THEGAYUK

Category: Theatre

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Showboat

    ★★★★ | Showboat

    It’s a show that’s older than you and me. It’s a show that has stood the test of time. It’s ‘Showboat‘ and its back in London.

    Credit – Johan Persson

    Now playing at London’s New London Theatre on Drury Lane, it’s a spectacular recreation of the show that had its first performance in 1927 in New York, staged by Oscar Hammerstein II. Yes, that’s how old this show is, almost a century, and it’s new production shows that ‘Showboat’ has got sea legs.

    If you don’t know the story, ‘Showboat’ is a show that is made of two parts. The first part is where we get introduced to the boat (called ‘Cotton Blossom’ which is spectacularly recreated on stage), it’s a boat that’s used to put on shows. It’s captained by Andy Hawks (Malcolm Sinclair) with a cast of whites and a crew of blacks. Captain Hawks’ single and carefree daughter Magnolia (Gina Beck) works on the boat, and it’s there where she meets and falls for the handsome yet mysterious Gaylord Ravenal (Chris Peluso). They get married and eventually have a daughter, but it’s the second act that gets dark. You see, Gaylord’s a gambling addict, can’t control his addiction, and can’t support his family, especially after they move to Chicago and have a baby girl. The lifestyle they knew and loved on the boat becomes a distant memory. As the years roll on, she and Gaylord split, and he disappears. But eventually her family and friends rally around her. It’s all told in great musical style with a cast that has loads of talent.

    The original London production opened in May, 1928 at the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane. It came back in 1971, and then again in 1998 at the Prince Edward Theatre. There was a short-lived production in 2006 at the Royal Albert Hall, and now it’s back for a new generation to see and it has not lost its life.

    Classic songs such as ‘Ol’ Man River’ (sung by Emmanuel Kojo) to ‘Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man’ (sung by an ensemble of the woman) are given new life by the singers. It’s the very talented cast, chief among them Beck, Peluso, and Danny Collins as a fellow performer, and Sinclair, who stand out.

    Masterfully directed by Daniel Evens, with lots of great musical numbers including entire ensemble dance routines, this ‘Showboat’ is a must see, especially in the New London Theatre where every seat in the house is a good seat.

    Showboat plays at the New London Theatre

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens

    ★★ | Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens

    CREDIT: Will_Frost

    Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens is billed as an inter-galactic disco extravaganza that explodes all around you. Well something exploded, or backfired. Think all-singing, trying-to-dance Battlestar Galactica meets Mad Max, throw in some glitter, silver lamé and a few other odds and sods from another solar-system’s secondhand dressing-up box.

    In amongst magnetosphere-of-madness is a wannabe poet cosmic Cyclops, a zodiac German doctor impersonator, a metallic-headed basque-sporting Medusa with two klingons in tow – the vixen trio. And thrust into the starlight as if she just landed from another planet, Chesty Prospects (Sophie Cordwell James): imagine Cheryl Fernandez-Versini trying to pull-off ‘fierce’, with a live vocal performance wearing a studded bra and stardust. Light years from close.

    Confused? So were we. There’s a serial killer, and these super-fashion crime-fighters from a groovier galaxy with a mission to fight crime and liberate the universe harnessing the Power of Disco. Or, a dark-matter Rocky-Horror-esque disco blended with a whole sphere of amateur cabaret.

    The production lifted off quite well but gravity kicked in and it landed flat on Uranus. The concept is fun but the stage time could have been halved, and for some, more rehearsal time added.

    Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens  plays at The Kingshead Theatre until 21st May

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Abominations

    THEATRE REVIEW | Abominations

    ★★ | Abominations

    CREDIT: Robert Piwko / www.robertpiwko.co.uk

    CREDIT: Robert Piwko / www.robertpiwko.co.uk

    Jeff is a married man with a fetish for wrestling. He’s walked out on his religious but shrewish wife and is hiding out in his hometown in southern England where he’s having a fumble with grieving youngster Malcolm. By coincidence, Malcolm’s boss is Jeff’s Biblical claptrap spouting father.

    Is a play about a secretly gay married man still relevant in 2016? Sadly it is. It’d be naïve to think that being gay in contemporary British society was accepted by everyone and that gay men weren’t still suppressing their sexuality and trying to hide in plain sight. Any foray into gay life will tell you that the phenomenon of the closeted gay man is still very much present. You can’t spend more than five minutes on a hook-up app, the Internet or in a sauna without tripping over a married man or two. The issues in the play are still prevalent. Gay men might be able to marry and public opinion might have moved on but people are still prejudiced and still spout obscure parts of religious tracts to justify this. Some people are still so affected by the prejudices of others that they suppress their natures and try to be things that they aren’t.

