I fell in love with Zanna last summer, when RSAMD did it at the Edinburgh Fringe and so was excited to see it getting its London premiere finally, not least because it was featuring one of my lovely clients!
Having failed to make it out to The Space to see it, I caught it late on in its run at Upstairs At The Gatehouse. It was as funny and kitsch and cute and charming as I remembered. I defy anyone who has ever felt like an outsider not to feel a little shiver inside in the final moments.
Though the direction and, especially, choreography were unimaginative (and, at moments, bordering on boring), the cast were, for the most part, strong and clearly enthusiastic about the piece. It's a lovely little show that deserves a bigger run than it's had anywhere so far.
Friday 26 June 2009
Wednesday 3 June 2009
Sister Act
I've been looking forward to Sister Act for a good few months now. It's been a while since the West End had a big hit, and this seemed like the most likely suspect for the shows opening in the first half of this year.
Went along to opening night this week and LOVED IT. Absolutely adored it. I think the first 15-20 minutes are a little slow but after that it just zips along and is so slick. The nuns, as you would expect, do steal the show. All the characters you'd expect from the film are there, with all their quirks and characterisations. The set is absolutely mindblowing - makes full use of the scale of the Palladium and just is constantly evolving.
It doesn't matter that the music is different. It seems a bit odd to start with, but then Menken's score is so infectious that you forget that part of you was expecting to hear I Will Follow Him. Raise Your Voice and Take Me To Heaven are especially strong.
Patina Miller really is a star - she fills that massive stage with what seems like no effort at all. Her voice is beautiful and she can really act. The supporting cast are all strong also but really pale in comparison next to her (especially Ian Lavender - you barely even know he's in the show!).
Surprised that the reviews were so distinctly lukewarm. Word of mouth is overwhelmingly positive, so hopefully it will defy the critics and keep the nuns singing for some time to come.
Went along to opening night this week and LOVED IT. Absolutely adored it. I think the first 15-20 minutes are a little slow but after that it just zips along and is so slick. The nuns, as you would expect, do steal the show. All the characters you'd expect from the film are there, with all their quirks and characterisations. The set is absolutely mindblowing - makes full use of the scale of the Palladium and just is constantly evolving.
It doesn't matter that the music is different. It seems a bit odd to start with, but then Menken's score is so infectious that you forget that part of you was expecting to hear I Will Follow Him. Raise Your Voice and Take Me To Heaven are especially strong.
Patina Miller really is a star - she fills that massive stage with what seems like no effort at all. Her voice is beautiful and she can really act. The supporting cast are all strong also but really pale in comparison next to her (especially Ian Lavender - you barely even know he's in the show!).
Surprised that the reviews were so distinctly lukewarm. Word of mouth is overwhelmingly positive, so hopefully it will defy the critics and keep the nuns singing for some time to come.
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