Wednesday 24 April 2024
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) at the Criterion Theatre Review: A Warm Hug of a Musical
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
Sunday 17 March 2024
Instructions for a Teenage Armageddon at the Garrick Theatre REVIEW: Charithra Chandran makes a moving stage debut
Friday 1 March 2024
Standing at the Sky's Edge at the Gillian Lynne Theatre REVIEW: A Perfect Tale of Hope and Connection
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
Monday 12 February 2024
Initial Casting Announced for Spring Awakening Reunion Concert
Thursday 8 February 2024
Kathy and Stella Solve A Murder! transfers to the West End
Tuesday 6 February 2024
Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical extends its season at The Other Palace
It also features Abbie Budden as Annette and Rose Galbraith as Cecile, Josh Barnett as Blaine, Jess Buckby as Ms Bunny Caldwell/Dr Greenbaum, Nickcolia King-N’Da as Ronald and Barney Wilkinson as Greg, with an ensemble of Craig Watson, Nathan Lorainey-Dineen, Charlotte O’Rourke and Verity Thompson.
Tom Holland to Play Romeo in Jamie Lloyd's Romeo and Juliet
Jamie Lloyd said today:
“Tom Holland is one of the greatest, most exciting young actors in the world. It is an honour to welcome him back to the West End.”
Violent delights have violent ends.
Monday 5 February 2024
Cara Delevingne and Luke Treadaway to join the cast of Cabaret | THEATRE NEWS
Cara Delevingne and Luke Treadaway to join the cast of Cabaret | THEATRE NEWS
Monday 5 February 2024
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!”