    In spite of this there’s something dated feeling about “Abominations”.

    The problem with the play isn’t the subject matter but the dialogue and characterisation. Whilst Jeff feels generally convincingly drawn and credible, his wife feels like a two-dimensional throwback to a dated sit-com. Malcolm is an earnest ukulele-playing buffoon who reveals few other character traits than naivety and rather than endearing, is more of an irritant. The dialogue is stilted and quaint at times. Scenes are short with awkward shuffling pauses. In spite of some well-drawn sections the sum of the play is much less than its parts and fails to gel. The comedy often falls flat and sits awkwardly with the more intense and better-written scenes.

    The saving grace of the piece has to be the stunning central performance from Alexander Hulme as Jeff. He handles the part with style, imbuing the character with credibility and hinting at the shifting emotional landscape of a man unravelling. He’s all swagger and brittle chav charm but manages to give glimpses of something deeper and darker with a softer core. He’s also very easy on the eye and displays a lot of flesh that distracts the viewer. In the midst of the play there are some genuinely moving scenes between Jeff and his father and Gary Heron displays some fine acting that ably supports Hulme in his role.

    This is definitely a play that had potential and there are glimpses of unrealised style and impact. The well-written lines stand out and there are scenes that have real power. Sadly, the finished overall product felt almost as tired and lacklustre as the location of the theatre: Camden High Street.

    Abominations plays at the Etcetera Theatre Until the 29th of May 2016

     

     

     

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Father, Birmingham Rep

    ★★★★★ | Delicately humorous and emotionally charged.

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  • THEATRE REVIEW | Pleasure – Howard Assembly Rooms, Leeds and National Tour

    ★★★ | Pleasure

    Val works as a toilet attendant in Pleasure, a gay club somewhere in the north of England, acting as confidante, agony aunt, mother figure and friend to the young men who frequent the club. Matthew is a hopeless romantic, Nathan is unsure of his sexuality and the cabaret act, Anna Fewmore, is bitter and jaded by time. But lost amongst the urinals and dramas of the club, Val harbours a dark secret and a past which is about to catch up with her.

    Lesley Garrett as Val; Photo Credit: Robert Workman

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Written by Mark Simpson and Melanie Challenger, Pleasure plugs into both the cynicism and the optimism on display in the gay scene and looks at the secret lives, hidden pasts and major insecurities felt by many which remain hidden. Whilst Anna Fewmore sings “it doesn’t matter who you are, only what you appear to be”, there is optimism in the form of the bohemian Matthew’s ever persistent belief in love.  But all of this is juxtaposed with the sad, tragic and lonely figure of Val; and the reason why she continues to hide herself away in the toilet of a gay club.

    Simpsons score is an angular and jolting affair, which is oppressive and uneasy, mirroring the mixed emotions of the four characters and one which reflects the darker side of the gay scene; whilst Challenger’s libretto had moments which showed insight into the common fears of gay men. Lesley Garrett draws the attention as Val, Steven Page brims with bitterness as the jaded, acerbic cabaret star and Nick Pritchard and Timothy Nelson keep the burgeoning relationship between Matthew and Nathan on the right side of tender with just a hint of homoeroticism.

    Pleasure is quite a dark examination of the tragedy of hidden lives, of the feelings that people so often keep to themselves, and of the pain and hurt hidden by someone amongst their acts of kindness to others. When someone mentions opera, you wouldn’t necessarily imagine Lesley Garrett scrubbing toilets in a seedy gay club, which is what makes Pleasure such a bold attempt at a contemporary opera.

    With its stripped back presentation, Pleasure is a quite intense piece of theatre. Its operatic style and the themes explored make it a production which is not just challenging; but also which is not necessarily an easy watch. It requires the concentration and attention of its audience throughout but ultimately rewards the focussed viewer.

    Pleasure is currently showing at the Howard Assembly Rooms in Leeds before touring to Liverpool Playhouse (4th May 2016); Aldeburgh: Britten Studio, Snape (7th May 2016) and Lyric Hammersmith (12th – 14th May 2016). For details and to book tickets visit www.operanorth.co.uk/productions/pleasure

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Doctor Faustus

    ★★★| Doctor Faustus

    Picture Matt Humphrey

    The story of Doctor Faustus, the man who sells his soul to the devil, is an enduring one that translates well to the modern age. People can become elevated to giddy heights and accrue endless riches and advantages in the realms of celebrity and politics through seemingly mysterious and nefarious means. It’s still tempting to wonder what kind of pact they might have made whether spiritual or, more realistically who they’ve trampled on and betrayed along the way. The truth is probably less titillating and more prosaic. Doctor Faustus was originally published over 400 years ago but retains its relevance.

