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Tag: Southwark Playhouse

All the latest breaking news on the Southwark Playhouse. Browse THEGAYUK’s complete collection of news, articles and commentary on Southwark Playhouse.

  • Afterglow review: Go for the nudity, stay for the three-way

    Afterglow review: Go for the nudity, stay for the three-way

    ★★★ | Afterglow, London

    (C) Darren Bell

    A married gay couple welcome a third and things will never be the same with them again.

    In the show Afterglow, now playing at Southwark Playhouse, Josh (Sean Hart) and Alex (Danny Mahoney) live comfortably in a nice Manhattan apartment and enjoy other men’s company. Darius (Jesse Fox), all but 25 years old, gets involved in a three-way with them, however, Darius and Josh have an instant attraction. They start hooking up with each other, and it is at this point that we know where the story is going to go. But what complicates even more is that Josh and Alex are expecting a baby through a surrogate, and with Darius in the picture, what will happen not only with their relationship but also to their pending fatherhood?

    In a show that has nudity as a top billing (a device that’s sure to sell tickets), the actors are not shy and are naked in the very beginning – having a three way in bed. Getting undressed, shower scenes and lots of kissing add a bit more to the show. But this alone cannot save the fact that the scenery changes and the undressing take a bit too long, losing any sense of drama this show is trying to eke out. And it’s a bit frustrating because the actors are all actually quite good –  it’s the story that doesn’t do them justice.

    I would say go for the nude scenes –  they are worth the price of admission, just don’t expect much else.

    Afterglow plays at the Southwark Playhouse until 20th July 2019, book tickets.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Promises Promises, Southwark Playhouse

    THEATRE REVIEW | Promises Promises, Southwark Playhouse

    ★★★ | Promises, Promises – Southwark Playhouse

    Promises, promises review southwark playhouse
    CREDIT: Claire Bilyard

    ‘Promises Promises’ has a fine pedigree. It’s a 1968 musical based on the classic 1960 Billy Wilder film, ‘The Apartment’. The script is by King of the one-liners Neil Simon and the music is from the outstanding duo Burt Bacharach and Hal David.  The set list contains the lilting ‘A House is Not a Home’ and the glorious ‘I’ll Never Fall in Love Again’ which topped the charts for Dionne Warwick and Bobby Gentry. Surely, this a case for high expectations being met if ever there was one? Sadly it’s a bit of a mixed bag and isn’t all it pledges to be.

    The main problem with the piece is the tone of the musical which feels dated and uncomfortable to watch. It’s more reminiscent of Benny Hill’s stomach curdling capers than the suave sex appeal of ‘Mad Men’. Chuck is a junior executive who accidentally hits on a way to curry favour with his married bosses by lending them his bachelor pad to take their girlfriends to for sex. After a lot of songs, dialogue and an inordinate amount of set up, Chuck realises that the object of his affection, waspish cafeteria worker Fran, is being taken back to the flat by the boss of the company. The first act limps along and feels uncomfortable because of the dated references to women whilst the second act takes a darker turn but feels equally uncomfortable in its bizarre response to one character’s suicide attempt.

    There’s a cringe-worthy set piece in Act One where a group of married executives prance around and sing about where to take a girl to have sex on the sly. The girls are of course young and pretty (and largely devoid of character) whilst the executives are overweight and lumbering. The rest of the songs blend into one at times and the script feels less than zippy. Chuck addresses the audience and feels like he should be hilariously funny to watch but he just isn’t. The odd strong one liner that should be really funny (a woman downs a drink in one and he says ‘I’d hate to see her eat!’) barely raises a laugh, feeling lost amongst a swamp of too much dialogue and too many songs.  At three hours there feels like not much content over a lot of time.

    There are plenty of positives, though. The cast is really skilled and likeable. In spite of his humour falling flat, there’s something really quite loveable about Gabriel Vick’s portrayal of Chuck. Vick is a decidedly good looking man who can belt a tune out and is magnetic. He’s worth the ticket price alone. I defy you not to come out of the theatre with a slight crush on him. Equally strong is Daisy Maywood as the sharp-tongued but soft-centred Fran. Naturally, there are good songs among the setlist (it’s Bacharach and David. They write bloody good songs). Simon Wells slightly creaky set feels fun and is versatile and the choreography is filled with joyous moments.

