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Val Foley
Ballet shoes
Wonderful entertainment.
This was a play based on a children’s book, but not a “play for children “ The three preteens in front of me were quite fidgety!
It was a straight play, not a musical show, though there was plenty of singing and elegant dancing where required by the plot. Some great special effects – simulating a storm at sea- the car at the end driving through the wall. It seemed to give the essence of the book, if not every incident, but it is many years since I read it!
Tremendous energy was shown by the cast, particularly at the very end when the curtain calls were preceded by a fantastic Charleston. Altogether it was fun.
Now click through the Slide Show below –
Photos: Manuel Harlan
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake
Sally Edwards
What a splendid performance we saw on Tuesday – Matthew Bourne’s ‘Swan Lake’. I first saw it 30 years ago with my then teenage daughter, this time with her daughters. And it didn’t disappoint. It’s referred to as ‘the next generation’ and indeed it is – young dancers and the ‘Bourne’ adaptation of the original story. The Swan, or Stranger in Act 2, is powerful and menacing and the cygnets……..well! Still make me smile.
The whole performance was emotionally charged – and I still say I prefer it to the original!
Richard and Lyn
We saw Bourne’s reimagined Swan Lake for the first time; no wonder it’s first iteration had rave reviews but now it’s been further polished.
Barely stopping for breath and using every part of the stage, the beautifully costumed company was supported by an excellent orchestra. They delivered a high energy, engrossing and intense, often humorous, story with dance that was breathtaking. The principal dancers were brilliant.
Would we go again? it was so enjoyable, how about tomorrow?
Thank you Fredo for another well organised triumph.
Photos: Johan Persson
Linda King
Hamilton
From the moment we took our seats at the theatre – probably the best seats in the house! – to the finale I was totally immersed in this innovative, fast-moving musical. The cast and musicians were all top rate and I was in awe of their talent and energy.
It was the second time I’d seen Hamilton and the eighth time for my daughter. We are obviously fans of this show and will no doubt go again.
Fredo’s chronology was very helpful and, yes, it is difficult to understand every word that is being sung but that didn’t spoil the overall effect of the show.
Thank you to Fredo and Mike for their organisation and to driver Trevor who patiently negotiated the unexpected diversions etc.
Photos: Various casts and photographers
Edwina
The Devil Wears Prada
A powerhouse of a show with lots of action. Great staging and costumes – wondering about the latter – how you would stand the restraint (should you be skinny enough to ever manage to get in it in the first place and as for not falling off the high heels…well one of the poor girls on stage this evening suffered a fall – although she didn’t appear to injure herself thank goodness). Good performances by all but as is all too common these days the music is far too loud which results in the singers having to work their voices too hard and thus they end up screeching.
Not a show I would choose to see again but thank you Fredo and Mike for arranging another evening at the theatre.
Photo credit: Matt Crockett
The Fear of 13
Andrew
Mesmerising, charismatic, magnetic, one could run out of superlatives trying to describe the incredible performance by Adrian Brody as the wrongly convicted Nick Yarris, who spent 22 years on Death Row in a Pennsyvania prison. Initially he appeared to be resigned to his fate, covering his feelings with a mixture of quirkiness and black humour. This changed with his introduction to a new prison visitor, Jackie Schaffer, brilliantly portrayed by Nana Mensah. She was there to visit any prisoner who wished to see her, but she quickly became attracted to Nick Yarris. The attraction became mutual, with Yarris now finding something of value in his existence. This caused him to become more reflective. Whilst he had a past that was always likely to land him in trouble, he had not been guilty of rape and murder but was not surprised that the jury had not believed him. However, with the care and interest of Jackie Schaffer, whom he subsequently married whilst still in prison, and the advent of DNA, which had not been available for his trial, together they commenced an attempt to have the trial evidence re-examined, utilising DNA. Possibly, due to the infancy of DNA, and an unwillingness of the relevant authorities to bother with something for someone who was to all intents and purposes, “already dead” the requests were initially refused, and then later taken up only after Yarris petioned the State Governor to set an execution date to allow him to die.
Nine years of bureaucratic bungling followed before Yarris was exonerated and released.
As always with the Donmar, this was a totally immersive experience. The other supporting members of the cast, all of whom were superb, played numerous characters, ranging from fellow prisoners, lawers, police officers, family and judges. They also managed some very creditable acapella singing. This really was the Donmar at it’s finest. Fredo mentioned on the coach back, that regardless of whatever venue this production is played at in the future, the audience will never have the privilege of experiencing it as it was performed last night.
Many thanks Fredo and Mike for an extraordinary evening.
Photos by Manuel Harlan
Garth
If you were looking for an example of a Gesamtkunstwerk – a “total work of art” which brings together speech, music, architecture, lighting, soundscape etc in one place – you wouldn’t have to trudge off to Bayreuth for a Wagnerian experience – you could come to the Donmar and see this play. As so often, the Donmar has done its marvellous shape-shifting stuff (Miriam Buether set designer) – we are in a wood, we are in prison, we are in a cosy domestic space, we are in court…..
A smart, slick, sharp production with immaculate ensemble playing by a multi-talented cast. Adrien Brody gave us a marathon wholly absorbing performance as Nick and Nana Mensah was credible (if not always quite audible) in her somewhat incredible role as Jackie.
All those positives made for a fascinating evening. But – at the risk of coming over as a category freak – I couldn’t decide whether Nick’s story (as presented) was a tragedy or a moral tale of human frailty and human commitment or an example of discursive, uneven reportage (the play is derived from a documentary) or what. I felt it needed to drill deeper. Weren’t some of the grisly episodes in and out of the penitentiary – so skilfully and crisply depicted – really too serious to be given somewhat glib or almost comic treatment? And in the concluding scenes, where we were indeed effectively reliant on reportage, I needed all of the willing suspension of disbelief that theatre rests on. So it was a bit of a ring doughnut – the performances and the production were better than the play they served.
Edwina & Jan
The Cabinet Minister
As you said Fredo – “A good way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon”
Jan and I both enjoyed the production. Very accomplished actors and musicians, who appeared to perform a very wordy and at times quick moving “romp” faultlessly. Lots of double entendres and well delivered one liners.
The subject matter is timeless poking gentle fun at Victorian social rankings as well as the questionable difference between the dubious money dealings of the upper class and a usury business operated by a status seeking commoner.
It was interesting to see the scene change between acts – a very slick operation.
Thank you very much for organising another trip to the theatre.
Claire and Anna
September 27, 2024
Giselle
The ballet was extraordinary.
I took my 19 year old granddaughter who took ballet lessons for many years.
We were excited to see the story of a man of the court falling in love with a peasant girl in the woods etc etc.
on the bus Fredo told us this was not going to be the ‘normal’ Giselle ballet. Even the music was going to be very different!It was set in a textile factory!!! No scenery – just a sort of big grey wall as backdrop. And all the costumes were grey/brown really.
Very dramatic, loud music. NEVERTHELESS…
It was remarkable. The movements of the dancers was so unusual and fast. Their energy and strength was amazing. Combined with the lighting and dramatic soundscape the whole thing was incredibly emotive. I’m very glad to have seen it but wouldn’t want to see again!!
The choreographer was a man from Bangladesh which is apparently why there was such an emphasis on upper body movement.
I leapt to my feet at the end to give a standing ovation.
Fredo is absolutely amazing.
The coach was packed. I think he was dreading the reaction from people. And thought it would be 50/50 for and against. But having spoken to everyone in the bus, he thought it was 80/20!
Jean Birch
September 28, 2024
Giselle
This is probably going to be the worst review I have ever given!!
Giselle? I hated it!!! Clearly I am a traditionalist. In the first act the dancing was repetitive – and the music was repetitive and torturous to the point where I removed my hearing aids? I had no clue what was going on. Why was everybody putting their hands on a wall? Who were those people in strange costumes? And why was everybody dancing around with a stick? Fredo gave us a narrative in the coach coming up, but I didn’t know what it was all about.
Was it a waste of my time and money? No, of course not because I now have an opinion about this production, albeit not a good one!! On a positive note the dancers were superb, but then aren’t they always? I’ll be back on the coach again on Tuesday!!
Photos: Camilla Greenwell (Click to enlarge)
October 1, 2024
MJ The Musical
Photos: Johan Persson
Maggie & John
We both thoroughly enjoyed this show. It gave the background of the Jackson’s and how they were bullied by their father Joseph .Michael strived for perfection for his lavish shows which ultimately caused immense debts when he died following administered drugs by his medical advisor.Altogether he had a very disfunctional life which made him distrustful of everyone. I would have loved to have seen him live on stage but unfortunately this wasn’t possible because of his untimely death. With eyes closed MJ played by Myles Frost it could have been the actual Michael Jackson . Young Jackson played by Michael Zhangaze and also little Jackson played by Jaydon Eastman were also amazing.I would have loved more of his music as in previous comments.
Last week Giselle ,this week MJ the Musical next week Giant ,can’t get more diverse than this. Thank you Fredo and Mike .
Jean Birch
MJ The Musical
Oh how disappointing!! After much anticipation the show fell flat for me. The dancers were excellent and Michael was almost real, but why did they only sing snatches of songs? There was far too much talking and not enough singing. They tickled my anticipation with Thriller, but only briefly – and when they did a longer version later the dancing was not true to the original. Thank goodness they performed a full Billie Jean – my favourite! And the glove was very sparkly!!!
Pat
10/08/24
Hello Dolly!
Although an older musical I really enjoyed this production. Imelda Staunton was brilliant and her voice was still as good as ever. I found the first act a little slow but this was more than made up for in the second.
Photos: Manuel Harlan
Mike
5/09/24
The Real Thing
Director Max Webster clearly wants us to know we are watching a play. The set emphasises the acting space with an illuminated surround at both ground and ceiling level, and at one point the very visible stagehands even join the main character in a dance!
The author of the play, Tom Stoppard, has written a play about a playwright, himself, and about his own affair with an actress.
The first scene within that play is a scene from the playwright’s play about an infidelity. And so we have three levels of narrative about affairs to consider! The ‘Russian Doll’ situation is never far from our thoughts and neither is the theatrical artifice of the whole show. And a show it is – a show-off of Stoppard’s wit at expressing himself and exercising his thoughts on love, (in)fidelity, and…er…himself. Some shy away from his spectacular self-exposure and, I must admit, this frequent promotion of his intellect is often a problem I have with some of Stoppard’s other plays. But not here. Oh no, at this one I smile at the conceit of it all, I laugh at the jokes so astute, surprising and characterful. And I care about those people on stage going through their carefully contrived performance, baring their souls, to achieve before our very eyes, the real thing.
That first scene from the-play-within-a-play is just slightly actorly, catches our attention but we know we are watching from a distance. We are then gradually drawn in to the life of the playwright (maybe Stoppard’s, but essentially that of the in-play author Henry). His life is falling apart with pangs of love, and who knows when and where it will settle? His affair is the catalyst but, as we progress through the complex relationship tangle, we can see real feelings develop. There are tears, but by the end those central players have achieved a real bond.
James McArdle commands the stage as Henry, meeting all the demands of Stoppard’s wordy script with a satisfying flourish. Henry’s second partner Annie is played by Bel Powley, and I was expecting a problem here. She has proved herself adept at teenage roles on tv, but here she matures as we watch, giving a robust counterbalance to McArdle’s Henry. There are also Susan Wokoma and Oliver Johnstone as Max and Charlotte, the ex-partners of Henry and Annie, balancing the foursome while still hinting at reasons for rejection. I also want to mention Rilwan Abiola Owokoniran who pops up briefly to charm Annie (and us) with his seductive smile.
At our matinee performance, I wondered if the audience was asleep, so meagre was any sense of a response. After the interval they awoke! It’s a theatre classic. Our attention brings its reward. And rewarding it certainly was.
Two other views –
Jennifer writes –
When Fredo kindly organises a trip to see a play by Tom Stoppard we know we have to be fully engaged to withstand the intellectual rigour of his writing and stagecraft. So it proved with this revival of The Real Thing. The story of the developing relationship between Henry and Annie and their soon-to-be discarded spouses unfolds over a number of years. Actually, the play isn’t really about Henry and Annie but about Henry, the talented playwright and wordsmith, and how he copes with being knocked sideways by the intensity of his feelings for Annie. If the rumours are true Henry’s story is based on Stoppard’s amour fou with a well known actress which perhaps explains the focus on him. This might also be why the female characters spend so much time listening to Henry declaiming (very cleverly and wittily it must be said) at length on love, life, art, truth and beauty including, somewhat improbably, Henry’s stroppy teenage daughter. And when the women do speak, Henry often interrupts them…..
Of course, the play was written and is set in the early 1980s so one has to overlook some of the social attitudes shown by the characters including the sterotypical depiction of the northern squaddie aka plot device (or should that be deus ex machina?). However, I’d hoped, in a play about relationships and human emotions, to care about what happened to the characters but, sadly, for me this didn’t happen. I found much to admire, including the excellent acting by James McArdle, and clever set, but little to like. Although it was fun to hear ELO again after so many years and enjoy the dance!
Garth writes –
Well, Brodie certainly got his deserts/desserts, but I’m with him – at least he got away from that bunch of rather annoying solipsistic middle-class characters with whom Stoppard had been toying. Sitting through this play, I felt rather like one of the proverbial blind men who had never encountered an elephant. When they did run into one, you will recall, they made wild and uncomprehending guesses as to what the strange object was. Just what was going on? I’m no expert in what used to be called adultery; nor in the pop music of the 1980s that seemingly formed nodal points in the drama. So, distinguishing between the “real” and the not real was something of a task for me. Was it all (title included) hard-nosed irony? Was the Shavian, didactic tone as condescending to the audience as the treatment of the wretched Brodie? I did wonder whether this was Stoppard catching up and bringing Alan Ayckbourn to NW3. But it must be a bit more than that – why otherwise would Michael Billington have included it in his list of great plays?
All that aside, here was a smart, slick production, ticking a number of contemporary boxes as well as meticulously acknowledging the 80s ambience. The players – scene-shifters not excepted – could hardly have fulfilled their roles better or more suavely. And yet, after all those polished words unhesitatingly emitted by everyone, were we any more certain about “the thing”?
Photos by Manuel Harlan
I have generally been cautious about the ubiquitous standing ovation in theatres, but after the dazzling finale of Chorus Line, I could not remain seated. THAT’S what an ovation should be. The exhilaration of the stage surged into the audience, and sitting was not enough. It was ages since I had seen this show but realised that there were really only a few occasions where the choreography of Bob Fosse was referred to. And NO I did not buy a gold bowler hat at the marketing stall; but I did buy the £8 programme which is very informative about the show. The cast is uniformly brilliant, both in their solo moments (some touching stories) and the collective drilled perfection of their routines. The point of the show, I think, is to demonstrate how all the complexities of the dancers, they are all squashed into ban anonymous mass in their work. Adam Cooper was an excellent and authoritative Zach but it allowed to indicate his own vulnerabilities through his relationship with Cassie (the sensational Carly Mercedes Dyer). Terrific performances, great band, and lighting. (though I couldn’t see that the video has a great deal to add, and wasn’t used with any consistency.
Thanks to the Boyz for terrific seats – it always occurs to me that Sadlers Wells is a superbly designed theatre, with excellent sightlines from just about anywhere.
Photos: Marc Brenner
Andrew
July 24, 2024
Skeleton Crew
Four workers facing the imminent threat of redundancy in their own very different ways. Faye, the union rep with 29 years service at the plant. She has seen it all before and is hoping that she will be able to achieve 30 years, as this would considerably enhance her severance and retirement benefits.
Dez, a younger worker hoping to start his own business is aggressive and rebellious. He feels that the union should be standing up to the management to demand better terms when and if the shutdown occurs.
Shanita, is the other young worker. She is pregnant and bubbles with enthusiasm about the future for her, and her unborn child. She is proud of the work she is doing and cannot see why the plant should be closing. She frequently berates Dez about his attitude, although there is an affection between them which she unsuccessfully tries to keep suppressed.
The fourth worker is Reggie. He is the supervisor of the shift, and is fully aware that the plant will be closing in the near future. Reggie finds it very difficult to have crossed the line from worker to management. Particularly as he has known Faye since he was a child.
We later learn that Faye was in a lesbian relationship with Reggie’s mother who had died some years previously. This had caused Faye’s life to fall apart . She gambled away everything she owned and unbeknown to everybody, was sleeping in the “breakroom” that they all shared. However, Faye was still very much the voice of reason, acting as a “Mother Hen’ character trying to stop any of the others giving the management any cause to lay them off, or to accelerate the plant shutdown in any way.
This was one of the most absorbing productions I have seen. I found I had total empathy with all of the characters, and genuinely felt their despair. The scene when Shanita announced that she had been offered a new job doing photocopy work, but she had turned it down because it wasn’t as creative or important as the job she was doing was almost heartbreaking. The cast were just stunning. All actors that I had never heard of. The scenes between Faye and Reggie were brilliant.
Then, of course, there is the “Donmar Factor’. The intimacy of this extraordinary little theatre seems to enhance everything that is performed here.
Garth
Skeleton Crew
The limits of my eartrumpet and its inability to conquer the Detroit patois render me poorly qualified to comment on this powerful play. As if that might stop me!
With apologies for probably grasping the wrong ends of who knows how many sticks, I felt that the playwright had found some eternal verities in the situations – industrial decline and exploitation, lost love, new life – played out on stage. Just what do we owe our fellow human beings in ethical terms? “Tribal loyalty”, often derided in the political sphere, means something very real and compelling in the context of employment (and prospective unemployment) in a capitalist world. The characters’ individual quirks, obsessions and weaknesses made for drama (and some humour), of course. But overarching those human frailties and failings, it’s the depiction of solidarity and mutual respect, growing into empathy (and even love) that gives the play its thrust and vitality. All this was suavely and convincingly conjured up by the extraordinary cast. Each of the four seemed to be wholly living his/her role, model examples of naturalistic playing.
Predictably, the Donmar had spared nothing in the mise-en-scene, the grinding intensity of a motor car manufacture plant, the louring lighting, complete with spraying sparks, the brutal din, the corrosive musical overlay and the bleak ”breakroom”. You didn’t pause to wonder where the rest of the workforce (if any) were lurking.
Altogether, as far as I clocked the play, a terrific reminder of the capacity of the human spirit to wrestle down the grim realities of our society.
Photos: Helen Murray
David Warren Riseman
Mrs Doubtfire the musical
Firstly I would like to stress that the show was comical and had a happy feel to it, although not quite my scene, it was still enjoyable.
Gabriel Vick, Daniel and Mrs Doubtfire, was tremendous and multi talented in comedy, music and dancing.
The remaining cast were also excellent.
If I was an early teenager and saw this show I would have loved it but being a bit older than that I found the performance as a comic show entertaining but as a musical it fell a bit short.
Still a very enjoyable evening in The West End.
Andrew
Boys from the Blackstuff
I felt that this production suffered from comparison with the original television series, which I thought was brilliant. Trying to compress approximately 5 to 6 hours of extremely well written drama into 2.5 hours was never going to be easy. I feel this was a valiant effort, but it fell well short. The heartbreaking pathos, and hilarious comedy of the original series never came across. Taking the “best bits” of the TV production, and cramming them into this limited time frame, resulted in too many actors on stage at the same time, all shouting at once. Thus greatly diluting the pathos and humour of the original.
I recall the scene from the TV series when Yosser, at his absolute wits end, went to confession. He told the priest that his name was Yosser, and asked the priest if, instead of calling him Father, he could call him by his name. The Priest answered, yes my name is Dan. Yosser, with his head in his hands, then stated,” I’m desperate, Dan”. The line is funny, and raised a laugh in the theatre, but on the TV, Bernard Hill’s reaction, very slowly lifting his face out of his hands and staring hopelessly into the middle distance, realising that he had sunk even lower, made the whole interaction utterly hilarious.
Basically, I found this production somewhat soulless. But it has received some excellent critical reviews. Possibly from writers considerably younger than myself, who were not fortunate enough to still have a vivid memory of the original TV series.
Again, many thanks Fredo and Mike for a very interesting evening.
Photos: Alastair Muir
Jean Birch
Carmen
What a superb presentation by all the dancers. I thought the interpretation of the story was well portrayed – it was exciting, exhilarating and compassionate. I was in awe of such brilliant performances and their amazing stamina. Carlos Acosta was preaching to the converted anyway because I went along already knowing I would enjoy the show because I so love the Carmen music, but congratulations to Carlos for his wonderful choreography. Thumbs down to any bad reviews of this performance!!
Photos: Cristina Lanandez
John Hayne Reed
The Constituent
A limited access to reviews prior to visiting this play was pehaps a good thing. But I was rather impressed with the play; continually engrossing and with mesmerising performances from Anna Maxwell Martin and James Corden. HE was supposed to be the big attraction but I was relieved that he didn’t get a reflex ovation on his appearance. The role might have been made for him. His layering of his string of grievances about his life were well conveyed, and the final scenes of him as a broken man I found very moving. Anna Maxwell Martin is always excellent and she showed us the deep well of goodness and how it was battered from many sides. Some people felt that her final determination to help Alec despite everything that had gone before was sentimental and a cop-out by the author. I don’t agree. I did want a bit of optimism for both of the characters and don’t think that “sentimental” was the right word. Praise should also be given to Zachary Hart who made the most of his appearances.
Mike
June 28, 2024
The Constituent
The reviews were mixed, two to four stars, horses for courses, but there are many stables. And the fact that James Corden is Marmite should not affect a fair review. My expectations were low (Corden and Penhall seemed an odd mix) but once the leading duo got into their sparring I was hooked and the audience were clearly entertained. Today’s headlines were introduced (war-veteran constituent waylays MP at her surgery) and the topical laughs came aplenty. Of course Maxwell Martin was as nice as ever, and Corden lovers were treated to the loveable oaf he insists he is. And then as the theme darkened it all became so much more interesting: I was liking it much more than I expected. I willed it to achieve a 4 star rating from me – believable characters, the humour mixed effectively with the threatening tone, topical political tragedies in the front of my mind, and an effective well acted presentation. And then came the ending (spoiler alert) that I really was not expecting, was not wanting; it was an audience pleaser that did not please me – out of character, softly sentimental, and obviously aimed at Corden fans. It lost one of my four stars in that final scene. It changed from sharp newsworthy drama to just a goody feely maker of moist eyes. Nothing wrong with that but I was hoping for a harder finish after the tense build up.
Photos by Manuel Harlan
Judith & John
Kiss Me Kate
Coming out of the theatre, we thought ‘they don’t write them like that any more’.
A fabulous production full of colour, dance, humour and powerful songs.
We saw this musical about 20 years ago where scene changes involved curtains. Here, the revolving stage and the atmospheric lighting quickly changed the mood to give a smooth change between scenes.
It was interesting to see how the cast hovered on the edge of the action, not out of sight, even when not actually performing.
Adrian Dunbar stood out as an older character among the others and gave a good performance, although not a strong singing voice.
We were in awe of the dancing and singing skills of the cast; such energy.
The orchestra pit looked quite perilous but the cast seemed to negotiate it confidently and the band were excellent.
The theatre is very good with comfortable seats, well raked too. Just a shame they couldn’t get it together with toilet facilities.
Thank you for this terrific and very memorable occasion.
Photos: Johan Persson
Intensive research (aka Googling) tells me that the first outing of Miller’s play in 1955 was as a verse drama – a form which saw something of a revival in the 20th century at the hands of Christopher Fry and T S Eliot and still staggers on today. Maybe AVFTB’s poetic origins show, even in its present form. It has a somewhat unreal, melodramatic quality, drawing apparently on Greek tragedy. I was not surprised to find that Miller himself worked on the libretto of William Bolcom’s opera (1999) that was inspired by the play.
I confess to being in two minds about both the play and the production. No doubt, the production was on a tight budget and anything more lavish might have diluted the grim tale. The intensity of the close-knit immigrant community is a central plank of the drama. In my pathetically unimaginative way, I needed somehow a bit more mise-en-scène than that provided by the clapboard set, bleak lighting, sub-Charles Ives music and a couple of guys in cloth caps to conjure up the longshoreman context. All very well being told things by the narrator, but isn’t there a theatrical nostrum about show not tell?
Of course, the themes that Miller addresses were potent in the 1950s and remain so now – patriarchal power, female liberation, brute masculinity, intense social conservatism, sexual jealousy, sexual orientation, prejudice, omertà….…the list could go on. Packing all those into the play is an achievement and the main players did them all proud. Dominic West reminded me of a long-gone rustic uncle of mine, stupidly assertive of his entrenched ignorance and hidden vulnerabilities. Kate Fleetwood as the sterling Beatrice was especially convincing.
Maybe today we can cosily regard the play as a bit of a fossil, things having moved on etc – but I could not fathom the instant burst of laughter that greeted the notorious kiss, man-on-man. Is this no longer for modern audiences the point at which the demonstration of Eddie’s weaknesses and lack of understanding comes to a startling and serious climax? Was this a misreading of all that has gone before – by me or by West or by the director?
Anyway, while I didn’t think that a standing ovation was warranted (another mistake by the audience?), the performance was a first-rate effort and the delectable surroundings of the Theatre Royal made for a stimulating evening.
Photos: Johan Persson
Judith & John
Phantom of the Opera
This is the second time that we have seen the show, previously some 25 years ago and we cannot remember who played the big parts. We did notice a contrast with Christine, last night she had a more operatic voice; very powerful and effective and also able to perform a ballad full of quiet emotion. The phantom was excellent, culminating in the tremendous finale which raised so many tears.
The start is of the sort that raises goose bumps when the organ bursts out and the chandelier is raised. It seemed more dramatic than the way it was done before.
The ‘magic’ tricks still eluded our explanation at the time inspite of them being explained on the internet.
We loved the masquerade too, so much to see and enjoy.
The whole thing was a spectacle and our only criticisms were about the orchestra volume at times and, in particular, where we could not pick out what was being sung, especially in the first act with them all fussing about letters and singing over each other with rather weak voices and poor diction.
It was a fabulous show with so many moving moments and subtle humour and we are so glad to have seen it again before it may be gone.
Thanks Fredo and Mike for this evening and for the pre show warm up on the coach.
Lynda King
June 6, 2024
Jerry’s Girls
I enjoyed Jerry’s girls: it was an evening full of excellent singing and some great songs. However, I agree with Fredo’s comments on the way home that some context to the songs would have been helpful. But a great reminder of a the huge talent that was Jerry Herman. Thank you Fredo and Mike.
This is the first time I’ve come out of a Jerry Herman show not humming the tunes. And the reason is that there were too many, delivered at breakneck speed, and without any light and shade to distinguish them. Things picked up in the second half, with a few ballads blended into the mix. Otherwise, it was a bewildering collection of Herman’s hits embedded with some lesser-known works. A bit of scene-setting would have helped us to understand what the songs were about (thank you, Fredo, for explaining that one of the songs was sung by an aunt who’d adopted her nephew, and not by an abandoned wife). The performers worked hard, but their delivery verged on the frenetic. Too much, too fast, too fussy. The best of times? Not this time.
Photos: Tristram Kenton
Garth
May 29 2024
The Cherry Orchard
This old codger’s heart sank slightly when he read that the play was to be in “a version” by the Director and that a live band would be on stage. In the event, any apprehensions were swept away by the sheer imaginative and dramatic force of the production and by the suite of glittering performances.
The production had great fluidity and brilliant ensemble playing. In the first half there was a lot to grasp – the individuality of the characters (which ran a little close to star turns), the back story, the tangled relationships – but all this flowed into the more potent second half. (Here the band was a real character in itself, subtle and moving).
While Tsarist Russia and its inequities were real enough, the directorial shift away from some of the specificities of time and place yielded a strong contemporary resonance, a doomy sense of impending collapse, the consequences of the old regime’s savage insouciance. Tragically, Trofimov’s idealistic programme for the future was surely just as delusory as Ranevskaya’s displacement activity.
Photos: Johan Persson (More photos in News section 15/05/24)
A wonderful piece of manic, anarchic, and irreverent humour, which assaulted ones senses as soon as the curtain went up. This was Monty Python on speed! The brilliant cast must surely be totally exhausted after every performance. I couldn’t single out any one of them for individual praise, although there were times when I thought that David Cumming’s head would explode during his portrayals as Charles Cholmondeley.
Whilst this production was essentially a humorous satire, and it was genuinely funny, there were
moments, and songs that were quite downbeat and sentimental. For me, these moments, amidst all the mayhem, were very effective, and really quite emotional.
I thought overall this show was a perfect antidote, if only temporary, to the current gloom and political correctness which seem to pervade all sections of society at the present time. Judging from the immediate and enthusiastic standing ovation, I think the audience seemed to agree with me.
Again thanks Fredo and Mike for another great theatrical experience.
Photos: Matt Crockett
Judith & John
Sleeping Beauty
We like the chance to see ballet companies other than the Royal Ballet and we have seen this company before in Don Quixote. Their performance was full of enthusiasm and energy and, although there were a few wobbles, we enjoyed the production immensely.
We loved the lavish costumes and set which created a wonderful atmosphere and our seats, near the stage, meant we could fully appreciate them and observe the footwork. The final act was especially enjoyable with such clever choreography; puss in boots, bluebird and red riding hood in particular.
One of the joys of such productions is the orchestra and the score for this ballet contains so many well known pieces that the person sat next to us was eyes closed and humming at points! We wonder how the orchestra cope with the mist from dry ice rolling into the pit.
It was quite a long production and some of it could be cut with little effect on the overall story.
Sadler’s wells is a lovely theatre and we have always enjoyed the groups visits there.
Thank you Fredo and Mike for choosing a ballet once again.
Photos: Tristram Kenton
Mike (Until someone else adds a comment)
April 19, 2024
Opening Night
<<<< Click for trailer
Ah yes, Opening Night, which has now announced an earlier-than-planned closing night. It’s a very odd musical mix of theatre angst and movie indulgence. All praise to everyone taking part – it seemed they all knew what was going on although we felt like onlookers not invited to the therapy session. Maybe no-one was brave enough to tell director Ivo van Hove, playing with his video cameras, that enough was enough. The big rear screen predominated so really we didn’t know whether to watch close-ups on film or the on-and-off stage-action. It helped having seen the 1977 movie a few months ago, and it seemed like madness to want to turn it into a musical. Now we know it was indeed a very odd decision. It had songs by Rufus Wainwright, most of which we enjoyed, especially well sung by Sheridan Smith and Nicola Hughes – play trailer above to listen. The performances were determinedly brave, but clearly it was not the sort of musical most were hoping for from Sheridan Smith. I feared the Group would be disappointed, but surprisingly on the coach home most said they were entertained by it….I was entertained too, by the talents involved and the open-stage presentation. Certainly the original John Cassavetes non-main-stream movie is an acquired taste, so maybe a smaller-scale show in a smaller theatre would have been more appropriate, without the pressures of West End expectations.
Photos: Jan Versweyveld
Ian
April 12 2024
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
As therapy “written in tears and blood” by Eugene O’Neill to portray his experience of being raised by a family blighted by addiction, I found Long Day’s Journey Into Night to be enlightening and deeply moving. The play is set in the Tyrone family summer cottage (resembling a chicken shed) by the coast in Connecticut, on a despairing day like any other, apart from revelations of Edmund’s consumption and Mary’s failed rehabilitation for morphine addiction.
Like most of us, the characters are flawed and deluded, blaming each other for their failures to grow up, whilst infected by a love which sticks them together on this sad day, and for the sad days to come, as well as for the 10,000 days now lost to memory in the fog of time. It is a play about how we are haunted by the past, and how it is so difficult to change. As Mary fatalistically proclaims: “The past is the present, it is the future too!”
It is also a play about words and meanings as they blame each other for their unhappy lives. When Jamie calls his father “stingy” we get it, and see how Mary’s addiction may have started with her husband’s employ of a cheap doctor. When Tyrone counters that he is not cheap but “prudent”, explaining that he was 10 years old when his father left home, and his mother penniless, we get that too, for we are all learning machines shaped by our environment.
O’Neill is loyal and fair to his family refusing to judge or blame. There are no heroes or villains, only empathy and a desire to make sense of their lives, which brings a tenderness to the writing as he portrays the bitterness of failed hopes and dreams. Unlike an Arthur Miller play – where the protagonist often stumbles as “the chickens come home to roost” (said Miller) to deliver an emotional punch – O’Neill’s masterpiece has no denouement, no narrative arc, no protagonist and not even a pecking order. Like Rhode Island Reds cooped up in a wooden shed the characters fight, shriek and flap about, ruffling feathers but not drawing blood – imbetween endless mealtimes – before starting up all over again, to peck, cluck and preen, whilst laying blame (but no eggs) on each other.
Mary’s morphine addiction and denial ripples through the play, unsettling the men (even when she is offstage) as her fey sadness pervades the home like a sea mist; whist Tyrone’s alcoholic addiction is taken for granted. Finally Tyrone and Jamie confess to their sins, which gives them hope for change; whilst poor Mary can only pray to the Virgin for redemption and a return of her faith.
I was amused when Tyrone spoke of his love of Shakespeare and how he squandered his talent in pursuit of money, which he seemed unable to spend, and so speculated on real estate to make more of it, as if he was blaming money and not himself on his inability to be happy.
As in Chekhov nothing really happens, which allows O’Neill to drill down into the thoughts and feelings of his characters as evoked by the writer’s particular understanding of the human condition. Thank you Fredo for recommending a great play, which I hope to see again some day, before the fog rolls in.
Photos: Johan Persson
We are set to voyage back to 1979, when Abba were in their pomp, when the world of popular music was split between (uncool) Abba fans and those of us who knew better, such as punk rockers like myself (?). But just like growing old, the love of Abba creeps up on you, for me as a guilty pleasure in middle age; but it seems that we are all Abba fans now, I thought, as I took in the wildly diverse expectant crowd at this pop up arena in East London.
We are all here now, young and old, awaiting this word of mouth extravaganza to begin, watching the snow silently falling on a Swedish birch wood forest at night, with occasional spots of flashlight through the trees, as our heroic Swedish time travellers approach.
Presently an absurdly lifelike Bjorn quietly walks onto the stage with a familiar smile to quote from the existentialist mind of the troubled Dane: “To be or not to be, that is the question”, says the hologram. No doubt the A’s and B’s of Abba asked themselves this same question, before creating this extravaganza; but now here we are, back in time – before the 1982 split, before they became cultural icons, before their Abba world domination.
It didn’t take long for my mind to adjust and reset, as if this really was a live Abba concert back in 1979. No point in criticising the holographic facial blow ups of blonde Agnetha for looking a little blank; for wasn’t her expression often a little sad and frozen, as she acted out the pathos and emotional narrative of songs about heartbreak and loss (whilst the boys seemingly laughed on, as if charmed by with their own creative brilliance). My favourite Abba song has Agnetha smiling and flirting with a stranger on a train in ‘The Day Before You Came’ video.
What unfolds in Abba Voyage is an exhilarating musical journey with a spectacular light laser show. It was a unique experience; thoroughly immersive and entertaining, whilst unexpectedly emotional – what with the trick of time and mortality. Appropriately the show kicks off with the slow build of The Visitors, an underrated hypnotic song about ghosts; whilst it ends with the hit The Winner Take It All, which for me captures the timeless, enduring appeal of the Abba phenomenon, where in popular distillations of brilliant song Abba capture the ordinary but devastating pain of broken human relationships, that speak to and for all of us, and always will.
The gods may throw a dice,
Their minds as cold as ice.
And someone way down here,
Loses someone dear.
But we shall not lose them, as this time capsule celebration of Abba boldly proclaims, though it was touching and strangely human to see elderly avatars of their current selves walk on at the end of the show to wave goodbye.
Photos: Johan Persson / Ralph Larmann / etc
A very “Donmar” production. Thirty-six scenes, the supporting cast of three playing more than 20 characters, a constantly revolving stage, with technicians rushing props and furniture here, there, and everywhere, and cameramen walking around beaming the two lead actors onto a sceen whilst they were performing. What could possibly go wrong!?
Keeley Hawes was quite superb. I had only seen her previously on television, where she is deservedly one of the “go to” female leads for many popular dramas. But on stage she was a revelation. Jack Davenport also gave an excellent performance, aided in no small measure by a brilliantly witty and caustic script, which gave his character a large proportion of the best lines. Although the excellent Tom Goodman-Hill, and Siobhan Redmond had some comedic “crackers” of their own.
I thoroughly enjoyed this innovative production, although I felt that the first half was a little bit frantic. The second half, where Keeley Hawes’ character saw her future dreams and ambitions ultimately crumble, was far more manageable.
The last scene, which saw her return to her job as a GP, and pull on a doctors’ plain white coat over the Dior ensemble that she was wearing, was a great piece of symbolism. Then opening her surgery door and delivering the line to the audience, “Now what seems to be the trouble?” Was a great ending.
Thanks Fredo & Mike for a very interesting evening.
Photos by Marc Brenner
Margaret
Standing at the Sky’s Edge
Mike and I really enjoyed this production. l was particularly engrossed as I know Sheffield quite well and have memories of seeing those dwellings in the sky. There was a noticeable change of mood in the second half and I can see why some found it too lengthy. But I was so invested in the characters by then and so fascinated by the staging not to mention the music that I enjoyed every minute. Mike and I ,for our sins, are not stage musical fans but this blend of wonderful music and complex drama really changed our minds . Thank you Fredo and Mike for a great night out.
Photos: Brinkhoff Moegenburg / Johan Persson
Angie Dale
Nye
If the purpose of live theatre is to entertain, then Nye, incorporating pathos, humour, satire ,even song and dance, is a success. Michael Sheen as Nye Bevan owned the stage. His magnetic charismatic performance held the audience throughout ,despite being bare foot and clad only in red and white striped panamas.
The play opens with Nye terminally ill in an NHS hospital ward. His morphine induced hallucinations takes the audience through his life from poverty stricken childhood in the Rhondda; positions in local government and trade unions to Housing and Health Minister in Atlee’s 1948 Labour government. Sheen’s passionate performance powerfully depicts a man at once recalcitrant , uncompromising in his vision of a fairer society, yet flawed. A man desperate to “help” yet unable, so it seemed, to support his own father as he lay dying of ‘black lung.’
The deceptively minimalistic set is extraordinarily effective. Hospital green is the predominant colour with ECG graphs intermittently flitting across the stage. Institutional beds become in turn a podium , a library and the Chamber in the House of Commons. The use of multi media in the form of faces projected on a screen the width of the stage illustrate the overwhelming objection of the medical profession to the very idea of a national health service.
If I were to find fault at all it would be that the scenes between Nye, his wife Jenny Lee and his old friend added nothing significant to the play. These scenes tended to be static and the play lost some of its momentum.
One cannot help but wonder what Nye would think of HIS NHS today. Undoubtedly, he would be amazed at the advances in medical science, but perhaps also dismayed at the problems that very success has created
Its been awhile since I joined you on a trip to the theatre Fredo. Thank you very much. I loved it.
Photos: Johan Persson
June
Just For One Day
This show is amazing. To truly understand the superhuman feat that Bob Geldof accomplished in 1985, it helps to have actually lived through it and seen, albeit on tv screens, the dreadfulness that was the reason for Live Aid. That said, I guess we can all appreciate good music – and good it was – so this show will reach out to the young and old alike and hopefully keep Bob’s legacy alive. God bless him.
BTW We enjoyed it so much we booked to see it again………..
Photos by Manuel Harlan
Pauline
Dear Octopus
A very pleasant and charming play. Not one I’d rush to recommend but the scenery, scene changes and dialogue gave a glimpse into how families may have related to each others’ moods and different outlooks and conducted themselves in a very contained manner with the occasional outbursts.
Photos by Marc Brenner
Barry Allum
Pacific Overtures
Not a Haiku (no natural element), rather a Senryū :
In the theatre
We all were transported to
Ancient Japan – Wow!
Photos: Manuel Harlan
Edwina
January
Rock’n’Roll
A cerebral workout – the main tenet of the play being a clash of political ideology between a tutor and his student.
It was very wordy with a broad range of topics that didn’t all resonate with me – the poetry of Sappho and Plutarch….however Fredo’s invaluable summary helped put The Plastic People and Syd Barrett in context – so thank you Fredo.
Great acting – clever staging and some great music made for another excellent evening at the theatre.
I am certain I would not have seen this without joining in with the group – very pleased that I did.
Thank you Fredo and Mike
Photos: Manuel Harlan
Clare
Edward Scissorhands
What a wonderful experience. I haven’t seen the film and was not sure what to expect. It was fabulous. So many dancers each with their own characters and the usual touch of Matthew Bourne humour as well. How on earth did Liam Mower manage to dance and lift with those blades on his hands? The music was good as well and lovely to see both Liam Mower and Dominic North on the same night. You chose a good day Fredo. Many thanks.
Photos: Tristram Kenton
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