My Fair Lady
A professor of linguistics makes a bet with his friend that he cannot train and teach a penniless London flower seller to speak and act with decorum to the extent where she can be passed off as a duchess at an ambassadors ball. He teaches her to articulate properly, but his confirmed bachelor status sits uneasily with the fact that they are slowly falling for each other. This classic musical was brought to life by Sheffield Theatres an was an absolute joy. Thankfully retuning to the traditional Christmas musical, following last years misfire, "Company", this was unashamedly entertaining. With a beautifully constructed and clever set, beautiful costumes and excellent staging, this production was lively, fun, energetic and very well staged all round. The cast were very talented, with great set pieces and show stopping performances, especially "I'm Getting Married In The Morning", "Wouldn't It Be Lovely", "Ascot Opening Day" and "I Could Have Danced All Night". Dominic West was excellent as Professor Higgins oozing charisma and stage presence, but the star of the show was Carly Bawden as Eliza Dolittle, talented with a beautiful voice and a natural performance. There were some parts of the show where, the sheer exuberance of the musical numbers made my feet tap and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Thankfully, the Christmas musical was back to it's usual high standard and was not only an excellent production of an all time classic, but a reminder of how good theatre can be.
Remember When.... At Christmas
A crooner and two west end performers engaged in a charming, but cheesy, celebration of all things Christmas in this afternoon show. Harking back to the days of Christmas past in the 1940's to the 1970's, this two hour show took in a selection of songs from all of those era's, from the likes of the Rat Pack crooners "It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas", timeless classics like "White Christmas", traditional carols and pop hits by Wizard and Slade. This was a show which was exactly as I expected. A small stage, minimal cast members and corny as anything. The audience (made up entirely of people over 65) meant that the whole experience was like a cross between an afternoon in an old folks home and a working man's club. As they swayed, sang and nodded and agreed with everything said, you couldn't help but get wrapped up in the spirit of the event. It was stated at one point in the show that the current generation won't have the songs "like we did when we were young", which resonates quite true. During the two hour show, there was not one song which you did not know, not one song that you couldn't sing along to and not one song with anything remotely offensive about it. They were songs which truly are classics. I can't see songs by the latest X factor nobody being performed in 50 years time. Despite it's cheese, it's old fashioned values and it's amateur production values, I couldn't help but get swept up in the joy of it all. It was also great fun to be in an environment where people were not too self conscious to sing along unashamedly and to enjoy themselves. It was highly enjoyable and a timely reminder about not only how Christmas used to be, but how it should be. It was also a huge and thoroughly entertaining guilty pleasure.
The Rise and Fall of Little Voice
Little Voice is a timid and shy young girl, who avoids the hassle and harassment of her drunken mother by locking herself in her bedroom and singing along, whilst doing perfect impressions, to her deceased father's old records. When her mother, who berates and at times despises her, falls in lust with a man who classes himself as a showbiz promoter for the local working men's clubs, he hears Little Voice singing and figures that he has discovered his new star. Forcing her to sing at the local club, he pushes the reluctant girl into the spotlight, whilst all the time, doing nothing more than using her mother who cannot see this through her alcohol hazed world. Little Voice is actively pursued by a local telephone engineer, who has his own problems with his self confidence, but can Little Voice, find the ability to say no to the people taking advantage of her and break free of her life which she is unhappy with? This play was, in my view, wrongly portrayed in the publicity material, as a musical. It stated that it featured the songs of various classic performers, such as Shirley Bassey, Liza Minelli, Doris Day and other such diva's, but the reality was that they were just part of a one "song" montage which only lasted a few minutes. However, once I realised (about 20 minutes in) that this was a play, as opposed to a musical, I settled down, accepted it for what it was, and did enjoy it. The cast were good, and all played their parts well. The long suffering neighbour in particular, was able to poke fun at herself. The surprise of the night (apart from the lack of musical numbers) was Beverly Callard, a Coronation Street regular who I thought would be the "shoe-horned in token celebrity", but actually, she was very good in the part of Little Voice's mother. The other (pleasant) surprise was that Ray Quinn, X Factor clinger on, was due to perform, but did not, the role being more than ably filled by his understudy who, no doubt, will have done a better job than him. The set was original (a cross section of the house), the script witty and funny at times and the star was Little Voice herself who gave a tour de force performance when she impersonated a large number of stars in a medley. Overall, an enjoyable play, but a play as opposed to a musical.
Straight
A young man is happily settled with his girlfriend, when his life is disrupted by his best friend from university returning from several years of travelling around the world. Gatecrashing into his world. the two of them regress to their youth of drinking, smoking pot and acting like freshers again. During a night out, they dare each other to shoot a porno film to show at a festival. But when a drunken challenge turns into something that neither of them can back out of, their relationship changes for ever, along with the relationships with those around them. This was a great little play. Based on the film "Humpday", it explored modern attitudes to pornography and sexuality. It also explored themes of morality and the ability to be easily led astray. I found the play very funny, with some witty one liners and a well crafted script. The performances by the four actors were very good, the set was excellent and it was good to go and see a play as opposed to a musical for a change. It was theatre for the BBCThree generation (I could imagine someone like Russell Tovey in the play) but it's relatively swift running time flew by for me and I found it entertaining and enjoyable.
A Christmas Carol
Based on the well loved classic tale, this musical take on A Christmas Carol centres on the miserly Ebaneezer Scrooge, who is as miserable and grumpy as can be, until, one magical Christmas eve, he is visited by the ghost of his former colleague, Marley, who gives him a chilling warning from the grave - change your ways or spend an eternity in misery. Marley warns Scrooge that he will be visited by three more ghosts that evening, the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, who will show him how things used to be, what they are now and how his life will turn out if he doesn't change his ways. This was a local amateur groups production and therefore this review will be split into two parts. Firstly, the play itself was great. I have never seen it before and it was really good. The whole style was very over the top American/Disney as opposed to Dickensian London. The play was presented as virtually a sing through musical and the songs were pleasant, accessible and immediately enjoyable. The songs were written by Alan Menken, who writes a lot of songs for Disney films, hence the slightly saccharine overtones, but they were instantly likeable and made the feet tap. I was very surprised and really enjoyed the play. Secondly, the staging was great in parts. Starting with the set, it was very, very minimal, which worked well, although the stage was very dark a lot of the time. The spectres were good (essentially, the backing dancers) and a couple of the lead characters stood out in terms of their performance. The costumes were excellent (for an am dram production) and overall, the choreography and a few of the set pieces were very good. However, and very unfortunately, as this was an amateur production, the orchestra drowned out the cast most of the time, making it hard to hear what they were singing, some parts were a bit shouty (perhaps the actors desperate to be heard), there were more than a few bum notes from the orchestra and the singers alike and some of the cast's singing left a lot to be desired. But that, as with all amateur productions, is part of their charm - a group of people who hold down full time jobs, yet work hard to put on a show which, ultimately was incredibly enjoyable. I enjoyed the show much more than I anticipated (as I was not sure what to expect) and it got me even more excited about Christmas than I was before.
Chicago
Roxie Hart is a wannabe singer and showgirl who is desperate for fame and fortune, which is exactly what she gets when she murders her lover and is arrested for the crime. She arrives in the cell block to clash for the spotlight with Velma Kelly, who murdered her sister. Enter Billy Flynn, a slimy lawyer who is money driven and promotes the girl who will get him the most publicity and provide the most money. As the trial of Roxie approaches, lie upon lie is fed to the media but the rivalry between the two publicity hungry women reaches a fever pitch. The tale which is set in the 1930's is perhaps as relevant today as ever, given the X-Factor fame hungry obsessives with little talent and the trial by media which is becoming more and more prevalent. This production was largely unchanged from the previous times I had seen it. The choreography was sharp and defined, the songs were familiar and enjoyable and the whole production was highly enjoyable. The cast were all very good in their roles, but once again, the production suffered from using "established names" (aka ex soap stars) in the lead roles, which is a shame as the unknowns singing and dancing their hearts out in the background were far better than those in the spotlight. I did enjoy the show, but having now seen it at the theatre four or five times, I think that I need a good few years before I venture out into the theatre to see it again. The show has remained unchanged since I first saw it, and perhaps could do with some updating. That said, I had a lovely evening and it is always great to see a familiar show and a live performance.
