When? Thursday 31th May 2012
Where? Grand Theatre, Leeds, stalls
Who? Emily Holt, Paul-Michael Jones, Charlotte Gooch, Thomas Aldridge, Colin Charles, Lynden Edwards, Joe Evans, Tony Stansfield, Shona Lindsay, Jack McKenzie, Emelia Williams, Aimie Atkinson, Gareth Bailey, Jacquie Biggs, Lizzi Franklin, Nicky Griffiths, Tim Hodges, Sarah Kitson, Helen Kurup, Fela Lufadeju, Liam Marcellino, Jonathan Ollivier, Adam Philpott, Kate-Emma Portlock, Russell Smith, Justin Thomas
It looks to be a year to remember at the Leeds Grand Theatre this year – and the summer season kicked off in style with the arrival of Dirty Dancing, Eleanor Bergman’s 2004 adaptation of the iconic movie, for which she also wrote the screenplay. The adaptation is entirely faithful to the movie, much to the delight of the primarily female audience, who watched in awe as Baby and Johnny brought the screen to the stage. That’s not to say Dirty Dancing is exclusively for fans of the film; there is much to savour here in the outstanding dancing, featuring wonderful choreography from Kate Champion, with Paul-Michael Jones particularly excelling in this field as Johnny. Jones has the unenviable task of emulating the late Patrick Swayze, whose performance is so synonymous with the film; I am delighted to say that Jones is an absolute success. Charlotte Gooch gives a top quality turn as Penny; she is entirely convincing with her acting but, more importantly perhaps in the context of the show, is an outstanding dancer and shines throughout. Emily Holt is Jennifer Grey incarnate in both appearance and mannerisms and is convincing enough in her portrayal of Francis “Baby” Houseman. I am truly impressed by the sensible and intelligent casting; the dancing from the company is superb and extremely tight throughout the performance, this is due to a high number of out-and-out trained dancers in the cast, who for the most part are not expected to sing. Naturally, a number of excellent vocalists are on hand to ensure the quality of the singing matches the excellence of the dancing. In avoiding the well-trodden triple-threat path, the production gains immensely in technical quality. Aimie Atkinson possesses a powerful, soulful voice and her singing is outstanding throughout.
The stage play visually mimics the film to great success, the simplistic sets (Stephen Brimson Lewis) feature clever use of blinds and shutters and, delightfully, incorporates a revolve which is used to great effect throughout. Video projections (Jon Driscoll) are used – thankfully sparingly and in an unobtrusive manner – much of the time as a simple visual backdrop to the static upstage set pieces. Some decent effects are incorporated in the second act to portray some of the most iconic scenes from the movie, including the water scene, and there are plenty of nods and homages to the film throughout, including some watermelons being carried across stage, to the audience’s delight. Jennifer Irwin’s costume designs help with establishing the period and feel suitably 60′s, with the movie as a helpful inspiration. Tim Mitchell’s lighting is very complimentary to both sets and actors and his best work comes when creating visual magic in combination with the projections.
Dirty Dancing tells a simple tale, it is right to say it is rather two-dimensional and glossy, which may turn off some of the more hardened theatregoers. However, this is also the case in the movie – and the stage show certainly stands up in its own right to critical scrutiny. This is thanks to the very high production values, superb dancing from the talented cast and the inclusion of all the iconic moments which made Dirty Dancing the phenomenon it remains today. The jubilant standing ovation in some quarters before the lights had even dropped are testament to how much the audience invested in the evening. It is worth noting that this is the final date for some of this superb cast, who I cannot rate highly enough.
Dirty Dancing plays the Leeds Grand Theatre until 23rd June 2012, you can book tickets here.
- Harry Zing
Chewingthescenery.com
When? Wednesday 30th May 2012
Where? Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, stalls
Who? Kristofer Harding, Amanda Coutts, Mykal Rand, Jamie Capewell, Lothair Eaton, Ruthie Stephens, Kelsey Cobban, Camilla Hardy, Robert Nurse, Lex Milczarek, Glenn Robb, Stuart Armfield, Gavin Ashbarry, James Marshall, Nick Bower, Kris Manuel, Andy Burke, Tristan Adams, Matt King, Adam Illsley, Lisa Dahmane, Louise Lenihan, Sarah Riches, Georgina Hagen
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express arrived at the Bradford Alhambra last night to a well-deserved standing ovation. The Bill Kenwright produced musical rolled into Yorkshire as just the second date on a mammoth 2012/13 UK tour and this new production, part of an agreement between Kenwright and Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group to re-visit much of Lloyd Webber’s back catalogue on the UK touring circuit, is a joy from first to last.
A child is playing with his toy train sets, staging a race to find the fastest train in the world; his imagination is the setting of the musical – a simple love story and underdog tale about Rusty and his journey to get the girl, well, coach of his dreams Pearl and win the big race. The typically eighties musical, which sees the company gliding around the stage on rollerskates, has undergone some significant updates over the years and there is certainly more emphasis placed on the music and production numbers in this outing. There are superb brand new arrangements to bring the production up to speed and musical director Dave Rose and his small but chipper band deserve much credit. The cast are equally terrific; many are returning from the show’s last visit to the Alhambra in 2007 and have a long-running association with the musical; their passion and workrate is unquestionable. Kristofer Harding is wonderful as Rusty, Amanda Coutts (recently seen in the We Will Rock You tour) plays Pearl to extremes with a charming Disney-esque performance and Lothair Eaton gives a good turn as the crowd-pleasing Poppa. Jamie Capewell’s Greaseball is amusing; a strange combination of Elvis and Danny Zuko brought to life on rollerskates. Special credit must also be given to Kelsey Cobban as Duvay who gives a very accomplished performance in the ensemble throughout.
Starlight Express is a thoroughly enjoyable Lloyd Webber musical with a lot of charm and a hard working and technically capable cast. The real joy for me last night was enjoying the music in a way I hadn’t done before with this musical. Some of the songs – thanks to the new arrangements – have been given a new lease of life. Starlight Express, along with Joseph, is oft-criticized by theatre snobs as Lloyd Webber at his worst; a book musical riddled with numerous pastiches of musical styles, each written by numbers – and to an extent it’s true. The classic Broadway ‘I want’ song is present; “He’ll Whistle at Me”, an attempt at rock n’ roll “AC/DC”; “Crazy” provides us with a hummable 60′s pop tune, “Poppa’s Blues” is, well, the blues. There’s even an out and out comic country and western number “U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D” with wonderfully funny lyrics from Richard Stilgoe. The crucial thing is that they are all roaringly successful and amusing – Starlight Express is an example of how to do it brilliantly.
This new 2012 production is host to a number of further changes; some of the carriage names have been modified to suit a modern audience, Arlene Phillips’ new direction/choreography is as tight as I’ve seen from this show and, interestingly, a new second act ballad titled “I Do” (A. Lloyd Webber/Nick Coler) is included at the expense of the forgettable “Next Time You Fall in Love” and is written by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s own son Alistair. The song is actually one of the stand out numbers of the evening and is a good sign of things to come from Lloyd Webber Jr. For logistical, safety and crucially financial reasons the races are still depicted in the form of 3D videos, which débuted in 2003 with the last major reboot, for which theatregoers are given ‘safety goggles’ when entering the auditorium. There are brand new projections by Mark Howett which add slightly more depth to the simple yet striking set, for which the great John Napier curiously still gets a credit.
Unfortunately, in direct comparison to the enormous-in-scale and now departed West End production, this Starlight – as with the previous tours – feels rather trimmed down in places. The skating is tight and based in dance rather than stunts; two ramps are occasionally wheeled on but scarcely used, with just one acrobatic specialist in the company. The 3D videos are a necessity and do a job, but it was magical to see as I did at a very young age thirty-odd skaters whizzing around the stalls of the Apollo Victoria in the West End, performing tricks and flying onto a huge crash mat on stage. But, sensibly Phillips keeps the action based around the music, the dancing and the narrative and as a result – on the budget given – I truly believe this is the best Starlight Express we’ll ever see.
Bill Kenwright’s 2012 UK Tour of Starlight Express is a must see and runs at the Bradford Alhambra until 16th June 2012.
- Harry Zing
Chewingthescenery.com
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Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to catch up with current star of Blood Brothers Abigail Jaye, who discusses life in the show, starring in Evita and her plans for the future. I previously reviewed Jaye in Evita and she features on Martin Dickinson’s début album here.
So you’ve just been cast as Mrs. Lyons in the West End production of Blood Brothers, how are you enjoying it so far?
I’ve always loved the show – I took my Mum to see it quite a few years ago for her birthday and we’ve always really loved it. It’s so different from doing something like Evita on tour, being away from your family and doing a lot of press and photo shoots – as lovely as it is, you grow tired of it quite quickly! It’s lovely to be in the West End – to be able to live at home and enjoy my flat, see my boyfriend (performer Owen Woodgate) and be close to my family. The show has always been in the back of my mind as one I’ve wanted to do; perhaps I was a little bit young for the role before, but I’m a bit older now!
How easy is it to slot into a long-running production like Blood Brothers and still make the part your own?
The existing cast have helped so much. They’re all such lovely people and they’ve been really understanding – because they’ve been in the same position themselves. You only have a very short rehearsal period and you have to slot in with people who’ve known each other for years, but they’ve been really understanding and helpful. The show has a great formula that works so you’re directed very specifically, which makes life a lot easier.
On Twitter, you recently described your costumes in the role as ‘sexy’..
Yeah.. No!! (laughs) Not the sexiest costumes I’ve ever had! Most of my costumes are brown or dark blue and quite dowdy. Actually, I’m pretty much the only character that gets to wear any fashion of the period; I get to backcomb my hair and give it a nice mini beehive, quite late 60′s early 70′s style. I feel quite lucky because a lot of other people have to dress down – or dress like children! The costume department have been wonderful, I’ve swapped a couple of costumes around and they’ve really tailored them to what suits me and what’s comfortable for me. I’ve left the glamour of Evita behind to be a dowdy housewife!
And you’re also covering Mrs. Johnstone, a part which requires a strong Liverpudlian accent. How are rehearsals going for the part and what kind of coaching have you had for the accent?
I’ve always been a bit of a mimic. If somebody talks to me in an accent, I have a terrible habit of talking back to them in their own accent, which is handy when you need to do accents! You don’t get to do an accent very often in musicals; it’s either English or ‘General American’ most of the time so Mrs. Johnstone’s great. I’ve only just settled into Mrs. Lyons and I’m already on to my fourth or fifth rehearsal for Mrs. Johnstone, it’s such a great part and contrast to Mrs. Lyons. As far as the Liverpool accent’s concerned, it’s great because we’ve got some real Liverpudlians in the show. If you ever need any help, they’re on hand to give you tips and help you with certain words that you’re finding difficult. It’s another challenge – I like a challenge!
You starred in the UK/European tour of Evita; with the show being one of the most desirable roles in musical theatre. Did you have any particularly fond memories that stand out for you and similarly were their any darker, harder, or more difficult times?
I have many, many fond memories and I think that everyone just felt so lucky to be a part of an international tour. There are very few shows that tour internationally and it was great to do it. I love Evita as a piece – I think it’s an amazing musical and it was great to bring it to people and meet people that have never seen it before. I met so many lovely people that I still stay in contact with now – and think that I will always be friends with – and we met some great fans and got great feedback. I did Evita for 18 months and in one way it was great that the show was closing – because I think you could stay on a show like that forever, if asked. I might have stayed on longer, so it was great that the decision was taken out of my hands. And obviously I loved the show because I met my boyfriend on it! We’ve been together quite a while now, I’ve found my soulmate.
The darker points were definitely being away from your family and you do realise that even more when you get a job in town, having coffee with people you haven’t seen properly for years, and not having to Skype or text, being able to have a proper conversation with friends. Also, Evita is quite a depressing show and it can get you down sometimes, there were odd days when I think a couple of us longed to do a happy, silly, fluffy musical just for a week to brighten our souls a bit – you do get very engrossed in Evita and her life.
Being abroad means staying in foreign digs..
It was really odd that some venues you expected it to be a certain way and it wasn’t – it was always the complete opposite. We stayed in some unbelievably amazing hotels – and a few horrible ones. I think it was just pot luck trying to get as near to the theatre as possible combined with what was available at the time to accommodate so many people at once.
You feature on Martin Dickinson’s debut album ‘Encore’; do you have any ambitions to record your own album?
I do! Definitely! It’s always a money thing; I think once I’m settled in life and maybe once I’ve got my own house, I’ll save up and try and do something. I’d love to do an album of my own in the next few years, just to get to sing the songs that I love.
What type of songs would you like to record?
I think it’s difficult – if you want an album to sell, I think you probably have to do mainstream songs that people recognise, because unless people know you then why would they want to buy the album? But I’d love to collaborate with a new writer and actually sing some new songs which haven’t been done before. Having someone write songs for you to sing would be lovely I think – a dream.
Throughout your career you have worked solidly, playing some of the leading female roles in musical theatre such as Evita, the Narrator (Joseph) and now Mrs Lyons/Johnstone. To what and/or whom do you attribute your success?
Definitely to my parents, of course – as cheesy as it sounds! My Mum (Jacquelyn Fugelle) is an opera singer and it’s because of them that I’ve been saturated with music all my life. They are the most supportive and wonderful parents that you would ever meet and I can do no wrong in their eyes, which is lovely. They were there at my first night in Blood Brothers, my boyfriend brought them as a surprise – my Dad’s quite old so I didn’t know whether he’d make it to the show, but he did! I think having that constant support behind you really helps you to be more confident and know that no matter what failings you have, there is always a couple of people there to support you.
I’m also a huge Stevie Wonder fan, Barbara Streisand, Linda Eder.. I think listening to people like that constantly makes you want to do it and lets you know it’s possible.
Finally, what part(s) past or present in theatre do you think you’d really enjoy playing?
For some reason, I’ve always wanted the male roles in certain musicals. I was a huge fan of Rent when I was getting into musical theatre, but I always wanted to play Mark or Roger.. I never wanted to play the girls – I think it was the same for every show I saw growing up!
That was what was so lovely about playing Evita, I actually got to play the lead part. I don’t think there’s a lot around at the moment. I’ve always wanted to do a classic musical like Carousel, something with really old classic music or maybe a Gilbert and Sullivan, that’d be quite nice. It’s always exciting to wait and see what new things come up in town, finding out what they’re bringing out next. I’m hoping for ‘Enchanted: The Musical’, that’s what I’d like to do. I’d like to do a bit of Disney I think!
And what’s next..?
I’m in Blood Brothers for six months – at the moment, that’s until October and we’ll see what happens after that. The 25th anniversary is coming soon, we’re all very excited to hear what happens, we’re hoping for maybe another cast recording or a big concert with past and present casts. That should be really exciting!
Abigail Jaye is appearing in Blood Brothers until October 2012; follow her on Twitter @abijaye
When? Friday 25th May 2012
Where? Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, stalls
Who? Abel Rojo, Alberto Gonzalez, Lisvet Barcia, Aymara Vila, Carlos Blanco, Jenny Nocedo, Liesbeth Saad, Jennifer Tejeda, Mario S. Elias, Marta I Ortega, Norge Cedeno, Thais Saurez, Yaday Ponce, Yelda Leyva, Yosmell Calderon, Yoerlis Brunet, Alejandro J Ransoli, Raul Reinoso, Claudia Iglesias, Gabriela Burdsall, George Cespedes, Heidy Batista, Denis Martinez
Right on cue in the middle of a (rare) early British heatwave, ‘Danza Cuba’ began its short stay at the Bradford Alhambra last night. On the back of a successful 2010 UK tour, this new production features three new and very different independent pieces. The dark, boxing-themed ‘Sombrisa’ (D Dir. Itzik Galili) opens the show with the full company clad in mock boxing attire down to black gloves; the black backdrop miles away from the audience’s expectation of a summer festival of dance. The serious and dramatic piece is adequately performed, a relentless drum solo works the dancers to their physical limits, yet perhaps lacks the theatrical drive required to truly engage the audience. The second piece, ‘Carmen?!’ (D Dir. Kenneth Kvarnstrom) is a comic speed re-telling by the male ensemble, set to Bizet’s iconic score. There were laughs aplenty from the warming audience and the male company appeared far more comfortable with this piece collectively, given the opportunity to play a role rather than rely on solely technical ability. The final routine, ‘Mambo 3XXI’ (D Dir. George Cespedes) promised from the title alone to be more in line with the audience’s expectations of the show and didn’t disappoint. ‘Mambo 3XXI’ features a wider variety of dance than the other pieces and is heavily influenced by Latin-American themes. A loose narrative threads the segments together nicely and the show is brought to an impressive conclusion with some of the tightest and most impressive dancing of the evening.
Unlike some similar touring productions, ‘Danza Cuba’ features no live music or singing, favouring pre-recorded drum solos, bands and singers. Whilst this helped to maintain a focus on the dancing, based on my previous experience of exceptional dance productions to visit the Bradford Alhambra (such as Burn the Floor and, especially, Havana Rakatan) I feel live music would have benefitted this production hugely.
The production is sparse to say the least; the sunny, Cuban imagery from the colourful promotional material is simply absent. However, with simple lighting, basic costumes and a high work rate from the company, the show seems full enough. The proficient Cuban troupe are known as their nation’s flagship contemporary dance company and many may go expecting a classic taste of Havana. ‘Danza Cuba’ are, in actuality, a dance troupe who happen to hail from Cuba, and who specialise in Modern, Caribbean and Classical dance (albeit only with a comic twist) rather than traditional Cuban dances, at least in the three routines premiered in this particular outing.
