Jesus Christ Superstar

 

Review by Paul Towers, 12/2/24

Jesus Christ Superstar lyrics by Tim Rice, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber

Directed by Timothy Sheader

Produced by Crossroads Live and Work Light Productions

At Curve til Saturday 17^th February 2024

“a loud, brash heavy rock opera”

Way back in 1971 Lloyd Webber and Rice, young upstart musical theatre composers, innovatively released a concept album of their rock opera based on the last week of Jesus before his crucifixion. Told from the perspective of Judas and his disillusionment of the Messiah’s teachings, it has taken until now for the full horror of those days to be fully explored on stage. Previously productions tended to be sanitised for general consumption but this touring version is the Regents Park Open Air Theatre production which played to great acclaim in 2016.

The set is an industrial arrangement of girders and boxes with a live band seated up on both sides. There are two crosses, one up against the back wall and another laid down centre stage. The lighting by Lee Curran is almost a character in its own right.

While the story may be as old as the hills (or the bible) director Tomothy Sheader, designer Tom Scutt and choreographer Drew McOnie have laid the emphasis on the cult-like devotion of the acolytes and followers who seem to be caught up in a mass hysterical adoration of the Jesus figurehead. The extraordinary ensemble of dancers/singers ululate as if mesmerised, swaying and repeating the same phrases over and over.

As Judas Shem Omari James (an awesome voice) narrates much of the story and is, of course, Jesus’ eventual downfall. Hannah Richardson’s Mary has the most memorable song, I Don’t Know How To Love him which is also reprised, tellingly, by Judas at the end. While Pilate (Ryan O’Donnell) is the main villain it is Timo Tatzber’s outrageously camp androgenous Herod who brings a touch of pantomime baddie to the stage.

While every single one of the actors have faultless vocal talents it is Ian McIntosh’s Jesus who brings the house down with an extraordinary singing voice that leaves the audience breathless.

It has to be said that this production is not for the faint hearted. The second half is especially harrowing as the brutality is ramped up to the actual crucifixion. Ultimately this is a loud, brash heavy rock opera.

Very few tickets left so grab one quickly

www.curveonline.co.uk

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk

 

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

 

Review by Paul Towers, 9/2/24

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by Glyn Robbins, adapted from the book by CS Lewis

Directed by Amy Walters

Produced by Festival Players

At Loughborough Town Hall until 10^th February 2024

“an entertaining  show”

CS Lewis’ best known work, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, is understandably a staple for amateur theatre producers as it has ample room within the story for numerous local youngsters to enjoy being part of a stage show.

Unfortunately, the success of the production relies heavily on the quality of the sets and special effects and they cost money. Something most amateur companies are short of.

The Festival Players at Loughborough Town Hall have a reputation for putting on professional standard shows. Unfortunately this production falls short of their usual high standards. There was nothing wrong with the acting, it as good as any production I have seen from them. What let it down were the sets and general production values; scene changes were invariably clunky.

That said high praise has to go to the actors, especially the children, Peter (William Evans), Susan (Maisie Ramsey), Edmund (Max Hayman) and Lucy (Elspeth McClymount-Cornell). As the children explore the world of Narnia through the magic wardrobe they come up against the villain of the piece, The White Witch (Julie Easter channelling Hannah Waddingham!) as they search to release Mr Tumnus (Michael Arrowsmith) from her clutches. Along the way they are helped by Mr Beaver (Gareth Busson) and his Mrs (Claire Malpas). Of course the ‘star’ of the show is Aslan the Lion of the title, a giant puppet voiced by James Daw (or was it Brian Blessed?).

All in all it is an entertaining show but could have done with more money spent on it

 

www.festivalplayers.com

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk

 

Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club

 Review by Paul Towers, 7/2/24

Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club by Joe Masteroff, music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb
Based on the play by John van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood

Directed by Rebecca Frecknall

Produced by ATG

At Playhouse Theatre, London

“an extraordinary production”

The Playhouse Theatre has been completely refitted as the seedy Kit Kat Club of 1920’s Berlin. We walked into the entrance, an otherwise unremarkable door in an unremarkable wall, and threaded our way along a series of narrow corridors towards the basement. Along the way we passed alcoves where random performers danced or played instruments. The atmosphere was building. Eventually we came to a fork, one way to the stalls and the other way back up to the circles. We went right and started to climb up to our seats in the Gods.

As we edged into our seats high above the lighting rig (a bargain at £30!) we got our first view of the performance area. I hesitate to call it a stage as it was in the round, a circular raised platform made to look like reclaimed wood.

As we had been warned there were already pre-show entertainments in progress; the Kit Kat ‘Orchestra’ members were dancing and playing instruments around the performance area drifting amongst the audience like wraiths.

Then, suddenly, with a clash of the ‘proper’ band the lights dimmed and the show proper started with the Emcee (Jakes Shears) suddenly illuminated in the centre of the stage.

I have seen a couple of productions of Cabaret but this one is by far the best and the darkest. The first half is full of laughs and pathos but gradually you feel the benign influence of the encroaching Nazi influence. This is subtly illustrated by Sally Bowles (Nic Myers) portrayed as a puppet, an apologist for the approaching terror.

In the second half the full horror of what is to come is shown as Sally falls apart.

This is an extraordinary production that should be seen  by as many as possible.

www.kitkat.club/cabaret-london/

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk

 

The Good Life

 

Review by Paul Towers, 5/2/24

The Good Life adapted by Jeremy Sams, based on the TV series by John Esmonde & Bob Larbey

Directed by Ruth Cheetham

Produced by Leicester Drama Society

At The Little Theatre til Saturday 10^th February 2024

“the laughs start from the beginning and don’t stop”

Way back in 1975 this heart warming, funny little sitcom first hit the airwaves and was an immediate hit.

Originally written as a vehicle for the incredibly talented Richard Briers it made stars of the other three regular cast members, Felicity Kendal, Paul Eddington and Penelope Keith. To this day reruns of the show remain popular. 

The stage version which emerged in 2021 is an amalgamation of four of the best episodes and sticks to the same format in four acts.

Tom & Barbara Good are fed up with the office rat race and decide to live ‘off grid’ and be self-sufficient by growing their own veg and keeping livestock in the back garden, much to the horror of their next door neighbours Jerry and Margo Leadbetter. Tom (Freddie Dobrijevic) is like a teenager who has just discovered puppies, overexcited and flailing around from one obsession to another. His adoring wife Barbara (Liz Kavanagh) is the practical one in the relationship, constantly reigning in her husband to be more practical. Jerry (David Lovell), Tom’s ex-boss, is hen pecked by his wife and downtrodden by his lot in life. Then we come to Margo (Alexandra Elliot) Jerry’s imperious wife with no sense of humour and often the butt of Tom and Barbara’s teasing. This solid quartet of characters are supplemented by various characters played by Jon Worthy, Clare Snow, Carissma Griffiths and Ian Salmon.

The set, designed by Abbey Glover, is a very clever visualisation of the two homes side by side. Each side is lit according to where the action is. This enables very fast switching of locations, which adds to the comedy.

The laughs start almost from the start and keep coming all evening. Every cast member is spot on with their timing.

Especial highlights of the show have to be Margo’s increasingly over the top frocks and, of course, Geraldine the goat!

The Good Life runs at The Little Theatre until Saturday 10^th February. Grab a ticket and relive the 70’s

 

Pics: Sally Evans

www.thelittletheatre.co.uk/

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk