reviews | Theatre Breaks

Love Never Dies Theatre Breaks

http://usefulwiki.com/londontheatre/love-never-dies-theatre-breaks.html

Recommending Love Never Dies Theatre Breaks Love Never Dies is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s not exactly sequel to Phantom of the Opera. I saw it in previews, liked it very much but was not quite ready to recommend it for theatre breaks fans. I wanted to see if the show settled down and to let ‘his Lordship’ make the inevitable changes a preview period brings. Now the show has settled and people are happily booking their Love Never Dies theatre breaks and having a great time. ** Book Love Never Dies Theatre Breaks ** The Story of Love Never Dies Set on Coney Island, New York some 10 years after the events of Phantom, Love Never Dies is a more grown-up story of love. It has lost some of the teenage fascination with the Gothic that is such a huge part of the power of Phantom and in its place there is a much more human set of characters. There are plenty of places online where you can find a synopsis of the story but my advice is to go to the show without any preconceptions and enjoy it for what it is, a powerful piece of theatre, full of spectacle and gorgeous music. Love Never Dies Music I just adored the music. Some people thought there were not enough memorable tunes but my house rang to much whistling and humming for days after we saw the show. I think the music is more interesting and I actually enjoyed it more than Phantom (gasp!). Speaking of the gorgeous music just listen to the divine voice of Sierra Boggess: Click here to view the embedded video. Oh and how about the utterly wonderful Ramin Karimloo: Click here to view the embedded video. And that’s without mentioning the great performance of Summer Strallen as Meg Girey! Love Never Dies theatre stage set I thought the set was mostly wonderful. There’s good use of back projection and special effects but it’s the Art Nouveau aspects that just blew me away. Some of the sets looked like exquisite pieces of Art Nouveau jewelry or spectacular Tiffany lampshades. At times I was reminded of the film set of Moulin Rouge, but then I loved that too! It made a wonderful backdrop for the passionate story. A big question: One show or two? I know people were worried that they haven’t seen Phantom and would find it hard to follow the story. In our party we had someone who had never seen Phantom and she said that within the first ten minutes she had worked out enough to make sense of what was happening. She didn’t feel that not knowing the back story spoiled her enjoyment at all. Having read all the fuss about certain bloggers and forums I think there have been more problems with the devoted ‘Phans’. They’ve had to let go of their preconceptions about what the Phantom could be like and his relationship to Christine. People were too quick to judge a show that was still being ‘tweaked’ and seem to have forgotten that Phantom had its share of problems when it opened. I’ve seen both shows and I think the ideal solution is a double show theatre break. No one is offering one yet but there are rumblings from one or two of the agencies. Never fear as soon as they are available I’ll let you know! ** Book Love Never Dies Theatre Breaks ** a

March 28 2010, 10:16am | Comments »