    The original author Christopher Marlowe is an Elizabethan enigma; dying in a much speculated upon pub brawl at the age of 29. His writing contained openly queer characters, complex romantic relationships and overtly homoerotic prose. Was he a gay man, a spy or a wily criminal? The speculation has lasted centuries along with his plays.

    “Doctor Faustus” opens with a gloomy dwelling with a Hieronymus Bosch style twist of hellishness. Dark figures loiter, hands reach around doors and faces are pressed against the windows. Naked figures move forward, blood flows and sedated looking humans in stained underwear creep around the set. Take your eyes off Kit Harrington (which isn’t easy as he’s incredibly handsome) for more than a few seconds and more horrors appear. Figures appear halfway up the walls, lurch out of doorways and materialise as if from nowhere. It’s actually really quite terrifying. This isn’t a production for the feint hearted. The warning list on the way in is quite impressive with a list of what horrors await you. Instead of the usual ‘theatrical haze’ and ‘strobe lighting’ there’s an itinerary that would make Mary Whitehouse turn in her grave.

    Kit Harrington proves that he can really act with an incredibly powerful performance. He’s also almost naked on a few occasions and that’s no bad thing. Jenna Russell (last seen in ‘Grey Gardens’) is on her usual top form as Mephistopheles. There’s also a very able supporting cast, a stunning and cunning set by Soutra Gilmour and appropriately intense sound and lighting design.

    All good so far but sadly the good stuff is very good and the bad stuff is very cringe-worthy. The Elizabethan script works as does the modern script by Colin Teevan but the two don’t blend together well. In fact, they positively jar. The modern allusions to celebrities and politicians are a little painfully awkward and the humour often falls flat. The second act starts with Jenna Russell singing “Bat Out of Hell”. It’s a bizarre beginning but definitely a sight worth witnessing. The action then flails somewhat and the atmosphere is shattered with skits that often feel silly, although fortunately the play always manages to pull itself back.

    Strongly recommended to see some amazing work from the lead actors (provided you can cope with violence, blood, faeces and sex) but ultimately, Dr Faustus fails to deliver all that it promises.

     

    Doctor Faustus plays at the Duke of York’s theatre until 25 June.

     

    @chrisb715

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Funny Girl

    ★★★ | Funny Girl

    CREDIT: Johan Persson

    Is there anything Sheridan Smith can’t do?

    She’s now playing Fanny Brice in the new West End musical Funny Girl, but Smith has done quite a bit in her short 34 years. Already an OBE, Smith has won tons of awards for her work both on stage and on television. She’s won two Laurence Olivier Awards (Legally Blonde in 2011 and Flare Path in 2012) and one television BAFTA (Mrs. Biggs in 2013). Smith has also been featured in several films in the past few years, including the recent The Huntsman: Winter’s War and 2013’s Powder Room and The Harry Hill Movie. But it’s her role as Brice in Funny Girl that’s bringing Smith more plaudits and acclaim.

    In a role Smith starred in last year to sell out crowds at the Menier Chocolate Factory, it’s now transferred to the Savoy Theatre for a short 6 month run. Smith plays Brice, a role which made Barbra Streisand famous (and which won her a Tony and an Oscar), so Smith has huge shoes to follow. And does she fill them? Not even close.

    Fanny Brice is the true story of a young Brooklyn born Jewish girl with huge stage aspirations. The real Brice was born in 1891 to Hungarian immigrants who had arrived to the US as children but managed to make a life for themselves and their children in Brooklyn. So Smith’s job is to make you forget Streisand’s Brice and reinvent the character to make it her own. And she does in her own way. She’s charming and lovely and can sure belt out a tune. Songs made extremely memorable by Streisand – ‘People’ and ‘Don’t Rain on My Parade’ – are sung by Smith, good enough for this production, but not very memorable. And we’re supposed to believe that the handsome, debonair, charming (and con man) Nick Arnstein (Darius Campbell – perfect in the role) falls in love with her and not for her money. She’s so in love with him that she certainly can put up with his gambling habits and dubious investments. But even Brice can’t figure why he’s fallen for her, and neither can the audience.

    Brice does find fame and fortune as a performer, with a proud Jewish mother (Marilyn Cutts) by her side all the way, living her dream by being employed by the great Florenz Zlegfield (Bruce Montague). But the crux of the show is the relationship between Brice and Arnstein, it’s a volatile one but not quite believable, and it’s a shame that the show isn’t more about Brice’s talent and less about the relationship. Smith is given her moments, and she gives it all she’s got, a bit over the top at times (her Brooklyn Jewish accent is a bit over exaggerated at times).