This production is ideal for newcomers to dance, being both accessible and digestible in terms of length. In fact, the production includes two twenty minute intervals and a total running time of just under two hours. The evening zipped along nicely and each individual piece had its own quality and unique style. The tour has played and is still yet to play many of the other great regional theatres, with Sadlers Wells notably yet to come.
‘Danza Cuba’ plays at the Bradford Alhambra until the 26th of May 2012.
- Harry Zing
Chewingthescenery.com
When? Tuesday 15h May 2012
Where? Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, stalls
Who? Chi Ming Chan, Adam Denman, Lori Haley Fox, Josefina Gabrielle, Claire-Marie Hall, James Hirst, Charlotte Humphrey, Farrah Abigail Hussain, Yuki Ikezawa, Makoto Iso, Aiko Kato, Misa Koide, Adrian Li Donni, Rowan Lewis Mitchell, Elliot Powell, Maya Sapone, Naomi Shimon, Ramon Tikaram, Craig Turbyfield, Kaho Uchida, Gary Wood, Alex Dingley
The Leicester Curve Theatre’s 2010 production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic musical The King and I arrived at the Bradford Alhambra last night, the final date on a successful UK tour. The success story of this particular production is twofold; the show is artistically sound, but the real winner here is the future model of British touring theatre funding. The production is produced and funded by Music and Lyrics Limited, a collaboration between fifteen of the largest and most iconic receiving regional theatres, including the Bradford Alhambra, who each contributed towards the production financially in return for a greater share of the box office. In short, this invested approach should theoretically ensure a higher standard of production for the general theatregoer. With the theatres putting their own money in, the onus becomes on them to ensure they receive value for money in the quality of the final product. In essence, better theatre for the theatregoer, more profit for the theatre.
The King and I is not staged as often as it once was, so it was nice to see Paul Kerryson’s new production attempt to re-ignite interest in this R&H stalwart. Sara Perks’ new designs incorporate two enormous buddha statues covered in gold gilt, an omnipresent downstage gong and generous use of projections. Kerryson introduces many modern elements which surely have never seen light of day in a R&H before; the impressive puppet work (Sue Pycroft) in particular was a lovely touch. On the flip side, some ‘effects’, such as the shoddy attempt at snow (two men with fishing poles and Christmas decorations) were decidedly ropey, even in the context of the ‘play within a play’. The projections appeared out of focus and there were a few technical issues with the set on the night, but I am confident these will be quickly remedied for the remainder of the run.
In the context of this production the cast do a decent enough job. The King (Ramon Tikaram) gives the standout performance of the cast, proving quite amusing for large swathes of the show. His singing was preferable to his dancing, though neither were as noteworthy as his excellent comic timing. Familiar face Josefina Gabrielle gives a decent – if somewhat safe – turn as Anna drawing some laughter, particularly when interacting with the King. Joining the company are children from across Yorkshire as the Princes and Princesses, who naturally drew ‘ahhh’s’ from the warm audience at the curtain call. Resident tour choreographer Gary Wood gets in on the action, making the most of his small – but emotionally involved part. The rest of the cast deliver their lines in a bewildering array of accents, unfortunately rendering some lines inaudible.
The premise of the book of The King and I is fundamentally flawed. The concept of a visiting English teacher (successfully) Westernising an entire culture in order to make the right impression to a visiting English diplomat is indicative of the outdated – and arguably racist – nature of the piece. It would be more tolerable if the comedy stiff-upper-lip Englishman took a few balancing jibes, but when Act II opens with a number titled “Western People Funny”, it really shows just how far musical theatre has come in the last sixty years. For every intelligent, thought-provoking classic musical theatre piece like South Pacific there is a Flower Drum Song. The King and I sits somewhere inbetween – in both terms of quality and contemporary relevance.
Some scenes feel excessively long, such as the introduction of the children which neither progresses the story or entertains the viewer, it simply facilitates the score being played in full. Perhaps Kerryson’s faithful recreation of the original work as written is a touch naive in 2012. The second act R&H staple diversion from the story-in-hand seems to go on forever, and running at almost three hours, The King and I feels an hour too long.
For R&H fans – of which there are many, this is a faithful adaptation with much to enjoy and many new, interesting visual additions to the classic staging. All of the iconic moments remain; “Shall We Dance” and “Getting to Know You” are faithfully re-enacted beat for beat. The King and I can only be treated as a piece of theatrical nostalgia and a decent alternative to watching a classic movie musical at home.
- Harry Zing
Chewingthescenery.com
My recent experiences in the West End taught me one thing; our historic West End theatres© offer the kind of customer service that would make a budget airline blush. Hands up if you remember the fly on the wall documentary (or, as I like to call it, ‘self inflicted exposé) television series, ‘Airline’, a behind-the-scenes look at the incredibly unfair and sometimes downright outrageous policies of Easyjet? How we cringed as the gormless young ‘customer service managers’ would humiliate themselves on national television with their ‘customer is always wrong’ ethos. How we raged at their ‘make it up as you go along’ policies.
When you consider that a return flight to, say, Paris with Easyjet can cost as little as 10% of the price of a West End ticket for a major musical, all of a sudden Easyjet don’t seem so bad.
During my recent London theatre trip I noted aggressive bouncers, willfully obnoxious box office staff and a dizzying list of other shameful examples of the West End delivering an extremely poor customer experience. Some problems remain unacceptable, but are slightly more understandable due to each theatre’s limitations, and the enormous costs involved in renovation; only in the theatre could a person be charged in excess of £65 for a top-price ticket, yet spend the majority of the interval queuing to use the lavatory. I am incredulous still that we theatregoers still accept these low standards as ‘a quirk’ of our historic West End theatres©. When you do finally reach the front of the queue, what awaits you can be troubling; three urinals (often one has a bucket underneath – never a good sign), one cubicle, no soap, no hot water (or water so hot it leaves first degree burns) and one hand dryer is the norm for the gents; the ladies make do with three cubicles – God knows what happens at shows like Mamma Mia! or Ghost: The Musical where I imagine the ladies go in pairs, I suspect half the audience miss the second act! Mind you, in Mamma Mia!‘s case it is actually a blessing in disguise.
