Gypsy

Review by Paul Towers, 20/6/23

Gypsy, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, music by Jule Styne

Directed by Keiran Whelan-Newby

Produced by Keiran Whelan-Newby

At The Little Theatre until Saturday 24^th June 2023

“full to the brim with hummable songs”

Gypsy is the ultimate pushy showbiz mother musical.

Rose, the stage mother from hell (Debbie Longley-Brown), has been trudging round the variety circuit in the 1920’s just as it is crumbling. Popular entertainment is being replaced by burlesque acts, a euphemism for strippers. Rose’s Kiddie Act, a vehicle for Baby June (Ava-Lily Creed and then Katie Proctor), her perennially 10 years old daughter. Older sister Louise (Ella Brown and then Rose Bale) is the original Spare relegated to the background along with various boys/young men, all merely wallpaper to the star, June.

Then, in Rose’s eyes, disaster strikes when June discovers boys and runs way with Tulsa (Peral Ball/Pixie Ball and then Tim Stokes) to form a new act. And then, like a burst dam, L.A. (Aaron Kirby/Ciara Daisley and then Simon Butler), Yonkers (Eva Barratt/Amelie Wilson-Knight and then Joe Dickinson) and the rest of the boys leave. With contracts to fulfil Rose and manager Herbie (Tony Whitmore) convince Louise to take over and front the act.

As the Variety circuit fades Rose and her girls find themselves booked into a Burlesque theatre and, desperate to get paid, she devises a ‘classy’ strip routine for Louise where she teases but never reveals a thing and Gypsy Rose Lee is born.

In Gypsy there are several stand out moments for actors to shine and even stop the show. One of my favourites is the cod strip routine that Electra, Mazeppa and Tessie Tura (Victoria Price, Karen Gordon and Liz Kavanagh Knott) perform to You Gotta Get A Gimmick. Of course as the entire story is really about Rose’s aspirations she has the two defining numbers in the show. Every Thing’s Coming Up Roses closes the first half and Debbie Longley-Brown gives it everything. But it is Rose’s Turn at the end of the second half that tears the heart out of the audience as Rose begs for a turn in the spotlight. Longley-Brown does both numbers to perfection.

As well as the main cast there are an ensemble of competent actors fleshing out the stage. David Lovell as Pop, Rose’s grouchy father, is a joy.

Gypsy is full to the brim with hummable songs (just don’t singalong!) and laugh-out-loud moments and is at The Little Theatre until Saturday 24^th June

 

www.thelittletheatre.co.uk/

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk

 

Bouncers

 

Review by Paul Towers, 12/6/23

Bouncers by John Godber

Directed by Jane Towers (no relation)

Produced by Leicester Drama Society (LDS)

At The Little Theatre until Saturday 17^th June

“relive your misspent youth”

Bouncers was John Godber’s very first play and has endured since 1977 with a 90’s update. Hence the new title of Bouncers remix.

The action takes place inside and outside stereotypically Northern ‘townie’ nightclub Mr Cinders. Every weekend a collection of teenagers and not-so teenagers descend on the emporium of dance and drink to forget their humdrum lives and, just maybe find if not love at least a warm bed for the night. Sometimes they don’t get as far as bed and their pleasures are found behind the bins at the back of the club.

Overseeing all this mayhem are The Bouncers, four testosterone fuelled guardians of the doors. All life passes, or attempt to pass, through those doors and it is the Bouncers who are tasked with weeding out the undesirables.

Our impartial tuxedoed four are Lucky Eric (Steve Feeney), Judd (Allan Smith, Ralph (Steve Finlay) and Lee (Steve Elliott). Presenting themselves at first as the epitome of upfront manhood these four actors quickly transform at the blink of an eye into a myriad of characters from drunken hen parties to booze filled lads out for a fumble. Their lightening fast switching from one to the other with just a gesture or, as in the case of the hen party, a secreted clutch bag magically displayed, is a wonder to behold. These guys should have been professional!

The set designed by Lucinda Smith is a very simple one, a set of club doors and a gaudy neon sign. What more do you need?

Bouncers is especially resonant for those of us who went out clubbing in the 90’s and anyone wanting to relive their misspent youth should grab a ticket to Mr Cinders at The Little Theatre before it closes on Saturday.

 

www.thelittletheatre.co.uk/

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk

 

Unexpected Twist

Review by Paul Towers, 8/6/23

Michael Rosen’s Unexpected Twist by Roy Williams

Directed by James Dacre

Produced by The Children’s Theatre Partnership and Royal & Derngate Theatre

At Curve til Saturday 10 June 2023

“a talented cast of young actors”

Unexpected Twist is a bold attempt to point some of today’s youths towards the classic literature of Charles Dickens by combining Beatboxing, Hip Hop and Oliver Twist and running it parallel with modern sensibilities. Hopefully this will go some way to making the story relevant to a modern audience. Dicken’s aim in life was to highlight the inequalities between the rich and poor of Victorian England; modern inner city areas of deprivation suffer some of the same problems.

This production features a talented cast of young actors who are already ‘triple threats’.

The set, designed by Frankie Bradshaw, is an imaginative multi-level edifice of filing cabinets and gym bars reaching to the ceiling.

The songs in the show are by various artistes and are used under the musical direction of Conrad Murray. It should be pointed out that every sound heard in the show is created, live by various members of the cast.

Unexpected Twist runs at Curve until Saturday 10^th June 2023. Check the website for future tour dates

www.unexpectedtwistonstage.co.uk

www.curveonline.co.uk

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk

 

How To Succeed In Business ... without really trying

Review by Paul Towers, 06/06/2023

How to succeed in Business .. without really trying

Directed by Georgie Rankcom

Produced by Big Con Productions

Runs 12 May til 17 June 2023

“a comic satire on big business”

How to succeed … etc, music and lyrics by Frank Lesser & Abe Burrows, was originally a smash hit Broadway show way back in 1961! Despite that it has so many parallels with modern life.

Written as a comic satire on big business, corporate-speak and self help books, How To Succeed has been recent showcases for the talents of Matthew Broderick and Daniel Radcliffe.

This new production by Big Con Productions and The Grey Area Theatre Company started off with the premise that any of the characters could be any sex/gender and still fit into the show. Therefore the casting has been gender blind. Normally I am not a fan as it can be very confusing but in this case the characters’ genders are very obviously drawn so there is no distraction.

The story is one of back-biting, obscuration and deviousness as new boy J Pierrepoint Finch (Gabrielle Friedman) claws his way up the corporate ladder under the tutelage of the book ‘How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying’, wonderfully voiced by Michelle Visage. Finch’s nemesis is Bud Frump (Elliot Gooch), nephew of company president JB Biggley (man-dragged by Tracie Bennett) who is secretly dating Jessica Rabbit lookalike Hedy LaRue (Annie Aitken) while avoiding his wife. Finch’s love interest Rosemary Pilkington (Allie Daniel) is used to highlight how 60’s women are battling to be treated as more than eye candy. The ensemble of six provide the other characters along with a live five piece band.

How To Succeed In Business … without really trying is at Southwark Playhouse Borough until 17^th June 2023

www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk