42nd Street - Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Adorable model of the 42nd Street set

Another tour de force from Ovation, full of amazing tap-dancing, industrial-sized sacks of energy and buckets of joie de vivre. I'm always impressed with the way Ovation manage to scale down massive productions to fit the cosy space of Upstairs at the Gatehouse.

The plot was simple: theatre company plans to put on a new (and regressive) musical Pretty Lady (with an emphasis on youth and beauty) funded by the sugar daddy of the leading lady, Dorothy Brock (Tamsin Dowsett), who can sing well but can't dance. An ingénue who turns up late to the backing dancer audition - Peggy Sawyer (Kate-Anne Fenton) - turns out to be an amazing dancer, so she's taken on. After a falling out with Dorothy, Sugar Daddy pulls out of funding the production. Then Dorothy gets injured and everyone implores Peggy to be the leading lady, which role she eventually accepts.

While the plot was simple, it felt as though different elements had been added to different drafts of the script, and the writers had forgotten to remove parts when making each new draft. It was never clear who the protagonist was or which hinted-at romance was going to blossom. Would Peggy get together with Billy, the sweet, friendly dancer who helped her get into the musical? Or was she going to supplant Dorothy Brock in the affections of Pat Denning, Dorothy's non-sugar-daddy boyfriend? OR was she going to end up with the director, Julian Marsh, with whom she had a Stockholm-Sydrome-esque relationship? As it turned out, no romance developed. Between anyone.

And who was the protagonist? Peggy? Julian Marsh? Billy? Oh, and what was Julian Marsh's mysterious backstory? I'm sure that was spelled out in one draft.

But the songs and dancing more than made up for shortcomings in the plot - and I kind of enjoyed the misleading plotlines, anyway. The songs were catchy and memorable. Kate-Anne Fenton made an endearing Peggy Sawyer. The character could have easily become irritating/sickly, given her extreme humbleness, but in this production she remained likeable throughout. The costumes were excellent. There were loads of costume changes because of the 'show within a show'. I love 1930s fashions. And tap dancing. One of my favourite bits was when the backing dancers all danced to the café.

Next: Swive

Amélie, The Musical - The Other Palace

Poor quality photo of Amélie set

Amélie, The Musical is almost guaranteed to warm the cockles of the hoariest of hearts. I left feeling more tender and compassionate towards my fellow humans than when I'd entered.

Based on the 2001 film, this musical was faithful to the film's look, atmosphere, vibe and storyline. Amélie is the story of an idiosyncratic young woman (I'm trying not to use the word 'quirky') who is inspired following the death of 'Lady Di' (said in a French accent) to carry out small acts of kindness that end up impacting their recipients in significant, positive ways. The musical reminds you of the vulnerability/fragility of humankind and to remember to be aware that other people might have things going on in their lives that you don't know about.

It was in English rather than French but contained liberal sprinklings of French, rendered authentic by the French-Canadian origins of Audrey Brisson, who played the titular eccentric.

The music was similar to Yann Tiersen's film score, and was played by the actors on stage. Each actor played an instrument - including Amélie, who played the piano at one point. The music was made extra impressive by the actors whirling around and singing while playing their assorted violins/accordion/cello (the piano was the only instrument not whirled around, although it did move). The songs weren't particularly memorable, in that I didn't have any of them going around in my head the next day, but they suited the story perfectly. I was engrossed from beginning to end.

My favourite part of the Paris metro-styled set was the circular window (clock?), which doubled up as Amélie's flat, to which she effortlessly ascended via a rope/hoist, which was in keeping with her character. Other highlights/viewpoints:

• The puppet of Amélie as a young child, which depicted scenes from Amélie's early life while the adult Amélie moved in synchronisation with it, was poignant and moving.

• The life-sized gnome gaudily recounting its adventures from its travels around the world was a thing of joy.

• I loved the protectiveness of Amélie's café friends/acquaintances/employer, and their keeness for her to find love.

• I think it's a pity Amélie's mum doesn't get a redemption storyline. Her demise and the manner in which it takes place help to account for Amélie's eccentricity...but the oddness of her parents and upbringing by themselves would be enough to account for that.

Next: 42nd Street

Strike up the Band - Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Lovely CHEESE! 

