Thursday 30 June 2016

Eugenius: Concert Premiere Performance, London Palladium | Review



Last night saw the premiere concert performance of a brilliant new musical that goes by the name of Eugenius at the London Palladium.

With a book, music and lyrics by Ben Adams and Chris Wilkins, Eugenius tells the love story of Janey and Eugene. 

Janey is head over heels in love with Eugene but has been placed firmly in the friend-zone, replaced by Eugene's love for comic books. A love so great that he even writes his own and somehow gets thrown into the crazy world of Hollywood. With plot twists and hysterically witty dialogue, Eugenius is set to be the new hit musical! Oh, and it's all based on 80's music! As I'm 19 I wouldn't say the music is nostalgic for me but I know my parents would adore it! It's certainly catchy and the 80's vibe has you dancing in your seat! The stellar cast were absolutely wonderful, with Amy Lennox stealing the show for me with her stunning voice. This is sure a cast to watch out for!

If you're not a fan of the typical musical then this is definitely for you. I found myself laughing out loud from the very start to the very end and the upbeat atmosphere was infectious. Me and many others around me were humming the songs on the train all the way home!

This musical is bound to become a cult classic and pave the way for a whole wave of new musicals. If you want a hilarious, positive, fun night out that celebrates the geeks in us all then this will be the show for you! There are no set plans for when/where Eugenius will open, but if the huge standing ovation at the concert is anything to go by then it will be no time until you can witness the brilliance for yourself! In the mean time, head to http://www.eugeniusthemusical.com/home/4592270352 to learn more about the show and hear some music sneak peeks!

*Thank you to London Theatre Direct for providing me with tickets to this show.

Tuesday 14 June 2016

Samantha Barks Tour, Churchill Theatre | Review

Source: https://twitter.com/TheAlexEllison/status/742769269935616001
If you read this blog regularly or follow me on social media, you'll know that I am a huge Samantha Barks fan. Samantha is a singer and actress most well known for her role as Eponine in Les Miserables' West End cast, 25th anniversary concert cast and film cast. 

She has also starred in a number of shows such as City of Angels, Chicago, Cabaret and Oliver and has been working on a number of  films recently which are set to be released soon and has just released her self titled album under United Music. 

Monday 30 May 2016

10 Reasons You Should See In The Heights

Shock horror! Another post about In The Heights! In case you still haven't seen the show, here are ten reasons why you should definitely take a trip down to the barrio!

If you want some background information on the show check out my review here and if you fancy reading a cast interview, there's one here.

Monday 23 May 2016

Hamilton Dream Cast


My Hamilton obsession has been out in full force recently and the prospect of it coming to the West End in 2017 has got me ridiculously excited and kind of nervous. I'm praying that I'll get tickets and that I won't have to sell a body part to pay for them! 

So with all the Hamilton fever going around, I wanted to do my own dream cast for the show (I was inspired by this post.) Before I start I want to say that I basically want the whole of the In The Heights cast to become the Hamilton cast so there's going to be a lot of them in this....! 

Thursday 19 May 2016

The Raunch, Spiegeltent | Review

Going into something with no idea what its about is both exhilarating and slightly terrifying. Whilst I wouldn't say I was terrified of what to expect when seeing The Raunch, I was slightly worried. I had absolutely no clue what the show was about except that it involved circus tricks and was sure to provide a  toe-tapping, exciting night. 

The Raunch is a show starring the Most Wanted of the international cabaret and circus scene and featuring a toe tapping, disco-hoedown soundtrack. 

Monday 16 May 2016

In Conversation With... Lily Frazer | In The Heights | Interview


Back in October, I took a little trip to the Kings Cross theatre after my lecture to watch In The Heights. I didn't really know what to expect because I'd only heard a few of the songs but I was utterly blown away and have been in love with the show ever since! Check out my review here

I recently reached out to Lily Frazer who plays Nina in the show and she has been kind enough to do an interview with me about all things In The Heights...


For those that don't know, can you explain a little about the storyline of In The Heights and how your character Nina fits into it.

Lily Frazer as Nina and Cleve September as Sonny

In The Heights shows a few days in the life of the people who live in Washington Heights. There's a lot of poverty and financial struggle. Rent is rising due to gentrification and everyone seems to be trying to 'make it out' and make their mark on the world. The Rosarios for example own a taxi company which is failing financially. Nina Rosario the daughter has become the hope of the neighbourhood after leaving the barrio to go to Stanford university on a scholarship. However because she's been trying so hard to juggle her school work and working to pay for the rest of her tuition she has been failing her exams and after losing her  scholarship has decided to take leave of absence. She obviously feels a huge amount of guilt and anxiety on the way home and feels as if she has let the whole community and most importantly her parents down. She's come home to tell her parents the news and to also to try and get back to her roots and that's where her story begins really. 


I know you saw the show on Broadway, in what ways is the West End production similar and different to it?