    Although this musical misses the mark by a mile in many ways it’s still worth a stroll to the delightful Southwark Playhouse just to see such strong performances and sit back for a few hours and let the music wash over you. Just don’t listen to the words too closely.

    Promises, Promises plays at the Southwark Playhouse until 18th February 2017

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Side Show at Southwark Playhouse

    ★★★ | Side Show at Southwark Playhouse

    There’s something grimly fascinating about conjoined twins. As a child, I longed for a twin, someone within the family who would be just like me and understand me completely. Conversely, I also found family life constraining and claustrophobic and wanted solitude and escape. Imagine having a twin who you share a body with and the implications of this? It’s a strange notion to consider.

    CREDIT: Pamela Raith

    One of the most fascinating sets of conjoined twins in history was Daisy and Violet Hilton. They were born in Brighton in 1908 and were joined at the pelvis, sharing some blood supply. Displayed in freak shows, they ultimately hit the vaudeville circuit in America and ended up appearing in films. Their personal life was unconventional: they ‘divorced’ their guardian and manager, both married gay men and died alone with one twin dying a few days before the other.

    Russell and Krieger’s 1997 musical Side Show should be a fascinating and moving tale. It is and it isn’t. There are some spectacularly good songs but also some drearily forgettable ones. The musical feels a tad derivative at times with too many echoes of Chicago and Cabaret but at others feels unique and powerful. Daisy and Violet’s story begins at the freak show and the ‘freaks’ act out the events of their life; doubling as reporters, courtroom attendants, wedding guests etc. Again, this could have worked well but the whole show feels less of a missed opportunity but more like an almost achieved opportunity.

    The two leads are the supremely talented musical theatre actresses Louise Dearman (the only actress to have played both Glina and Elphaba in Wicked) and Laura Pitt-Pulford. They carry the show and have an electrifying presence. They’re ably supported by Dominic Hodson and Haydn Oakley as their career propelling prospective suitors. The problem lies in how the rest of the cast are used.

    The ‘freaks’ are dressed in what looks like Halloween costumes made by someone’s mother and they’re all a bit too stagey in their actions and expressions. There are lots of broad gestures and facial contortions whilst they enthusiastically plod through the seen-before choreography. The Southwark Playhouse is a small and intimate space and works well for close-up musical theatre but not when the cast is behaving like it’s The London Palladium and the clothes don’t bear up to scrutiny from anything less than 50 feet away.

    Overall, it’s a show worth catching, if only for the chance to see two of musical theatre’s rising stars perform so beautifully at such close quarters. Just try not to ‘Come Look at the Freaks’ (as the opening and closing songs implore). You might feel embarrassed and not for any of the wrong reasons.

    Side Shows plays at the Southwark Playhouse until 3rd December

    Follow Chris Bridges on Twitter

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Allegro, Southwark Playhouse

    ★★★★ | Allegro

    CREDIT Scott Rylander

     

    With Allegro, the charming space at Southwark Playhouse sees the UK premiere of a dusty old 1947 musical. Thanks to the partnership of Thom Southerland and Danielle Tarento (Titanic, Grey Gardens, Dogfight and Parade) this forgotten piece has had the cobwebs blown off it, regained its sparkle and is a welcome find rather than a lacklustre piece of tat from the store cupboard of musicals that should stay dormant.

    Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musicals have been entertaining theatre audiences since the early 1940s when they hit the scene with Oklahoma. The pair went on to score a string of hits with The Sound of Music, The King and I and South Pacific among many others. Given their continued critical and commercial success it was a surprise when Allegro floundered and failed to win over American audiences when it premiered. Theories abound as to why this was: a misguided choreographer/director, a storyline ahead of its time or too radical a departure from accepted musical theatre form. Whatever the reasons, it’s resulted in something quite extraordinary for us in that we now have a ‘new’ musical from an iconic writing duo to enjoy.