This was a bizarre show. The premise was unusual, the plot ridiculous and the tone inconsistent. I enjoyed it very much, but can understand why it has been a 'lost' Gershwin musical until now. There were many bemused murmurings at the interval and the murmurers didn't return to see the second act.

Basic plot: Horace J. Fletcher, the owner of a successful cheese factory in America, declares war on Switzerland over a trivial trade issue. Subplot: two (kind of three) love stories. It's set in 1927. There were several references to Donald Trump, whom Fletcher (played by Richard Emerson) resembled uncannily in terms of outlook and attitude. Maybe the plot wasn't that far-fetched after all...😬

One of the reasons why I enjoyed this was because I liked the songs, and the singing was superlative. I could have listened to Charlotte Christensen (Anne Draper) all day long. Her delightfully 20s blue tunic was good too. I also enjoyed the tap dancing joyously executed by Sammy Graham.

The character/performance that 'made' the show was George Spelvin (David Francis), the spy (at least, I think that's what he turned out to be in the denouement). I'm not sure whether it was the script, Francis's characterisation, or both, but the humour he brought was a different kind of humour to the show's dominant punny/word-play humour. It was weirder and more surrealist, and I found it and him laugh out loud funny. His character pretended to be several different people and they were all hilarious.

The tone of this oeuvre was inconsistent. It was 80% comedy - and really, really ridiculous comedy - but some it was supposed to be taken seriously by the audience, namely the burgeoning romance between Joan Fletcher (Beth Burrows) and Jim Townsend (Paul Biggin), and Townsend's various acts of integrity and heroism. But in the context of a risible plot (featuring a spurious cheese-related war fought by employees of a cheese factory, soldiers enjoying said war, yodelling), you couldn't take anything seriously. I have no problem with a ridiculous plot (see: Comedy of Errors, The Mikado) but I do have a problem with jarring, implausible changes in tone.

The bit that came closest to genuine pathos was the scene on the boat returning from Switzerland, in which Fletcher and Mrs Draper (Pippa Winslow) shared mildly affectionate feelings for one another, while struggling with seasickness.

Next: Don Quixote

Top Hat - Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Fred Astaire, who played Jerry in the film Top Hat

Upstairs at the Gatehouse's front of house nearly refused me entrance. There was some problem with their system, which meant that my name wasn't appearing on their records. I showed them the e-mailed ticket receipt on my phone, but they were determined to find the actual record on their system (which they never found), and insisted that I waited while they checked other peoples' tickets first. As UatG's seating arrangements operate on a first come first served basis, this was irritating. I was finally allowed in, sans apology, and managed to bag a good seat in spite of front of house's best efforts.

Seeing high energy, uber extroverted productions within the close confines of UatG is like watching a musical in your bedroom. You can see (and, in some cases, feel) every bead of sweat, every drop of spittle, every strip of tape holding mics in place on perspiring foreheads. You can't help constantly catching the actors' eyes, so you have to make sure you're always smiling in enjoyment...which generally isn't difficult to do.

This was another show set in the 1930s - 1935, to be precise - complete with art deco set designs. I seem to have seen a lot of 1930s productions at UatG, and will never tire of the costumes and sets. The storyline was simple and highly P.G. Woodhouse-esque, based around a misunderstanding over the identity of the male protagonist, Jerry Travers, on the part of the female protagonist, Dale Tremont, and involving a butler who adopted a number of different disguises. Dale thought Jerry was Horace, the husband of her friend Madge, leading to genuinely laugh out loud moments when Madge appeared to be encouraging Dale to pursue her husband romantically. Joshua Lay, who, incidentally, resembled a younger Daniel Craig, successfully captured the indefatigable exuberance and irritating overconfidence of Jerry Travers. Joanne Clifton, of Strictly Come Dancing fame, was suitably aloof (and rightly so, with Jerry), perplexed and glamorous as Dale. She had some beautiful costumes, including the white swooshy skirt one with (fake?) fur (or was it feathers?).

The humour was quite 'of its era', let me say - apart from the Woodhousian plot/s and wordplay, which were fine, the Madge/Horace plotline involved a lot of somewhat tedious 'isn't marriage awful' banter, and domestic violence against a man was played for laughs...which was discomforting.