I didn't actually see the show on Broadway. (AN. I was having a moment writing that question, I thought I'd heard Lily say she'd seen the show on Broadway!) I was studying at Arts Ed in London when it was on Broadway but I remember everyone in college was still just as excited about it. The soundtrack and libretto in the library were always checked out by someone. So naturally years later when it came to London I was thrilled. 

As for the West End production the staging is in traverse rather than a traditional proscenium arch so the setting is more intimate I think and with the cast dancing in the aisles as well it allows the audience to feel submerged in the setting. Our theatre is unique! The Kings Cross theatre makes the whole experience quite magical. The audience enter along actual railway tracks and through the 'subway' onto our stage. 


You played Eponine in Les Mis who is quite a contrast to Nina to say the least! Do you prefer portraying the family orientated, upbeat dance atmosphere of In The Heights or the highly dramatic, deep emotional atmosphere of Les Mis?

I wouldn't say I prefer either. I like a challenge and both roles are equally as challenging for different reasons. I feel that both roles are equally as vocally and emotionally demanding. 


Throughout In The Heights there is the overarching theme of home and the importance of it. What three things remind you of home?

I get home sick after a holiday abroad. I'll be sat on my plane and we'll be landing and I'll get a first glimpse of the green fields through the clouds and I'll suddenly get really excited to feel the cold weather on my face. Hilarious because I hate being cold so this feeling doesn't last long! 

I grew up in the West Midlands so I get really excited when I hear someone with a Midlands accent! Especially if they're a fellow actor! Feel like I've found a team mate! 

The Eagles greatest hits was played on almost every car journey my family ever went on when I was a kid. So I can't hear The Eagles without thinking of my family! 


Congratulations on the Oliviers, 3 awards is incredible for the show and you looked stunning! How has it been for you seeing the positivity of critics and audiences alike? Did you know you were doing something special when rehearsals started?


Lily at the 2016 Olivier Awards
I’m so unbelievably proud. That sentence actually doesn't do justice to how I feel about In The Heights. Cast, Crew, Production, Creative team have been through a lot since we opened in October. And not always good times like the Oliviers. There's been a lot of hard work that's been done on and off stage to make this production possible which is why I have so much pride in it. 

Last year when we opened the theatre wasn't very well known so at the start of our contract a lot of us were worried people wouldn't come. Also with the show being described as a rap musical we were worried about our target audience because of course that's not all In The Heights is. Also if it wasn't for the sell out production at the Southwark Playhouse we might not be here. It's been great to watch the audiences get bigger and to hear more and more people talk about how much they love the show. Turning up to a little gig at the Theatre CafĂ© a few weeks ago and not being able to get in the door because it was so packed with fans wanting to show support was so touching! I am extremely proud to be apart of that. 


If you switched roles with anyone in the cast, who would you choose and why? (I think we'd all love to see Nina rap!)

Lily Frazer as Nina and Joe Aaron Reid as Benny

Daniela looks like so much fun! 

Also I think I'd love to play Benny. I think he gets the best of both worlds. He gets to rap and dance but also gets to sing some beautiful love songs with Nina. Jammy! 


As someone who studied and went straight into a West End show, what advice would you give for anyone currently at university hoping to get into the performing arts industry?

I did a degree course at Arts Educational Schools in Chiswick. So I'm not sure if you would call it a university. 

Before I got accepted into ArtsEd when I was studying for my A levels a lot of teachers told me to go to university and study drama or Theatre Studies which after doing my own research wasn't the right for the kind of actor I wanted to be. I'm very proud of my degree but I'd say that my training at ArtsEd and the connections the school gave me were key to my success in the industry. Not only is the training impeccable but I would never have had an audition for Les Miserables if I wasn't given the opportunity to audition in front of casting directors when they were invited to audition us in my final year. You need to really do your research on exactly what you're going to get out of your training and more importantly what YOU want to achieve at the end. Eg. Do they provide a showcase or a show at the end of your third year? Do they invite agents and casting directors? Do they specialise in one area of musical theatre or all three? I was lucky in that Arts Ed pride themselves on preparing you so well for everything! If theres something I wish I'd done more of though whilst I was training would be to take class out of school hours to broaden my training. Take class outside of school hours. Get a head start. Always be one step ahead of your classmates and take everything that your teachers tell you with a pinch of salt. Criticism is good for you but don't let it destroy you! Make up your own mind. Take inspiration from other performers but directly comparing yourself to others is poisonous! Don't do it! I had to learn that the hard way. I could talk about this all day but I'll stop now! 


Finally, for someone deciding whether to see In The Heights, what 5 words do you think best sum it up?

Olivier 

Award

Winning

Breakthrough

Musical 
;) 


I want to say a huge thank you to Lily for taking the time to answer these questions. The show is unbelievably brilliant and Lily is wonderful as Nina. Please, if you can get to the Kings Cross theatre, go and see In The Heights! 

