Friday 20 May 2022
My Fair Lady, London Coliseum | Review
My Fair Lady
London Coliseum
Reviewed on Thursday 19th May 2022 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★
On the eve of Eliza Doolittle day, the London Coliseum was packed to the rafters and buzzing to see the long awaited West End transfer of Lerner and Lowe's My Fair Lady. Bartlett Sher's joyous production had a highly acclaimed run on Broadway and has now opened here, with the glorious Amara Okereke in the leading role. A role that seems made for her.
As Eliza, Amara is astounding in her versatility. From loud, brash and boisterous, she can flip to a calmer, softer side in an instant and is a joy to watch, whatever side she is showing. Taking on the role of Henry Higgins, the phonetics professor who bets that he can transform a cockney flower girl into a Duchess, is Harry Hadden-Paton who is engaging, witty and kind of manic. His relationship with Eliza is interesting and feisty. They are combative throughout but there's also a simmering slow-burn relationship happening that is so enjoyable to watch.
In supporting roles, there are some gems. Malcolm Sinclair is hilarious as Colonel Pickering and Vanessa Redgrave is charming as Higgins' mum. Stephen K Amos also gives a comedic performance as Eliza's dad, Alfred. His vocals are quite as strong as you'd expect but his performance is spirited and exciting.
This really is a sumptuous production, with absolutely beautiful costumes by Catherine Zuber which reference the film nicely but aren't direct copies. The iconic Ascot scene is particularly impressive. In terms of the stage design there are peaks and troughs. Michael Yeargan has crafted a meticulously detailed Edwardian house, which spins on a revolve to to reveal the various rooms. However, the other sets aside from this are somewhat lacklustre and fail to provide the wow factor you'd expect with a production like this. Everything works and effectively tells the story but there's a final sparkle missing that keeps it from being a five star production. There's also the unavoidable issue that Higgins' patronising reaction to Eliza has not aged well at all and his flaws make it hard to really root for him. The open ended closing of the show does help to ease this uneasiness but there's still a lingering awkwardness.
Despite these faults, it really is a lovely production which is chockablock with humour. And whilst is does show its age at times, much of the show feels fresh and Amara gives a starring performance that is worth the ticket price alone.
Thursday 19 May 2022
Lift, Southwark Playhouse | Review
Lift
Southwark Playhouse
Reviewed on Wednesday 18th May 2022
★★★
Produced by Gartland Productions, Lift has returned to London after premiering in 2013. Set in a Covent Garden lift (if you've attempted the steps, you know how crucial this particular lift is) it looks at eight of the characters on the same under a minute journey.
Played by Luke Friend, the busker (like many of us do while laying by the pool on holiday) imagines what his fellow lift-mates' stories and connections may be and the plot goes from there. Opening the musical alone on stage with a guitar, he is good at leading the show and seems at ease throughout. Sometimes his words get lost but his super strong vocals are great and he especially shines in the more angsty moments.
The rest of the cast share the names Sarah, Kate and Gabriel and you never quite know whether their stories are really happening or whether they're in the buskers head. Due to this the plot is somewhat confusing and hard to follow, and in fact it may have been better just to focus on one or two individual characters. Each character's story is interesting and intriguing but due to the structure you never truly get to delve into them so are left feeling a little short changed.
However, it's the first-rate performances that really bring this show to life. Hiba Elchikhe is a certified star in her role as the secretary; giving dreamy vocals and making the absolute most of all she's given to work with. Alongside her, Marco Titus gives a nice performance and the pair bounce off of one another very well. Kayleigh McKnight completely wows with her rendition of Lost in Translations which is a vocal marathon and Cameron Collins shows versatility in his various personas. Tamara Morgan is endearing and witty in her performance as well as working with Collins and McKnight well. Jordan Broatch and Chrissie Bhima are excellent together, bringing their virtual avatar characters together so impressively and entertainingly.
As a whole, the cast are incredibly strong and it's in the ensemble, deeply harmonic moments where the musical really comes to life. It's also when the narratives intersect that things become interesting. The audience start to spot connections and are forced to work out what's really true and linked. As well, the plot provides an interesting study on grief that has moments of revelation which are well approached.
Andrew Exeter's steel rig set is good at emphasising certain parts of the story and is a solid way of transforming the space to the various locations. The bright lighting is engaging and adds to Lift's fantastical, dreamlike setting. There's not a huge amount of diversity between Craig Adams' songs but each one does well to bring some story to each character, even if it is fairly surface level.
Overall, Lift is a well-paced show which lacks real depth and cohesion but is carried exceptionally well by the eight person cast. As a cult favourite, it's worth catching it just for the powerhouse voices and strong visuals.
photo credit: Mark Senior
Bonnie and Clyde, Arts Theatre | Review
Bonnie and Clyde
Arts Theatre
Reviewed on Wednesday 18th May 2022 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★
After over a decade of waiting, Frank Wildhorn, Don Black and Ivan Menchell's Bonnie and Clyde has finally entered the West End and has done so with a bang. Telling the story of the eponymous duo who became outlaws before being killed together, the romanticised musical is exciting and features some of the strongest performances seen in a long time.