The tap dancing was wonderful - I hardly ever see tap, so it was Top Hat's main draw for me. However, while I like seeing these kinds of productions at UatG, I thought, on this occasion, that some of the dancing would've looked better from a distance rather than up close. It amazes me that the front rows of audience manage to walk out without multiple facial injuries every night. Song-wise: it was good to hear familiar songs such as 'Puttin' on the Ritz' and 'Let's Face the Music and Dance' in the context of a show. Not so keen on the yodel-y 'I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket', though (not the actors' fault - just don't like the song). The finale/curtain call was one of the best I've ever seen, if not THE best. They did a medley and dance, and the members of the ensemble actually changed outfits JUST FOR THE FINALE. 

Next: Austentatious

photo credit: twm1340 Fred Astaire via photopin (license)

An American in Paris - Dominion Theatre

Paris

As a big fan of George Gershwin, I was excited to finally see An American in Paris, fresh from Broadway. I listened to the orchestral composition 'An American in Paris' MANY times during my teenage years, along with 'Rhapsody in Blue'. [Yes, I was a cool teen. My Gershwin CD was, I think, the first CD I ever bought.] So it was interesting to experience this piece in the context of a musical.

Set in France immediately after the second world war, An American in Paris follows the fortunes of three artistically-inclined young men who become friends, and fall in love with the same woman, a talented ballet dancer. The plot wasn't hugely sophisticated, but it wasn't Julian Fellowes-level predictable, either. It was kind of like a more upbeat, less fantastical version of The Red Shoes - with songs. Both oeuvres being about a love of dance, following your dreams, and romance, and both containing a 'show within a show' ballet. [But yes, apart from that, they are completely different.]

An American in Paris was an extremely easy to watch, fluid, absorbing, uplifting, beautiful show. Flowing like a pure, calming, glittering stream, it was exuberant but somehow more restrained than most musicals - I suppose because of the style of music (the composition 'An American in Paris' plus Gershwin brothers' songs) and dancing (there was a lot of ballet). My favourite pieces were 'I Got Rhythm', 'I've Got Beginner's Luck', which included umbrella twirling and unbelievably rapid costume changes, and good old show tune 'I'll Build A Stairway to Paradise'. And of course, the climactic ballet number, which featured modernist costume and set designs. 

The sets were detailed and gorgeous - lots of impressive Parisian buildings, bohemian cafés and avant-garde 1940s interiors. One of the things I loved about this show was the graceful and creative way in which the performers themselves carried in the props and manoeuvred the sets into place; for example, someone twirling onstage carrying a chair above their head. The props team must have been very on-the-ball in this show, making sure everything was to hand. The costumes were wonderful and there were costume changes aplenty. Elegant New Look-style dresses abounded. Finally: I love the name Milo for a woman.

photo credit: Luc Mercelis Paris, Place Vendôme via photopin (license)

Next: Pygmalion

Anything Goes - Upstairs at the Gatehouse

'Lifebelt', or, as Americans apparently say, 'lifebuoy'

This buoyant production cast my cares adrift, becalmed my worries and firmly anchored my mind in the metaphorical harbour of happiness. OK, enough gratuitous nautical terms! This was the first time I'd seen Anything Goes, Cole Porter's 1934 musical set aboard the ocean liner SS American, and Ovation's production did not disappoint.

P.G. Woodhouse was involved in the creation of the story and Anything Goes contains many typical Woodhousian themes, including false identities (both with and without disguises), British aristocracy, romance and, of course, extreme silliness. I enjoyed the exuberantly-delivered songs; I hadn't realised 'Let's Misbehave' was from Anything Goes - it's one of my favourite songs from that era. The main 'powerhouse' songs were the titular 'Anything Goes' and 'Blow, Gabriel, Blow'. The tap dancing that accompanied these numbers was impressive, especially given the confines of Upstairs at the Gatehouse.

I loved Taryn Erickson's performance as Christian evangelical turned nightclub singer Reno Sweeney. I can imagine this character being played in a more cynical way; I liked the fact that she was played here as a thoroughly good-hearted, mischievous, infectiously cheerful person. My favourite scenes were those featuring Reno and stereotypically reserved, fastidious British aristocrat Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, who was amusingly played by Jack Keane. The two were very funny together in their opposites-attracting storyline.

