THEGAYUK

Tag: Four Star Musical

  • Theatre Review | End Of The Rainbow – Sheffield Theatres and National Tour

    ★★★★ | End Of The Rainbow

    Set primarily in a hotel room as Judy Garland embarks on a set of comeback shows in a six week residency in London,  End Of The Rainbow examines the on and off stage crumbling of an iconic figure and her ongoing battles with her personal demons

    Photo Credit – Pamela Raith Photography

    As Judy succumbs to a cocktail of drink and drugs. Garland tries to hold things together as she is pushed to the brink by her fiancé, who is torn between his desire for them to share a private life and successfully reviving her career and fighting off her financial difficulties.

    Starring in the role of Judy is Lisa Maxwell (Loose Women), who gives a simply superb performance, capturing not only the mannerisms and melodic intonation of Garland but effectively portraying the contrasts between her brashness and her vulnerabilities and offering genuine raw emotion in numerous scenes showing just how tragic many of the aspects of Garland’s private life was. Alongside her was Gary Wilmot, who offers a gentile and steady portrayal of Anthony Chapman, Garland’s gay pianist and confidant; and Simon Pontin as Micky Deans, her fiancé.

    Peter Quilters play is lovingly written, juxtaposing the wit, bravado and sheer brashness of Garland with her heart-breaking vulnerabilities and desperation. The play shows Garland at her best and worst and provides scenes which really do gut punch you. As a drunken Judy, a quivering mess, lays on the floor begging for pills and to be loved, you can’t help but feel sorry for her. Aspects of Garland’s life are sensitively handled; yet don’t lose any of their power, in particular as she talks about being force-fed pills from a very young age by both the movie studios and her mother.  But it isn’t all downbeat, as Judy’s legendary rapier sharp wit cuts through the drama and the scenes in the hotel are interspersed with a smattering of some of her classic hits, which are belted out with aplomb by a vocally impressive Maxwell, all of which is sufficient to lighten the mood.

    End of the Rainbow avoids being a saccharine coated tribute by a country mile, and instead is a warts and all portrayal of Garland as she descends back into the pill taking and drinking that would soon consume her; and which examines the person she had become as a result of the years of the pressures of fame and the treatment of her by those around her. Yet despite all of that, Garland never really comes across as a victim in all of this, but instead remains an unstoppable, headstrong force of nature whose confidence and bravado no doubt masked a fragile and helpless woman.

    End of the Rainbow is currently at Sheffield Theatres (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) until Saturday 15th May 2016, before continuing on its national tour. See the show’s official website at www.endoftherainbowtour.co.uk for details.

     

  • 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 |Thriller Live – Sheffield Theatres And National Tour

    ★★★★ | Thriller Live.

    A spectacular two-hour tribute to Michael Jackson which celebrates the music, dancing and performances of the entertainer, via a whistle stop tour through his back catalogue. This highly polished and slick show brings to life some of Jackson’s most memorable routines, the iconic costumes and the classic hits.

    This show was much more than just two hours of a Michael Jackson impersonator with a few backing dancers. It was a glossy and thoroughly entertaining musical revue with a broad range of songs spanning the singer’s career which were performed with unyielding vigour and energetic enthusiasm by the cast and live band.

    The 32 song set list started with the early Mowtown years, featuring ABC, I Want You Back and I’ll Be There; moves through the years with the Jackson 5; with Can You Feel It and Blame It On The Boogie; before heading into his solo career with some of his biggest hits including Off The Wall, Bad, Beat It, and The Way You Make Me Feel. The show also features some of Jackson’s lesser-known songs, including She’s Out Of My Life, Show You The Way To Go and Dangerous and it was good to see some routines to the songs that you wouldn’t immediately associate with Jackson over his biggest hits.  Only Earth Song and Dirty Diana let the side down, with both descending into a bit of an overblown and indecipherable mess, but these are easily forgivable when nestled amongst the other great songs and performances.

    Particular highlights of the show included music video recreations of both Smooth Criminal and Thriller, great renditions of Man In The Mirror and I Just Can’t Stop Loving You and a thrilling recreation of the Mowtown 25 performance of Billie Jean, but in a show with so many show-stopping moments, highlights are difficult to choose.

