Tag: Three Star Musical Review

The latest Three Star Musical Review from THEGAYUK.

THEATRE REVIEW | Rock of Ages – National Tour

★★★☆☆ | Rock of Ages – National Tour

(C) JEREMY DANIEL

A number of years before TV series Glee rekindled people’s love of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’”, Rock of Ages had been using the song as its centrepiece for some time; as the show tells the story of a bunch of misfit characters who battle to save their favourite bar, fall in love and work their way through a catalogue of eighties soft rock classics.

Beautifully held together by narrator, Lonny (a deliciously camp performance from Lucas Rush), and with a strong ensemble cast, the show’s humour is a little close to the bone on occasions but proves to be immense fun, with plenty of laugh out loud moments, some great ensemble set pieces and some excellent vocal performances. Luke Walsh stands head and shoulders above the crowd as Drew, belting out the musical numbers with, seemingly, no effort whatsoever and never once having to strain or force a note.

The production has certainly benefitted from a makeover, especially in the excellent lighting design; the musical numbers come at you thick and fast and the cast gets the audience involved from the outset. Whilst underneath it all, the show has a message about following your dreams, it’s the party atmosphere, energy and enthusiasm of the cast that sweep you along as the show heads towards its rousing finale and brings the crowd to their feet.

Rock of Ages cranks up the comedy, camp and chaos to eleven, and proves that “sex, drums and rock ‘n’ roll” are still very much alive.

Rock of Ages is on National Tour. For details visit the show’s website at http://www.rockofagesmusical.co.uk/

5th December 2018
Theatre Review | Fame – National Tour

★★★ | Fame – National Tour

Based on the film and classic TV series, Fame follows the trials and tribulations of a group of young students studying at the New York School of Performing Arts as they hone their skills in music, dance and acting, as well as falling in love, clashing with the establishment, battling personal demons and dabbling in the dark side of fame. The show follows a small group of students from the first meeting to graduation, looking at the challenges they face in their academic studies, their artistic studies and their personal lives. Issues such as drug use, unrequited love and illiteracy are all canvassed as the friends make their way through their time at school.

Despite its 1980’s setting, the show looked and sounded bang up to date. The variety of musical styles and the vocal gymnastics reflected the modern style and the dance routines covered a wide variety of styles, from hip-hop and street dancing to classical ballet and even a flamenco-inspired number.

The show boasts around 20 songs which flow in rapid succession giving the show more of a feel of a musical revue than a piece of musical theatre. The opening number “Pray I Make/Hard Work” set the tone of the show nicely and was modern and contemporary. “Tyrone’s Rap” and “Dancin’ on the Sidewalk” were up-tempo numbers, both of which were infused with a display of hip-hop and street dancing. But the standout song was saved for the finale, with “Bring on Tomorrow” being a traditional rousing conclusion to the proceedings which was well performed by the ensemble.

Fame is currently on National Tour.

18th October 2018
THEATRE REVIEW | Richard Carpenter is Close To You, Touring the UK

★★★☆☆ | Richard Carpenter is Close To You

Don’t expect to hear any Carpenters’ songs at the show misleadingly titled Richard Carpenter is Close To You.

Why? Because this show does not have the rights to perform any of the Carpenters’ songs. Performer and writer Matthew Floyd does his best to not play more than six words of any of their songs otherwise he could be sued. And there is a disclaimer for this show: The affectionate but unsparing parody is not endorsed by the real Richard Carpenter.

So what are we left with? A musical show that somewhat makes fun of Richard Carpenter, mocking him as the second fiddle to ‘the voice’ that was his sister’s – Karen Carpenter – for it was she, not Richard, who was the face, and of course the voice, of The Carpenters – the biggest selling American group in the 1970s (American groups versus other Non-American groups as Floyd states in the show).

But poor poor bitter Richard. After the death of his sister 35 years ago (has it been that long already?), Richard is left to look for work in any way shape or form he can. He has an agent who pays him no mind, though she books him on the QVC channel where pushes his new remaster of last month’s remastered Carpenters Greatest Hits. He’s also trying to push his own new album but no one is having it and/or buying it.

Richard used to be on top of the world (with his sister), though now he’s back at the keys of his piano and his sister’s legacy is still looming as large as ever. What will become of Richard? Will he be relegated to the not-so-famous group of famous siblings in heaven – such as Solange Knowles and Serena Williams? Go see Richard Carpenter is Close To You and find out! Every sha la la la la la la la la……..

RBM COMEDY PRESENTS RICHARD CARPENTER IS CLOSE TO YOU UK TOUR 2018 DATES / INFO:<

LONDON / 11-12 OCT

HARROGATE / 19 OCT

NORWICH / 27 OCT

GRAVESEND / 1 NOV

LYME REGIS / 2 NOV

HEDGE END / 3 NOV

EXETER / 4 NOV

CARLISLE / 8 NOV

SALE / 9 NOV

GUILDFORD / 15 NOV

READING / 16 NOV

BANBURY / 17 NOV

CAMBRIDGE / 23 NOV

HUDDERSFIELD / 24 NOV

SHEFFIELD / 25 NOV

FAREHAM / 28 NOV

BRIGHTON / 29 NOV

MILTON KEYNES / 7 DEC

BARTON ON HUMBER / 8 DEC

Please click here for more information and to purchase tickets:

https://www.matthewfloydjones.co.uk/richard-close-to-you

17th October 2018
THEATRE REVIEW | Cilla The Musical

★★★☆☆ | Cilla, The Musical

Cilla The Musical is a new musical biopic which tells the story of one of the nation’s best-loved singer turned television personalities, following the star’s journey from humble beginnings as a teenager in the Cavern Club (singing with The Beatles) through to her number one hits and her attempts to crack the American market. Cilla’s backstory lacks the dramatics and off stage histrionics of other stars of the era, such as Dusty Springfield, meaning that the show only broadly addresses her rise to fame; but instead focuses more on her relationships with those around her, and primarily her two managers, Brian Epstein and her self-appointed manager-come-boyfriend, Bobby Willis.

Kara Lily Hayworth appeals in the lead role as Cilla, and effortlessly nails the two big numbers in the production; ‘Anyone Who Had A Heart’ and ‘You’re My World’ with a beautiful singing voice that I could have happily listened to all evening. Nestling amongst Cilla’s hits, the score features a great selection of other songs from the era, such as ‘California Dreaming’, ‘Dancing In The Street’ and ‘Twist and Shout’, which when coupled with the costumes and set provide a real feel of the swinging sixties.

Overall, Cilla is a musical biopic by numbers, with the rise to fame; the self-doubt and the love story all playing their part. The stage direction is lacking at times; and there are no major revelations about the artist’s life in the story, meaning that audiences will come away without much more of an insight into her life than they went in with; but what Cilla The Musical does offer is some solid performances, some of her greatest hits, a nostalgic feel, a vibrant and colourful second act, a smattering of classics sixties songs, a satisfying musical-medley finale and a production which is ultimately enjoyable, feel-good and exceeds expectations.

Cilla is currently on a national tour and details can be found on the show’s website. Thank you to Sheffield Theatres for facilitating the review.

7th October 2018
THEATRE REVIEW | Titanic, The Musical, Liverpool Empire

★★★☆☆ | Titanic – The Musical – Liverpool Empire

**This review was taken from the Sheffield production**

Despite 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.

Book tickets to see Titanic, The Musical at Liverpool Empire until 4th August 2018

31st July 2018
THEATRE REVIEW | Thriller Live! – Sheffield Theatres

★★★☆☆ | Thriller Live!

Celebrating the music, dancing and performances of the entertainer, Thriller Live is a whistle-stop tour of Michael Jackson’s greatest hits, rolled into a relentless package of iconic dance moves, legendary performances and classic songs.

From his early days in Mowtown, through the Jackson 5 years and onto his solo success, the show features a quartet of singers who perform against a backdrop of spectacular choreography which is performed with unyielding vigour and energetic enthusiasm by the vivacious cast of dancers who fill the stage; accompanied by a talented bunch of musicians in the live band.

Cleverly taking the routines, or snippets of them, highlights included music video recreations of ‘Smooth Criminal’ and ‘Thriller’, great renditions of ‘Man in the Mirror’ and ‘I Just Can’t Stop Loving You’ and some tracks you wouldn’t immediately associate with Michael Jackson, including ‘Dangerous’ and ‘This Place Hotel’.

Despite the vocals not being of the highest order, some forced audience participation and a couple of songs descending into an overblown mess, there is still plenty of enjoyment to be found here. Regardless of the controversy surrounding his life, Michael Jackson’s enduring appeal undoubtedly remains, especially if the shouts, whoops and cheers from the audience were anything to go by.

Whilst musical revues can often come across as sycophantic, Thriller Live manages to sidestep being the gushing praise-fest that it could be, and instead allows the party atmosphere, music, songs and dance routines to speak for themselves in an undemanding evening of foot tapping, high end cabaret.

Thriller Live is rounding off its national tour at Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until 21st July 2018, but you can still catch the show in the West End.

17th July 2018
THEATRE REVIEW | It Happened in Key West, Charing Cross Theatre, London

★★★ | It Happened in Key West

A true story of a man who dug up the love of his life is a musical called It Happened in Key West.

Yes, it did happen in Key West. In the 1940s, Count Carl Von Cosel fell in love with a woman, Elena, he was treating for tuberculosis . She died, but von Cosel was so infatuated and in love with her that he dug up her body and, for over 7 years, lived with her, well not really with her but with her body, in his house, in Key West.

Now playing at the Charing Cross Theatre, with book, music and lyrics by Jill Santoriello, book and additional lyrics by Jason Huza, and book and original content by Jeremiah Janes who all collaborated together to create this musical, while a bit on the funny side, is too morbid and too silly to be taken seriously, and not funny enough to be camp and over the top.

Having said that, Wade Mccollum is great as the Count. He’s got a great singing voice, especially in a song where he pines for Elena (‘Undying Love’ and ‘I’ve Never Felt This way’) are two standouts. He commands the stage and surely belongs in the West End but in a better show. Alyssa Martyn is just fine as Elena, who surprisingly dies before the first half is finished – it might’ve made more sense to have her die after the first half, but she does sing ‘I Feel Love,’ while dead, in the second half, and comes ‘back to life’ at the very end to sing, beautifully, in the finale. Director and Choreographer Marc Robin doesn’t have a whole lot to work with, it seems like the same 12 boxes remained as the set the whole way through the show. ‘It Happened in Key West,’ billed as a New Romantic Musical Comedy, is not much of a musical nor a romance.

http://www.charingcrosstheatre.co.uk

15th July 2018
THEATRE REVIEW | An Officer and a Gentleman – Edinburgh Playhouse

★★★☆☆ | An Officer and a Gentleman

Based on the classic film of the same name, An Officer and A Gentleman tells the story of Zack Mayo, a trainee fighter pilot who is from the wrong side of the tracks and is trying to make his way through the Naval Academy. Paula is a local girl working in a factory where she and her colleagues see the only way of escaping their humdrum lives is by being swept off their feet by a pilot and whisked away. But what starts off as a little bit of fun between the two of them becomes something more, but will either of them admit their true feelings?

The show, and the first act in particular, thunders across the stage with dizzying speed and a relentless energy, in a production which is noisy, loud, bold and incredibly unsubtle; where a collision of lighting, sound, projected images, live music and a barrage of costume changes combine to be the absolute antithesis of the “less is more” school of thought.

Jonny Fines makes for an appealing enough lead as Zack Mayo, with his ridiculously ripped form and a wry smile, nestling in nicely alongside his fellow recruits who appeared to have been hand-picked primarily for their pecs and ‘ceps appeal. But despite the testosterone-fuelled world depicted in the story, the stage belonged firmly to the female ensemble, bringing some decent vocal performances to lift the broadly functional performances of the cast.

Nikolai Foster’s direction takes the scattergun approach of throwing sufficient tricks, bells and whistles at the audience in the hope that some of them will stick, with a roughly even split of hits and misses. The show is set to an eclectic mix of 80’s classics, the musical numbers varied in terms of quality and performance, with a belting rendition of Alone by Emma Williams only serving to highlight the pub circuit stylings of some of the other musical numbers. There is a mix of soft rock classics (“I Want to Know what Love is”, “The Final Countdown”), some bubble-gum pop (“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”, “Material Girl”) and some of the lesser celebrated 80’s staples (“Hearts on Fire”, “Working for the Weekend”) compounding the scattergun feel of the show, but not necessarily in a bad way.

But that is where the show really hits its stride. It never pretends to be anything other than what it is intended to be, namely a fun, cheesy and fairly corny slice of entertaining escapism. By the time the show draws to a conclusion with its iconic ending set to a sweeping rendition of ‘Up Where We Belong’, you can’t help but be suckered in by the feel-good factor of this slice of 80’s cheese.

*This review was taken from the Sheffield production of the same tour*

BOOK TICKETS TO SEE AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN HERE

3rd July 2018
Theatre Review | Jersey Boys, Sheffield Lyceum

★★★☆☆ | Jersey Boys, Sheffield Lyceum Theatre

From the streets of Brooklyn to the height of fame, Jersey Boys tells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, their musical legacy, including Big Girls Don’t Cry, Walk Like A Man, Can’t Take My Eyes off You and Working My Way Back To You is showcased in this musical biopic.

