Tuesday 26 March 2024
Wild About You the Musical in Concert at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane: A Musical Misfire
Wild About You: The Musical in Concert presents a mixed bag of highs and lows. On one hand, the cast undeniably pours their heart and soul into every note and step, igniting the stage with energy and harmony during ensemble numbers, providing genuine excitement and joy for the audience. However, the love story it weaves isn't without its thorns. The music, while splendidly performed, lacks the emotional depth to truly resonate, resembling forgettable pop tunes rather than soul-stirring melodies. Similarly, the lyrics feel clichéd, failing to capture the complexity of human emotion, leaving much to be desired.
But perhaps the most glaring issue lies in the storytelling. The plot meanders like a lost tourist, introducing subplots only to abandon them moments later, resulting in a directionless narrative that fails to engage. The show feels like two separate shows, neither of which succeed in creating a cohesive story, leaving audiences more puzzled than swooning.
Despite the stellar cast, which includes luminaries like Rachel Tucker and Oliver Tompsett, the characters remain underdeveloped, with surface-level exploration hindering empathy. The ambitious score, while showcasing vocal prowess, suffers from disjointed pacing and inconsistency, detracting from the overall experience.
In the end, Wild About You falls short of its promise, leaving viewers longing for more substance amidst the spectacle. While it may have fared better as a play, the musical format exacerbates its shortcomings, ultimately delivering a tale of missed opportunities and half-hearted attempts at romance. For a concert production, with only a small amount of rehearsal, this was undeniably sleek and well put together but in my opinion, it would need a big overhaul to succeed as a full production.
★★
Monday 25 March 2024
Priscilla the Party at HERE at Outernet REVIEW: A Glitzy, Camp Night Out
Tuesday 19 March 2024
I Should Be So Lucky on tour at the New Victoria Theatre REVIEW: A Misguided Melange of 80s Madness
Friday 23 February 2024
Just For One Day at the Old Vic REVIEW: Pitch Perfect Peformances
Thursday 22 February 2024
Hadestown at the Lyric Theatre REVIEW: A Soul-Stirring Journey to the Depths of Hell
Saturday 17 February 2024
The Addams Family Concert at the London Palladium REVIEW | A Kooky Show with a Killer Cast
Thursday 8 February 2024
Todrick Hall to play Sean and Michael Mather will play Jackson in Burlesque The Musical
"Todrick Hall’s kinda genius is singular. The kind you rarely see. His work is prolific and masterfully entertaining. The songs he wrote for the show are in a word…iconic. The role of Sean is an anchor/entertainer who has poetry and is wickedly funny. So it was abundantly clear we had to get Todrick to play Sean. And sometimes I dunno if I wanna kiss him or slap him. ❤️ But I DO know I’m a very lucky guy to have him in our show. Very."
“The movie of Burlesque was so iconic to so many of us — to now be working with both Steven Antin and Christina Aguilera who are reuniting for this new musical is a dream come true.I am beyond excited to be returning to my first love, musical theatre, in such a special way. My first original role and my theatrical composing debut. To be able to bring music that I wrote to life, to share the stage and the writing credit with the star that is Jess Folley is a dream come true! I'm blessed, honoured, flattered and ready to dust off the old heels and let the kids have it 8 shows a week!”
Thursday 1 February 2024
Bronco Billy the Musical at the Charing Cross Theatre REVIEW | A Delightful Musical Romp
Friday 26 January 2024
Here & Now a Musical by Steps to Debut This Year
Steps members (Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Ian ‘H’ Watkins, Lee Latchford-Evans, and Lisa Scott-Lee) expressed their excitement about the musical, sharing, “We’ve searched for the perfect story for our music, and we’ve found it in the aisle of a seaside superstore. It’s a story of friendship, romance, and community, packed with our biggest hits. We can’t wait to see you there!”
Thursday 18 January 2024
Rehab the Musical at Neon 194 Review: Struggles to Find Its Narrative Harmony
Tuesday 28 November 2023
Pretty Woman on Tour at the New Victoria Theatre Review: A Perfect Night Out
He Sang to Me by Casey Tyler book review: A Delightfully Cheesy Ode to Broadway Romance
Self Published: 3rd October 2023 by Truelove Publishing
The rest of the characters, while somewhat idealised, form a found family that's lovely to discover. The friendships and relationships are sprinkled with relatable moments, creating a sense of nostalgia for those who have ever dreamt of having a dreamy friend group.
Reviewed by Olivia