Also, keep and eye out on RewriteThisStory for some more In The Heights themed posts which are coming up! My original review of the show is here!

Interview by Olivia Mitchell, Editor

Wednesday 20 April 2016

Funny Girl, Savoy Theatre | Review


I didn't properly comprehend that I was seeing Funny Girl until I was sat in the theatre. Funny Girl is such a pinnacle of Musical Theatre for me, I grew up watching Barbra Streisand perform the iconic role my whole childhood so it felt like a dream finally seeing Mr Arnstein, Fanny and the Ziegfeld girls in real life... well real life on stage but you know what I mean!

Sunday 3 April 2016

Samantha Barks, St. James Studio | Review

It has been 20 hours since Samantha Barks stepped on the St. James Studio stage and I am still buzzing. I have been a fan of Sam since she was first on 'I'd Do Anything' and since then I have followed her career and been lucky enough to see her perform several times but this was a very different experience to anything else I've watched Samantha in previously.

Saturday 27 February 2016

Tori Kelly, O2 Academy Brixton | Review


So this blog post has really been four years in the making. After years of being a fan but never being able to go to a concert for various reasons, yesterday it finally happened, I got to witness the incredible Tori Kelly in action and I don't think I'll ever get  over how amazing it was.

To set the scene, the crowd was already buzzing from Samm Henshaw's amazing opening act when Tori came onto the huge stage of the Brixton Academy, and that buzz stayed from the moment the queen stepped on stage to the moment we left the theatre.  Tori's voice filled the whole place and her flawless technique and stage presence made me unable to take my eyes off of her. Everything seemed so natural, from the way Ms Kelly moved around the stage, to the way she used her pauses between songs to relish in the moment.

The set list for this concert was absolute perfection, with Tori belting nearly every song from her album, plus some of her older songs, such as the fan favourite 'Dear No One' and a brilliant cover medley, featuring PYT (with THAT riff of dreams included!) Tori hit every note with ease and her vocal ability and prowess was shown numerous times, with unblemished riffs, sultry low notes and etherial high notes.


I think its always been Tori's realness that has made people fall for her and that was truly the case last night. Tori somehow managed to make a huge venue feel intimate and managed to connect with everyone in the audience as if she were only singing to them. Not only that, but the whole concert felt like a party with friends, everyone there had a common love, admiration and support for  Tori so for me at least, it really felt like we were just proud to be watching someone we love on stage. You could really see how happy Tori was on stage and that happiness really translated to the audience.


The thing which baffles me about this curly-haired beauty, is how she can be both angelic with her R&B vibes but also have such swagger that if she started rapping it would be completely normal and no one would bat an eyelash. This is just testament to how talented Tori is, and I hope she gets every success in the future, because that talent, kindness and humble personality, deserves incredible things (just like it deserved the Grammy that was robbed from it...! In my opinion at least!) 

If you ever get the chance to see Tori in concert, please take it! I guarantee you'll leave feeling uplifted and in awe. One day it would be amazing if I could work with Tori and maybe sometime I will (it's on my bucket list to sing with her so fingers crossed!) But whether I get to or not, Tori has truly influenced my life and I'm so appreciative that she is there to be somebody for me to look up to and aspire to.

"Don't quit your daydream"

Monday 1 February 2016

Lucie Jones, Waterloo East | Review



The Waterloo East theatre was host to an incredible one night only cabaret from Lucie Jones last night and I'm sorry to rub it in your faces but you missed an epic night if you weren't there!

Lucie entered the stage in a sparkling silver dress and immediately belted out the Annie classic, Tomorrow, wowing the crowd from the get go.

After a number of hilarious anecdotes, we got to the X Factor days when Lucie introduced Anton Stephans who belted out a beautiful song and Lucie (along with some audience participation) performed Sweet Child of Mine.

As the night continued, Lucie sung songs that had been prominent throughout her amazing career such as Somebody To Love, Bring Him Home and an acoustic version of Poker Face (complete with unexpected harmonies!!)

Samantha Barks was another guest who joined Lucie on stage to sing an acoustic version of Justin Bieber's Sorry, which I NEED to be released as a single!! Samantha then sung a soulful jazz number, which was, of course, absolutely stunning! Danyl Johnson was the final guest, who, with a belt-tastic duet of Bridge Over Troubled Water made me fall a little bit in love!

A personal favourite of the evening was the hilarious Musical Theatre Boys song which had me in extremely ugly hysterics! Lucie's bubbly personality had the whole audience laughing throughout and by the end of the night it really felt as if we had all bonded during this intimate performance. The closing number With You left everybody speechless and was a fantastic end to a fantastic night.

Lucie is truly a force to be reckoned with, she's not only got the pipes to sing anything and everything, but her magnetic personality and natural personality, along with stunning sparkly dresses, make her a performer you just can't help but love.

If you want to witness the hurricane of amazingness that is Lucie Jones, you can watch her in the upcoming performances of Legally Blonde at the Leicester Curve!