Wednesday, 18 April 2018
Evita (UK Tour), Storyhouse | Review
Evita (UK Tour)
Storyhouse
Reviewed on Tuesday 17th April 2018 by Becca Cromwell
★★★★
Set mostly in 1940s Argentina, Evita focuses on the life and death of Argentinian actress turned political figure Eva Perón. Eva Duarte is a budding actress who tries her luck in Buenos Aires and ends up dating and eventually marrying Juan Perón. The first act of the show tells the tale of the Peróns’ rise to power in Argentina, with the focus on Juan Perón’s election as president and Eva becoming the First Lady of Argentina. In the second act, we see the aftermath of Eva’s ‘Rainbow Tour’ of Europe, which ends in her health declining, and eventually her death.
From the beginning, I was captivated by the sheer talent on the stage. The entire cast gave an utterly heartbreaking and incredibly moving performance, which will take me a long time to forget. As with a lot of Bill Kenwright’s productions, the set was minimalistic, but it worked. Although there were a few technical issues, which are expected from the first night, the show ran smoothly. The ensemble and child cast were astounding, with all of them giving great performances. The dance sequences were mesmerising and the harmonies were more than impressive.
Eva Perón was played by Madalena Alberto, who made it look completely effortless. Madalena is known for playing Eva in the Dominion Theatre and London Palladium productions and on a previous UK Tour of Evita. From the beginning she gave an impressive performance, even managing to keep her vocals flawless as she was crying.
Che, played by Gian Marco Schiaretti, is the narrator of the show. He spends most of the show observing and narrating the public’s view of what is happening, which brings depth to the story and the characters. Known for playing this role in previous productions, Gian gave a convincing performance and hit the high notes flawlessly.
Perón himself is played by none other than Jeremy Secomb, who is most known for his impressive list of West End credits, including hit roles such as Javert and Sweeney Todd. Jeremy gave a vocally fantastic performance, and exuded raw emotion throughout. He brought the part to life and made us really feel for him towards the end of the show.
Evita is definitely not a show to miss, and the UK Tour continues until June. Grab your tickets whilst you can.
photo credit: Pamela Raith
The Rat Pack- Live From Las Vegas (UK Tour), New Victoria Theatre | Review
The Rat Pack- Live From Las Vegas (UK Tour)
New Victoria Theatre
Reviewed on Tuesday 17th April 2018 by Valerie Field
★★★★
The Rat Pack Live opens with Garrett Phillips who plays Sinatra introducing himself and the show and trying to get the audience participation go. Unfortunately this didn't quite work out as the theatre was very under-booked.
Once this initial opening was over and the show got going everyone enjoyed his performance. He has a great voice and even the look of Frank Sinatra. In fact if you closed your eyes it could have been him. Philips really knows how to channel the musical master.
Nigel Casey also has a good voice but unfortunately doesn't come across as relaxed and cool as his character Dean Martin. There was a change of actor at the last minute for Sammy Davis Jr. He was played by last night by Darren Charles who I must say was a very good entertainer but didn't quite come across as his character.
Part way through the show we are introduced to the Burelli Sisters played by Laura Darton, Amelia Adams-Pearce and Joanna Walters. This brings glamour and a bit of pizzazz to the show as their performances are very, very good.
The late appearance of Nicola Emmanuel as Ella Fitzgerald really lifts the show as she is fantastic- it's a shame she is not utilised more in the show.
The orchestra are great and all the music and songs are brilliantly and energetically performed. Unfortunately for the cast the theatre was fairly empty but the audience who were there were very appreciative and gave them a standing ovation after the rousing rendition of My Way.
Anyone who is Sinatra fan will enjoy the show. The music is nostalgic, well performed and provides fantastic entertainment. The Rat Pack- Live From Las Vegas is well worth a visit and I had a very enjoyable evening.
The Rat Pack- Live at Las Vegas runs at the New Victoria Theatre until 21st April before continuing it's tour.
Tuesday, 17 April 2018
The Band (UK Tour), Bristol Hippodrome | Review
The Band (UK Tour)
Bristol Hippodrome
Reviewed on Tuesday 17th April 2018 by Isobelle Desbrow
★★★★
The Band tells the story, as the name suggests, of a Band, but more importantly a group of friends who have been reunited after tragedy; by their love of said band.
The first act of the story centres around a group of friends Rachel (Faye Christall), Heather (Katy Clayton), Claire (Sarah Kate Howarth), Debbie (Rachelle Diedericks) and Zoe (Lauren Jacobs) who’s love of The Band and a competition win from Debbie takes them to Manchester to watch their favourites live. After some tuneful singing and dancing we learn that tragedy strikes; this leads to a wonderfully worded tear jerking moment. They are all fabulous young actress who really hold the story together in the first act.
We move on to meeting the adult Rachel (Rachel Lumberg), Claire (Alison Fitzjohn), Heather (Emily Joyce) and Zoe (Jayne McKenna) who bring the first act to a real show-stopping end with their spectacular rendition of Shine. Their energy and passion is very enjoyable to watch and continues into the second act.