I posted to usefulwiki.com

Sister Act - the reviews round-up

http://usefulwiki.com/londontheatre/sister-act-the-reviews-round-up.html

Sister Act the Musical - Mixed Reviews The critics have given their opinions of Sister Act the Musical and they don’t seem to be quite sure. Ratings vary between 4* and 2* . Have a look for yourself and see if you agree: Evening Standard (****) – “It’s been done before, the reasoning might have gone, so why not do it again? Put a singing nun centre stage in a musical and watch the piece climb every mountain … Whether or not divine intervention is involved, it’s a wimple-wibbling, habit-forming triumph … Before Peter Schneider’s production builds up the unstoppable head of momentum that led to the quickest standing ovation I’ve ever seen on a West End first night, there are some dubious early moments. Once we find Sheila Hancock’s delightfully droll Mother Superior (‘God has brought you to this place: take the hint’) waiting for Deloris, sorry, Sister Mary Clarence, things take a distinct turn for the heavenly. Alan Menken’s attractive, gospel-inflected score kicks in … Helped along by Anthony Van Laast’s energetic choreography … There can be no disputing the evening’s main draw: 24-year-old Miller, …. Her magnificent voice is rich, soaring and, crucially, unflagging. She might have been unknown last night, but today all that will have changed. Take it away, sisters.” Daily Telegraph (****) – Based like most new musicals these days on an old movie, Sister Act proves more enjoyable on stage than it did on film. I caught the show at the final preview with an audience of regular punters rather than the usual first-night rent-a-mob, and the cheers and standing ovation at the end were both genuine and deserved. The book, by Cheers writers Cheri and Bill Steinkellner, is strong, funny and touching. And the disco-inspired score by Disney favourite Alan Menken, with neat lyrics by Glenn Slater, is a cracker. Frankly, what’s not to like, especially when you’ve got a chorus line of jiving nuns singing their hearts out ecstatically? … The show’s real find is the American Patina Miller as Deloris. She has all the comic vitality of Whoopi Goldberg in the film, but she’s sexier and sings up a storm. When she’s belting out the disco-diva anthems you might be listening to Gloria Gaynor or Chaka Khan. She also has a funky, spunky stage presence and great comic timing … I suspect this musical comedy about a nun on the run could prove habit-forming.” The Times was less sure: The Times (*) – a rather sweet, sentimental film has been hyped up, coarsened, given what — were the Palladium flown to Times Square — we’d call the big, brash Broadway treatment … The film’s point was that Deloris liberates the nuns’ voices while they liberate her spirit. She puts modern soul into their Salve Regina, they put Salve Regina into her modern soul. But there’s no gentle piety here … There’s less deft comedy, but much more music, most of it indebted to the 1970s, where the action is now set. That lets Alan Menken, the composer, have a lot of catchy fun with period rock and disco … And that lets Patina Miller display the first of her star qualities, a terrific voice. Add warmth, humour, vivacity — and you’ve a star who lacks Whoopi’s wry vulnerability but adds dazzle to the razzle around her.” Others were less kind. Quentin Letts seems to object on religious grounds, whilst admitting it’s likely to be a hit: Daily Mail () – “Call me a miserable old monk but I hated Sister Act….. This noisy, pumpy, insistently American musical will doubtless be a solid summer hit for the Palladium. It will entertain thousands of people who are out for a simple night’s fun and don’t get their cassocks in a tangle, like I do, about church liturgy. Much of it is well performed. Just count me out. From the start there is basically one joke: namely, the spectacle of nuns grooving around on the dance floor. I know I may be taking it too seriously but I found myself recoiling sharply from this story’s saccharine values and its bullying gaiety. The thing is as shallow as the Aral Sea. Hideously formulaic. Musical by numbers. Yuck, yuck, yuck … The evening’s chief on-stage talents are Sheila Hancock, who plays the stern Mother Superior, and Patina Miller as Deloris … Miss Hancock is on fine form and Miss Miller, after an off-key start, shows herself to have a cheesy presence and a Merlin engine of a voice. ” Michael Billington’s objections are more varied: The Guardian (**) …A world away from the cloistered charmers of The Sound of Music. What we have here is a show that feels less like a personally driven work of art than a commercial exploitation of an existing franchise … What was originally a fairytale fantasy, however, makes little sense in its new, vulgarised incarnation … In order to pad out a slight story, every key member of the cast also has to be given a number … Alan Menken’s music admittedly has a pounding effectiveness and the opening number, ‘Take Me to Heaven’, is skillfully turned into a hymn to religious, rather than sensual, ecstasy. Patina Miller invests Deloris with a wealth of raucous energy and just about convinces in her conversion from fame-seeking individualist to member of the singing sorority. Sheila Hancock lends the show some needed gravitas as the Mother Superior … All too typically the nuns, in Anthony van Laast’s choreography, kick up their heels like the Rockettes and prance around in gilt vestments that might be described as surplice to requirements. (That last pun really should have been edited out - just awful!) Your Reviews of Sister Act I’ve not been yet but I do intend going over the summer. Meanwhile, dear readers: Have you seen it? What do you think of the show? Are the critics wrong yet again? Do leave us your reviews of Sister Act in the comments.

Related Posts:Sister Act Cast AnnouncedSister Act The Musical - Video PreviewSister Act The Musical - Making WhoopiImagine This - critics reviewsOliver! Reviews and Opinionsa Sister Act - the reviews round-up

June 3 2009, 6:47am | Comments »

I posted to usefulwiki.com

Phantom of the Opera -a Classic Night Out

http://usefulwiki.com/londontheatre/phantomoftheopera-classicnightout.html

Arriving at Phantom of the Opera We arrived at Her Majesty’s Theatre at around 7 p.m. The foyer was already buzzing with early arrivals, programme sellers and theatre staff selling glasses of chilled champagne.We resisted the temptation (just!) and picked up our tickets. It was just lovely not to have to queue. In the Bar of the Theatre Then we headed for a pre-show drink in the bar. The bars are bright and attractive with a varied range of drinks available. I was greedy and opted for a “large”, actually huge, glass of pinot noir. We enjoyed the bustle as more people arrived, enough to be a crowd but not so many as to be a crush. The doors to the auditorium opened about ten minutes before the show was due to start. The theatre quickly filled and even on a Monday night there were very few empty seats. ** Book Phantom of The Opera Theatre Breaks via Superbreak ** A Lovely Old Theatre and a New Sound System

We made our way to our seats and began to look around. It really is a lovely, old fashioned theatre. There’s something much more intimate about the older West End theatres. Here we really felt we were close to the stage rather than watching everything happening in the distance. I’d been a bit concerned with all the talk of the Phantom’s new sound system but I needn’t have worried. The amplification was just about right for the space and the suitably spooky sound effects weren’t too intrusive. Very Special Effects There are some super effects in Phantom of the Opera. I must admit I was a bit worried when I realised I was sitting directly underneath that famous Phantom chandelier ! There are some quite magical moments but I’m not going to go into too much detail in case you’ve not been yet. The production has been around for over 20 years and yet it still works and seems quite fresh. The Music of the Night Much of the music of Phantom of the Opera is quite familiar. There was some quite wonderful singing from the principals and from the ensemble. I did find it hard at first not to make comparisons with Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman. They both have such distinctive voices. Once I was swept up in the live performance though, I suspended my disbelief and lost myself in the story, the spectacle and the glory of the music. The Costumes I thought the costume designs were stunning. I loved all the opera costumes and make-up. It was like watching a period theatre print or one of those paper toy theatres come to life. I thought Masquerade scene was also a particular joy but my partner was not so sure and thought it was ‘a bit garish’. And indeed, it was garish. I thought that just added to the nightmare quality of the scene. The Story of Phantom of the Opera I’m sure there are people who don’t know the story of Phantom of the Opera. For that reason I’m not going to give the plot away here. I will tell you that the story centres on a rather dreamy, fragile young woman. Christine is a member of the chorus of the Paris Opera sometime in the 19th century.Her father was a famous musician and before he died he promised he would send her ‘the angel of music’ to take care of her. Suffice to say what she believes to be the angel turns out not to be quite what she thinks. Drawn to the Phantom yet repulsed by him Christine has to make a choice. The story is full of sweeping romantic emotions and gothic fantasy. Tragedy and pathos intertwine as we see what formed the monster that the Phantom has become. I think the Paris setting works well because it is the ultimate, romantic city. I don’t mean the soft romantic comedy sort of romance. I mean Romantic with a capital R, gothic trappings and plenty of angst! The production taps into that idea of Paris, making me think of those overgrown cemeteries and pale, doomed young women who are half in love with death. I love the idea that below the Paris Opera there’s might be a vast subterranean lake. It is like something from a fairy tale. Phantom of the Opera is a Classic It was a glorious night of extravagant musical theatre. We came out of the theatre into the London night with that lovely feeling that only comes from seeing a good show. I wasn’t alone either. All around me people were talking about what a great evening it had been and how much they’d enjoyed it. The chap next to me certainly had as I’d gradually noticed he was very quietly singing along through the whole show! (He had a nice voice and it was very quiet so not a bit annoying!) Even on a cold Monday evening in January the West End is buzzing as people come out of the shows. I felt quite envious of those who weren’t off to catch a train but were heading for their hotels. Too hyped up to go straight home, we wandered off in search of an after-theatre supper and a chance to talk over the evening. A couple of days later I’m still humming The Music of the Night and remembering The Phantom Of The Opera. ** Book Phantom of The Opera Theatre Breaks via Superbreak **

Related Posts:Phantom of The Opera 5 Facinating FactsPhantom gets a new state of the art sound systemPhantom of the OperaChicago and Phantom extend into 2009Imagine This - Casting Newsa Phantom of the Opera -a Classic Night Out

February 1 2009, 7:36am | Comments »

I posted to usefulwiki.com

Oliver! Reviews and Opinions

http://usefulwiki.com/londontheatre/oliver-reviews-and-opinions.html

Oliver Reviews Oliver! the musical has opened at last in London, the critics’ reviews are in and it seems like a good moment for Reviewing the Situation. The Daily Mail’s Review Quentin Letts seems to have really enjoyed Oliver! He lavishes praise on almost all the major performers. Drury Lane has known more tuneful musical stars in its long history, but the grand old temple of dreams can seldom have played host to one with such a God-given gift for comedy. Rowan Atkinson, playing that warped scoutmaster Fagin, was the eyebrow-wriggling, funnywalking, laugh-wringing supremo on Wednesday night when Lionel Bart’s wonderful musical opened at the Theatre Royal He also enjoyed Jodie Prenger’s Nancy saying she: stands up to the test like a sturdy galleon…… She swings her big hips and heaves her all into the role I’m sure he means well but poor Jodie! Ouch! He enjoyed Harry Stott’s performance as Oliver and Ross McCormac’s Artful Doger is also picked out : This child seems to have been born to dance and skip and wink and swagger at an audience. His final verdict: Anyone who needs cheering up - and after recent jobs news, heaven knows, that probably means most of us - should get along to Drury Lane sharpish and catch this humdinger of a night. Verdict: More please, Sir Cameron I think he liked it! The Times Oliver Review Benedict Nightingale is very positive as well. He describes Rowan Atikinson’s Fagin as: not an old Bean but an infinitely creepy criminal with lank hair, a yellow face and a sinister, silvery glint in his eyes. He wasn’t so sure about Jodie at first but she convinced him in the end: Initially she struck me as parading, posturing, performing rather than acting, but she went on to prove herself a tough, coarse, credible presence with a big, robust voice — and that’s all that is needed. He picks out Burn Gorman’s Sikes as: a particular success, a pale, quiet figure who threatens more with his stillness than with his cudgel. He also makes particular mention of “Anthony Ward’s splendidly atmospheric sets” The Guardian Oliver Review Michael Billington describes Rowan Atkinson’s Fagin as “a saturnine comic presence” saying: Rowan Atkinson turns in a sprightly, distinctive performance…….Atkinson’s Fagin may be essentially comic but he endows the character with a camply sinister edge. He seems to have enjoyed Jodie Prenger’s performance and in particular her interpretation of Nancy’s big numbers As long As He Needs Me and Oom-Pa-Pa Mr. Billington’s main issue seem to be with Bart’s interpretation of Dickens and the very musical itself. Dickens’ book Oliver Twist gives a grim view of Victorian London which Oliver! tends to glide over. He says: too many of the characters are ciphers, and the plot is largely a device for getting the numbers on That is something that could be said of many musicals, I’m afraid. Oliver Reviews: The Independent Michael Coveny reviewing Oliver for The Independent has fewer qualms about Bart’s musical but is less convinced by Jodie Prenger. The moment Prenger appears, I’m afraid, the heart sinks. She seems to be hiding from the audience. Her voice is okay, but she can’t act and she doesn’t have the depth of lung power to fill a plastic bag, let alone a West End theatre on a nightly basis. “As Long As He Needs Me,” one of the great theatre songs of our time, is a total embarrassment compounded by a naff downstage centre rush for applause. Ouch! He’s a little bit kinder to Rowan Atkinson but not much: Long-haired and slithery like a Semitic toad, he weighs his options with a Mr Bean-style blubberiness, tugging at his lower lip and casting malignant glances to the wings. He’s funniest when fingering his stolen gems, or kicking his legs above his head in a sideways exit. But he’s not a malevolent, gleeful, stage-hogging, dubiously paedophiliac monster that you long for and Lionel Bart wrote, even if Charles Dickens didn’t. There seems to have only been one lead performance that he really enjoyed: ….the Artful Dodger was played by Ross McCormack, and he was terrific. The absolute centre of the show is “Consider Yourself” in Clerkenwell, as the Dodger’s gang materialise from inside a statue of a top-hatted worthy and the whole city erupts in a series of knees-ups and key changes, beautifully lit by Paule Constable. Your Opinions So what do you think? Have you seen Oliver! yet? Are the critics’ Oliver reviews right or are you baffled by them?

a Oliver! Reviews and Opinions

January 16 2009, 6:27am | Comments »

I posted to usefulwiki.com

Carousel - the reviews

http://usefulwiki.com/londontheatre/carousel-the-reviews.html

Carousel Reviews

The newspaper critics reviews for Carousel at the Savoy Theatre are in and mostly they are fairly positive. Lesley Garrett comes in for a bit of criticism for her performance but apart from that I think they had a good time. Benedict Nightingale in The Times at first felt the production suffered by comparison with the revival at the National 10 years ago but eventually warmed to it: Yet gradually I thawed, as caught up in Hammerstein’s book as I was captivated by maybe the finest score even Rodgers ever produced. Yes, the show was overmiked, meaning that some songs sounded shrill. Yes, the artlessly cheerful millgirls who form half the chorus swirled about to annoyingly cute effect. Yes there wasn’t enough gravity in that wonderfully subjunctive love song, ‘If I Loved You’, and, yes, that meant that Alexandra Silber and Jeremiah James were failing to displace Joanna Riding and Michael Hayden on my mental hard disk. But by the famous ballet at the end I was won over once again.” Michael Billington in the Guardian isn’t that keen on the show, never mind this production: “How good is Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel? … Personally, I’ve always thought it a flawed masterwork; and so it proves once again in Lindsay Posner’s well-sung revival which holds one’s attention until the death of the hero, Billy Bigelow, after which the show ascends into the empyrean and the realms of pseudo-art “ Nicholas de Jongh in the Evening Standard was enchanted by the production but not too keen on Lesley Garret’s “gross, music hall Nettie” “Despite Lindsay Posner’s old-fashioned production I was enchanted by Rodgers and Hammerstein’s bitter-sweet musical fantasy about missed life-chances in a 1870s New England village … That wonderful designer, William Dudley, initially summons up a fairground carousel that looks unprettily low-rent……. Dudley’s vivid back-projections offer ocean views, ships sailing and, with thrilling illusionary deftness, the spectacle of Billy ascending to heaven’s ‘back-yard’ Charles Spencer in the Daily Telegraph is more impressed and even names Carousel as “one of the greatest of all musicals” “Most of the principals may not be famous names, but they bring real sincerity and freshness to their roles. Better yet, the cramped stage means that the show often seems to explode with vitality. In that great song of renewal and seething sexuality, ‘June is Bustin’ Out All Over’, Adam Cooper’s choreography sets the stage alight with high-kicks, dangerous lifts and a testosterone-charged athleticism that is thrilling. Of course, there will always be some who dismiss Carousel as gluttonously sentimental. It is not to everyone’s tastes … By the end of the show, with many in the audience audibly sniffing back the tears, it is clear that justice has been done to one of the greatest of all musicals.” Ian Shuttleworth in the Financial Times enjoyed the show but felt the production ignored the darker side of Carousel. I left the Savoy Theatre with hope in my heart, as the song exhorts, uplifted and unashamed at my immersion in the sentimentality of Lindsay Posner’s production. Only later did I remember that, to achieve this result, he has had to sell the pass on virtually every shadow in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical. Yes, songs such as “If I Loved You” and the roustabout Billy Bigelow’s “Soliloquy” are heartbreaking in their yearning, and “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over” is an irresistible paean to going forth and multiplying. But, as Alastair Macaulay noted on this page on the show’s last major British revival in 2006 at Chichester, the narrative elements include “unemployment and conventional ideas of feminine decency… male violence to women, excessive gambling and finally a one-parent family”. All of which, in the moment (well, the three hours), manage to glide by insubstantially. So there you are, mostly they enjoyed Carousel. I’d love to do a round up of blog reviews at this point but there really haven’t been any yet! Of course, if you’ve been to see Carousel at the Savoy you are welcome to add your opinions here.

** Book Carousel Theatre Breaks **

a Carousel - the reviews

December 4 2008, 1:07pm | Comments »

I posted to usefulwiki.com

In a Dark Dark House - Neil LaBute

http://usefulwiki.com/londontheatre/in-a-dark-dark-house-neil-labute.html

In A Dark Dark House at the Almeida Neil La Bute’s latest offering is playing at the Almeida until January 22nd. In A Dark Dark House continues his exploration of the psyche of the American male. In three acts, it’s the story of two brothers who grew up together in an unspecified mid-western US town, a town where as LaBute himself says, you wouldn’t want to stop if you knew what was going on under the surface. The two brothers are brought together as the younger brother Drew, is undergoing court enforced rehab. Their encounter with a young woman acts as a catalyst to bring to the surface much that has remained long hidden and denied for both of them. LaBute’s work is never less than controversial. (Just have a look at the comments on our Fat Pig review!) I’ve softened my view of LaBute since Andy wrote that review as I have to admit Fat Pig was really thought provoking and even now discussing it can still cause arguments debate This has to be a good sign I think and theatre that actually provokes that much thought has to be worthwhile at some level. The cast is interesting with Steven Mackintosh (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) returning to the stage after an 8 year gap, playing the younger brother Drew. Terry, the older bother is played by David Morrissey (on our screens over Xmas in Dr Who). Kira Sternbach plays the young woman. Have a look at the trailer for the play: Click here to view the embedded video. It seems from some of the responses so far that the whole ‘fake American accents’ thing continues to be an issue. However if the actors can keep up the standard we hear in the video I don’t think it will be too much of a problem. Of course, it’s not a problem at all for Kira Sternback as she is actually American! My only issue really is whether I can manage to get around to seeing In A Dark Dark House at this busy time of year. I hope we can fit it in but remember comments here are open for your thoughts and reviews.

a In a Dark Dark House - Neil LaBute

November 27 2008, 7:15am | Comments »

I posted to usefulwiki.com

Imagine This - critics reviews

http://usefulwiki.com/londontheatre/imagine-this-critics-reviews.html

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

November 20 2008, 10:26am | Comments »

Theatre Breaks

Love Never Dies Theatre Breaks

Sister Act - the reviews round-up

Phantom of the Opera -a Classic Night Out

Oliver! Reviews and Opinions

Carousel - the reviews

In a Dark Dark House - Neil LaBute

Imagine This - critics reviews

Theatre Breaks Links

Popular Tags

Search