The Phantom Of The Opera
Following a number of "accidents" at the Paris Opera House, the star walks out, leading to Christine Diaz , a chorus girl, being plucked from the group of backing dancers and thrust into the spotlight thanks to her beautiful voice. Her talent has been nurtured by an unseen Tutor, her "angel of music", who is in reality, The Phantom Of The Opera, a disfigured madman who harbours a burning desire and jealous obsession with Christine. When Christine is reunited with her old flame, Raul, the Phantom becomes enraged and plots a scheme to ensnare Christine for good. This world famous musical is was quite frankly astounding. I originally saw this in the West End around 15 years ago and thought it was nothing special. However, the years have warmed me to this musical and this new production was perhaps one of the best pieces of theatre I have ever seen. All of the cast were outstanding and note perfect. The set and staging was clever, sumptuous and outstanding. The lavish costumes were a treat and the whole thing a visual feast. The rotating stage set was flawless in it's transition from one scene to another, the highlights for me were the descent into the Phantom's lair, the heart wrenching "All I Ask Of You" and "The Point of No Return". The lighting in the production was superb, creating an amazing atmosphere and the production was absolutely perfect, This was an outstanding evening's entertainment and I have to say that once the curtain had fell at the end of the play, I could have quite happily sat through it again immediately. Simply put, it was superb.
Cabaret
Cabaret is the story of an American writer who arrives in Berlin looking for inspiration and finds it in the underclass who reside in his cheap board and lodgings and in the colourful, flamboyant and free spirited characters of the Kabaret club, including Emcee, the "ringmaster" to this colourful circus and the star, Sally Bowls, a young English woman who is more naive than she likes to think she is. They begin an affair, which has it's fair share of ups and downs, but the writer struggles to some extent with his sexuality and the rise of the Nazi Party is casting a shadow over the whole of Berlin. This production was on a limited tour prior to transfer to the West End. Starting with the cast, Will Young was excellent as Emcee. His flamboyant and over the top performance was excellent. My only criticism was that due to his exaggerated German accent (which was in keeping with the show), his stunning voice did not shine through as much as I would have hoped, given that he was departing (successfully) from his usual style. That said, there was one number where his voice shone through. Michelle Ryan was adequate in her role, although was nothing special in my view. She did not shine through and seemed to flounder and get lost amongst the rest of the immensely talented cast. It is a shame that was perhaps more cast as a result of her Eastenders pedigree that her ability for musical theatre, especially when there are so many talented singers, dancers and actors out there who would have done a much better job. As for the staging, the first half of the show was sumptuous and exuberant, with the stage awash with yellow and amber, spectacular musical numbers and routines and a very talented group of dancers. It was perfectly done as a piece of burlesque theatre, with the sexy and provocative choreography and excellent use of the set (dressing tables/cages, stairs and other objects) led to spectacular ways in which the musical numbers were staged. The production oozed class and sophistication. But in the second half, the show took a darker turn and the rise of the Nazi's overshadowed the characters, with Berlin becoming more and more bleak. The contrast between the vivacious first half and the shadowy second half was an excellent metaphor for the period in history reflected in the show and the downbeat ending was moving and shocking. An excellent show all round, definitely a play of two halves, a promising début by Will Young and an overall talented and convincing cast, save for one cast member who was adequate but miscast.
Avenue Q
After obtaining a BA in English, Princeton moves to Avenue Q, a suburban street in a less desirable part of Brooklyn and learns about life, love and friendship whilst on a journey to find his purpose in life. His complicated love life with Kate Monster, his torrid affair with Lucy the Slut and his internal struggle to find his purpose are intertwined with the lives of the other residents - Trekkie Monster, who very rarely leaves the house (as he is often "preoccupied" in front of his computer), Rod who is struggling to come to terms with his sexuality, Nicky who has his own housing problems, Gary Coleman who is the janitor and is desperately trying to cling on to his fading star and Brian and Christmas Eve, an interracial couple with their own problems. Described as an "adult version of Sesame Street" this hilarious musical is an absolute must. With songs such as "If You Were Gay" and "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist", this is close to the bone humour, but damn funny humour at that! The beauty of this play is not just the excellent performances by the talented cast (many playing multiple roles) but the fact that the script is sharp, the set is simple but effective and the songs are actually very good - ranging from very funny to excellent quality songs which would happily grace any musical. The play is constantly tweaked slightly to keep it current which makes it good for repeated viewing. What is remarkable is that you find yourself watching the puppets, not the performers. In short, an excellent play, great songs, laugh out loud funny and just damn good fun.
42nd Street
Peggy Sawyer is a chorus girl in the depression hit New York of the 1930's. She lands her first big break by being offered a part in a new musical starring ageing actress, Dorothy Brock. Despite her fading star and her lack of talent, Dorothy is cast in the lead role to secure funding for the play from her wealthy sugar daddy. But all the time she is conducting an affair on the side with her true love.Following the rehearsals, the play moves to Philadelphia where, on opening night, Peggy accidentally knocks Dorothy over and breaks her leg. Fired on the spot, Peggy leaves to head home, but the leading man who has admired Peggy for her looks and talent suggests that she takes over the lead role. But will the disgraced Peggy return to make the show the success it deserves to be? This production was stunning. Taking the costumes and the sets from the Broadway version of the play, it was a sight to behold. A full cast of very talented singers and tap dancers brought the play to life, with stunning set pieces, each one far surpassing the last, and amazing choreography. This play was an absolute delight. The dancers were all perfectly in time, their energy was infectious and the routines were sheer perfection. It was glitzy, glamorous and nothing short of one of the old MGM Musicals performed live. Whilst the story was very dated, the attraction of this show was the constant barrage of dance sequences. It was great to see an old fashioned musical with proper routines, a talented cast (which included Marti Webb) and to see such talent on a stage.I would happily sit through this time and time again. If Wonderful Town brought a touch of the West End to Sheffield, then 42nd Street brought the best of Broadway.
LeanerFasterStronger
How far will athletes go in the pursuit of success. how much does the gold medal actually cost them in real terms and what is the future of sport once the human body has reached it's optimum ability to perform? These questions were posed in an interesting and thought provoking play performed by 4 actors. The play intertwined the story of a group of people at a sports conference discussing whether genetic manipulation was the future of sport and about how, once there were no world records being broken, what would be the future of the marketing and merchandising of sport with the personal stories of three athletes. A boxer who's dedication to training was causing him to miss out on experiencing life, a gymnast whose gruelling training schedule was taking it's toll and how the pressure on an athlete to succeed impacted on him and his family. This was a simply performed but interesting piece of challenging theatre which gave rise to many questions about the ethics of sport and how far people go to achieve success.
Vampirette
Vampie is a teenage vampire who hates her un-dead status and like many "normal" teenagers, is only interested in clothes and finding love, But when you are immortal, then how do you find love. The answer is at a party, but there are difficulties when the man you fall for is a mortal and happens to be the grandson of Van Helsing, the man who killed your grandfather, Dracula. This is a relationship that the Vampie's parents do not approve of. So will true love conquer all? Of course it will, it is a musical after all. Seeing this play was a fantastic afternoon of fun. The cast were very talented (the male lead couldn't half belt out a tune) and the set simple but effective, this play bounced along it's far too short running time of 85 mins at a cracking pace. Using established pop songs interwoven into the story as opposed to original songs, it's energy was infectious. It tries desperately to be a new "Rocky Horror Show", and whilst it is unlikely to achieve the cult status of that show, it was gothically camp and over the top, and I loved every minute. There were a number of knowing winks to the audience (i.e. Vampie's mother telling her during a duet "now, you go and sit over there, I am going off to stand here and sing this part of the song on my own" and "smile dear, this is a musical"). The ending was a particular highlight, when some of the songs from the show are done again with all the cast and dancers on stage, but this time with every member of the audience on their feet, literally dancing in the aisles. To have the audience doing that on a rainy Saturday afternoon in Manchester, it must be something special. Hopefully this will tour soon, as I would happily sit through it again (and again).
Wonderful Town
Two sisters journey from Ohio to New York to make their fortune in this 1930's set musical comedy. Upon arrival, they move into an apartment in a less desirable part of town, where a whole host of colourful characters reside. The two girls embark on their respective careers, one trying to become a famous actress and singer, the other trying to make it in the world of journalism, whilst trying to find love on the way. This was a brilliant evenings entertainment. I have to say that the cast were all stupidly attractive, incredibly talented and perfectly cast. Every single one of them could sing, dance and act. They all complimented each other very well and the costumes, sets and orchestra were spot on. The dance routines were dazzling, especially "The American Conga", "Swing" and the finale. But what was the most pleasant surprise of the evening was the amount of theatrical techniques thrown at the stage, which, amazingly enough, worked. The scene in particular where the entire cast used themselves and two beds to show the entire day in the hustle and bustle of New York was nothing short of genius. The direction and staging of the entire show was second to none and I was hugely impressed. The show brought more than a touch of the West End to Sheffield.