    The storyline isn’t the strongest around, the intention of the show being to tell a simple tale of an all American everyman. It’s a little flawed, has the odd flabby moment in Act One and is occasionally too sentimental for modern tastes but has an endearing core message. None of that matters though and it’s easy to overlook the cracks in the core material. The genius of the show lies with the team behind it. Southerland has stripped back the show and presents it on a pared down set of almost perpetually moving ladders and platforms with a cast of sixteen and an eight-piece band. The cast form the musical equivalent of a Greek chorus, commenting on the life of small town doctor Joseph Taylor Jr. as he moves from birth through to an early mid-life crisis at 35 with individual members stepping forward and taking on the roles of significant people.

    Unlike the ill fated first run where a reputedly Gorgon like choreographer reigned havoc, the choreography is one of the key factors that makes this performance work. Lee Proud makes use of the limited space and the company move with panache, seamlessly augmenting the narrative. The ensemble singing is as strong as the individual numbers and really packs a punch. Some killer numbers and an accomplished cast combine to make this a winning show. Gary Tushaw as Joseph is handsomely wholesome without being nauseating and Kate Bernstein is particularly enlivening as his waspish nurse, Miss Lipscombe. Her take on “The Gentleman is a Dope” is a sight and sound to behold.

    Forget Jesus Christ Superstar. If this team continue to breathe life into shows that are as dead as Lazarus then we’ll definitely be hailing them as a the new Messiahs of musical theatre.

    Allegro plays at Southwark Playhouse until 10th September

    Follow Chris Bridges on Twitter

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Through The Mill, Southwark Playhouse

    ★★★★★ | Through The Mill, Southwark Playhouse

    CREDIT: Southwark Playhouse

    It’s Judy Garland times three in the new musical Through The Mill now playing at Southwark Playhouse.

    The show gives us Garland in three different stages in her life. There’s the young Judy before her Wizard of Oz role – ages 13 through 16 – brilliantly played by Lucy Penrose. Then we have the Palace Judy – the time in Garland’s life when she was performing on Broadway at the Palace Theatre, age 29 – with Belinda Wollaston in the role. Then finally we are presented with CBS Judy – the 47 year-old star (played by Helen Sheals) who was in the last year of her life during which she had her own television show on America’s CBS network.

    These three eras of Judy’s life are superbly intertwined in a show that’s both fantastic and tragic. We all know that Judy died at the age of 47 in London due to an over-dosage of barbiturates. But she had such a tumultuous life, and it didn’t make matters any better in that she was an extremely insecure, and nervous, woman. Young Judy’s father (played by Joe Shefer) ran a cinema, but he also had a predilection for young boys. Her mother Ethel (Amanda Bailey) was an extremely controlling stage mother. But Palace Judy’s life isn’t much better. By this time she takes various drugs just to help her get through her day (and to get her on stage). Her life seems to be a mess, though she’s got her husband Sid Luft (Harry Anton) with her at all times. By the tim CBS Judy (who actually opens the show with a rounding version of ‘Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries’) sung brilliantly by Sheals, her life seems to be on track, she’s got a hit television show, but the network keeps on demanding more and more from her. It’s too much for a woman as fragile as Judy, and though her death is not played out on stage, we all know what’s going to happen to her.

    Through the Mill is excellent. It’s all due to the three women who play Judy, they are all very good but it’s Penrose who shines a bit more because she plays a version of Judy that is young and innocent, and Penrose conveys that excellently. When Young Judy and Palace Judy duet on ‘Zing, Went the Strings of my Heart’ together in the intimate theatre, it’s an event! And when all three get together to sing the finale – ‘Over the Rainbow’ – there’s not a dry eye in the house.

    Director Ray Rackham, along with the rest of his crew, have staged a musical that’s larger than life in a theatre that’s as intimate as a living room. And the parallel timeframes used in this production is genius. Cleverly, the musicians also act in the show, from Carmella Brown who plays CBS Judy’s assistant, to Don Cotter who is very good as Louis B. Mayer, the head of MGM who greenlit Garland for Wizard of Oz.

    Please go see Through the Mill, even if you’re not a Judy Garland fan. It’s a fabulous show.

    Through the Mill is playing at the Southwark Playhouse until July 30th .

