Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Thomas Meehan. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Thomas Meehan. Sort by date Show all posts
Tuesday 1 May 2018
Young Frankenstein, Garrick Theatre | Review
Young Frankenstein
Garrick Theatre
Reviewed on Monday 30th April by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★
So far in 2018, Young Frankenstein is the show which has pleasantly surprised me the most. I must admit, all I knew of the show was the performance I'd seen at the Olivier Awards so I expected a cheesy, ridiculous story that I wouldn't enjoy. What I got was a cheesy, ridiculous story which I thoroughly enjoyed!
Young Frankenstein is a hilariously brilliant night at the theatre and certainly one of the funniest shows in the West End. Of course it's the work of comic genius Mel Brooks so you'd expect greatness, but the show had a less than stellar run on Broadway and despite it's huge budget, failed miserably. However, from what I've read and been told, this production is scaled down and swifter. The book by Brooks and Thomas Meehan is the most successful aspect of the show, with emphasis solidly on the comedy.
Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced "Fronkensteen") is an American professor of neurology who is drawn to Transylvania when his grandfather passes away and he is set to inherit his gothic home and all that's inside it. There, he meets a number of wacky characters and begins to toy with the idea of recreating his grandfather's famous experiment and reanimating a corpse.
Ben Cracknell's atmospheric lighting alongside, William Ivey Long's fabulous costumes and, Gareth Owen's effective and spooky sound design create a thrilling assault on the senses and add to the humour and drama of the show without becoming repetitive or sleazy. Any moments which could be cringy and cliched are cleverly avoided by onstage characters pointing out how ridiculous they are! Beowulf Borritt's set design cleverly intertwines aspects of the film and moves seamlessly from one location to another. Again, nothing is too over the top.
The cast are exceptional. Each giving spades and spades of energy whilst perfecting the comedic balance. Making it hysterical without being forced. Hadley Fraser is delightfully dynamic as Frederick and his glorious vocals ring out beautifully, especially in Frederick's Soliloquy.
Cory English scuttles round the stage humourously as the contorted, gormless Igor. He brings a warmth to the role as well as a somewhat eerie side. Lesley Joseph is gleefully devoted to the older, violent Frankenstein. Her rendition of He Vas My Boyfriend is wonderfully weird and enjoyable.
Young Frankenstein is definitely not an ode to feminism, but the political incorrectness makes it all the more funny. Summer Strallen and Emily Squibb bring their tongue-in-cheek characters to life with side-splitting humour and verve as well as giving wonderful vocal performances.
This show is funny beyond belief and a real joy to watch. If it's a feel good show you want, then Young Frankenstein is the one for you.
photo credit: Alistair Muir
Thursday 6 July 2023
Initial Cast Announced for Elf the Musical at the Dominion Theatre this Winter
Celebrating its 20th anniversary since the original release of the motion picture featuring the talented Will Ferrell, the worldwide sensation and holiday classic, Elf, is set to grace London's Dominion Theatre once again. Following its overwhelming success last year, the smash-hit musical adaptation returns for a second consecutive year, delighting audiences from 15 November 2023 until 6 January 2024.
Returning to reprise their memorable roles are the talented Georgina Castle, known for her performances in Dirty Dancing and Mamma Mia, as Jovie, and Rebecca Lock, renowned for her roles in The Phantom of the Opera and Avenue Q, as Emily Hobbs. Nicholas Pound, recognised for his appearances in Cats and The Rocky Horror Show, brings Santa to life once again, while the multi-talented Kim Ismay, known for her roles in Wicked and Saturday Night Fever, takes on the character of Debs. Dermot Canavan, celebrated for his performances in Hairspray and Oklahoma!, embodies the Store Manager. Stay tuned for further casting announcements, including new actors who will portray the roles of Buddy and Walter Hobbs.
Based on the beloved 2003 New Line Cinema hit, Elf features a captivating book by Tony Award-winners Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray) and Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone), accompanied by enchanting songs composed by Tony Award nominees Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer).
This production will once again be brought to life under the expert direction of Philip Wm. McKinley, with choreography by Liam Steel. The original set and costume designs by Tim Goodchild, along with lighting design by Patrick Woodroffe, immersive sound by Gareth Owen, and video design by Ian William Galloway, will transport the audience into Buddy's world. The casting process will be overseen by Grindrod Burton Casting.
Elf tells the heartwarming and humorous tale of Buddy, a baby who accidentally finds himself in Santa's gift bag and is whisked away to the North Pole. Raised as an elf, Buddy remains unaware of his human origins, but his size and toy-making struggles eventually lead him to discover the truth—he's not an elf and will never truly fit in at the North Pole. With Santa's blessing, Buddy embarks on an extraordinary journey to New York, in search of his birth father, to uncover his true identity, and to remind the city of the genuine spirit of Christmas.
photo credit: Mark Senior
Thursday 2 February 2023
Full Tour Cast of Annie Revealed with Craig Revel Horwood, Paul O'Grady and Jodie Prenger and More
Michael Harrison and David Ian are delighted to announce full casting for the forthcoming UK and Ireland tour of their smash hit production of the musical ANNIE opening at Curve, Leicester on Saturday 25 February 2023. Joining the previously announced Craig Revel Horwood and Paul O’Grady, will be Scottish BAFTA winner Elaine C Smith and Jodie Prenger, all starring as ‘Miss Hannigan’ at various venues. Alongside them will be Alex Bourne as Oliver Warbucks, Paul French as Rooster, Amelia Adams as Grace Farrell, and Billie-Kay as Lily St. Regis. The title role of Annie is shared by Zoe Akinyosade, Harlie Barthram and Poppy Cunningham. They are joined by three teams of young performers who play the residents of Miss Hannigan’s orphanage.
Completing the cast will be Emily Barnett-Salter, Alistair Beattie, David Burrows, Sergi Ibanez, Rosalind James, Belle Kizzy Green, Ellie May-Wilson, Martin McCarthy, Phoebe Roberts, Lukin Simmonds, Matthew Sweet, Dawn Williams, and Tommy Wade-Smith.
*Full tour dates, including details of at which venues Craig Revel Horwood, Paul O’Grady, Elaine C Smith and Jodie Prenger star, are in the listings below. www.anniethemusicaltour.uk
Craig Revel Horwood is probably best known as a judge on all 20 series of BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing. He returns to the part of Miss Hannigan having played the role to critical acclaim in this production in both the West End and on tour. His other West End Theatre credits include Munkustrap in Cats, Miss Saigon at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and Harry in Crazy for You at the Prince Edward Theatre. Craig directed and choreographed Strictly Ballroom the Musical which is currently touring the UK and Ireland, and the 2016/17 tour of Sister Act the Musical, as well as the Strictly Come Dancing Live tour. He also choreographed the film Paddington 2.
BAFTA Award winning television, radio and stage star Paul O’Grady returns to Annie having first played the role of Miss Hannigan at the Victoria Palace Theatre in 1998. His other theatre credits include playing the Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium and many pantomimes including Cinderella and Goldilocks and the Three Bears at the London Palladium. On television he is best known as the host of ITV’s Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs, Paul O’Grady’s Great British Escape, The Paul O’Grady Show, Channel 4’s Blind Date and BBC One’s Blankety Blank. He is also a highly celebrated writer, having written both autobiographical and fictional books and recently completed a 14 year run as a presenter on BBC Radio 2.
Elaine C Smith is perhaps best known for playing Mary Doll in the BBC comedy Rab C Nesbitt, as well as her role as Christine in the BBC sitcom Two Doors Down, for which she won a Scottish BAFTA for Best Actress in 2018. On stage she consistently headlines major pantomimes, having just finished her 13th year at Glasgow King’s Theatre. She played Cora in the original UK Tour and West End run of Calendar Girls as well as playing Susan Boyle in the UK tour of I Dreamed A Dream which she co-write with Alan McHugh.
Jodie Prenger recently joined ITV’s Coronation Street as Glenda Shuttleworth. Her West End credits include A Taste of Honey at the Trafalgar Studios. Oliver! at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, One Man Two Guvnors at Theatre Royal Haymarket and Spamalot at the Playhouse Theatre. On tour she has appeared in Abigail’s Party, Shirley Valentine, Annie, Fat Friends, Tell Me on A Sunday and Calamity Jane. On television she has appeared in the BBC’s Shakespeare & Hathaway, Years and Years, Casualty and Waterloo Road.
Alex Bourne returns to Annie as Oliver Warbucks, having played the role both in the West End, Toronto and the UK Tour. His other theatre credits include Edna Turnblad in the UK Tour of Hairspray, Sam Carmichael in the UK Tour of Mamma Mia!, Khashoggi in We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre, Billy Flynn in Chicago at the Adelphi Theatre and Lex Hogan in Eugenius! at The Other Palace. On film he can be seen in Sony Pictures’ Cinderella.
Paul French was most recently seen as TinMan/Hickory in The Wizard of Oz at Curve, Leicester. His other theatre credits include Kenickie in Grease at the Dominion Theatre and in the production’s UK Tour and Double J in Saturday Night Fever at the Peacock Theatre. On film he can be seen in Visualize Films’ Tomorrow Morning.
Amelia Adams has most recently been seen in the UK Tour of Friends! The Musical Parody. Her previous theatre credits include Lois Lane/Bianca in Kiss Me, Kate for Welsh National Opera, Mary Delgado in Jersey Boys at the Piccadilly Theatre and on tour, Martha Burelli in The Rat Pack at the Haymarket Theatre and on tour. She has also appeared in the UK Tour of Hairspray and Spamalot both in the West End and on tour.
Billie-Kay recently appeared as Angel in Anything Goes at the Barbican and its UK and Ireland tour. She has also appeared as Dale Tremont in Top Hat at The Mill at Sonning and in 42nd Street at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. On film she has appeared in Disney’s Dis-Enchanted and Beauty and the Beast, and Sony Pictures’ Cinderella.
Set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery and torment at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Determined to find her real parents, her luck changes when she is chosen to spend Christmas at the residence of famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s search…
With its award-winning book and score, this stunning production includes the unforgettable songs ‘It’s the Hard Knock Life’, ‘Easy Street’, ‘I Don’t Need Anything But You’ and ‘Tomorrow’.
ANNIE has Music by Charles Strouse, Lyrics by Martin Charnin and a Book by Thomas Meehan. It is directed by Curve’s Artistic Director Nikolai Foster with set and costume design by Colin Richmond, choreography by Nick Winston, lighting by Ben Cracknell and sound design by Richard Brooker.
The producers of Annie cannot guarantee the appearance of any particular artist, which is always subject to illness and holidays.
Completing the cast will be Emily Barnett-Salter, Alistair Beattie, David Burrows, Sergi Ibanez, Rosalind James, Belle Kizzy Green, Ellie May-Wilson, Martin McCarthy, Phoebe Roberts, Lukin Simmonds, Matthew Sweet, Dawn Williams, and Tommy Wade-Smith.
*Full tour dates, including details of at which venues Craig Revel Horwood, Paul O’Grady, Elaine C Smith and Jodie Prenger star, are in the listings below. www.anniethemusicaltour.uk
Craig Revel Horwood is probably best known as a judge on all 20 series of BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing. He returns to the part of Miss Hannigan having played the role to critical acclaim in this production in both the West End and on tour. His other West End Theatre credits include Munkustrap in Cats, Miss Saigon at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and Harry in Crazy for You at the Prince Edward Theatre. Craig directed and choreographed Strictly Ballroom the Musical which is currently touring the UK and Ireland, and the 2016/17 tour of Sister Act the Musical, as well as the Strictly Come Dancing Live tour. He also choreographed the film Paddington 2.
