistication and quality.

    Sunset Boulevard is playing at Sheffield Theatres until Saturday 28th April 2018, before continuing on its national tour

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Fat Friends The Musical – Edinburgh

    ★★★☆☆ | Fat Friends The Musical, Edinburgh Playhouse

    *Review taken from the Sheffield production*

    As her wedding day approaches, Kelly buys her dream wedding dress, even though it is two sizes too small for her.

    When Julia Fleshman, the head of a national slimming club chain, comes to town to judge a slimming contest live on TV, Kelly ends up going viral with her body confident comments; and seizing the opportunity for some publicity, Fleshman offers to pay for Kelly’s wedding if she can slim into the dress in time for the big day. But with the wedding only six weeks away, the pressure is on…

    Fat Friends is very much a piece of crowd-pleasing theatre. Pulling together multiple stories of the good folk of Headingly, a town near Leeds, the stage is filled with likeable, if slightly caricatured, characters and is a straightforward evening of undemanding fun.

    The show boasts a good cast, with Jodie Prenger taking the lead as Kelly, and doing so with a cocky northern confidence and a belting singing voice. Sam Bailey (The X-Factor) is great as Kelly’s Mum and Natasha Hamilton (from Atomic Kitten) is the scheming Julia Fleshman. Thrown into the mix is an affable turn from Kevin Kennedy (Coronation Street) and ex-cricketer Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff, who takes to the stage and fares better than expected with a slightly stilted, if not tongue in cheek, portrayal of Kevin, Kelly’s nice but dim fiancé.

    The songs are amiable enough and used to move the story forward, and whilst they were perfectly pleasant to listen to and shoehorned a few laughs into the lyrics, they served their purpose well enough in terms of keeping up the show upbeat and jolly, but were ultimately fairly forgettable. The live orchestra added to the atmosphere within the theatre and the set design was a colourful cartoonish affair which was well lit and effective in its simplicity.

    Written and directed by Kay Mellor, who wrote the original TV series that the show is based on; Fat Friends is a rather loud, boisterous and upbeat show, which really resonates with its target audience. It’s a rather clichéd musical by numbers, with a heavy-handed script, fairly trite lyrics and a rather unsubtle approach to its humour, but what it lacks in sophistication, it makes up for with likeable characters, a few good belly laughs and buckets-full of near the knuckle, northern charm.

    Fat Friends is at the Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh until the 22nd April 2018, book tickets click here

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Art

    ★★★ | Art, Sheffield Lyceum Theatre

    Art centres on a picture. A picture of some white lines. Some white lines on a white background. A picture which costs Serge £200,000. But is it art? His friend, Marc doesn’t think so, but Marc is a traditionalist and not a fan of modern art. Their friend, Yvan, is fairly indifferent, but is too busy focusing on his pending marriage and doesn’t want to offend either of them by agreeing or disagreeing. But over the course of an evening, the debate rages, and the three of them bicker, fall out and deliver some home truths; as the painting proves to me more of a talking point than they expected.

    Mark Thompson’s stage design is deceptively simple. The blank walls, the clean lines and the minimalist furniture all reflect the canvas in question, but looking closer, the set also reflects the three main characters, with three differently styled chairs reflecting each of their tastes.

    With so little on stage, Art heavily relies on its script and performances to hold the audience’s attention over the play’s 90-minute runtime. Yasmin Reza’s script (translated by Christopher Hampton) is wordy, fast-paced and remains sharp and witty, with some nice comedic elements and a satisfying pay off. Nigel Havers is well cast as Serge, carrying an air of superiority and condescension; Denis Lawson satisfies as Marc who favours the traditional over the modern; whilst Stephen Tompkinson upstages both of them, with a surprisingly impressive turn as Yvan, bringing laughter, pathos and emotion to the stage as the piggy-in-the-middle of the bickering group.

    Over 20 years since it landed in the West End, Art remains an enjoyable piece which in itself provokes debate as to whether its real intention is a serious point about the appreciation of art from an individual perspective, whether it is poking fun at the pretentiousness of the superiority that can accompany a highbrow point of view, or whether, Like Yvan, it sits somewhere in the middle.

    Art is at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) until Saturday 21st April 2018 before continuing on its national tour. Visit www.arttheplay.com for full details.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Little Mermaid – Milton Keynes Theatre

    ★★★★| THEATRE REVIEW | The Little Mermaid – Milton Keynes Theatre

    THEATRE REVIEW | The Little Mermaid - Milton Keynes Theatre

    *This review was taken from the Leeds Grand Theatre review*

    Northern Ballet return with their third new ballet this year, The Little Mermaid. Based on the much loved fairy-tale, the ballet tells the story of Marilla, the little mermaid who dreams of life above the waves, and who falls in love with Prince Adir after she saves him from drowning. But her love is unrequited; as the Prince falls in love with another young woman who he mistakenly believes saved him. Exchanging her tail for legs, and with her voice lost, Marilla sets about trying to win his heart.

    David Nixon’s choreography is well conceived, and executed, with a keen eye for detail and a style that lends itself well to the underwater setting.  The nuances of the choreography are impressive, with a real fluidity of movement in the underwater setting, reflecting life beneath the ocean and the gentle swaying of the current. Nothing stays still underwater, whether it is the beautifully designed flowing costumes, the mermaids held aloft as they weave and bob across the stage, or the ever-active limbs of the ensemble cast, with the sequential movement of the dancers accurately depicting the ebb and flow of the tide. But perhaps the crowning glory to this is Nixon’s use of the ensemble cast at one entity – the sea – and using these multiple bodies as one to form the ocean into a character in itself.

    The original score, which has been composed by Sally Beamish, flits between the primarily light and playful to the romantic and finally to the dramatic, feeling cinematic and engaging. The costumes work very well, with long flowing skirts that accentuate the gesticulation and mobility of the cast. Joseph Taylor was engaging and charismatic as Prince Adair, whilst Abigail Prudames enchanted as the titular character and the delicate movements of the cast as a whole was technically well executed.

    The ballet itself appears deceptively simple.  The demarcation between land and sea seems to be little more than a lighting change, and two large concave structures are used to good effect to set each location; thrusting the narrative to the forefront and portraying that with ease and clarity.  The narrative is decidedly darker than the familiar saccharine Disney version, adhering more closely to the source material, but is all the better for it. What the audience is left with is a production which requires very little thought as a viewer, allowing you to simply be able to be swept away by the music and movement on stage.

    Visit Northern Ballet’s Website for details.

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Northern Ballet’s Jane Eyre

    ★★★☆☆ | Northern Ballet’s Jane Eyre

    THEATRE REVIEW | Northern Ballet's Jane Eyre
    THEATRE REVIEW | Northern Ballet’s Jane Eyre

    In a timely revival, Northern Ballet celebrates one of the great literary heroines of all time, Jane Eyre, a fiercely strong and independent woman who moves from the unloving care of her Aunt to the strictness of the Lowood Institution; and subsequently on to Thornfield, the home of her employer and subsequently her true love.

    Cathy Marston’s choreography nestles neatly between traditional and contemporary ballet, and is set to a score which moves between being playfully uplifting and darkly dramatic. The Northern Ballet Sinfonia was on point with their performance, having swelled their numbers from the previous tour of this production.  The set is deliberately sparse, primarily comprising of screens and curtains which are used to focus the attention on particular areas of the stage and its simplicity compliments to complexity of the narrative and provides for a workable dance space; whilst the costumes give a flavour of the bleakness of the Yorkshire Moors which are occasionally peppered with bold colour

    Dreda Blow charms as the titular character, whilst Javier Torres gives a brooding and charismatic performance as Rochester; and Victoria Mason breathes life and insanity into the role of Rochester’s wife. In a company which danced with technical precision across the board, Mlindi Kulashe and Kevin Poeung both stood out from the ensemble and their consistency of performance and development from ballet to ballet continue to impress.

    Given the rich story and the numerous events depicted in the book, there is a lot for Marston to fit into the ballet’s two hour run time, and whilst the key plot points are hit; the narrative is not always as clear as it could be. Those familiar with Bronte’s work will find much to enjoy within this production, whilst others may find the programme notes useful in keeping track.

    That aside, Jane Eyre is a ballet which contains a flowing visual style, rich characterisations and a faithful adaptation of a timeless story which manages to maintain a feeling of freshness and originality in a frequently told tale.