    Featuring a quartet of singers who put their own spin on the vocals, avoiding them coming across as MJ impersonators, the standard of singing was very high, whilst the choreography and dancing were simply amazing. Cleverly utilising many of the routines (or elements of them) from the original music videos or stage performances of Michael Jackson, the dancers were spot on in terms of their timing and performance , with their acrobatic and exhilarating dance moves eliciting cheers, whoops and shouts of delight from the audience. Regardless of the controversy surrounding his life, Michael Jackson’s enduring appeal undoubtedly remains, and this is a show which ignores the singers private life to celebrate his musical legacy in a foot tapping, smile-inducing show which you can’t help singing along to; and a production which had people, quite literally, dancing in the aisles.

    Even if you are not the biggest fan of Michael Jackson, there is still a lot to recommend this show. Obviously, enjoying the music is an advantage, but if you enjoy watching spectacular dancing and a well performed musical revue then this show is up there with the best of them. Thankfully, this is not a gushing, Michael Jackson praise-fest, but instead simply allows a bunch of highly talented singers, dancers and musicians to let the songs and routines speak for themselves.

    Thriller Live is currently at Sheffield Theatres before continuing on its national tour until 23rd July 2016. For details visit www.thrillerlive.com

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Wonder.Land at The National Theatre, London

    Alice’s Wonderland has had a major upgrade to version 2016 and it’s good. ★★★★

    Wonder.Land comes to us via Rufus Norris, Blur’s Damon Albarn, who wrote the score, and playwright Moira Buffini, who have taken Alice and Wonderland and brought it right up to date for 2016. If you liked the original then you will not be disappointed, if you can get past the online element to the new wonderland. The usual characters survive such as the mad hatter, the rabbit, the twins and of course the Cheshire Cat, but as you have never seen them before.

    Alice or Aly, played by Lois Chimimba and brilliant, is a teenager growing up in a suburban city dealing with a mother’s attention focused on baby brother Charlie, the feeling of responsibility for her parents’ separation and being bullied at school. Her only means of escaping the life she hates is a new online game ‘Wonder.Land’ where she can be who she wants and find answers to the ‘who are you’ question which is asked throughout.

    It’s in this online world where Alice creates her online avatar persona, who is the complete opposite of herself, and follows the white rabbit through various online levels, meets other like minded gamers and battles against the red queen, who happens to be Aly’s head teacher in the real world with a hint of Cruella De Vil thrown in the mix.

    The songs, which are easily recognisable as written by Damon Albarn, are great, each character having their own unique song that is the personification of that character. From the sad and desperate songs of Alice and her mother, the hypnotic and soothing song from the caterpillar and the mad and hectic song of the hatter all play their part in this wonderland on stage.

    The staging itself is a mix of contemporary theatre, digital displays, weird and wonderful costumes and characters that all fuse seamlessly into one. The real world is grey and dull, even down to the costume which is in complete contrast to the colourful online world, and when they collide on stage, almost creates a hallucinogenic experience for both the stage characters and audience alike (not that I know what such an experience is like of course).

    The only downside were the three school girl bullies who, when combined, reminded me a bit too much of Catherine Tate’s “am I bothered” sketches and I wasn’t sure if I should of laughed at their bullying or not.

    That aside it was still worth a watch.

    The modern musical story creates laughs, wonder, glitter, self driving sofas, and a baby throwing up, yes I did say a baby throwing up. So if you are a fan of Alice in Wonderland then you will not be disappointed by this modern take on the classic if you dare enter Wonder.Land at The National Theatre.

    Also, for those who like that bit extra for their money, turn up a bit early for the fully interactive wonder.land things to do from entering the magical garden, creating your very own avatar to a musical tea party.

    Wonder.Land plays at The National Theatre, London until 13 March 2016, 020 7452 3000

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Blues Brothers

    THEATRE REVIEW | The Blues Brothers

    The blues are back in town in the form of ‘The Blues Brothers Christmas Special’ at the Arts Theatre in Covent Garden. ★★★★

    (more…)

  • THEATRE REVIEW: The Bodyguard UK TOUR

    Based on the 1992 film of the same name and starring Alexandra Burke and Stuart Reid, The Bodyguard is the story of a pop diva, Rachel Marron, who receives threats from a stalker, leading her managers to employ Frank Farmer, former Secret Service agent and the best bodyguard in the business.

    (more…)

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Musical

    With just the right balance of charm, smarm and quintessential Englishness, Michael Praed plays Lawrence Jameson, a con man who spends his time in the French Riviera swindling money from the rich women using his good looks, his faithful partner in crime, Andre (Mark Benton) and a tired old story about him being the Prince of a revolution-torn country.

    His unchallenged reign as king of the swindlers comes to an end with the arrival of Freddy Benson (Noel Sullivan), an uncouth, inexperienced and rough around the edges con man hoping to make his fortune. Lawrence agrees to take Freddy under his wing, but their initial prosperous partnership falters when they enter into a bet to see who can swindle $50,000 from a young lady first, leading to an increasing rivalry between the two.

    Utilising a versatile, art deco influenced set which ably adapted to define a large number of specific locations, this production contained a set of decent, toe tapping and comfortingly familiar sounding songs, with snappy lyrics and lively presentation. The opening number, “Give Them What They Want” set the tone nicely, and the cowboy inspired ensemble piece “Oklahoma?” was a delightfully flamboyant, camp and fun number with its tongue planted firmly in its cheek, proving to be a highlight of the show.

    The show blended both a witty script packed with one liners and a lot of physical comedy; providing a number of genuine laugh out loud moments. The three leads were well cast, with Praed really impressing with his natural performance, Benton being as reliable as ever as the comedy sidekick, and Noel Sullivan putting in an unexpectedly impressive and confident turn.

    What I did like about this show was that the set, presentation, tone, structure and even the musical numbers were steeped in the traditional elements of the classic musicals, giving the whole thing a feel of familiarity, but the characterisations went over and above the usual musical fayre, the story was more in depth and the departure from the usual “will they/won’t they” love story made a pleasant change. My only real criticism was that the second act couldn’t quite match the pace of the first act, and was more uneven in the spacing of its musical numbers, leading to the latter act feeling a little stretched out, particularly as the show drew to a close. Cutting ten minutes out of the second act would have made all the difference.

    It was with some slight apprehension that I approached Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – a musical based on a fairly mediocre late 1980’s film which I never particularly liked; a lengthy running time and a handful of unfamiliar songs. But one of the things I love about theatre is its constant ability to surprise, and this production was no exception.

    Overall, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels proved to be remarkably fun, coming across as an odd hybrid of Hairspray, The Producers, Top Hat and High Society. Far better than the film on which it is based, it transpired to be a show which I enjoyed it far more than I ever thought I would.

    Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is currently at Sheffield Lyceum until the 29th August 2015 (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) before continuing on its national tour until 28th November 2015. For details, see the official website at www.scoundrelsontour.com

  • REVIEW | Supreme Fabulettes At Leicester Square 2015

    Wigs at the ready, the Supreme Fabulettes are back…

    (more…)

  • THEATRE REVIEW: wonder.land, Manchester International Festival

    ★★★★ | wonder.land, Manchester International Festival

    Now in its tenth year, the Manchester International Festival is a biannual showcase for newly commissioned work by leading artists from all around the world.

    One of 2015’s biggest shows is wonder.land, a new musical featuring music by Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz fame.

    wonder.land, a new take on the classic story of Alice In Wonderland, tells the story of Aly. Aly is a lonely teenage girl, recently moved to a new area after the bitter split of her parents. Bullied at school and feeling neglected by her mother due to her baby brother, one day she stumbles across wonder.land, a website promising escape into a virtual world. Creating an avatar called Alice, in this world, Ali makes new friends and some refuge from her loneliness until the day her headmistress, Ms. Manxome confiscates her mobile phone and she is denied access to the game. Before long, Aly finds herself fighting for her existence in the game after her identity is stolen and her virtual friends turn against her.

