Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Lauren Samuels. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Lauren Samuels. Sort by date Show all posts
Sunday 3 February 2019
West End Women, Cadogan Hall | Review
West End Women (Concert)
Cadogan Hall
Reviewed on Saturday 2nd February 2019 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★
After their Cadogan Hall debut, Lambert Jackson Productions are back with West End Women, featuring three of the most prominent performers UK theatre has to offer: Rachel John, Lauren Samuels and Celinde Schoenmaker. Taking us on a loose history of women in theatre and melting our faces off with vocal gymnastics, this was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday evening.
Despite the biting wind outside and the snow enveloping the country, Cadogan Hall felt warm and buzzy as it was taken over by powerhouse performance followed by powerhouse performance. The trio opened with the upbeat 'I Got Rhythm', before some solo showcases of their voices. A simplistic and heartwarming rendition of 'Someone To Watch Over Me' brought stillness to the room thanks to Celinde Schoenmaker. Lauren Samuels kept us in the 20s with a beautiful rendition of 'Lady, be Good'; whilst Rachel John brought us a decade further forward with the sultry and smooth 'Summertime'.
The ladies were then joined by the MX Masterclass choir for 'Blow Gabriel Blow', followed by a Rodgers and Hammerstein medley of 'It Might As Well Be Spring', 'My Favourite Things' and 'If I Loved You'. The choir then gave a vivacious and humourous performance of 'America' which brought some real energy to the concert and gave us a glimpse into the future of the West End.
Also giving us the inside scoop on 'Names To Remember' were the wonderful competition winners who performed throughout the concert. Three became six as act two opened with the merry murderesses in the 'Cell Block Tango', before Brady Isaacs Pearce gave a spine tingling performance of 'A Piece of Sky'. I've said before that Brady is one to watch out for and her continually more brilliant performances are just evidence of that. Watch out West End! Fourteen year old Talia Robens was equally as powerful with 'Everything I Know', which she performed with effortless grace.
West End Women presented music from 1930 all the way to 2017 and showed just how timeless the songs and stories are. Every performance was a faultless delight but some highlights among the highlights included Lauren's gloriously clear renditions of 'Maybe This Time' and 'Never Enough'; Celinde's 'Think of Me' and Rachel's 'I Never Knew His Name' (Bring Brooklyn to the West End now please). All three women gave vocal masterclasses as their technique and power provided the backbone to the entire night. Whilst each powerhouse brings something individual to the table, the trio also work gloriously together and their clear as glass voices ring out with pure sincerity and strength in the acoustically great space of Cadogan Hall.
Alongside the fantastic musicians (expertly led by Adam Hoskins) this was a really great night which reminded me of why the music part of musical theatre is so special and moving. For a masterclass in technique, go see these ladies in their future endeavours.
photo credit: Mark Sykes
Thursday 8 September 2016
Vanities, Trafalgar Studios | Review
Vanities: The Musical
Trafalgar Studios
Reviewed on Wednesday 7th August 2016 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★
Vanities is a musical adaptation of Jack Heifner's play with a script by Heifner himself and lyrics/music by David Kirshenbaum. Its London premiere at Trafalgar Studios is certainly a triumphant one, with radiant performances from all three ladies and extremely catchy and refreshing music. Set in the 70s one would assume the themes of the musical could be dated but in fact the plight for happiness, friendship and success are just as prevalent now.
Saturday 31 December 2016
Olivia's Top 10 Shows of 2016
Without repeats, I saw 59 different shows this year so compiling this list has been difficult to say the least! This has been a brilliant year for theatre and through this website I really feel that I've become a part of the theatre community. 2016 has seen some brilliant big budget shows as well as smaller fringe ones, many of which have thrilled me. This list is of the shows that stuck with me long after I'd seen them and that I feel are very resonant in our 2016 world. This will probably be a bit of a long post, I have a whole year to fit in after all, so grab yourself a cuppa and some biscuits and enjoy!
This list is in reverse order, cause we all need that extra bit of excitement in our lives.
One of Paul Taylor-Mills' incredible productions of 2016. The music was performed beautifully and the touching and heartbreaking story of conjoined twins Daisy and Violet was told sincerely and gracefully by Laura Pitt-Pulford and Louise Dearman.
Did anyone not like this show? All I heard were incredible reviews and rightly so. An exciting and refreshing revival of a much loved Classic which ticked all the boxes of a hit musical. Charlie Stemp is talent on another level. I'm sure we'll be hearing plenty more good things about the show and cast in 2017!
This was my first visit to The Union Theatre and wow was it a good first. I absolutely adored this show. I was completely unfamiliar with the music and was just blown away by it. The cast were sublime and the story telling was impeccable. I'm sure this would be a huge hit if more people got to see it.
27 must have been one of the most hyped musicals of 2016 and I could certainly see why when I saw it. It's a musical like I've never seen before, so fresh and different to what's currently on the West End stages. The plot twist at the end had me physically breathless, a stunning piece of artistry.
This was another small show but it definitely packed more than a small punch. It was sweet, pink, sassy and sumptuous. One of those shows which really made you think and reflect on your life. Lauren Samuels gave a standout performance!
I saw this show alone so the minute I stepped out of the theatre I called my friend to fangirl about it like a mad woman. I was completely awestruck by the whole performance. It was moving, funny, relevant and thought-provoking. The use of songs was done smoothly and effectively and it was overall just an A* worthy production.
This was the perfect treat to see just before Christmas. Although the story is slightly dated and everything is a little over the top, it's a fantastic production full of sweetness, heartbreak and love. Scarlett Strallen's performance was absolutely impeccable and nothing short of perfection. With the amount of people I've told to see this, I wouldn't be surprised if it gets a West End transfer in the near future.
I've grown up with Rent so finally seeing it on stage was a very special experience for me. Each cast member is fully immersed into their roles and the whole production is raw, gritty and believable. Philippa Stefani gives the performance of a superstar and had me in floods of tears. The production will continue to tour next year and I'll certainly be seeing it again so don't be surprised if it features in my top 10 of 2017 too!
The St James theatre was on fire this year! The Last Five Years is another one which I've wanted to see on stage for years. Jason Robert Brown's story is heart-warming and heart-breaking at the same time. It's always a joy to see Samantha Barks on stage and seeing her shine as Cathy was even more wonderful because of how incredibly she showed off her effortless belt and sincere acting. The wonderful mix of simplistic staging, the stellar duo of Barks and Bailey and Jason's beautiful music, rightfully earn The Last Five Years my number two spot!
1. Dreamgirls: Savoy Theatre
If you haven't heard about Dreamgirls' triumphant return to the West End then you must have been living in a cave. This was the 2nd to last show I saw and I couldn't be happier that I could end the year on such a fantastic note. This has got to be the theatrical spectacle of the year, the sets, costumes, choreography and cast are all exquisite and I cried a bucket load of happy tears, which I never do! Go see Dreamgirls in 2017, I guarantee you'll leave singing it's praises!
So there's my top 10 shows, of course there's other brilliant ones and I'm sure your list varies but this has been a brilliant year for theatre and I can't wait to see what 2017 brings *cough* Hamilton *cough*
But wait, where's that other show that I've been posting and tweeting about like crazy and have seen 32 times!? I haven't forgotten it, I just wanted to give it a special mention because its such a special show. So my "The Show Which Changed My Life: 2016" award goes to IN THE HEIGHTS at the Kings Cross Theatre! I've done a billion posts on it (just search it on the homepage) so I don't need to write any more soppy words but this show has seriously been my everything this year. I've met incredible people from it, both fans and cast members and I'm so incredibly grateful for that. Unfortunately I won't be at the last show as I'm in Australia (boo hoo, woe is me, right?) but I'm so sad its closing, and I'm sending all my thoughts and positive vibes to the theatre gods that they will bring it back because I will never be ready for the lights to go down on Washington Heights! Thank you In The Heights for being there and helping me and I'm sure many others, through tough times and making us feel at home in the theatre. Even if you had no idea how you were helping, I guarantee you made some tough days just that much easier. No pare sigue sigue!
I hope you had a brilliantly theatrical year too and I'd love to hear your favourites so drop me a comment on here or tweet me @OliviaMitche or @RewriteThisWeb
Au Revoir 2016! Stay Stagey, 2017!
Saturday 3 November 2018
Girlfriends, Bishopsgate Institute (LMTO) | Review
Girlfriends
Bishopsgate Institute
Reviewed on Friday 2nd November 2018 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★
The London Musical Theatre Orchestra are taking a short residency at the Bishopsgate Institute whilst they perform a concert version of Howard Goodall's Girlfriends which follows a group of women as they join the Women's Auxiliary Airforce during World War Two.
Complete with new orchestrations specifically for the LMTO, Girlfriends has some beautiful virtuosic moments which are wonderfully showcased by the orchestra, led by Freddie Tapner. As always, the orchestra give a sleek performance, however, compared to previous concerts where the LMTO have had solo showcase moments playing musical interludes such as the police scene in Mack and Mabel, there weren't any moments where we could purely appreciate the orchestra. These concerts always tend to provide a platform to appreciate stripped back music which of course we could still do, but this particular production lacked some of the "wow" orchestral moments previously experienced.
