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.
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Saturday, 16 May 2009
Ladies Day
Through the torrential rain, I drove across to Lichfield on Friday night to see Ladies' Day, by Amanda Whittington.
Despite the miserable trip there, the play managed to lift the spirits of the rather bedraggled audience. Its distinctly northern humour hit the mark with the primarily middle aged audience. Some of the scene changes were clunky, to say the least - always the issue in studio spaces where there isn't the capacity for a curtain or any kind of meaningful blackout.
It struck me as being somewhat predictable in terms of structure... for the most part the first act stumbled along and then most of the second act was raced through as each character revealed their 'big secret' one after another. Amongst it there were certainly a couple of cringeworthy moments (I could have done without the ghostly apparition for one) and its setting is so intrinsically provincial that I can't imagine they could even dream of taking it to London but it was an enjoyable enough 2 hours with some very strong performances.
Despite the miserable trip there, the play managed to lift the spirits of the rather bedraggled audience. Its distinctly northern humour hit the mark with the primarily middle aged audience. Some of the scene changes were clunky, to say the least - always the issue in studio spaces where there isn't the capacity for a curtain or any kind of meaningful blackout.
It struck me as being somewhat predictable in terms of structure... for the most part the first act stumbled along and then most of the second act was raced through as each character revealed their 'big secret' one after another. Amongst it there were certainly a couple of cringeworthy moments (I could have done without the ghostly apparition for one) and its setting is so intrinsically provincial that I can't imagine they could even dream of taking it to London but it was an enjoyable enough 2 hours with some very strong performances.
Thursday, 14 May 2009
Tick, Tick, Boom!
Somewhat contraversially, I think I prefer Tick, Tick, Boom! to RENT. As a show, RENT effects me much more, but when they're broken down, I prefer TTB's music. I don't think it has as much of that clunkiness that put me off RENT for so long.
Having missed the production at the Menier a few years back (I was due to go on the day 2 weeks on from July 7th when there was another huge security alert and took the decision to stay home instead), I'd never seen TTB staged before last week.
I left feeling underwhelmed and a little disappointed. A lot of Larson's beauty is in his harmonies and the three voices on stage just didn't seem to blend. It struck me that they had been cast as individuals without much thought for their chemistry. I've never been a fan of Julie Atherton's voice... I appreciate its technical strength but it's so nasal that it goes through me like nails on a blackboard. And it's so very distinctive that, despite her strong acting, whenever she sings, I feel like she's playing the same character. I'd loved Paul Keating in Little Shop but his voice was clearly very tired and was cracking all over the place. Can't fault his characterisation though, and the whole section after he finds out that Michael's HIV+ and leading into Why was just incredible. Leon Lopez was much as I expected - good, solid, but unremarkable.
The strength of the material really shone through but the production itself? Could take it or leave it.
Having missed the production at the Menier a few years back (I was due to go on the day 2 weeks on from July 7th when there was another huge security alert and took the decision to stay home instead), I'd never seen TTB staged before last week.
I left feeling underwhelmed and a little disappointed. A lot of Larson's beauty is in his harmonies and the three voices on stage just didn't seem to blend. It struck me that they had been cast as individuals without much thought for their chemistry. I've never been a fan of Julie Atherton's voice... I appreciate its technical strength but it's so nasal that it goes through me like nails on a blackboard. And it's so very distinctive that, despite her strong acting, whenever she sings, I feel like she's playing the same character. I'd loved Paul Keating in Little Shop but his voice was clearly very tired and was cracking all over the place. Can't fault his characterisation though, and the whole section after he finds out that Michael's HIV+ and leading into Why was just incredible. Leon Lopez was much as I expected - good, solid, but unremarkable.
The strength of the material really shone through but the production itself? Could take it or leave it.
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
Three Days of Rain
For the sake of this, I will ignore the major annoyances that accompanied my trip to Three Days of Rain caused by the ridiculous behaviour of audience members who couldn't be bothered to show up on time. Suffice to say they were very annoying!
I felt a bit underwhelmed by the play itself. I am all for a bit of ambiguity so that you go away thinking about what might be, but it left me with a few too many unanswered questions.
That said, I thought the staging was great, especially the lighting. And I was wholeheartedly impressed by all three of the actors. They all gave really fantastic performances and I was more than pleasantly surprised by Nigel Harman (who I had gone in expecting the least of). He probably had the greatest contrast between the two roles and both of them were spot on.
I fear this could end up touring after the West End with a second rate cast of "celebrities" and I hope not. I'm not sure the material is strong enough to stand up without such solid performances.
(the rather extended break in my blogging was caused by my involvement in Jet Set Go which ran for most of April and the neverending diary full of showcase performances going on at the moment. If I hear any more Jason Robert Brown I'm going to cut my ears off with a blunt knife...!)
I felt a bit underwhelmed by the play itself. I am all for a bit of ambiguity so that you go away thinking about what might be, but it left me with a few too many unanswered questions.
That said, I thought the staging was great, especially the lighting. And I was wholeheartedly impressed by all three of the actors. They all gave really fantastic performances and I was more than pleasantly surprised by Nigel Harman (who I had gone in expecting the least of). He probably had the greatest contrast between the two roles and both of them were spot on.
