Posts with the label arlene phillips
Showing posts with label arlene phillips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label arlene phillips. Show all posts
Tuesday 12 September 2017
Grease (UK Tour), Edinburgh Playhouse | Review
The turn of Grease at the Edinburgh Playhouse transformed the theatre into a lively hothouse of hand jiving, bomber jackets and 50s nostalgia. With hundreds of costume changes, multiple set changes and an enviable line-up of cast and crew, including Tom Parker of The Wanted fame, this production of Grease was far from an understated affair.
The first surprise in the production came when the curtain initially lifted to reveal an exposed upper mezzanine level to the stage, where the live band was on display for all to see. With charismatic showmanship, the flamboyant conductor introduced each of his band members with the flick of the wrist, while they in turn stood up and gestured to the audience to boast their musical prowess. As far as warm-up acts go, this one was pretty spectacular.
Cut and the band are once again hidden from view (only to emerge later in a few choice scenes), with the show’s two star-crossed lovers emerging from opposite ends of the stage, raised on pedestals in a creative use of staging. Danielle Hope astounded the audience as Sandy from the very first note, captivating even the back seats with her commanding theatrical voice, with seemingly endless levels of range and depth. Tom Parker successfully portrayed the too-cool-for-school attitude of well-loved character Danny Zucko, but the powerful contrast at play between his boy-band tones and Danielle’s finely trained voice was at times, very clear to see. His “Sandy” solo was less than electrifying, whereas Danielle’s solo performances had the audience clinging onto every perfectly delivered note.
The supporting cast in this musical raised the energy levels tenfold; hand-jiving, flipping and jesting their way into the audiences hearts. Jan (Rosanna Harris) and Roger (Oliver Jacobson) were transformed from sideline characters into firm audience favourites. Each couple’s voices were paired to perfection, making for some harmonious duets. Special mention goes out to Alessia McDermott, who was standing in for ChaCha on the evening we attended; she high-kicked and smouldered her way through the show, leaving the audience clueless as to why she was only an understudy in the first place!
As far as performances go, this one was extremely physical, but the young cast kept pace the whole way through. It will come as no surprise to any viewer that the dance scenes were the brainchild of Strictly’s Arlene Phillips – the couple’s competition at the school dance featured more lifts and swings than you could shake a baton at. The razor-sharp choreography throughout was a real highlight of this performance, with not a single cast member slipping up during the lightning-speed handjiving sequences.
In a nutshell, this show was both ambitious and energetic in equal measure. The flashes, bangs, fire and sparks during the Greased Lightning song resulted in a real show-stopping moment, while Danielle’s voice reached dimensions far beyond what Olivia Newton-John could deliver in the movie version. Whether it was down to delivery or acoustics, some of the snappy tongue-in-cheek comments were unfortunately difficult to hear, and many of these jokes were as a result missed by the audience.
Overall, this was a very well-assembled production of an old school classic, delivered with such youthful energy and accompanied by great staging - viewers of any age or gender are guaranteed to get swept up by the excitement and extravagance of this show.
Grease runs at the Edinburgh Playhouse until before continuing its tour.
Grease runs at the Edinburgh Playhouse until before continuing its tour.
Tuesday 11 July 2017
Grease (UK Tour), New Victoria Theatre | Review
Grease (UK Tour)
New Victoria Theatre
New Victoria Theatre
Reviewed on Monday July 10th 2017 by Valerie Field
★★★★
Grease first appeared on Broadway in 1972 but became really popular in 1978 when it was made into a film with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John and became a cult classic. Set in the 1950’s as a High School Musical when Rock and Roll was extremely popular with the younger generation and the great Elvis Presley was on the scene, it was a cool time to be around and the musical is just as popular now as people are always eager to experience the nostalgia of their youth either because they grew up in the 50s or grew up with the film. This new tour revival of the show has all the classic songs and is a fun night out for any Grease lover.
The well known story revolves mostly around Bad Boy Danny Zuko and the innocent new girl Sandy after the two had a summer fling before unknowingly ending up at the same school. Tom Parker who played Danny in my opinion didn’t have enough presence on stage although as the show went on he seemed to come across a bit more confident especially in the dance routines. His voice was strong at points but he didn't quite reach the level of charm, charisma and roughness needed to really be Danny Zuko.
Michael Cortez as Sonny and Tom Senior as Kenickie both had much more presence on stage and I feel would have been better suited to the part of Danny. Both actors were funny, charismatic and over the top enough to steal the scenes they were in.
Danielle Hope was very good as Sandy and her singing voice had shades of Olivia Newton-John, she was wonderful as both the sweet, innocent Sandy and the sexy Sandy who comes in act two. George Olney was fantastic as Teen Angel/Vince Fontaine and had the audience really involved and with him throughout his scenes.
The costumes by Andreane Neofitou and choreography by Arlene Phillips really brought 50’s to life and the special effects were brilliant, especially when Greased Lightning came to life on stage. It was nice to see the orchestra on stage as they were great and really got the audience in the feel good mood.
All in all it's a very energetic and enjoyable show for any lovers or likers of the original.
Grease is at the New Victoria theatre until July 15th before continuing it's UK tour.
