July 20, 2019

A Tale of Two Cities

Where do I start?! It was the best of times? Definitely not! It was the worst of times? Quite possibly! A number of the audience said that this was the worst show they had ever seen! In fact, about 50 or so walked out half way through the first act, and many did not return after the interval. Granted, this was the first preview, but I will give a show some allowances for that, and this had nothing to do first preview problems: this was the show itself.

July 20, 2019

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

I had heard so many good things about this show that I couldn’t let it leave the West End without seeing it. It is an extraordinary show that makes you pause and really think about yourself, the world around you and the way you treat others. Joseph Ayre is phenomenal as Christopher; endearing, brave and strong. He makes you realise how daunting and bewildering the everyday world is, and how brave and strong people with Asperger’s are to live and operate in it.

July 20, 2019

Annie

For the first preview, this was a very polished performance and production. The set immediately strikes you as being similar to that of Matilda, although the set designer is not the same! The show is also front-loaded with the most well-known songs, with most of the big numbers over by half way through the first act, but there isn’t much that can be done about that. Team Rockefeller did the first performance and the children were excellent - each bringing a different character to life with verve, enthusiasm and charm.

July 20, 2019

On the Town

This isn’t one of my favourite MGM musicals, but I was still excited to see this production at the Open Air theatre. I love the Open Air theatre - it brings additional magic to everything staged there. So, a perfect setting you’d think for an adaptation of bright, colourful MGM musical. And you’d be right, for the most part. I saw this on its second night of previews and, given the weather that week, it was probably the first complete run through!

July 20, 2019

Travesties

Stoppard isn’t for everyone, but I fell in love with his plays when I saw The Coast of Utopia at the National Theatre years ago. Most of it went over my head, but I knew that it was something very very special. And that is exactly how Travesties feels - like you are witnessing something very very special indeed. I first saw this production at the Menier and, although I slightly preferred this production in the intimacy of that venue, very little has been lost in its transfer to the West End.

July 20, 2019

The Glass Menagerie

This show was hard work. I found myself fidgeting and unable to concentrate, not helped by the incredibly poor off-set seating proffered by the Duke of York’s theatre. The mimed scenes/actions at the beginning were completely lost on me - I couldn’t work out what they were or what they were trying to tell me, and they didn’t really seem to fit. The atmosphere was still and oppressive, and the pace felt incredibly slow - I know the Deep South has a reputation for being laid back and relaxed, but I was looking at my watch from half way through the first act.

July 20, 2019

Love in Idleness

I had absolutely no idea what to expect from this production and, contrary to most other reviews, I absolutely loved it. If you have seen Flare Path or The Browning Version you may not be able to recognise this production as being a Rattigan, as it does not conform to the usual Rattigan features, although there are definite Rattigan elements. Eve Best is fantastic, as always, and she really carries the show and holds it together.

July 12, 2019

An American In Paris

This is more a ballet with songs than a musical, and I found it to be a little bit of a slow burner as it took a couple of scenes to settle into the show. However, once it got going it was wonderful. Unlike the movie, Adam (played by David Seadon-Young) is given a much larger role in this production and, I have to say, he was my favourite character of them all.

July 11, 2019

The Wild Party

Have you ever wanted to know what the gin and drug-fuelled parties of 1920s New York were like? Well, The Other Palace brings them to life in this heady production. I saw this show during its first week of previews so there were still a few kinks. For example, almost every single line in the opening number was unintelligible. I am not sure whether this was due to poor sound balance or poor diction, but fortunately it improved as the first half continued.

July 10, 2019

Art

There is a fundamental flaw in the premise of this show, and that is that you cannot fathom what would have made these three individuals become friends in the first place. The set is as stark and minimalistic as the painting of white stripes on a white background that leads the characters to examine their relationship with each other. The the way in which that friendship is torn apart is brutal.