  • THEATRE REVIEW: Grey Gardens, Southwark Playhouse

    Based on the 1975 cult classic documentary film of the same name, Grey Gardens tells the real life rise and fall of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s aunt and cousin, Edith and Edie Bouvier Beale. ★★★ (more…)

  • Harvey Fierstein Backs Southwark Show Casa Valentina

    Harvey Fierstein, the theatre genius who brought us Torch Song Trilogy and La Cage aux Folles, is the man behind two productions opening concurrently in London.

    Kinky Boots, a musical version of the 2005 film, (which everyone’s heard about and dying to see) opens next week at the Adelphi Theatre. And his other new show, Casa Valentina, is at the Southwark Playhouse with previews beginning Sept. 10th. And like Kinky, Casa Valentina comes direct from Broadway where it was nominated for four Tony Awards.

    It’s a story about the lives of several men who escape their humdrum Manhattan lives (and summer heat) and head on the weekends to the Catskill mountains. Not only are they escaping the summer heat, they are also escaping from their lives.

    You see, these men like to dress as women. And in Casa Valentina, they leave their family and friends behind and become their inner selves. And in this first look at the production, we see some of the cast getting transformed into their costumes.

    Expect a full review of the show next week!

    Casa Valentina is currently playing at the Southwark Playhouse.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Gods and Monsters, Southwark Playhouse

    ★★★★★ | Gods and Monsters, Southwark Playhouse

    It’s the late 1950s and ageing Hollywood director, James Whale, best known for his iconic Frankenstein films, is languishing in his Los Angeles house.

    Whale is incapacitated by a series of strokes that have left him frail and prone to crippling headaches, dark moods and memory lapses. In spite of his infirmity, he hasn’t lost any of his impish ways with young men, persuading them to swim in his pool or pose naked for portraits. Old habits die hard. Unashamedly gay in an era of repression, Whale is a singular and striking personality. Enter pneumatically muscular new gardener, Clayton Boone who becomes the object of Whale’s lust and an unlikely player in the final drama of his life.

    Whale’s life is told in a series of flashbacks that happen alongside the on-going drama; portraying the story of his childhood in a working-class family in Dudley through his horrific World War One experiences to his Hollywood career.

    The play is based on the 1995 novel Father of Frankenstein written by Christopher Bram. The the same source material was used for the 1998 Oscar-winning film, “Gods And Monsters”, starring Ian McKellen, Lynn Redgrave and Brendan Fraser. The story works as well as a stage play also.

    In terms of script, performance and production values this is a triumphant piece of theatre. Seasoned actor, Ian Gelder is magnificent as Whale. His performance hits a fine balance between comedy and tragedy and is subtly nuanced. The script is tight and in spite of the intensity of the subject matter the play never drags and is filled with finely written comedic moments. Excessively muscled newcomer Will Austin takes on the role of Boone with a surprisingly fine performance. He manages to portray a man with unexpected depths with gentle empathy and sensitivity.

    The intimate space of Southwark Playhouse and the cunning lighting, sound and set design add extra dimensions to the performance also. I must also mention that the play contains male nudity (if the fine acting and script doesn’t grab your attention then three different male nudes might).

    This really is a stand out production in London theatre and a must see.

    Buy tickets here: http://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/the-large/gods-and-monsters/

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Next Fall

    ★★★★ | Next Fall

    Imagine meeting a younger man, falling in love and then finding out that he has a very different ideology from yours. How would you cope if you found out that he was a fundamentalist Christian who believes that homosexuality is a flaw, the Bible is a literal document and is waiting for a rapture to occur so that he can be drawn up to heaven?

    Adam and Luke have managed to make their relationship work in spite of their differences. Adam is a failed writer from New York and a neurotic atheist with hypochondria issues. Luke is from Florida and is an aspiring actor with strong religious views and a tendency to pray to thank God for food and again after sex to ask for forgiveness. Luke has kept his sexuality secret from his parents, always planning to tell them next autumn but things come to a head when Luke is hit by a car and is lying in hospital in a coma and his long separated parents arrive from Florida along with a closeted male friend and his best female friend.

    This multi award winning play by Geoffrey Nauffts is so much more than an issue centred play but works on varying levels: as a tender exploration of human frailty and diversity, a moving drama and also a really witty comedy with laugh out loud moments. Charlie Condou (Coronation Street) and Martin Delaney portray the couple at the centre of the play with skill but the real stars of the play are the supporting cast. Nancy Crane is exceptional as Luke’s flaky mother with drug issues and her comic timing is absolutely impeccable. She delivers killer line after killer line without batting an eyelash. Sirine Saba and Mitchell Mullen are equally brilliant in their portrayal as Adam’s New Age best friend and Luke’s bullish father, struggling to cope with his suspicions about his son’s sexuality.

    The set is versatile, making use of the intimate space in play at Southwark portray hospital waiting rooms, apartments and even a street scene. The theatre is a perfect space for a play of this intensity and warm humour.

    This is a play that is really worth catching. It’s definitely worth a trip to Southwark for a rare opportunity to see a play that has the potential to make you cry with both laughter and sorrow.

    Next Fall runs until the 25th of October 2014

    Buy tickets here: www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Dogfight, Southwark Playhouse

    ★★★★ | Dogfight, Southwark Playhouse

    San Francisco 1963 is the setting for this powerful musical, receiving its European premiere at The Southwark Playhouse. A bunch of marines are on their final night of shore leave before heading off to fight in Vietnam and decide to play a cruel and misogynistic game. They each pool their money; pick up the plainest girls that they can find and compete for who can pull the worst of the bunch and gain the prize money.

    Based on the 1991 movie of the same name starring River Phoenix, Dogfight premièred Off-Broadway in 2012, when it won the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical and was nominated for 5 Outer Critics Circle and 2 Drama Desk Awards.

    Eddie (Jamie Muscato) meets waitress Rose (the talented and powerful newcomer Laura Jane Matthewson) and what starts as a slightly brash testosterone fuelled piece evolves into something much more tender and touching between the two leads. The supporting cast is excellent too, giving sterling performances. Peter Duchan’s book is well written and the music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are a perfect bend of humour, pathos and warmth. There’s a wordy Sondheim-like quality to some of the numbers that work well within the context. The choreography is good (if slightly restricted by the smallish space) and the almost bare stage is cleverly used to recreate various scenes.

    Southwark Playhouse has really picked out a gem in this award-winning premiere. There’s a moving and enthralling story, superb acting and singing and the piece delivers everything it promises and more (including a lot of hot young marines in their underwear, I couldn’t not mention that one).

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Three Sisters, Southwark Playhouse

    ★★★★★ | | Three Sisters, Southwark Playhouse

    Three sisters are living in a vast house three thousand miles from home, longing for different forms of escape as they languish in the Middle East.

    Overworked and highly strung English teacher, Olga, yearns for the romance she hasn’t been able to find, as she’s acted as the maternal figure for her younger siblings following the death of their parents. Wild and sullen Masha regrets a hasty marriage to a man she looks down on as a fool and idealistic Irina dreams of returning to England and escaping the boredom of life in an ex-pat community. Meanwhile their brother, Andrey, is failing to live up to his early promise as he contemplates an unsuitable marriage to someone brash and vulgar and is threatening to bring them to ruin with his dissipation.

    Tended to by two elderly servants, they rattle around their huge property. Hard drinking, hidden desires and deceit abound as the siblings spar with each other, fend off the outside world and unwittingly welcome in turmoil and chaos in the shape of a trio of soldiers, far from their homes also, and an old family friend with issues with drink and brutal frankness.

    Anya Reiss’ skilful reworking of Chekov’s classic 1901 play brings it bang up to date into the 21st century and proves what a witty and skilled observer of human nature the author was. Language and situation may have changed radically in over a hundred years but motivations and desires haven’t. The complex plot is retold beautifully and with panache.

    This play certainly packs a punch with breath-taking performances, a versatile and well-utilised set and a well paced dramatic arc. Southwark Playhouse has managed to pull off an astounding piece of theatre. The cast are particularly strong with knock out performances all round.

    If you’re a Chekov fan then this won’t disappoint. If you’re new to Chekov’s work then you couldn’t get a much finer introduction than Reiss’ reworking. This has to be one of the must see plays of the spring.

    Three Sisters is on at Southwark Playhouse until the 3rd of May 2014

    Book tickets here: http://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/index.php/the-large/three-sisters/