Excellent 1930s costumes - I loved the high-waisted trousers in particular, and Reno and her Angels' nautical inspired get-ups. I'd wear high-waisted trousers almost up to my armpits, if they were available. Especially in winter. The set was also good, as usual, with audience members seated on either side of the 'deck', and a video of the sea projected onto one end of the theatre while the 'ship' was in motion, and a picture of land when it had arrived in Britain towards the end.

photo credit: Alan O'Rourke lifebuoy-ring-buoy-lifering-lifesaver-life-donut-life-preserver-lifebelt-blue via photopin (license)

Next: Cirque du Soleil

Half a Sixpence - Noël Coward Theatre

'Two half sixpences joined together make one...'

This was one of the most energetic things I've ever seen. Charlie Stemp must have the stamina of an Olympic athlete. I hope he is a naturally hyper, exuberant, jolly person because otherwise playing Arthur Kipps in this production must take a superhuman amount of effort. I admit I find the idea of someone with a melancholic disposition playing such a relentlessly ebullient, physically demanding role darkly amusing.

Set in 1911, Half a Sixpence is a rags to riches to rags back to some degree of riches tale, featuring irrepressible banjo-playing apprentice tailor Arthur Kipps, who unexpectedly inherits a fortune, finds it difficult to fit into upper class society and has romantic misadventures with two women at opposite ends of the social scale. It's funny, feel-good and very, very jolly, with elaborate sets, great dance numbers and banjo-playing.

Most of the songs in this production were original to the first musical, but there were several new songs and some of the original songs didn't feature, for example, 'All in the cause of economy', which I remember enjoying in the school production I saw many moons ago. However, the new songs were excellent, especially 'Pick out a simple tune', which was WONDERFUL! My traditional Half a Sixpence favourite, 'Flash, bang wallop', entertaining as it was, was surpassed by 'Pick out a simple tune'. It wasn't just the song, it was the dancing during the song that made it so good; upper class people loosening up and playing the spoons and someone swinging on the chandelier.

The more minor characters were given proper personalities, which I liked. My favourite character was Sid Pornick (Alex Hope), one of the apprentices, because I liked his idealistic socialism and his hat. I was delighted when the woman he planned to marry turned out to be a suffragette. Regarding a main character, I felt sorry for Helen Walsingham (Emma Williams) at the end - I vaguely remember feeling the same way when I first saw this musical. She gets a rough deal that I'm not convinced she deserves. Still - it's 1911 - in three years' time all their lives will be turned upside down, and maybe Helen will get to do satisfying war work...

The only slightly negative thing I have to say about this production of Half a Sixpence is that it bears the unmistakable hallmark of Julian Fellowes' authorship: lack of subtlety. For example, the scene at Lady Punnet's musical evening, in which Kipps says outright at least once that he doesn't want to be there - it would have been more realistic for his discomfort to have revealed itself through facial expressions and movements rather than stating to her Ladyship's face that he's hating her social event. Kipps is working-class; he doesn't have Asperger's Syndrome.

Lack of subtlety aside, this is the perfect show to see if you're looking for a potent shot of jollity and merriment.

photo credit: woody1778a GREAT BRITAIN, VICTORIA 1892 ---SIXPENCE a via photopin (license)

Next: Anything Goes

The Go-Between - Apollo Theatre

Mercury, messenger of the gods

The Go-Between by L.P. Hartley is one of my top five favourite novels, so I was both excited and apprehensive when I saw the play advertised. Apprehensive because the book is so atmospheric, absorbing, believable, subtle and magical that it's pretty much impossible for any adaptation to do it justice. And because the poster is a little tacky, with its big close-up of Michael Crawford's anxious/contemplative face. And because it is described as a 'musical adaptation', which is enough to strike fear into any Go-Between purist's heart.

However, my concerns about the play's musical nature were allayed when I saw the piano on the stage. The music thankfully wasn't like that in a 'musical' proper (with drums, etc.), which would not have suited the story. The piano was the only instrument used. For the most part I enjoyed the music - it was beautiful and the voices were amazing - but some of the lyrics I found too unsubtle, especially those in the 'Butterfly' song about Leo's feelings towards Marian. Show, don't tell!

The rest of the set was intriguing...patches of grass growing between floorboards, a big wooden chest, floor-length 'windows' at the back of the stage. The lighting was used to great effect throughout the play to convey the different atmospheres. 1900s costumes: excellent.