The bar prices are frankly disgusting; I noted a large white wine was a shade under £10 – for a glass. And not even a glass, a cheap plastic container. Make your evening at a ‘glamorous’ West End show that bit more special by using the ever-decreasing twelve minute interval to drink warm, cheap £9.80 chardonnay from a plastic beaker, stood up of course as there are only four small tables to sit at, which are immediately occupied by the frail and infirm.
If you work front of house and you are reading this, please understand; when you are wearing that little red uniform and are selling ice-creams and programmes you are not, I repeat not an actor. You are not part of the production. You are a customer service assistant and the theatregoer pays your wages, you are there to assist them. Not to look haughty and put on an affected ‘RP’ accent – frankly, I couldn’t care where you’re from as long as you have correct change, a good attitude and resolve any theatregoer’s issues as they inevitably crop up. That is what you are being paid to do, whether you like it or not. This is solely a West End affliction; I have encountered nothing but politeness and courtesy from front of house staff at regional venues. Perhaps theatres should focus on employing those from a customer service background rather than wannabe actors who simply don’t care about their work.
Tickets are a nightmare. All of the Really ‘Useful’ Group theatres use Seetickets – the ticketing arm of the business – to handle all of their sales and ticketing issues. The online arm is run separately to the telephone arm, and the telephone arm is run separately to the theatre box office (even though the box office uses the Seetickets system and prints out tickets with Seetickets written all over them). If you book online and have an issue, you need to call the online help team. The theatre will deny all knowledge and insist they cannot help you if you have an issue if you booked either online or by telephone – even if you have been queuing for the ‘online help team’ for over an hour and the show is due to start in twenty minutes. If you book on the telephone, the same applies. So, really, the only way to avoid paying the various booking fees, administration charges and levies – as well as guaranteeing to have someone in place to assist you if things go wrong – is to book in person. Ah, yes, booking tickets in person. At theatre box offices. What a ghastly, painful experience that always proves to be.
Front of House ushers, for all their posing, have nothing on some of these guys. Always rushed and harried – even when there is not another soul in sight – buying the seats you want from a box office assistant is very near impossible. I am reminded of a visit to see the (then brand new) production of Wicked some years ago. With the production completely sold out, I decided to slum it and queue for day seats outside the theatre, with the front row being sold at a discount. I don’t know if it’s the same now, but back then the queues started forming early – like, 5am early, ready for the 10am box office opening. After a drive down the M1 from Yorkshire, parking up and walking to the theatre we were the third in the queue and guaranteed seats. Five long hours later, arriving at the box office booth we were offered seats A1 and A24 – one on either end of the row. Asking how this was possible, having waited five hours outside the theatre to get central seats and being just third in line, we were told that it was ‘first come first served’ and that those were the only seats available. There was a maximum of two seats per person. Fortunately, we were able to swap tickets with a similarly bemused Asian couple and managed to sit together. A simple case of a box office employee making life as difficult and awkward as possible out of spite and bitterness for their (chosen) vocation, souring my experience before it had even started. The superb TKTS booth offers some respite, but for new shows the box office assistant remains an unfortunate reality.
The West End is no longer a glamorous, special night out at the theatre. It is a commercial moneyspinning honeypot for certain producers, with the rest simply trying to aspire to be just like them. Customer service is dreadful, the theatres under-furnished and, with theatres packed out by foreign tourists, we have let standards slip on the assumption that nobody cares any more. The theatre experience used to be part of the ticket price; now you are shoehorned in, shaken upside down until all your money drops out and then rushed out the back exit moments after the final curtain drops.
Why do we accept all this? Because it is never going to change. If you have a truly outstanding customer service experience in the West End then please let me know about it – and help me restore my faith in our historic West End theatres©.
- Harry Zing
Chewingthescenery.com
Hello and welcome to Zing’s Record Collection – join me as I run my eye over the latest cast recordings and musical theatre album releases. Today I’ll be giving a listen to the full debut album from one of British musical theatre’s top talents, John Owen-Jones, titled ‘Unmasked’ released April 2012 by Sain.
John Owen-Jones has been one of the top names in the West End for a decade. He has donned the mask as The Phantom of the Opera over 2,000 times in several different stints in the West End and, currently, the new touring production – and has donned Marius a similar number of times, carrying the felled student from the barricades as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, a role he has played to much critical acclaim on Broadway and beyond. In ‘Unmasked’, ignoring the punny title, Owen-Jones chooses songs from a wide spectrum of musical theatre which includes all of his greatest hits, such as ‘The Music of the Night’, ‘Bring Him Home’ and ‘Hallelujah’ – the latter being a remix his 2006 debut EP’s title track. With his strong fanbase duly appeased, Owen-Jones can focus on showing off his fabulous voice in a number of songs new to his repertoire.
The vocal bravado of Frank Wildhorn’s ‘This is the Moment’ is perfect for Owen-Jones’ powerhouse style and he duly delivers, with the number proving the stand-out track of the album. ‘Til I Hear You Sing’ is beautifully realised and Owen-Jones really tries to make the number his own. ‘All I Ask of You’, with pop-opera soprano Natasha Marsh, is as well sung as any rendition I have heard over the years.
‘Down to the Sea’ from Kristina is a moment of understated clarity and beauty and a superb, if unexpected, choice. Kander/Ebb songs seem to be like buses; you wait an eternity for a quality singer to record one, then two come along in as many months; The beautiful ‘I Don’t Remember You/Sometimes a Day Goes By’ medley from the duo’s underrated musical revue And the World Goes ‘Round was also featured on Martin Dickinson’s debut EP, drawing a rave review from yours truly. Owen-Jones boasts a big name joining him the shape of opera singer Bryn Terfel, the result is a very well sung medley, which, whilst different in style from ‘storytelling’ approach of Dickinson/Abigail Jaye’s rendition, is equally as enjoyable in its own way and is supremely well sung.