    There are no amazing sets, and no showstopping numbers as in most musicals. But great costumes and an excellent supporting cast, with classic musical numbers, makes Funny Girl worth a look.

    It’s not a very memorable production but it’s clearly a star vehicle for Smith, and she makes it her own.

    Funny Girl plays at the Savoy Theatre until October 2016, 0844 871 7687

  • THEATRE REVIEW | FOLK

    Holy, Unholy and everything in between. Folk was heavenly humorous but had also many notes of devilish charm that tickled many funny bones in the audience.

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  • THEATRE REVIEW | Guys And Dolls– Sheffield Theatres And National Tour

    ★★★ | Guys And Dolls

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  • THEATRE REVIEW | My Mother Said I Never Should

    ★★★★ | My Mother Said I Never Should

    CREDIT: Savannah Photographic

    My Mother Said I Never Should is an award winning debut play written when the author was just 25. It was chosen as one of the most significant plays of the twentieth century by the National Theatre and is, apparently, one of the most performed plays by a female artist. Yet, strangely it hasn’t been seen on a major London stage since the 1980s. Maybe plays about the relationships between women still don’t have commercial appeal? It’s a shame that it’s not been revived before but director Paul Robinson and producer Tara Finney have more than rectified that and have resurrected a thing of beauty and power.

    The stage is almost bare with stark white backgrounds and hints of furniture. Piles of television sets suggest eras and portions of scenery, helping to frame the action in the non-linear structure. The four women start the play as sinister schoolgirls (which could be excruciating to watch but is actually cleverly done), chanting rhymes and plotting to kill mummy. The play then evolves into a series of scenes from the lives of four generations of women in Manchester helped by subtle lighting and sound changes.

     

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    It’s a standard potboiler plot that could be found in a fat Catherine Cookson novel or a television soap opera: difficult marriages, terminal illness and illegitimate children. The script is cleverly written, though, and although the storyline veers towards mawkish sentimentality at times it always steers back and feels lifelike and moving rather than trite.

    Maureen Lipman is magnificent as Doris, a fearsome mother, grandmother and great grandmother. There’s depth to her character as she progresses through stern 1940s mother in the Blitz through to a more benign and charitable but still waspish old lady sunbathing with her pop socks off in the garden. She delivers her lines with skill and inhabits the role beautifully. Caroline Faber is convincing as her at times put upon daughter. Katie Brayben (who played Carole King to critical acclaim in the musical Beautiful) portrays Jackie with skilful restraint and Serena Manteghi is suitably boorish yet ultimately wise as Rosie.

    The play will resonant with a wide variety of people. Provided you had a mother/grandmother/aunt/sister or daughter then it’ll be hard not to reflect on your own experiences whilst you watch this. The yearning to be loved and approved of is innate and powerful. Don’t expect a tragic, visceral weepy though. There are so many comedic moments and killer lines that the blow of the deeper hurts being presented is softened suitably.

    This is a strong production with a skilled cast and high production values and is a welcome return to form for The St James Theatre. Highly recommended entertainment with underlying resonance.

    My Mother Said I Never Should plays at the St James Theatre, Victoria until 21st May 2016, 0844 264 2140

     

  • The Hottest Musical You’ll See This Spring

    The Hottest Musical You’ll See This Spring

    Now we don’t usually run much theatre preview content here at THEGAYUK, but when this little promo hit our desks we only thought of you…

    Devilish photo 1

    Dear Reader… Just feast your eyes on this promo for a brand new show called Devilish. It’s a new British musical with music by BB Cooper, and book and lyrics by Chris Burgess starring Alex Green (the guy in the photo) as Angel.

    Once Angel has savoured the delights of Clapham North, London, he decides he wants to become a human. And thus starts his odyssey through a metropolitan mire of corruption.

    Cute and innocent, he is lured into appearing on a ‘Freak Idol’ TV show and is lusted after by fans everywhere. 

    We can’t imagine why <insert horny devil face>

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    It was inspired by John Ruskin’s comment that an angel appearing on earth would be shot on sight. H.G Wells wrote a novel called ‘The Wonderful Visit’ based on this observation, but now a new team of writers offer their musical take on this premise.

    ALSO READ: Patrick Stewart dragged up and it’s slightly amazing…

    ALSO READ: David Gandy’s Instagram is giving us some serious feels.

     

    The show begins on May 10th at the Landor Theatre