Tuesday 25 April 2017
Grease (UK Tour), New Wimbledon Theatre | Review
Grease (UK Tour)
New Wimbledon Theatre
New Wimbledon Theatre
Reviewed on Monday April 24th 2017 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★
Grease was certainly the word last night at the opening night of the show at the New Wimbledon Theatre. The classic hits and story which are loved by many had brought a varied crowd who all seemed extremely excited for a carefree, upbeat night at the theatre. With an abundance of hair-gel and budding romances that's exactly what the production provides, it's not faultless but it's feel-good fun.
The onstage band open the show with a high energy performance of 'Grease is the Word' which created an electric atmosphere and introduced the powerful instrumental players and ensemble in a brilliant way. Leading the cast as the sweetly innocent Sandy is musical theatre favourite Danielle Hope who is marvellous in the role. Her voice is strong and she captures the character extremely skilfully. Danielle certainly shines in the role with her rendition of the 'Sandra Dee Reprise' being a particular standout of the whole production.
Her romantic counterpart Danny Zuko is played by The Wanted's Tom Parker who seemed slightly out of place and nervous but did come across well at points. As the show went on he seemed to settle into the role more but there's definitely some room for improvement in terms of overall performance. Similarly, the other celebrity name, Lousia Lytton as the fiesty Rizzo is lacking a certain something. Her energy is high and her sass comes across well but her vocals let her down at points.
The ensemble are absolutely outstanding though, with each one owning their quirky roles perfectly and showing off their boundless stage presence. Gabriella Williams is absolutely splendid as Patty Simcox, her dancing, acting and whole performance is stellar and she provides hilarious comical moments through her peppy, excitable, exaggerated performance. I also loved Michael Cortez who was extremely energetic and had some brilliant one liners which he delivered with great comedic timing.
Arlene Phillips' choreography is retro and sleek and creates a great visual. The energy is the real key in this show and each move seems well thought out to provide optimum power and spirit.
You can't fault the production values of this show and despite some lacking moments it ticks all the boxes for an infectious night out and will please anyone who is a fan of the iconic musical.
Grease runs at the New Wimbledon Theatre until April 29th 2017 before continuing on it's UK Tour.
Sunday 25 September 2016
27, Cockpit Theatre | Review
A New Musical: 27
Cockpit Theatre
Reviewed on Saturday 24th September 2016 by Olivia Mitchell
Reviewed on Saturday 24th September 2016 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★★
Those that know me know that I love to talk, and I am not one for being speechless. The new musical 27 changed that completely. Despite all the hype on social media, I actually had no idea what the show was about so when act one started I was a little apprehensive. By the time the interval rolled around I was in a state of complete shock and at a loss for words. This show is new, fast paced, sexy, beautiful, dramatic and absolutely like nothing I've ever seen before.
I really don't want to give a lot away about the storyline as I think its certainly best to go in blind and be completely shocked, but as the poster says: this story is "the rise of a falling star". We follow Orpheus as he is plucked from obscurity and thrown into the crazy world of sex, drugs and rock and roll. The lines between reality and fantasy are blurred as we are delivered a twisted fable about the price of fame. The story draws strong inspiration from Greek mythology but is modernised to really captivate the audience.
The score is contemporary, with complex melodies and a wide variety of styles. Every vocal performance was outstanding. We were fortunate enough to see the writer and co-director Sam Cassidy perform his own creation and he was truly mesmerising as the falling Orpheus. The three Fates who narrate the story were exceptional with smooth harmonies and crazy moments of belting and riffing. Ryan Molloy was fabulous as the eccentric music mogul, Hades and really brought an old school rock vibe to the performance. Jack Donnelly and Ryan Gibb as fellow bandmates Max and Jason respectively gave touching performances and it was great to see their character development. Cassie Compton was a standout as the loyal girlfriend, performing a particularly striking ballad at the end of the first act. Lucy Martin was also wonderful as the alluring viper Miss M with not only fabulous singing but wonderful acting too, really embodying the instability of the character.
The choreography is sharp and slicing, with each performer executing every move feverishly and seductively. Every cast member commits fully to the distorted roles they're playing making it a true feast for the eyes. I found myself not knowing where to look as every part of the performance space was filled with something enticing and exciting. Nick Eve's concert-esque lighting is striking, creating a sharp but dark and shadowy world. Moments of complete darkness create an uneasy feeling and really pull you to the edge of your seat.
I found no faults with this show which is certainly rare for me. Everything is thought out and executed wonderfully with a number of home truths and morals dotted in to leave you thinking long after the final bows are taken. Particularly poignant was the idea that we, as humans, find a weird and sick pleasure in watching others destroy themselves. We see headlines of stars being checked into rehabs and instead of stopping and thinking about their health and their families and friends, we have an urge to delve deeper in and create a sort of romaticised mystery about them. Its these chilling realisations that had me watching with rapt attention throughout, only looking away to glance at fellow audience members reactions.
This is truly a fantastic and innovative production and is certainly the best piece of theatre I have seen in a long time, if not ever! Cassidy has created a fresh, fearless and fantastical production and is rewiring typical theatre. I'm completely on board with this poignant production and am rooting from this moment forth for it to have a West End transfer and the success it deserves!
27 is running at the Cockpit Theatre until October 22nd 2016
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