The characterisation in the play was strong. I was extremely impressed with Luka Green's performance as young Leo. I thought he played the part perfectly; suitably curious and interested in his new surroundings, keenly aware that he was from a different social milieu to the Maudsleys and anxious to avoid making any embarrassing faux pas, both fascinated and frustrated by the behaviour of the adults around him, desperately wanting to impress Marian, mildly irritated by the obnoxious Marcus, independent, confident in his magical abilities...one of the things I liked about the play was the fact that it didn't gloss over Leo's 'magic', which I felt the 1971 film kind of did. The deadly nightshade scene was powerful.

I also really liked Stuart Ward as morose tenant farmer Ted Burgess. The scenes featuring him and young Leo were intense and absorbing. And I loved the special effect of Ted diving into the lake! Michael Cranfield's almost constant presence on the stage as the older Leo worked well, adding to the sense of foreboding. I thought Marian (Gemma Sutton) could have been a bit more serene and detached earlier on in the play, which would have made her later outbursts towards Leo more shocking.

My theatre companion was appalled, incensed and deeply aggrieved that the ending of this version [spoiler alert!] revealed the older Leo to be pleased that he had acted as the 'go-between'; that he considered the damaging effects of that summer's events on his life to have been worth it because he had served the pure and noble role of aiding and abetting True Love. This ending was different to that of the novel, in which the older Leo was aware that the summer's events had caused him to live less boldly than before and to limit his horizons. While I agreed with my companion that the novel's ending was far superior and made more sense, I wasn't too bothered by the play's ending. I think it can be read as the older Leo just being deluded, which makes the whole thing even more poignant...or it can just be ignored. The rest of the play up until the final minute or two was so good, one shouldn't let the final couple of minutes detract from it!

photo credit: Mercury via photopin (license)

Next: The Alchemist

Bar Mitzvah Boy - Upstairs at the Gatehouse

The Torah

Bar Mitzvah Boy The Musical: the musical that says exactly what it is on the tin. Bar Mitzvah Boy The Musical - a musical about a boy preparing for and undergoing his bar mitzvah, right? Yes. That is exactly what it was. A simple story maybe, but the appeal of this show lay in its well-drawn, endearing characters, strong humour and heart-warming nature. 

One of the things I love about Upstairs at the Gatehouse is the fact that its smallness and compactness encourages companies to put extra effort into making their sets as detailed and authentic-looking as possible. Bar Mitzvah Boy is set in the 1970s - this was actually the first staging of the musical since the original 1978 production - so there were shag carpets, beaded curtain/doors and orange and brown wallpaper with geometrical patterns galore. The costumes and hairstyles were also delightfully and convincingly 70s. I have a tendency to romanticise the idea of 70s fashions, so watching this was a reminder that many outfits of the time were indeed hideous.

Adam Bregman was excellent as Eliot Green, the titular Bar Mitzvah Boy, who was very conscientious about his bar mitzvah preparations and annoyed with his family for only caring about what he regarded as superficialities. His agonisings over the meaning of becoming a man and the spiritual element of the ceremony struck me as very true to life and understandable - typically earnestly teenagerish, maybe - but commendable.

While Eliot was the focus of the action, the other characters and how they related to each other played an important part in the story. All the characters were likeable and sympathetic to some extent. The parents, Rita and Victor, were a typical 70s North London couple; Rita (Sue Kelvin) was a housewife and Victor (Robert Maskell) a taxi driver. Rita's extreme anxiety over ensuring that the bar mitzvah passed off without a hitch and impressed the myriad of guests provided much of the humour of the show. Despite her frustration over her husband's lack of interest in the plans (and his reluctance to help out more generally around the house), and his irritation with the non-stop bar mitzvah preparation discussions, it was clear that their marriage was, overall, a happy one.

The relationship between Lesley (Lara Stubbs) and her boyfriend Harold (Nicholas Corre) was more modern in terms of gender roles, but unfortunately that was in a large part due to the fact that Harold was simply a pushover and willing to do anything in order to be liked. Harold was my favourite character; yes, he was a pushover but he was genuinely helpful, optimistic and perpetually good-natured. He also had a song and a dance of his own that he performed while doing the cleaning up. It was clear that Lesley and Harold's relationship was on the rocks and it was interesting to see how/whether their relationship situation would be resolved by the end (it wasn't). Lesley's caring and protective attitude towards her brother was sweet.

One of my favourite scenes was the bar mitzvah scene where Eliot's granddad and Victor had to recite their different parts in Hebrew. The granddad (Hayward B Morse), a very amusing character, was overcome with emotion, while Rita was less than impressed with Victor's reciting, loudly muttering 'appalling'.

It was good to see a musical I was unfamiliar with - I don't think I'd heard any of the songs before. I would've liked a bit more overt klezmer, maybe, but there were klezmer elements incorporated into the music.

This musical has been criticised for not having enough of a storyline, but I really enjoyed it. It was a true 'feel-good' show and I left feeling happy and musically sated. I also learned that 'bar mitzvah' can be used as a verb, not just a noun (well, it was in this show, anyway).

photo credit: Mikraot Gedolot with yiddish commentary - Lekh lekhah - here: Pirush LeTorah Elokim #yiddish #chumash #torah #commentary #perush #bereshit via photopin (license)

Next: Pericles

Bend it Like Beckham - Phoenix Theatre

England football shirt

I wonder how David Beckham feels about this musical. It must be amazing to know there's a show running in the West End that depicts you as one of the best and most admired footballers of your generation and (in a more minor way) an object of desire, AND has your name in the title. What's more, this being the progressive, feminist-minded oeuvre that it is, it is the female protagonist, Jess, who sees Mr Beckham purely in terms of his footballing prowess and the gay male character, Tony, who makes (the only?) reference to his physical attractiveness.

Because of such feminist qualities including, most obviously, its championing of women's football - and of course, its exploration of other important issues such as balancing familial/cultural expectations with achieving an ambition, being held back by prejudice etc. - I wish I could say that I loved this musical, but unfortunately I did not. Everyone else in the audience seemed to love it, though, so maybe I wasn't in the right mood. I enjoyed the film very much and just didn't think the story worked as well in musical form.

Good points first: Natalie Dew as Jess was instantly likeable with her open, friendly face and earnest expressions, and completely believable. It was good to see Lauren Samuels of Over the Rainbow fame as Jules. At the risk of sounding humourless, I found Preeya Kalidas' exaggerated south London/Indian accent as Pinky tooth-setting-on-edge irritating. However, I enjoyed all her scenes with Teetu (Raj Bajaj), particularly the engagement party dancing scene near the beginning. Jess's dad (Tony Jayawardena) was very funny in a dry, deadpan sort of way; his understated reactions to the various goings-on provided some of the best humour in the show.

The musical showed more of the parents' perspectives than the film, as far as I can remember. Both sets of parents - Jess's parents and Jules's mum - came across as more sympathetic in the musical. Jules' mum (Sophie-Louise Dann) came across as particularly sympathetic as a single mum anxious to develop a close relationship with a daughter she didn't understand and to whom she couldn't easily relate. Her mistaken belief that Jules was a lesbian made for some very funny moments.

Things I wasn't keen on/didn't think translated well into a musical:

• The football. They did their best to depict the playing of football but the game is ultimately more exciting when you actually see it being played as opposed to simulated with light effects and through dance. 
• The songs. Enjoyable enough while watching the show, but I have not had a hankering to hear them again since. And I actively did not like 'Glorious'.
• It went on for too long. The full Greek tragedy-esque cycle of Jess deciding, after much agonising, not to play football but then playing football and being discovered and then deciding not to play football again seemed to occur at least one time too many.

photo credit: Come on England via photopin (license)

Next: Akhnaten

Legally Blonde - Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Legally Blonde doll

Oh my god, oh my god you guys...if you favour serious, understated oeuvres on the melancholy side with profound messages of global significance, this is not the theatrical piece for you. It was the peppiest, most upbeat, extroverted musical I've ever seen. Magnified by ten because, given the small size of Upstairs at the Gatehouse, we were only centimetres away at all times from the energetic gyrations of the actors.

This musical was a warming burst of sunshine in the middle of dreary winter. The story was the same as that of the film, with a few minor changes. I liked the set, which at first glance was reminiscent of an Inca temple. The grey stone 'temple walls'  on either side of the 'stage' doubled up as the sorority house and Harvard. Audience members sat on either side of the theatre, with the show taking place on a reasonably narrow aisle down the middle, connecting the grey stone walls.