    Northern Ballet’s Jane Eyre is at Sheffield Lyceum Theatre (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) until 14th April 201, moving to Cardiff New Theatre, London Sadlers Wells and The Lowry, Manchester. Visit www.northernballet.com for details.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Fat Friends The Musical – Birmingham

    ★★★☆☆ | Fat Friends The Musical, Birmingham

    *Review taken from the Sheffield production*

    As her wedding day approaches, Kelly buys her dream wedding dress, even though it is two sizes too small for her.

    When Julia Fleshman, the head of a national slimming club chain, comes to town to judge a slimming contest live on TV, Kelly ends up going viral with her body confident comments; and seizing the opportunity for some publicity, Fleshman offers to pay for Kelly’s wedding if she can slim into the dress in time for the big day. But with the wedding only six weeks away, the pressure is on…

    Fat Friends is very much a piece of crowd-pleasing theatre. Pulling together multiple stories of the good folk of Headingly, a town near Leeds, the stage is filled with likeable, if slightly caricatured, characters and is a straightforward evening of undemanding fun.

    The show boasts a good cast, with Jodie Prenger taking the lead as Kelly, and doing so with a cocky northern confidence and a belting singing voice. Sam Bailey (The X-Factor) is great as Kelly’s Mum and Natasha Hamilton (from Atomic Kitten) is the scheming Julia Fleshman. Thrown into the mix is an affable turn from Kevin Kennedy (Coronation Street) and ex-cricketer Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff, who takes to the stage and fares better than expected with a slightly stilted, if not tongue in cheek, portrayal of Kevin, Kelly’s nice but dim fiancé.

    The songs are amiable enough and used to move the story forward, and whilst they were perfectly pleasant to listen to and shoehorned a few laughs into the lyrics, they served their purpose well enough in terms of keeping up the show upbeat and jolly, but were ultimately fairly forgettable. The live orchestra added to the atmosphere within the theatre and the set design was a colourful cartoonish affair which was well lit and effective in its simplicity.

    Written and directed by Kay Mellor, who wrote the original TV series that the show is based on; Fat Friends is a rather loud, boisterous and upbeat show, which really resonates with its target audience. It’s a rather clichéd musical by numbers, with a heavy-handed script, fairly trite lyrics and a rather unsubtle approach to its humour, but what it lacks in sophistication, it makes up for with likeable characters, a few good belly laughs and buckets-full of near the knuckle, northern charm.

    Fat Friends is at the New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham until the 7th April 2018, book tickets click here

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The York Realist – The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

    THEATRE REVIEW | The York Realist – The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

    The York Realist

    Set in the 1960’s, hard-working Yorkshire farmer, George, is volunteered for a part in the York Mystery Plays by his busy-body (and somewhat devoted) neighbour; where he meets and falls in love with John, the London based and rather cosmopolitan assistant director. But despite their feelings for each other, the difference in their two very different worlds soon becomes apparent.

    Director Robert Hastie shepherds the cast with skill, never shying away from the intensity and emotional impact of silence and pause in the midst of the drama; and eliciting quality performances from the cast with an unassuming ease. Jonathan Bailey (Broadchurch) and Ben Blatt (Spooks) excel in their respective performances as John and George, having a terrific on-stage chemistry and engaging in performances which were wholly absorbing, touching and brimming with genuine emotion.  Brian Fletcher’s monosyllabic character of Jack brought some of the lighter moments within the piece, whilst Lesley Nicol (Downtown Abbey) brings a warm and instantly recognisable charm to her portrayal as the down to earth matriarch of the family, which is as homely as the cottage kitchen that makes up the stage.

    Peter Gill’s script vacillates from fast-paced, northern-humour filled dialogue to long silent pauses of emotional drama with ease; and is reflective of the changes in society at the time, both in terms of the progress of modern life and the beginning of a change in attitudes. There is an underlying reticence of some of the characters to move on into the modern world, which mirrors the cautious approach of John and George to their relationship; and, in particular, whether George lives his life for himself or for others, despite his family’s unspoken acceptance of his sexuality. There is a real tension between the old-fashioned values and the familiar feel of a comfortable, established life and the progression into a time of social and economic change; which sits alongside a head-on clash of city and country life and a disparity between the social class of the protagonists.

    Running at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre until 7th April 2018, The York Realist is a touching, tender and tear inducing piece of heartfelt and beautifully understated theatre; with solid central performances from two actors with a genuine on-stage chemistry, and enough Yorkshire humour to satisfy the home crowd.

    Visit www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk for tickets and details.