I fear this could end up touring after the West End with a second rate cast of "celebrities" and I hope not. I'm not sure the material is strong enough to stand up without such solid performances.
(the rather extended break in my blogging was caused by my involvement in Jet Set Go which ran for most of April and the neverending diary full of showcase performances going on at the moment. If I hear any more Jason Robert Brown I'm going to cut my ears off with a blunt knife...!)
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Light In The Piazza
On Monday night, I tootled my way through to Leicester for the final preview of Light In The Piazza at the (relatively) newly opened Curve.
The theatre itself is lovely. Spacious, comfortable and lots of legroom (double brownie points from me). If only I had so many positive things to write about the show.
Ultimately, I was bored. Very bored. I don't dispute that the orchestrations are very pretty, and they have some lovely singers but the show itself left me thoroughly cold. There is no book. At no point in the whole show did I engage with any of the characters... and that certainly wasn't the fault of the actors. Equally, I am someone who likes to be able to walk away from a show with a melody in my head and it failed utterly in that respect too. The songs had that Sondheimesque clunkiness that jars on me.
The set was bloody ugly too. Giant, moving MDF boxes shifting around the stage. Impressive in terms of scale but totally out of character for the show.
I know the plans were for a West End transfer of this. I can't see it happening and I bloody hope it doesn't - the thought of a show as dull as this clogging up a London theatre depresses me no end.
The theatre itself is lovely. Spacious, comfortable and lots of legroom (double brownie points from me). If only I had so many positive things to write about the show.
Ultimately, I was bored. Very bored. I don't dispute that the orchestrations are very pretty, and they have some lovely singers but the show itself left me thoroughly cold. There is no book. At no point in the whole show did I engage with any of the characters... and that certainly wasn't the fault of the actors. Equally, I am someone who likes to be able to walk away from a show with a melody in my head and it failed utterly in that respect too. The songs had that Sondheimesque clunkiness that jars on me.
The set was bloody ugly too. Giant, moving MDF boxes shifting around the stage. Impressive in terms of scale but totally out of character for the show.
I know the plans were for a West End transfer of this. I can't see it happening and I bloody hope it doesn't - the thought of a show as dull as this clogging up a London theatre depresses me no end.
Friday, 10 April 2009
West Side Story
West Side Story is my Mum's favourite show so not having been able to make it to the Sadler's Wells production last summer, I booked tickets for us for the tour for her birthday, several months ago now.
It's a show I've known since I was tiny but never really appreciated until recently, and I'd never seen a professional production before.
I felt almost completely let down. There was huge potential to maximise the impact of the incredible original choreography but the dancing was actually far from tight (the men especially) and really let it down. I didn't really warm to either Maria or (especially) Tony and they seemed thoroughly mismatched, both in appearance and vocally.
All that said, there were exceptions that made it worthwhile... the dream sequence was beautiful and the dancing during that was (excuse the pun) leaps and bounds ahead of the rest. Bernardo and Anita were fabulous. Jayde Westaby was just incredible and utterly outshone everyone else on that stage - America was another of the dance numbers that actually came together really well.
Maybe it was just that they're nearing the end of the tour and the complacency has set in. Maybe it was just never that strong to start with. But the show just struck me as a wasted opportunity.
It's a show I've known since I was tiny but never really appreciated until recently, and I'd never seen a professional production before.
I felt almost completely let down. There was huge potential to maximise the impact of the incredible original choreography but the dancing was actually far from tight (the men especially) and really let it down. I didn't really warm to either Maria or (especially) Tony and they seemed thoroughly mismatched, both in appearance and vocally.
All that said, there were exceptions that made it worthwhile... the dream sequence was beautiful and the dancing during that was (excuse the pun) leaps and bounds ahead of the rest. Bernardo and Anita were fabulous. Jayde Westaby was just incredible and utterly outshone everyone else on that stage - America was another of the dance numbers that actually came together really well.
Maybe it was just that they're nearing the end of the tour and the complacency has set in. Maybe it was just never that strong to start with. But the show just struck me as a wasted opportunity.
Monday, 2 March 2009
Saturday Night
Managed to bag myself the last ticket to see Saturday Night at Jermyn Street last Wednesday. I'm not really a Sondheim fan (with a couple of exceptions) but went along to support a friend involved with the show and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.
It was slick, classy and uplifting. The music reminded me a lot of Bugsy Malone (in fact, I have spent the 5 days since the show humming 'We Coulda Been Anything We Wanted To Be') but I thought it was staged nicely and the cast were great - never underestimate how hard an actor/muso works! My only criticism was of the use of the space - having part of the stage raised meant that they halfed their usable space at any one time. The ensemble numbers seemed crowded and the choreography got a little bit lost as a result. But that's a minor niggle really and on the whole was very impressed, and very pleased to see a fringe production so well attended!
It was slick, classy and uplifting. The music reminded me a lot of Bugsy Malone (in fact, I have spent the 5 days since the show humming 'We Coulda Been Anything We Wanted To Be') but I thought it was staged nicely and the cast were great - never underestimate how hard an actor/muso works! My only criticism was of the use of the space - having part of the stage raised meant that they halfed their usable space at any one time. The ensemble numbers seemed crowded and the choreography got a little bit lost as a result. But that's a minor niggle really and on the whole was very impressed, and very pleased to see a fringe production so well attended!
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