    The story of Alice in Wonderland has long been one of the most loved and iconic of children’s books. This version, with themes of online gambling addiction, bullying and fractured families is a fiercely contemporary adaption. Elements of the Lewis Caroll tale remain but with a modern twist. For example, the Mad Hatter becomes Matt Hatton, Aly’s recovering gaming addict dad with a history of mental illness.

    If this sounds all a bit worthy then luckily wonder.land has enough sly wit and playfulness to prevent it feel like a preachy night at the theatre. The innovative design, mixing 3 dimensional back projection with moveable sets creating the two different worlds of the show also added a huge amount of visual excitement.

    wonder.land is not without flaws. The music, a combination of traditional musical theatre orchestration and electronica is pleasant if not especially memorable and the big climatic showdown between Ali and the villainous Ms Manxome feels rather rushed. This is not to deny however that this is a bold, exciting and original piece of work.

    In a strong ensemble cast, it was Anna Francolini who was the performance of the evening as Ms Manxome, this version’s Red Queen. Ms Manxome is an old fashioned big barnstormer of a role that it’s very easy to see musical theatre actresses of a certain age fighting to play. Francolini attacks the part with swagger and enormous charisma.

    Special mention must also go to Rosalie Craig in the lead role of Ali, who brings huge quantities of vulnerability to her performance matched by a strong singing voice. Her complicated relationships with her parents and budding friendship with Luke, himself a target for homophobic bullying, are affecting and powerfully portrayed.

    For all it’s modern trappings, at its heart wonder.land is a story about family and the quest for self-esteem. Lewis Carroll purists may very well hate it but plenty other will relate to its warmth, wit and the timeless themes under the hi-tech surface.

    wonderland
    Palace Theatre, Manchester
    2nd to 12th July 2015

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Shrek, National Tour 2015

    ★★★★ | Shrek, National Tour 2015

    Making the transition from screen to stage is not always easy, especially when you are adapting something as beloved as Shrek.

    The tale of the big green ogre rescuing the fair princess on behalf of the diminutive Lord Fardquaad is one which follows the plot of the film fairly closely, albeit with so many songs crammed into the running time, the whole thing teeters on the edge of being a sing through musical.

    Like the film, the stage show has a bit of something for everyone, with a script which is packed full of kid friendly comedy but with enough one liners and near the knuckle jokes to keep the adults more than entertained, nowhere more evident than in every second of stage time held by Lord Faquaad. Gerrard Carey was just outstanding as the vertically challenged monarch-to-be, and gave a deliciously camped up performance which was quite frankly hilarious. Look up the definition of “scene stealer” in any theatrical dictionary and you should find his picture. Dean Chisnall’s portrayal of the grumpy ogre was suitably downplayed, but his powerful voice was simply incredible as he belted out the songs.

    But it wasn’t just the performances that made this show, it was the whole package. For a touring production, the staging was incredible, utilising a slew of techniques to bring the tale to life in a way which far exceeded expectations. The set was beautifully put together, lavish and detailed, the lighting was well designed and the costumes and make up were stunning. The show pads out the backstories of the main characters a little, but equally allows the supporting cast to all get their turn, and with such a strong line-up, it would have been criminal not to.

    Where the show doesn’t quite peak is in the songs themselves.” I Got You Beat” was a neat take on the courting songs of Irving Berlin, “What’s Up, Duloc?” was an upbeat big production number and “Morning Person” was a Bob Fosse inspired tap dancing routine. When coupled with the visuals of the set, the choreography and the polished delivery, the actual numbers were are all perfectly amiable and got the feet tapping. However, they were ultimately pretty forgettable; and whilst they certainly work on stage, most audience members left the theatre singing the 1966 hit, “I’m A Believer”, rather than humming any of the shows original songs.

    Shrek carries with it an air of childhood magic and a theatrical experience which, provided you allow yourself to buy into it, will transport you back to that feeling of being a kid again. It’s a show which is bold, loud, colourful and utterly charming. Whether it was giggling at the occasional spot of toilet humour, laughing at the jokes which go over the kids’ heads, or simply being transfixed by the spectacle of a dragon flying about the stage, Shrek had me smiling throughout the show.