The cast was small - only twelve people - all of whom, other than those playing Elle, Warner and Emmett, played multiple roles. Bruiser was not played by a real dog, sadly. Abbie Chambers made an extremely sweet, appealing, believable Elle, with perhaps a little more 'edge' than that of Reese Witherspoon. Robert Colvin looked exactly right for the smarmy Warner. Jodie Jacobs, as Paulette, was heart-warming, a powerful singer and very funny. It was all highly energetic and fast-moving. I was particularly impressed by the cast's ability to sing while undertaking various exercises with skipping ropes.

I probably preferred the second act to the first. Despite my implications in the first paragraph, of course, this musical does actually deliver some important messages: don't make assumptions about people based on their appearances; you don't have to conform to other peoples' incomplete perceptions of you; support your fellow women in the workplace and life in general; romantic relationships are not the be-all and end-all etc. I loved the bit when Elle is appointed lead lawyer in the case to defend Brooke, and the female interns rally to support her. I also really enjoyed the UPS guy's appearances, the bend and snap sequence and the 'is he gay or European' song. All the court case scenes were extremely funny. I liked seeing the relationship blossom between Elle and Emmett...I couldn't remember the latter from the film at all, which was a bit weird given his prominence in the story.

Things I didn't like so much: in the film Elle's admissions essay for Harvard takes the form of a video, whereas in the musical it's an in-person presentation featuring cheerleaders and flag-waving. I didn't like it - it was too silly to be funny. Plus, I like the fact that Elle gets into Harvard in the film purely on the strength of her LSAT score and video. In the musical she actually tells the admissions people that she wants to get in because of LOVE. There is a fine line between silly-but-funny-and-suspend-disbelief-able and plain ridic, and the line was crossed in this instance. There was also a long bit about Paulette specifically wanting to get together with an Irish man, which I can't remember from the film. This in itself was fine but the Irish dancing part edged over the line. 

photo credit: Casey via photopin (license)

Next: not sure

Guys and Dolls - Savoy Theatre

Knitted dice

I was very excited to see this production of Guys and Dolls as it starred Jamie Parker (as Sky Masterson), of whom I am something of a fan. Interesting to hear that he's been cast as Harry Potter in the upcoming stage play! Anyway, Guys and Dolls was everything I had hoped it would be: exuberant, fast-paced, uplifting and very funny. 

Listening to Jamie Parker sing is like having a shower in hot, gently melted dark chocolate. I found a few of his spoken lines difficult to understand with the New York accent, but his singing was sublime. He and Sarah Brown (Siubhan Harrison) made a believable, sympathetic duo and I enjoyed watching their romance unfold. I loved the Havana scene in which Sarah loses her inhibitions and is tossed around by various people in the dance sequence, including the excellent 'Havana Diva'.

I'd forgotten how much I appreciate the humour in G&D. I love Nathan's increasingly frantic search for a location in which to hold the craps game, and the bit where the gamblers pretend they're attending a bachelor party when the police inspector shows up. Big Jule, the notorious milk-drinking gangster from Chicago has to be one of my favourite characters; he has some very amusing lines (Lieutenant Brannigan: 'Where are you from, sir?' Big Jule: 'East Cicero, Illinois!' Lieutenant Brannigan: 'And what is your occupation?' Big Jule: 'I'm a scoutmaster!' Lieutenant Brannigan: 'Don't ever help my mother across the street!'). My favourite scene is 'Luck be a Lady Tonight', down in the sewers. The audience went wild for 'Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat', which was also extremely good and energetic. Excellent singing from the General of the Mission.

The gender stereotypes can be grating in this musical - the way the women are desperate to get married while the men aren't bothered - but the non-gender-stereotype-related humour more than compensates for this. Plus, it is set in the 50s. Plus, the characters, when played well, are endearing, which diffuses any irritating attributes. The character of Miss Adelaide always has the potential to be more irritating than entertaining, but in this production (as played by Sophie Thompson) she grew on me and was genuinely likeable.

I would strongly recommend!

photo credit: Knitted Dice Roll via photopin (license)

Next: The Nutcracker