The Band are played by AJ Bentley, Nick Carsberg, Yazdan Qafouri Isfahani, Curtis T Johns and Sario Solomon. You can clearly see why they were chosen from the BBC series ‘Let It Shine’ as they all have exceptional voices and while not always at the forefront of the singing, they add a professional and clean backing track to all songs.
A special mention I feel must go to the costume and set design team, as they somehow manage to create amazing scenes in a very short amount of time. Over both halves I counted no less than 15 costume changes, each telling a story of their own. As for set, being able to create a plane, or bus on stage so simply but with great effect was amazing to see.
Going into the second act we follow older Rachel. 25yrs on from when we first met this group of girls. Rachel Lumberg is an exceptional actress and deserves a lot of praise for the emotion and brilliance she brings to the part and really does bring the second act together.
The Band in the second act also really shine. During the first act they are mainly used as backing singers, however come act 2 they belt out some powerful and exceptionally sounding verses and choruses for some of Take That’s best know songs. They made the show a musical.
Overall the show was a success, if given the chance I would go and watch it again, as I felt the cast was exceptionally strong even when the story lacked motivation.
The Band runs at the Bristol Hippodrome until 21st April before continuing it's tour.
Photo credit: Matt Crockett
Friday, 13 April 2018
The Mousetrap, St Martins Theatre | Review
The Mousetrap
St Martins Theatre
Reviewed on Thursday 12th April 2018 by Shaun Dicks
★★★★
The Mousetrap at the St Martins Theatre has been a staple of the West End for many years. Sixty years in fact, making it the longest running show in the world. As we were told at the beginning of the night’s performance ‘Not bad for a show that Agatha Christie hoped would have a nice little eight month run’. Agatha Christie and her works are a pillar of English literature and was a true trailblazer of the ‘Who Dunnit?’. The 12th April 2018 was its 60th anniversary gala, celebrating the prestige and longevity that all shows dream of.
The plot of the show is simple enough, eight seemingly random people of all different backgrounds and histories come together to a guest house, one being a police officer trying to crack the latest high-profile murder case that could involve those staying there. But with heavy snow falling and no communication to the outside, the games begin. There is another murder in the guest house, and it’s anyone’s guess who committed the crime.
The Mousetrap takes you back to a different era, where the pioneering technology is the ‘Wireless’, today known to us as a radio, where there are no televisions or mobile phones; where seclusion really meant seclusion. The show is very much a delight, the first half was full of rich language, situational humour and a wonderful classic aesthetic. It’s wonderful to be immersed in such a stylised and all-encompassing world. The second half was equally inclusive of all these qualities, but as the investigation broke down and we got to the gritty part of the story, it felt a little bit clunky; a minor flaw in an otherwise wonderful night of entertainment.
It is a wonderful feat to become the longest running show ever, and it adds to the already glittering prestige of Agatha Christie. It’s a wonderful night of classic British entertainment. Do you want to know who dunnit? Go down to the St Martins theatre to find out.
The Comedy About a Bank Robbery, Criterion Theatre | Review
The Comedy About a Bank Robbery
Criterion Theatre
Reviewed on Thursday 12th April 2018 by Emma Gradwell
★★★
Written by Mischief Theatre founders Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, The Comedy About a Bank Robbery gives you a grouping of incompetent thieves as they try to steal a rare diamond from Minneapolis City Bank during the summer of 1958 – very much a homage to American screwball cops and robbers comedies. The play begins with escaping convicts and corrupt Prison Guards plotting the heist. The tone is set from the start that this is very much a modern farce, with “Naked Gun” style misheard and misinterpreted words and phrases.
The farcical plot concerns a dubious banker by the name of Robin Freeboys (played by Leonard Cook) whose name produces many comic moments when misheard as “robbing three boys”, inexplicably being entrusted with a rare diamond owned by a Hungarian Prince. The mantra from the start is that everyone in this town is a crook of which we are often reminded by Mr. Freeboys underpaid but very smart receptionist, Ruth Monaghan (gloriously played by Jenna Augen). You have to keep watching to the end to find out who finally bags the jewel.
Aggressive and gruff prison escapee Mitch Ruscitti (played by Matt Hunt) returns home to his beautiful but tricky girlfriend Caprice (played by Holly Sumpton) who happens to be the daughter of Mr. Freeboys. Caprice is entertaining loveable petty criminal Sam (played by Sam Fogell) that she met at the bank, he also happens to be the son of bank employee Ruth. What follows is an impeccably timed scene involving concealing Sam all around a malfunctioning mechanical bed ending with him assuming the identity of Robin Freeboys with a ridiculous disguise made up of household objects.