Little Shop Of Horrors
An enjoyable amateur production which was well staged, fun, fast paced and nicely different to the film version. The story of a meek geek, Seymour, and his quest for true love with the hapless, ditzy Audrey. After finding a strange plant, which feeds on human blood, Seymour transforms the run down flower shop on Skid Row (where they both work) into a thriving business, where Audrey II, a "mean green mother from outer space" is growing as quickly as his appetite. As the punters come in and Audrey falls in love with Seymour, Audrey II has an ulterior motive, encouraging Seymour to take matters between Audrey and her sadist and violent (dentist) boyfriend into his own hands..... The play was great, and having seen the film a few times, I enjoyed the songs, the staging and most of all, the plant - which for an amateur production, was incredibly well done. The cast were mixed - the chorus were good, the lead players were all spot on and well cast, but the singing female trio were all fine singing individually, but couldn't hold a tune when singing together. At times, the music drowned out the singers, the singers at times drowned out the main leads and the plant mainly drowned out everyone - but that is part of the fun of these types of productions. The bum notes of the orchestra and the out of tune singing just adds to the enjoyability factor and respectfully reminds you that these are mainly people who work full time and are thoroughly enjoying themselves whilst trying to entertain you.
Sister Act
i never thought that a musical of the 1992 film would particularly work, especially when I heard that there were none of the songs from the film in the show. I was very wrong. The story of night club singer and gangsters moll, Delores Van Cartier, who witnesses a murder by her boyfriend and his cronies and is placed into a witness protection programme (by old school friend and hapless in love Eddie in a convent was an absolute joy to watch. As she hides from the gangsters, who are edging ever closer to finding out where she is, she turns around the fortune of the convents tone deaf choir and wins the hearts of even the hardest nuns. Taking place in the late 1970's disco era, as opposed to the films modern setting, the shift in time worked well. The up-tempo disco soundtrack had feet tapping, audience members clapping and huge bursts of applause from the crowd. Exceptionally well staged, funny and excellently written and performed, this was a show which knocked me sideways. Although predictable, this was just cheesy, feel good fun which is what musical theatre is, and should be, about. The leads were just brilliant, with nothing to separate them. The soundtrack was a great mix of disco, soul and gospel and the dancing and costumes were spot on. The only (very minor) criticism I have of the show was the criminal under use of Michael Starke (Sinbad from Brookside). Having seen how talented he was in Hairspray, it's a shame he was off the stage more than he was on it. That said, a must see and one which I shall no doubt be going to see again on it's next UK tour.
The Sound Of Music
Two reviews in one for this entry. I have absolutely no intention of recounting a synopsis for this one. If you don't know what this one is about, then I am amazed that your hermits cave actually has internet access to be able to view this website. I firstly saw this in the summer of 2011 when it toured from the West End. The cast were great, apart from one actor, but more of that in due course. Maria was played by someone from Emmerdale and she was surprisingly good. The children were all, of course, cute as buttons. The audience cheered the nuns and booed the Nazi's. There was just the one weak link. His name.... Jason Donovan. I appreciate Captain Von Trapp is meant to be a strict, hardened navy captain, but surely he must have had some personality . Not according to Mr Donovan, who filled the stage with a huge void where his stage presence should have been. Not only that, but his rendition of Edelweiss was so horrific, I thought my ears were going to bleed (I never thought I would be so pleased to hear the end of a song in a musical). "Truly awful" are the only two words that can describe his performance. How he has stayed afloat in show- business for so many years is beyond me! By contrast, the amateur production I saw some 9 months later was excellent, and further proof that Jason Donovan's performance was abysmal. The cast of enthusiastic locals were just as good as the professionals that we saw. Just goes to show that you don't always get what you pay for!
Dirty Dancing
The stage show of the huge 80's hit. Frances "Baby" Houseman goes to summer camp with her family in the early 60's and learns more than dancing from the resident dance instructor. The story is often seen as a young girl falling in love for the first time, but it does have darker undertones of an older man taking advantage of a young teenagers innocence and the sexual awakening of a young woman. The stage show was virtually the same as the film and, in some places, the script was lifted word for word from the movie. There was one additional scene but the whole thing was more than faithful to it's source material.
A minimal set was made good use of, but you could tell that the majority of the cast had been picked for their dancing ability and not their singing or acting prowess. The play was just as feel-good as the film, especially the ending which had the audience (primarily made up of middle aged, overweight women reliving their teenage Patrick Swayze fantasies) up on their feet, singing and dancing (there was so much oestrogen in the air, I'm amazed I didn't start menstruating). But, overall, a great show, highly enjoyable and there was something very comforting and familiar about the whole experience. The majority of the songs were performed by just two main singers and the acting felt rushed in some parts, but despite those minor quibbles, the result was a superb party atmosphere and a damn good evenings entertainment.