It is not all plain sailing, however. The album gets off to an underwhelming start with two curious choices, the drab ‘Nature Boy’ from Moulin Rouge and a slightly bizarre resurrection of Tom Jones’ 1786 hit ‘Thunderball’. Owen-Jones has publicly stated his admiration for countryman Jones and I just hope he doesn’t try and audition for ‘The Voice’.* Sondheim’s ‘Being Alive’ – possibly my favourite song from musical theatre – is nicely sung, but perhaps lacking in the required emotive qualities required for the part and by definition the song. I must also confess to being a little bit disappointed that Owen-Jones opted not to record his singing live with the orchestra, which leads to some albeit minor errors with rhythm and slightly elongated notes to match the music. This is particularly noticeable in ‘The Music of the Night’ but is present throughout.
‘Unmasked’ is a hugely successful and enjoyable album and shows what Owen-Jones is capable of, outside of the two roles for which he is almost exclusively known. Hopefully, now ‘unmasked’, we will see Owen-Jones expand his horizons and explore other stage opportunities to no doubt further critical success.
- Harry Zing
Chewingthescenery.com
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Notes
*It would be very uncomfortable to see another top British musical theatre star get rebuked by the likes of William “Bill”.i.am.
When? Tuesday 10th April 2012
Where? Adelphi Theatre, London, stalls
Who? Michael Ball, Imelda Staunton, John Bowe, Peter Polycarpou, Robert Burt, Gillian Kirkpatrick, Lucy May Barker, Luke Brady, James McConville, Simeon Truby, Valda Aviks, Will Barratt, Josie Benson, Emily Bull, John Coates, Daniel Graham, Robert Irons, Robine Landi, John McManus, Tim Morgan, Aoife Nally, Adam Pearce, Wendy Somerville, Adam Vaughan, Kerry Washington, Annabelle Williams, Kimberly Blake, Helen Colby, Matthew Gent, Robert Traynor
I first heard about this new production of Sweeney Todd (incorrectly billed as a revival of the original production) back in 2010, when rumours abounded that none other than Michael Ball and screen and stage regular Imelda Staunton were attached to star. Naturally, when announced later that year, a visit became an inevitability – even though it would mean waiting for the nailed-on West End transfer, rather than a trek to the quaint Chichester Festival Theatre. In hindsight, I am quite relieved that I did not venture to the West Sussex city, as the time and effort simply would not have been worth it for the mixed bag that Jonathan Kent’s production offers. I am even more relieved that on arriving at the Adelphi Theatre, there was no dreaded unwelcome white slip of paper hiding inside the programme announcing the indisposition of either lead actor. Without their respective star turns, this production would wither into mediocrity.
It is worth mentioning that I am a big fan of Sondheim’s (arguably) finest show and have seen numerous incarnations over the years, from the British touring actor-musician production to full scale stagings, Sweeney Todd has proven to be a very tricky show to perfect and sadly, this production – whilst still offering the occasional moment of brilliance – is far from perfect.
Kent’s Sweeney Todd doesn’t really know what it is. An attempt is allegedly made to bring the setting of Todd’s London forward to the first quarter of the 20th century; but short of changing some costumes and devaluing some crucial plot points (such as the exaggerated nature of the rich and powerful’s status over the poor working class, much more the ‘reality’ in Sondheim’s original vision for the staging as told by the book and lyrics) there is no real point to it. The characters as directed by Kent are generally two dimensional and their motives unclear; hindered by less than spectacular performances from the supporting cast, everybody’s actions seem actually rather vacuous in substance or importance. Is John Bowe’s Judge Turpin a cruel, evil monster and pervert or a jolly old bumbling fool who, on the night I attended, actually wins more laughs than comedy foreigner Pirelli? Both are offered, neither are convincing. Peter Polycarpou, still a wonderful talent in British musical theatre, is underused and wasted clutching onto a mockney accent for dear life. Luke Brady’s wide-eyed young Anthony is as believable as a drama school graduate singing ‘Songs from Sweeney Todd’ in cabaret; Lucy May Barker’s Johanna has to balance not only a very ill-fitting rug on her head, but also singing some of the wettest material in the show. ‘Green Finch and Linnet Bird’ is always a bit of a drag and Barker’s rendition was no exception. The rest of the cast boasts a great deal of experienced heads; Robert Irons, Tim Morgan and Adam Pearce – opening his third show in a row at the Adelphi – are all present and correct in the ensemble, without making any impact on the overall standard.
Anthony Ward’s set and costume design leaves a lot to be desired. The Adelphi Theatre has terrible sight lines and a very high stage which makes director Jonathan Kent’s decision to base a lot of the important action at the very back of the stage gobsmacking. From my seat in the middle of the stalls, I could barely see Sweeney’s final, crucial moments. The fashionable use of vertical staging is unnecessary and fragments the large ensemble needlessly. The production feels, in truth, rather cheap, not unlike a decent sized touring production headed by two exceptional leads. The costumes are unremarkable at best, but the wigs are terrible (Ball and Staunton’s aside) which I find unforgivable for a production of this scale.
Put simply, this average production is carried by joint stars Ball and Staunton, who give truly outstanding performances. They interact and compliment each other perfectly as the macabre duo with Staunton in particularly offering a lot of new ideas to the role of Mrs. Lovett. Her digust-turned-to-arousal at the discovery of Pirelli’s body was as funny as it was creepy, qualities Staunton has both of in spades in the role. The benefit of casting such a superb actress is plain for all to see as her performance is grounded in a very strong acting turn with the added benefit of a surprisingly good singing voice. Michael Ball is usually the exact opposite in terms of priority, always willing to show off his excellent singing voice sometimes at the detriment to commitment to the role. However, to his credit as Sweeney he too grounds his performance in his acting, never slipping into ‘Michael Ball’ mode, yet still singing beautifully. His ‘Epiphany’ scene was superb and the one moment of breathtaking staging in the whole production, highlighted by Mark Henderson’s fine lighting design (the strongest design element of the production). But it is their time together on stage, of which where is plenty, that is simply a joy to watch as both performers have a blast experimenting – and pulling it off. ‘A Little Priest’ is hilarious as the two actors compete in a masterclass of comic acting.