Based on the semi-true story, we follow Bonnie and Clyde from their childhood dreams (her to be a movie star like Clara Bow, and he to be an outlaw like Billy the Kid) to their first flukey meeting, their following life of crime and eventually their downfall and death. Running in parallel to this story is an unrequited love plot as well as some glimpses into the economic depression of the time which highlight why turning to crime was in some ways, necessary, at least for the Barrow Brothers.
At times the book is a little jumbled and some things are over explained, whilst others lack a little development. However, it is equally brilliant in its comedy, especially in the snarky exchanges between Blanche and Bonnie. Aside from the few issues, this is a really wonderful production that is spirited and exudes intensity.
As the leading characters, Frances Mayli McCann and Jordan Luke Gage completely own the stage. McCann is a certified star and she brings her clear as glass vocals to life in ballads such as Dyin' Ain't So Bad- a brilliantly dynamic portrayal as Bonnie. Gage is charming and terrifying in equal measure and vocally he fires on all cylinders. Raise A Little Hell is a complete roof raiser that is powerful, thrilling and aggressive. Together the pair balance one another well and are realistic in their juvenile, all encompassing love story. The sizzling chemistry grows from their first meeting and remains so until the very last second.
The entirety of the small cast are equally strong, with Natalie McQueen giving the most hilarious performance as God-fearing Blanche Barrow. You're Goin' Back To Jail is absolutely hilarious and she imbues every moment with wit, even down to her out of time clapping which is brief but wonderful. Alongside her comedy masterclass, she also brings a more mellow moment in the duet You Love Who You Love which is outstanding. As with much of the show, it's the tight harmonies which really bring the house down and have the audience enraptured. George Maguire is also strong as Buck Barrow and Cleve September nicely balances the hostility of Clyde with his smooth and calmer vocals.
As well as the performances, the set by Philip Witcomb takes on a life of its own and makes the Arts feel so much bigger than it is. The set is ambitious and impressive and coupled with great projections bu Nina Dunn and sound design by Tom Marshall make the whole show a real spectacle.
Nick Winston has done an outstanding job with this production and it's so wonderful that it's finally getting the run it deserves. How bout' you dance your way to the Arts Theatre and grab yourself a ticket for this theatrical jewel.
photo credit: Richard Davenport
Tuesday 17 May 2022
Grease The Musical, Dominion Theatre | Review
Grease The Musical
Dominion Theatre
Reviewed on Tuesday 17th May 2022 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★
It’s a cult classic that’s got the word, got the groove, it’s got meaning, and in its current West End run at the Dominion Theatre, Grease provides a high energy, fun night out that’ll have you feeling good and tapping your toes.
The production which previously toured the UK features all the iconic moments and songs from the film, but shuffles them around and combines them with their original stage versions. For example The T Birds are now back to their og name of the Burger Palace Boys. These small tweaks allow the audience to be more engaged as they don’t quite know what’s coming. However, other attempts to somewhat modernise the book fall a little flat. You would assume that ending the show with the punchline of the girl changing herself so the boy likes her, could’ve been switched up a little but it remains the same as the movie and certainly feels dated. This version of Grease does give Sandy's character more of a backbone but it would be nice to see just a bit of dialogue added to give her a bit more autonomy at the end.
The West End cast is chockablock with strong performers who bring the array of characters to life incredibly well. As the leading lady, Olivia Moore is a delight as Sandy. Her powerhouse voice soars every time she opens her mouth and she gives a dynamic and endearing performance. Leader of the Burger Palace Boys, Danny Zuko is played well by Dan Partridge who really comes into his own in the angsty number How Big I'm Gonna Be and also provides great humour and vocals in Stranded at the Drive In.
Other standout performers include Jocasta Almgill, who’s rendition of There Are Worse Things I Could Do, is heart-wrenching and transforms the song to be heard in a new light. Mary Moore is also a gem as Jan and Eloise Davies is wonderfully witty and whimsical as the Beauty School Dropout, Frenchie. Paul French’s Kenickie is rough and brooding but sometimes lets his softer side show and is a delight to watch.
If you’ve seen the adverts for this show, you’ll have probably seen Peter Andre who is starring as Vince Fontaine and Teen Idol. Whilst only appearing briefly in act one, in act two he comes to life and is highly entertaining and will certainly please audience members who are fans!
There are a few moments in the show where the energy lulls or jokes fall a bit flat but it’s the full ensemble sections that really bring it back up and make it soar. The Hand Jive and We Go Together are especially good moments that ooze energy and almost create electricity in the auditorium. This is in a big way thanks to Arlene Phillips' outstanding choreography that is fresh and exciting but completely in keeping with what we know and love as typically Grease.
As a whole the cast are top notch and work really well together. It's great to see how much characterisation work has gone into each role, so that no matter who you're looking at one stage, you can always see a story or relationship developing with them.
Despite a few shortcomings, the musical is a real laugh and a nice, hand jiving escape from reality. It's not groundbreaking but Grease The Musical does what it says on the tin and delivers iconic scenes and songs that fans of the film will love. So, all you crazy cats better get booking!
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