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Thursday 30 November 2017
Miracle on 34th Street, Bridge House Theatre | Review
Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play
Bridge House Theatre
Reviewed on Wednesday 29th November 2017 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★★
I must admit that I had never heard of Penge until I received my invite to review the new production of Miracle on 34th Street at the Bridge House Theatre. Somehow it had slipped off my radar but I can now say that I'll definitely be visiting again and will be recommending people to take a trip to this gem of a theatre, above the Bridge House pub.
I couldn't have asked for a sweeter, more heart-warming show to welcome me to the Bridge House Theatre; Miracle on 34th Street tells the story of a young girl, Susan who doesn't believe in Father Christmas until she meets a mystical Santa Claus hired by her mother at Macy's. Her perspective and that of those around her begins to change as we follow this magical story which lights the imaginations and warms the hearts of everyone watching.
Adapted from the 1947 Lux Radio Broadcast, this production, directed by Guy Retallack, is staged as a live radio broadcast which is extremely interesting to watch. As the announcer and musical director, Jamie Ross leads Jon Lorenz's fetching score of original songs and new arrangements of Christmas classics with precision and draws the audience in from the moment he gives us the all clear to cheer and laugh to our hearts content.
Guy Retallack's direction makes the piece feel immersive but not conceited. We see the actors 'behind the scenes' when they introduce themselves and joke around with one another when they're sat down, but the performances are top notch and it feels like a well rounded theatrical piece. The various ad's about Penge and use of sounds effects are hilarious and very cleverly done.
The heart and soul of this show are of course the seven member cast. Jamie Ross is versatile and brilliant as he splits himself between being the Foley artist, accompanist, singer and actor! Amy Reitsma is extremely amusing in her various characters, from little children, to a receptionist; each role is unique, witty and she seamlessly transitions from accent to accent. Equally as versatile in his roles is Lewis Rae who gets laugh after laugh as he portrays a number of characters, including the hilariously uptight psychiatrist.
As Fred Gailey, Ellis Dackombe is charming and likeable with some stunning vocal moments. His chemistry with Lowenna Melrose as Doris is touching and they bounce off one another very well. Lowenna's transition from the straight-laced divorcee to the festive woman who loves and believes in Santa Claus is lovely to see unfold and she gives the role plenty of heart as does Emily Carewe as her daughter, Susan. Emily is suitably childlike whilst humourously grown up at the same time. As her belief grows, we see the joys Christmas really can bring to children around the world.
As our main man, Kris Kringle, Richard Albrecht is fantastically mystical and magical... I began to believe he really is Santa! The tight-knit cast work brilliantly together and its joyous to watch them perform.
I can't find a reason why you shouldn't see this show. It's festive, warm and provides the well needed break we all crave during these somewhat trying times! If you want to have your heart warmed and your imagination opened then get along to South East London and enjoy this sparkling, festive show!
Miracle on 34th Street runs at the Bridge House Theatre until December 23rd.
Tuesday 16 August 2022
Cast Announced for World Premiere of The Time Traveller’s Wife: The Musical
David Hunter will star as Henry and Joanna Woodward as Clare and in the world premiere of The Time Traveller’s Wife: The Musical, based on the best-selling novel by Audrey Niffenegger and the New Line Cinema film screenplay by Bruce Joel Rubin. The new musical will premiere at Storyhouse in Chester from 30 September to 15 October 2022. The two-week season will precede a West End transfer, to be announced at a later date.
David Hunter's theatre credits include: Waitress (Adelphi and UK Tour); Kinky Boots (Adelphi); Once (Phoenix); One Man, Two Guvnors (National Theatre, Adelphi, UK Tour); Songs for a New World (Palladium); Tommy (Prince Edward); Seussical (Arts); The Hired Man (Leicester Curve and Colchester Mercury); Pub and Spinach (the Royal Exchange); The Mayor of Zalamea (Liverpool Everyman). His film and TV credits include: Nativity 3; Holby City and Doctors (BBC); Superstar (ITV). David’s pop/rock band Reemer had support slots, playing alongside The Feeling, Scouting for Girls and McFly on their full UK Arena Tour.
Joanna Woodward most recently understudied and played Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman: The Musical (Piccadilly Theatre & Savoy Theatre). Her other theatre credits include: Emily in Zombies: The Musical and Eulpha Miziam in Confessions (The Other Palace); Mary in The Life (Southwark Playhouse); understudied and played Carole King in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Aldwych Theatre); Margaret in Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be (Theatre Royal Stratford East); understudied Beth/Meg/KT in Merrily We Roll Along (Menier Chocolate Factory and Harold Pinter Theatre); Tinker Bell in Lost Boy (Finborough Theatre and Charing Cross Theatre); Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors (Kilworth House Theatre).
Also in the cast will be Aisha Davis (UK theatre debut, with previous theatre work in Kingston, Jamaica) as Dr Kendrick, Ross Dawes (Dennis Dupree in the UK Tour of Rock of Ages) as Henry’s Dad, Hiba Elchikhe (Pritti Pasha in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie in West End and Los Angeles) as Charisse, Stevie Hutchinson (UK and Chinese Tour of Ghost: The Musical and UK Tour of Oliver!) as Clare’s Dad, Tim Mahendran (Spring Awakening at Hope Mill Theatre) as Gomez, Sorelle Marsh (Vicky Monroe in Stand Up at the Floral Pavilion, Wirral, and Tessie in White Christmas at the Lowry Theatre) as Henry’s Mum, Benjamin Purkiss (Zorro in Zorro the Musical at Charing Cross Theatre and Hope Mill Theatre and Alternate Strat in Bat Out of Hell at the London Coliseum/International Tour/Manchester Opera House) as Jason / Mark and Alwyne Taylor (won the Manchester Evening News Best Actress Award for Once in a Lifetime, Company, Sweet Charity and Accrington Pals at the Library Theatre and was nominated for Manchester Evening News Best Actress Award for her role as Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit at the Oldham Coliseum) as Old Clare. The actresses playing Young Clare will be announced shortly.
Henry and Clare’s love story is like no other and yet like all others; they meet, flirt, fight, love, marry... but all out of order. Henry is often and uncontrollably ripped out of time, because he suffers from a rare condition where his genetic clock periodically resets, pulling him into his past or future, vanishing before one’s eyes, never knowing where or when he’s going next. Except he knows he’ll always come back to Clare, at some point in time, dreaming of her time-travelling husband.
The Time Traveller’s Wife: The Musical weaves a heart-breaking and soaring original musical score by multi Grammy Award-winning composers Joss Stone and Dave Stewart with one of the most beloved novels of the last 50 years. All couples ask how to truly know one another, to trust, to commit, to build a family, to work at something bigger than ourselves. Not all of us are time travellers. How do you love across time?
With a book by Lauren Gunderson, original music and lyrics by Joss Stone and Dave Stewart, additional music by Nick Finlow and additional lyrics by Kait Kerrigan, the production will be directed by Bill Buckhurst and designed by Anna Fleischle, with choreography by Shelley Maxwell, lighting design by Lucy Carter, illusions by Chris Fisher, video design by Andrzej Goulding, sound design by Richard Brooker, musical supervision & arrangement by Nick Finlow and orchestrations by Bryan Crook. Casting will be by Grindrod Burton Casting. It will be produced by Colin Ingram for InTheatre Productions, Gavin Kalin Productions, Teresa Tsai and Crossroads Live, by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures.
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