But Sweeney Todd delivered in this way looks tired and feels dated as a piece. The minor change of setting feels gimmicky (if barely noticeable) and fails as an attempt to make it more relevant to a 2012 audience, making this production a plain homage to the original. But, and it’s a big one, Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton make this production worth seeing. The pair are easily the best I have seen or heard in the roles and their time on stage is worth the ticket money alone. This is not a great Sweeney but Ball and Staunton are sensational.
- Harry Zing
Chewingthescenery.com
W
hen? Thursday 12th April 2012
Where? Cambridge Theatre, London, dress circle
Who? Tim Walton, Josie Walker, Paul Kaye, Peter Howe, Melanie La Barrie, Lauren Ward, Matthew Malthouse, Emily Shaw, Bertie Carvel, Gary Watson, Verity Bentham, Marc Antolin, Nick Searle, Lucy Thatcher, Matthew Clark, Michael Kent, Katy Monk, Rachel Moran, Leanne Pinder, Cleo Demetriou, Kerry Ingram, Sophia Kiely, Eleanor Worthington Cox, Jake Bailey, James Beesley, Zachary Harris, Callum Henderson, Ruby Bridle, Jemima Eaton, Ellie Simons, William Keeler, Alfie Manser, Jaydon Vijn, Lily Laight, Isobelle Molloy, Lucy May Pollard, Toby Murray, Louis Suc, Ted Wilson, Alicia Gould, Jemima Morgan, Annabel Parsons, Oonagh Cox, Fleur Houdijk, Katie Lee, Thomas Atkinson, Jamie Kaye, Jake Pratt
Foreword; incompetence, failed actors and intense loathing at the Cambridge Theatre box office:
In search of the most elusive commodity – a helpful front of house assistant – I absent-mindedly wandered into the Cambridge Theatre’s cramped box office/foyer to enquire about availability for the much-hyped Matilda: The Musical, the RSC’s most recent attempt to get ‘down with the kids’. Upon approaching the balding, bitter box office assistant, I had the sheer audacity to ask if tickets were available at any performances that week. With a smirk and a smug ‘No’, the conversation was abruptly ended. I asked the employee if day seats, returns or single seats were available. Another smirk, another two lettered reply in the negative. I asked when tickets would be available. The employee, with a mighty sigh, reluctantly checked his computer. With a mighty super-smirk he leans forward; “Oh, actually, I do have two single seats available for tomorrow night”, a lengthy pause ensued before he gleefully delivers the punchline, “Yes, they are £82.50 each in the dress circle”. I thanked the employee for his ‘help’ and left. Deciding the ‘customer service’ assistant was being intentionally obnoxious, I tried the Seetickets box office number from outside the theatre and, naturally, secured two wonderful seats in the dress circle for that night. A big congratulations to the Cambridge Theatre box office team for hiring only the most inept and unhelpful theatre employees available; I can only hope that you are duly smirked at when requesting emergency medical care.
And the show..?
Adapted from Roald Dahl’s ever popular 1988 children’s novel, Matilda: The Musical tells the story of Matilda Wormwood, an extraordinarily gifted child of two repugnant, vile parents. Seeking refuge in books and sanctuary in school, Matilda’s brilliant mind and deeply ethical social conscience see her draw the hatred of her matriarchal headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, a former Olympic hammer-throwing bully. Aided by her motherly teacher Miss Honey, who recognises Matilda’s incredible gift, she fights to overturn the injustice she suffers at home and at school.
Family shows are fiendishly difficult to do to a good standard – the balance between ‘children’s’ and ‘family’ is a fine one. Backed by some wonderful new songs, impressive staging and a great sense of humour, which neither patronises children or irritates adults, Matilda is as charming and witty as any family show I have seen; the new songs by Tim Minchin (orchestrations by Chris Nightingale) are memorable and catchy and several weeks after my visit I can still hum every major tune from the show – a rare feat for a first visit to a brand new musical.
“When I Grow Up”
Dennis Kelly’s book adaptation is joyous; all of the classic Dahlisms remain, but some aspects have been updated to suit a modern audience. In a minor change from the novel, Mrs. Wormwood (Josie Walker) now has a penchant for ballroom dancing instead of bingo (which naturally means an amusing ballroom song and dance number with her comedy foreigner dance partner, Rudolpho (Gary Watson)). The lively physical staging is enthralling to watch; “When I Grow Up”, stood out as a particularly memorable number as the extremely talented and professional cast of children fearlessly ride playground swings – some laid on their front – around fifteen feet in the air at their peak! Trunchbull oversees a gym glass complete with crash mat and pommel horse – and brings the house down with her own gymnastic display. The creative team deserve much of the lofty praise they have received, every aspect of the production merges together wonderfully well to creative a memorable aesthetic to the piece. Rob Howell’s set and costume design is vibrant and beautiful, the transformation of the proscenium of the theatre is indicative of the show’s attention to detail. Peter Darling’s choreography is cheery and fun, the illusions from magician Paul Kieve are bewildering, especially in the second act. Hugh Vanstone’s lighting design is spectacular and shows off Howell’s stirling work beautifully. Director Matthew Warchus keeps the acting zipping along and his work is some of his finest to date.