The story continues with obvious visual and verbal gags coming thick and fast. The sporadic doo wop musical interludes are cute and beautifully done. One of the highlights is a scene in the bank set at a perilous 90 degree angle to obtain a birds eye view from the banks vents system where the crooks are attempting to get to the vaults. Ageing intern Warren Slax (gamely played by Peter McGovern) is anchored by a safety harness as he tries to manoeuvre his way around the “office” while carrying out menial tasks for the demanding Mr. Freeboys. It is very hard to pour a coffee when gravity is not defied.
A special mention needs to go to Chris Leask who marvellously plays “Everyone Else” in the play. His facial expressions alone had the audience roaring with laughter. A three way fight between Caprice’s unwitting lovers ensues. The lovers are a hillbilly, a decrepit nursing home resident and an angry German. Playing all three parts and being on the giving and receiving end of the punches is no mean feat. Wonderfully performed and slickly directed.
The jokes do become repetitive and are not really very clever. If it’s an evening of high-brow culture you are after then this definitely is not the show for you but if you want to just sit back and watch a bit of silliness then this will tick the right boxes.
Photo credit: Robert Workman
Thursday, 12 April 2018
An Evening With Jason Robert Brown, London Palladium | Review
An Evening With Jason Robert Brown
London Palladium
Reviewed on Wednesday 11th April 2018 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★★
Last night the London Palladium played host to one of the most brilliant concerts I have ever witnessed. American composer, pianist and conductor Jason Robert Brown debuted some of his new songs as well as hits from his various musicals and orchestral works. He was joined by the BBC Concert Orchestra (plus his own rhythm section), conductor Larry Blank, Capital Voices and musical theatre superstars Rachel Tucker, Betsy Wolfe and Norm Lewis in this one night only musical spectacular. Concerts of this caliber are so often confined to the New York scene so to get something like this live in London was truly magical and is not a night I'll forget in a hurry.
Jason opened the show with an emotive song about finding hope in a hopeless situation which he revealed was written the day after the last presidential election. He followed this with a song from a musical he has yet to complete, which tells the story of a teen in New York who dreams of having a career as a musician. The upbeat, rhythmical song, Melinda had the audience tapping their feet and ready for the concert ahead of them. This song with various musical dance genres entwined in it was the perfect song to show off Jason's musicianship and vocals as well as the clear dexterity of the BBC Concert Orchestra players. The two songs in succession set the tone for what was set to be a joyous as well as moving night.
The entire concert was of an immense standard and it would be unfair to pick a particular stand out but over the course of just over two and a half hours, we were treated to some of the gems of Jason Robert Brown's career, as well as a glimpse of what's to come with his new album, How We React and How We Recover. Similarly to last year's Kristin Chenoweth concert, this performance made the vast space of the London Palladium feel intimate and warm and proved that whilst donning various hats as singer, conductor and pianist, at the heart of it all Jason is a storyteller. In my recent interview with him, Jason told me that he loves when you can "go on an adventure with a piece of music" which truly sums up what this night was about.
Rachel Tucker who Jason called "the real thing" gave a glorious rendition of Stars and the Moon from Songs For a New World, which Jason described as "a medley of my greatest... hit!" Her rendition of the anthem, Invisible, written by Jason for a young wheelchair bound girl in collaboration with the Ronald McDonald House and Broadway Inspirational Voices was especially moving and energetic. Rachel also brought the house to their feet with her final performance of Flying Home, which although usually sung by a male voice, sounded as though it was written for Ms Tucker.
Norm Lewis performed gorgeous, mellow renditions of It All Fades Away and All Things in Time as well as joining Betsy Wolfe for a beautiful duet of Before and After You/One Second and a Million Miles which proved that the West End needs a production of The Bridges of Madison County, pronto! I know I said I didn't want to name stand-outs but Betsy's act 2 performance of I Can Do Better Than That from The Last Five Years was truly marvellous and proved why she's as adored as she is.
In addition to these songs we also got to experience a whole selection of songs from Honeymoon in Vegas which I saw in it's concert form at the Palladium last year, as well as some beautiful excerpts from Jason's symphony, The Trumpet of the Swan. Not only did this instrumental moment show of the virtuosic playing of the orchestra but showed just how emotive music is. Before beginning, Jason briefly explained the plot of the symphony which is based on a children's book, so we knew what was coming. What I found incredible was how everyone laughed and gasped at the same times despite there being no lyrics to describe the drama. This just proved how powerful music is as an art form and was an especially magical moment for me.
I have to briefly mention the lighting for this concert which was outstanding. For a one night only event which is going out to radio, not television, I was blown away by how much thought and time had clearly gone into every lighting cue. This really added to the warm feeling of the entire night.
At the risk of babbling on for an obscene amount of time, I'm going to wrap up my review here. I'm sorry to say that if you weren't there you missed out of a truly fantastic night but don't worry because you can hear the whole things on this week's Friday Night is Music Night and experience the joy of Jason Robert Brown's music for yourself. I was enchanted, surprised and blown away by every moment of this gem of a concert.
photo credit: Danny Kaan
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