    Shrek is currently playing at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) until 6th June 2015 before continuing on its national tour at various venues throughout the country up to February 2016. Get yourself “ogre” to the tour’s website for full details (www.shrekthemusical.co.uk)

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Carrie The Musical

    A musical adaptation of Stephen King’s supernatural novel Carrie, which was a hit 1976 film, has just opened, and it’s very good!

    It’s hard to believe that music could be used effectively to tell the story of Carrie White, a high school student who’s picked on by her fellow classmates. But the songs in the show work, telling the tale of this strange young woman, who lacks self-confidence and has an overprotective and very religious mother, helped by a super-talented cast who look like they have just stepped out of the pages of an Abercrombie and Fitch catalogue.

    Evelyn Hoskins, in the role that made Sissy Spacek a star (as well as receiving an Oscar nomination for her performance) plays White. Timid, meak, and small in stature, she’s not like the rest of the girls in her school.

    Carrie the Musical, told in narrative form by one of the girls who survives the climactic ending, opens (as does the film) with Carrie experiencing her first period in the gym showers. She has no idea what is happening to her body, and this gives her female classmates the opportunity to ridicule her, and to call her names, including Scary White. Carrie is angry about this, and uses her supernatural powers to make the lightbulbs explode. Meanwhile, one of the girls videotapes it and soon enough the other students are watching it on their mobile phones.

    The female classmates are led by Chris (Gabriella Williams). She’s mean, evil, yet glamorous and very popular. She’s got a ‘thing’ for teasing Carrie, and the rest of her friends follow suit. Carrie is taken under the wing of gym teacher Ms. Gardner (Jodie Jacobs), who makes the girls reluctantly apologize to Carrie. All but Chris apologises, so Ms. Gardner bans her from the upcoming prom. Chris vows to get even with Carrie. Meanwhile Sue (Sarah McNicholas) feels sorry for Carrie, and feels bad for making fun of her in the locker room. So she asks her boyfriend Tommy (Greg Miller-Burns) to take Carrie to the prom. At first he says no, but then agrees to take her after Carrie is inspired by a poem he had written that he read aloud in class, which is one of the shows most poignant scenes.

    Carrie’s mom (Kim Criswell), just about treats her daughter like a small child, not listening to her but praying for her sins and singing religious songs. She’s fanatical yet motherly in a creepy kind of way.

    So Tommy asks Carrie to the prom, and she says yes, much to the utter dismay of her mother. There’s no surprise what takes place at the prom if you’ve already seen the film or read the book. Carrie and Tommy go to the prom and Carrie gets blood dumped on her as they stand on stage after being voted Prom King and Queen (with the vote being manipulated by Chris’s gang of girls). Carrie uses her powers to cause mayhem, death, and destruction, and it’s all expertly executed by the cast and crew of the show.

    Hoskins is perfect as Carrie. Though while at times her singing is reminiscent of a watching a high school musical, she really comes into her own as the show proceeds, especially after showing some real emotion when Tommy asks her to the prom. As her mom, Criswell is superb. She’s Piper Laurie (who played the mother in the film) with pipes, especially when singing ‘ When There’s No One.’ Williams is fantastic as well. She’s the bully, yet she’s also the beauty. Carrie is Williams’s professional debut. But Miller-Burns is the standout among the cast. As the young man who takes Carrie to the prom, we see a sparkle in his eye, a richness and emotion to his voice, and he’s the perfect actor to play Tommy, the man every boy wants to be like and the man every girl wants to be with.

    The stage becomes, from one minute, the locker room, then a class room, then Carrie’s dining room, to the finale – the school’s gymnasium where the prom is held. The dumping of the blood on Carrie’s head and the mayhem that follows is superbly executed, and extremely intense. Director and Choreographer Gary Lloyd has done an amazing job in putting together this production. Carrie the Musical, with music by Michael Gore and Lyrics by Dean Pitchford (of Fame fame), was a big flop when it debuted on Broadway in 1988 and subsequently in an Off-Broadway production in 2012. But with its London debut the show looks ready to hit the West End. Let’s hope it does, with the same cast and crew – it’s bound to be a hit.