Kerry Ingram, Lauren Ward and Bertie Carvel in Matilda: The Musical
The cast are superb, with Bertie Carvel giving the standout performance as Miss. Trunchbull. Carvel’s performance is perfectly weighted, playing it largely straight, the material works around him without ever having to force the humour or let his performance drift into pantomime dame. His is an actor’s performance and proves an inspired piece of casting, Carvel is worth the ticket money alone. He remains in the role until 1st July 2012. The performance I attended was the last show for young Kerry Ingram as Matilda. She gave her all and was absolutely lovely in the role. Incidentally, Ingram was one of the Matilda’s to feature on the cast recording, her singing was pitch-perfect and her acting honest and believable, from the cheeky ‘Naughty’ to the acting-through-song showcase ‘I’m Here’, young Ingram did herself proud on her personal farewell to the show. Paul Kaye keeps just on the acceptable side of hammy as Mr. Wormwood, although he is given the weakest number of the show ‘Telly’, which takes place during the interval, I’m sure his deceased alter-ego Dennis Pennis might have something to say about the over the top nature of his turn. Peter Howe, Samwise Gamgee in the sadly departed The Lord of the Rings Musical (which was, incidentally produced by largely the same production team including Warchus and Howell with several other Rings alumni appearing in this show) is criminally underused as Michael, the Wormwood’s gormless son. Lauren Ward is outstanding as Miss Honey, possibly the nicest person in the world, ever (apart from Matilda, obviously), Ward’s singing proving as strong as her acting.
Matilda has just become the most decorated show in the 36 years of the Olivier Awards, and it is easy to understand why the judges have rewarded it so generously*. Matilda is the hottest ticket in town right now for a reason; it is a tight, thrilling show which oozes charm by the bucketload. It is funny, it is moving and the music and staging will be the inspiration for thousands of children to become more involved with the arts. It is undoubtedly a must-see production (if you are able to get tickets without dealing with surly assistants) – but I have a feeling it is one to see as soon as possible, before standards slip and star turn Carvel leaves the company.
- Harry Zing
Chewingthescenery.com
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Notes
*Being a) RSC, b) a child-friendly production and c) way above the average standard of previous productions filling both a) and b)’s criteria. I think of truly great new works and they are thin on the ground; but the best ‘new’ show (which is actually an adaptation) of the last 36 years? I’m not so sure. I really enjoyed Matilda, it simply whizzes by and I was grinning throughout – Matilda is pure, harmless fun and a great way to involve children in the theatre by taking them to a visually entertaining, entirely accessible show. But does it have anything to say – does it break new territory? Or is it just a superbly executed and endearing family show? I ponder how many Olivier Awards a truly groundbreaking piece like Next to Normal would be given and grimace.
Like this:
When? Wednesday 11th April 2012
Where? Prince Edward Theatre, London, stalls
Who? Ryan Molloy, Matthew Wycliffe “Jean”, Eugene McCoy, Jon Boydon, Jon Lee, Nicola Brazil, Charlie Bull, Dan Burton, Mark Carroll, Michael Conway, Chris Gardner, Lucinda Gill, Trina Hill, Mark Isherwood, Tee Jaye, Ben Jennings, Howard Jones, Stuart Milligan, Edd Post, Jake Samuels, Ben Wheeler, Gemma Whitelam
Foreword:
This is an update of my previous review of this production from February 2011; the production has seen a major cast change since then and it is this change that I have focused on in this review. You can find the original review in full here detailing a lot more about the production itself. Check out the ‘comments’ section for a detailed explanatory reply from cast member Jon Boydon who clarifies a few technical details about the production.
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It is no exaggeration to say that my first, belated visit to Jersey Boys back in February 2011 was one of the most enjoyable experiences I have ever had in the theatre – and at a matinée performance with several understudies, no less. A return visit had been on the agenda ever since; primarily to see the highly acclaimed multi award winning Ryan Molloy as the Italian-American street kid turned mega star Frankie Valli, who was unfortunately indisposed last time around.
The show is in even better shape than it was for my last visit. The cast feel incredibly fresh, each scene is more delightful than the last and some moments which went relatively unnoticed last time were sensational, mainly thanks to Molloy’s quality and commitment to the moment. His second act heartbreaker ‘Fallen Angel’ actually moved me to tears, the conviction in Molloy’s performance and passion in his voice remarkable; his talent undeniable. Equally astounding is Jon Boydon’s Tommy DeVito who draws conflicting emotions with his portrayal. Über cool but essentially a liability, his interaction with the other Four Seasons members as they discover DeVito’s flaws – which eventually drive him from the band he created – is a joy to behold. New cast member Matthew Wycliffe is wonderful as the songwriting genius of the group Bob Gaudio, full of wide-eyed innocence in the early stages but, as the side-deals and politics of the group start to surface, his business savvy side shines through and much of the child-like gloss has been scratched away giving the character a well-rounded story arc. Eugene McCoy completes the line-up as Nick Massi who, since my last visit, seems to have crossed the line from ‘a bit slow’ into ‘painfully gormless’, delivering his lines with mush-mouth through a rather ropey accent, although he still earns plenty of laughs with his recurring ambition to ‘start… my own…. group’ in typically deadpan tone.
The supporting cast are still brilliant, there is not a hint of boredom or fatigue with long-serving cast members Stuart Milligan and Tee Jaye giving good, fresh turns, Charlie Bull (Lorraine), Dan Burton (Joe Pesci) and Howard Jones (Bob Crewe) are also right on the money with their respective performances.
Unfortunately, the performance I attended was plagued with technical problems, something which fortunately didn’t affect the performers too much, although several numbers were played without bass guitar (the wire having dropped out) and there were a few microphone failures, which the cast handled professionally as you would expect. As with many of the ‘big name’ West End shows such as The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Mamma Mia and so on, there were a large number of international tourists at Jersey Boys, many of whom had bought discounted tickets to see ‘a show’. The audience were extremely flat throughout, despite the cast’s superb efforts and energy levels, which I attribute to many not understanding what was being said and therefore being unwilling to engage. This performance of Jersey Boys is the finest show I have seen not to receive a standing ovation – the cast looked visibly exhausted at the curtain call with perhaps even a touch of disappointment on display, which says to me just how much pride they take in giving their all for each audience, night after night in this particular show.
I know it is old hat to rave about Jersey Boys, Ryan Molloy, Jon Boydon et al – but this show remains one of, if not the best all-round experiences the West End. If you haven’t seen it, then check the performance schedule for Molloy’s performance dates and book now!
- Harry Zing
Chewingthescenery.com
