Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Charles Blyth. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Charles Blyth. Sort by date Show all posts

Thursday 26 July 2018

The Simon and Garfunkel Story, Lyric Theatre | Review


The Simon and Garfunkel Story
Lyric Theatre 
Reviewed on Monday 23rd July 2018 by Lucy Jardine 
★★★★

On a hot, sticky summer's evening, did I really want to sit in an equally hot, sticky theatre to listen to music from yesteryear, music I've heard so many times before? 

On Monday evening, at the Lyric Theatre I expected to hear all the songs we know so well. And I did. Of course. But we were also treated to a raft of lesser known ones. 

In essence, the entire show - The Simon and Garfunkel Story - consisted of 4 guys on stage: 'Simon' (Philip Murray Warson), 'Garfunkel' (Charles Blyth) and their two backing musicians/singers. Warson and Blyth's vocals were almost flawless, perfectly capturing the beautiful harmonies of the original duo. When I closed my eyes I could almost believe it was them. To be honest, that would almost have been enough. 


But what made the evening even better was the story behind the songs - the anecdotes and details about Simon and Garfunkel's careers as a duo and as solo artists. This was illustrated by footage from the era, such served to contextualise the songs - we saw footage of the Everley Brothers, Martin Luther King and JFK, interspersed with photos of Simon and Garfunkel themselves. 

Back to the music. What a fantastic evening. The only reason I would award this show 4 stars out of 5 would be due to the occasional lapses in harmony from the backing singers, but largely due to my frustration at not being allowed to sing along at the top of my voice.... Catch The Simon and Garfunkel Story if you can when it's next back in town!

photo credit: Betty Zapata 

Friday 11 March 2022

Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical Extends Booking Period


Producers have today announced that the hit production Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical has extended booking until 29 January 2023.  The critically acclaimed production has been playing to sell-out ecstatic crowds since October last year at the Lyric Theatre Shaftesbury Avenue and it has just been nominated for 4 Olivier Awards, including BestNew Musical. 

 

Producers said: “Bob’s music has a power to heal, and bring joy and life and happiness to the whole world. In these difficult times we are so pleased that audiences are feeling the positive vibrations reverberating around the Lyric Theatre which we have made our home. ONE LOVE to all nominees and welcome to our family, the brilliant Michael Duke.” 

 

This news comes as new images are released of Michael Duke who has taken over the role of Bob Marley from ArinzĂ© Kene. Duke has been performing for 20 years, starting his career as Young Simba in The Lion King. He has appeared in the West End run of The Inheritance, West Side Story at the Royal Exchange in Manchester, Beautiful: The Carol King Musical, Thriller Live and The Rat Pack LIVE! (all in the West End).

 

On Tuesday this week it was announced that the show had been nominated for 4 Olivier Awards including Best New Musical, Best Actor in a Musical for Arinzé Kene, Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Gabrielle Brooks and Best Original Score or New Orchestration for Orchestrator Simon Hale.

Award-winning director Clint Dyer channels the creative quest and spiritual power of a universally embraced icon, in this critically acclaimed production which features Marley’s magical, revolutionary songs and a book by award-winning Lee Hall.

Lose yourself to the rhythm of 'Exodus', 'No Woman No Cry', 'Waiting in Vain', 'Three Little Birds', ‘I Shot the Sheriff’, 'Could You Be Loved', 'Redemption Song' and many more.

The explosive production celebrates the immense life and timely message of Jamaican soul rebel Bob Marley - from a life of poverty to visionary international superstar. Crucial fellow soul rebels in the cast include the sensational Rita Marley and the I Three and his inspiring brothers in arms, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer and Lee ‘Scratch Perry’.

 

The full cast features Michael Duke (Bob Marley), Gabrielle Brooks (Rita Marley), Shanay Holmes (Cindy Breakspeare), Sophia Mackay (Judy Mowatt), Melissa Brown-Taylor (Marcia Griffiths), Jacade Simpson (Bunny Wailer), Natey Jones (Peter Tosh), David Albury (Alternate Bob Marley) Daniel Bailey, Craig Blake, Charles Blyth, Luke Buck, Maxwell Cole, Athena Collins, Viquichele Cross, Kimmy Edwards, Raphael Estavia, Henry Faber, Cannon Hay, Llewellyn Jamal, Savanna Jeffrey, Kieran McGinn, Rohan Pinnock-Hamilton, Cleopatra Rey, Julene Robinson, Lawrence Rowe, Nate Simpson, Amarra Smith, Archie Smith, Declan Spaine, Jaime Tait, Teddy Wills

 

‘It’s not all that glitters is gold, half the story has never been told’ 

 

From the hills of rural Jamaica, armed only with his overwhelming talent, Bob Marley applied himself with resolute determination to achieve international acclaim for his prophetic musical message – a gospel of love and unity.


photo credit: Craig Sugden