BAFTA Award winning television, radio and stage star Paul O’Grady returns to Annie having first played the role of Miss Hannigan at the Victoria Palace Theatre in 1998. His other theatre credits include playing the Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium and many pantomimes including Cinderella and Goldilocks and the Three Bears at the London Palladium. On television he is best known as the host of ITV’s Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs, Paul O’Grady’s Great British Escape, The Paul O’Grady Show, Channel 4’s Blind Date and BBC One’s Blankety Blank. He is also a highly celebrated writer, having written both autobiographical and fictional books and recently completed a 14 year run as a presenter on BBC Radio 2.
Elaine C Smith is perhaps best known for playing Mary Doll in the BBC comedy Rab C Nesbitt, as well as her role as Christine in the BBC sitcom Two Doors Down, for which she won a Scottish BAFTA for Best Actress in 2018. On stage she consistently headlines major pantomimes, having just finished her 13th year at Glasgow King’s Theatre. She played Cora in the original UK Tour and West End run of Calendar Girls as well as playing Susan Boyle in the UK tour of I Dreamed A Dream which she co-write with Alan McHugh.
Jodie Prenger recently joined ITV’s Coronation Street as Glenda Shuttleworth. Her West End credits include A Taste of Honey at the Trafalgar Studios. Oliver! at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, One Man Two Guvnors at Theatre Royal Haymarket and Spamalot at the Playhouse Theatre. On tour she has appeared in Abigail’s Party, Shirley Valentine, Annie, Fat Friends, Tell Me on A Sunday and Calamity Jane. On television she has appeared in the BBC’s Shakespeare & Hathaway, Years and Years, Casualty and Waterloo Road.
Alex Bourne returns to Annie as Oliver Warbucks, having played the role both in the West End, Toronto and the UK Tour. His other theatre credits include Edna Turnblad in the UK Tour of Hairspray, Sam Carmichael in the UK Tour of Mamma Mia!, Khashoggi in We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre, Billy Flynn in Chicago at the Adelphi Theatre and Lex Hogan in Eugenius! at The Other Palace. On film he can be seen in Sony Pictures’ Cinderella.
Paul French was most recently seen as TinMan/Hickory in The Wizard of Oz at Curve, Leicester. His other theatre credits include Kenickie in Grease at the Dominion Theatre and in the production’s UK Tour and Double J in Saturday Night Fever at the Peacock Theatre. On film he can be seen in Visualize Films’ Tomorrow Morning.
Amelia Adams has most recently been seen in the UK Tour of Friends! The Musical Parody. Her previous theatre credits include Lois Lane/Bianca in Kiss Me, Kate for Welsh National Opera, Mary Delgado in Jersey Boys at the Piccadilly Theatre and on tour, Martha Burelli in The Rat Pack at the Haymarket Theatre and on tour. She has also appeared in the UK Tour of Hairspray and Spamalot both in the West End and on tour.
Billie-Kay recently appeared as Angel in Anything Goes at the Barbican and its UK and Ireland tour. She has also appeared as Dale Tremont in Top Hat at The Mill at Sonning and in 42nd Street at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. On film she has appeared in Disney’s Dis-Enchanted and Beauty and the Beast, and Sony Pictures’ Cinderella.
Set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery and torment at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Determined to find her real parents, her luck changes when she is chosen to spend Christmas at the residence of famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s search…
With its award-winning book and score, this stunning production includes the unforgettable songs ‘It’s the Hard Knock Life’, ‘Easy Street’, ‘I Don’t Need Anything But You’ and ‘Tomorrow’.
ANNIE has Music by Charles Strouse, Lyrics by Martin Charnin and a Book by Thomas Meehan. It is directed by Curve’s Artistic Director Nikolai Foster with set and costume design by Colin Richmond, choreography by Nick Winston, lighting by Ben Cracknell and sound design by Richard Brooker.
The producers of Annie cannot guarantee the appearance of any particular artist, which is always subject to illness and holidays.
photo credit: Matt Crockett
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Welcome to the BLOG
Into The Spotlight