Whilst the orchestrations are lovely, a lot of the music feels similar and there are a lot of songs which are repetitive. Many of the melodies are catchy but when heard time are time again, become ineffective in conveying the mood/drama they intend to and I believe the whole piece would be much more moving emotionally and technically sleek if it was cut down and smoothed out. That's not to say that there weren't some outstanding moments, especially when the women join together for tight choral moments of chromatic harmony which effectively push the pain and confusion felt by everyone during the war.
The cast are the best of the best who work well as a team and individually. As best friends leaving their "ordinary" lives to join the WAAF, Lucie Jones and Lauren Samuels show off their divine vocals and natural chemistry with effortless talent. Natasha Barnes is vocally stunning, whilst Vikki Stone gives both a humourous and heartbreaking performance and Bronté Barbé gives a memorable performance of The Chances Are. Rob Houchen and Chris McGuigan both give strong performances which showcase their talents whilst perfectly framing the women, as they should in a show focussed on female strength.
Despite the dramatic content, the show itself never reaches a boiling point and somewhat lacks intensity. During act one, I couldn't help but think the show was romanticising war with the various love affairs that formed; however, a moment of text in act two changed that view and brought the stark reality of war back to the heart. Victoria Gosling MBE explains that she was born in a free world and grew up hearing "All You Need is Love" whilst for her grandparents, "All They Had is Love". This reminds us the importance of relationships both romantic and non-romantic as well as how lucky we all are to be able to watch this show without having experienced the pain and turmoil that accompanied the women featured.
Despite this not being my favourite production form the LMTO, there is no denying that the wealth of talent on offer gave remarkable performances. The melodic, complex music does provide moments of power and if anything, this show serves as a fantastic celebration of women and the crucial roles they had in the Second World War.
photo credit: Nick Rutter
Thursday 10 February 2022
Full Main Stage Line Up Announced for the 2022 Gaiety Musical Theatre Festival
The Gaiety Musical Theatre Festival is pleased to announce the full main stage line up for this year’s festival at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire.
Britain’s Got Talent Winners Collabro, West End and Broadway star John Owen-Jones (Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera), direct from London’s West End Sophie Evans (Wicked, Wizard of Oz) and musical theatre star Lauren Samuels (Bend It Like Beckham, Grease).
They will join fellow headliners Kerry Ellis (We Will Rock You, Wicked, Oliver!), Lee Mead (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Wicked, Legally Blonde the Musical), Cassidy Janson (&Juliet, Beautiful: The Carol King Musical, Avenue Q) and Marisha Wallace (Dreamgirls, Hairspray, Waitress) at Gaiety Musical Theatre Festival on Sunday 1st May 2022.
Gaiety Musical Theatre Festival, which will take place in the beautiful grounds of Ragley Hall in Warwickshire and is set to become a new highlight of the theatrical calendar.
This brand-new musical theatre event is a must-see for any theatre fan, with ten hours of spectacular entertainment across several stages, family fun at the fairground, and a profusion of excellent food, drink and delights in the festival village.
The London Musical Theatre Orchestra will accompany the star-studded main stage line-up.
Further artists to be announced.
Monday 27 May 2019
Henry V, Barn Theatre | Review
Henry V
Barn Theatre
Reviewed on Friday 24th May 2019 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★
Shakespeare's plays are a regular feature in the theatrical circuit but the Barn Theatre have switched it up by modernising and refreshing Henry V to make it appealing to a younger audience, as well as Shakespeare enthusiasts. Whilst the play has been brought to a more modern time, it maintains the classic Shakespeare feel.
The design by Benjamin Collins utilises technology through video projection which creates a visceral experience as it bombards up with varying imagery that flashes before our eyes. Familiar images pop up as the King's death is played on a news channel and ambassadors meet in a staged fashion. The new king Harry is also shown living it up with his people as he drinks and sways among strobes and techno music.
Aaron Sidwell brings a charisma alongside a darkness to the title role as he charms those around him, whilst fighting for what he believes is right. He wises up through his journey as a leader and realises the importance of amity as he extends an olive branch to Katherine after the slaughter of her people.
The eight strong cast do a fantastic job of keeping their energy extremely high throughout. Their swift moments and precise transitions are incredibly well carried out as they bring varying character to life through action which even spreads to the audience at times. This production cleverly balances high intensity and noise, with moments of calm and serenity. Mention must go to Lauren Samuels who is endearing and humours as her various characters and speaks French like she's a native.
The Barn Theatre's Henry V is an inventive and entertaining treat. A strong, well directed cast bring a classic to life with a verve and energy that should be seen and appreciated.
Henry V runs at the Barn Theatre until 22nd June 2019
photo credit: Eve Dunlop
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