Rising from humble beginnings to major success, the boys bond, bicker and battle their way to becoming one of the most successful groups of their generation; but their success comes with a background of prison time, heartbreak, family problems and the testing of loyalty.

With a number of musical biopics doing the rounds, what makes Jersey Boys stand out from the crowd is that it not only has an interesting story, but it boasts a narrative which doesn’t shy away from the darker moments of the group’s story; and all of this is neatly packaged into a show which is surprisingly fast paced and has a slick and polished production. But the story has heart, and underneath the sequined jackets and the boys’ bravado is a story about friendship, loyalty and about making those around you your family.

What leads this tour to stand out from previous tours is the excellent on-stage chemistry between the four leads. Their harmonies are excellent, their timing impeccable and their dance moves simple but tightly performed. Michael Watson as Frankie Valli hits his falsetto highs with ease, whilst Simon Bailey steals the show as the motormouth Tommy Devito, filling his character with a cocksure swagger and an overconfident arrogance; which is nicely juxtaposed by Lewis Griffith’s subtle underplaying of the role of Nick Massi.

Whilst the music takes centre stage, and the 33 musical numbers come thick and fast, the attention to detail stands out. The supporting cast, the costumes, the trademark choreography, the lighting and the live orchestra all added to the rounded production values of the show. Despite its gritty backstory, the show remains a foot stomping, singalong, feel-good affair, which encapsulates the spirit of the group and effortlessly brings the audience to their feet as the curtain falls.

Jersey Boys is playing at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until the 30^th June 2018 before continuing on its national tour.

25th June 2018
THEATRE REVIEW | Titanic, The Musical, Edinburgh Playhouse

★★★☆☆ | Titanic – The Musical – Edinburgh Playhouse

**This review was taken from the Sheffield production**

Despite 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.

Book tickets to see Titanic, The Musical at Edinburgh Playhouse until 16th June 2018

13th June 2018
THEATRE REVIEW | An Officer and a Gentleman – The Musical – National Tour

★★★☆☆ | An Officer and a Gentleman

Based on the classic film of the same name, An Officer and A Gentleman tells the story of Zack Mayo, a trainee fighter pilot who is from the wrong side of the tracks and is trying to make his way through the Naval Academy. Paula is a local girl working in a factory where she and her colleagues see the only way of escaping their humdrum lives is by being swept off their feet by a pilot and whisked away. But what starts off as a little bit of fun between the two of them becomes something more, but will either of them admit their true feelings?

The show, and the first act in particular, thunders across the stage with dizzying speed and a relentless energy, in a production which is noisy, loud, bold and incredibly unsubtle; where a collision of lighting, sound, projected images, live music and a barrage of costume changes combine to be the absolute antithesis of the “less is more” school of thought.

Jonny Fines makes for an appealing enough lead as Zack Mayo, with his ridiculously ripped form and a wry smile, nestling in nicely alongside his fellow recruits who appeared to have been hand-picked primarily for their pecs and ‘ceps appeal. But despite the testosterone-fuelled world depicted in the story, the stage belonged firmly to the female ensemble, bringing some decent vocal performances to lift the broadly functional performances of the cast.

Nikolai Foster’s direction takes the scattergun approach of throwing sufficient tricks, bells and whistles at the audience in the hope that some of them will stick, with a roughly even split of hits and misses. The show is set to an eclectic mix of 80’s classics, the musical numbers varied in terms of quality and performance, with a belting rendition of Alone by Emma Williams only serving to highlight the pub circuit stylings of some of the other musical numbers. There is a mix of soft rock classics (“I Want to Know what Love is”, “The Final Countdown”), some bubble-gum pop (“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”, “Material Girl”) and some of the lesser celebrated 80’s staples (“Hearts on Fire”, “Working for the Weekend”) compounding the scattergun feel of the show, but not necessarily in a bad way.

But that is where the show really hits its stride. It never pretends to be anything other than what it is intended to be, namely a fun, cheesy and fairly corny slice of entertaining escapism. By the time the show draws to a conclusion with its iconic ending set to a sweeping rendition of Up Where We Belong, you can’t help but be suckered in by the feel-good factor of this slice of 80’s cheese.

An Officer and A Gentleman is currently at Sheffield Theatres until the 9th June 2018 before continuing on its national tour

BOOK TICKETS HERE

7th June 2018