Imagine This - what the press said:
Last night was press night for Imagine This, the new musical set in the Warsaw Ghetto. Despite our best wishes I’m afraid all did not go well.
Michael Billington in the Guardian was unimpressed
“They said it couldn’t be done: a musical about the Warsaw ghetto. And, now that I’ve seen it, I know that they were right
Oh dear
Charles Spencer in the Daily Telegraph was a bit more encouraging:
“At one level, the show strikes me as not bad at all. There are big soaring anthems, a strong love interest and a plot that undoubtedly grips. The production values, though far from extravagant, are effective enough, and though there are no star names, the performances are impressive … Imagine This has a certain integrity about it.
So far so good, but it didn’t stay that way:
Except, of course, for one inconvenient, incontrovertible and unpalatable fact – this is a musical that attempts to turn the Holocaust into entertainment.
And it got even worse by the end of the review:
Imagine This must finally be judged a manipulative and morally dubious show. In the present harsh economic climate, however, it is unlikely to trouble the West End for long.”
Benedict Nightingale in The Times wasn’t impressed either. He didn’t seem to have the same level of distaste for the choice of subject but he still wasn’t happy. He found many of the lines ‘clunky’ and said this was “accompanied by a major loss of nerve on everyone’s part”
Evening Standard critic Nicholas DeJong felt that the musical should come with a bad taste warning. He didn’t like the book or the score much either. He said:
In any case, the music and songs of Imagine This never do justice to its terrifying theme.”
So how can it be that those arbiters of blogging taste The West End Whingers loved the show? The Whingers are not known for their patience with anything below their undoubtedly high standards. They found themselves enjoying the show and it seems they were not alone:
Judging by the cheers of the audience at the curtain call and several who awarded standing ovations (probably Americans too - they’re on a high at the moment so it’s excused this time) it could prove to be the next surprise hit.
If the crowds who turn out for Les Miz (and God knows there are enough of them) aren’t deterred by the credit crunch The Whingers imagine this could be the just the fare they’ve been looking for. Imagine that.
Imagine This - have your say.
So, dear readers, what do you think? Have you seen the show? Do you agree with the critics or have they misjudged the show? Leave us a comment and let us know what you think of Imagine This.
a Imagine This - critics reviews
