The Wizard of Oz

Review by Paul Towers, 24/11/22

The Wizard of Oz based on the book by L Frank Baum, adapted by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jeremy Sams.

Music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by E Y Harberg, additional music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, additional  lyrics by Tim Rice

Directed by Nikolai Foster, choreographed by Shay Barclay

Produced by Curve by arrangement with The Really Useful Group Ltd

At Curve til Sunday 8^th January 2023

“a sensational production”

Well, what can I say about this sensational production of an old classic. Curve’s Nikolai Foster has gathered together a team of creatives to really bring the show uptodate. Be warned this is nothing like the fairly cosy Judy Garland version. With pyrotechnics and flashing lights, to say nothing of the day-glo costumes by Rachael Canning, this is a huge festive treat for adults and children alike. Although some caution is recommended for the under 6’s.

Curve’s extraordinary video projection facilities are put to good use here with a full stage scene setting tour of 1930’s Kansas. A large cast of 22 and a live orchestra of 11 under the stage are well served by Curve favourite Ben Cracknell’s imaginative lighting. Georgina Onuorah, making her Curve debut, is a feisty Dorothy with her trusty dog, Toto (ably puppet-ed by Ben Thompson) taking us on her journey along the iconic yellow brick road.

Meeting up with Scarecrow (a very athletic Jonny Fines making a welcome return to Curve), Tin Man (Paul French ) and The Cowardly Lion (Giovanni Spano) Dorothy embarks on her quest to meet The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Mark Peachey back at Curve once again). As The Wicked Witch of the West Ellie Mitchell took over from a sick Charlotte Jaconelli at short notice and gave it her all.

There is a plethora of electric vehicles from trucks to scooters (for Glinda, Christina Bianco) and huge set pieces that either fly down or roll in. A talented ensemble are everything from Munchkins to palace guards changing costumes in what seems a blink of an eye.

As well as all the well remembered songs from the movie Lloyd Webber and Rice have woven several new ones in to move the narrative along. There are also plenty of snippets of dialogue added for today’s audience.

Overall this is a visually superb production of a family favourite given a modern spritz.

The Wizard of Oz is on at Curve til Sunday 8^th January.

 

www.curveonline.co.uk

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk

 

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

 

Review by Paul Towers, 2/11/22

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel by Deborah Moggach

Directed by Lucy Bailey

Produced by Simon friend

At Curve til Saturday 5 November 2022

“Feel good theatre for a wet November”

This is a star-studded stage production of the beloved film and TV series by Deborah Moggach based on her novel These Foolish Things.

Taking inspiration from all the tales of ex-pats moving to the Costa Brava this takes it one stage further as a group of retirees up sticks and move to Bangalore in India. Their motivation is that it is warm and cheap.

Some just want to bask in the sun and wait for the inevitable end while others look upon it as a new adventure.

Heading up the cast is acting royalty, Hayley Mills as Evelyn, a shy, diffident widow who doesn’t know how to emerge from the shadow of her deceased husband. Alongside her is Rula Lenska as Madge, a statuesque redhead looking for a maharajah to whisk her off her feet and keep her in the manner to which she wants to be accustomed.

The rest of the cast of characters each have their own stories to tell, some happy, some sad but all thrown together in this exotic mix of cultures in a strange land.

While the locals are, initially, stereotyped as servile second class citizens it quickly becomes obvious that they have much to teach the ex-pats.

There are lots of laughs right from the start as well as pointed digs at colonialism, poverty, the caste system, old age and call centres! But at the heart of the story is how different people deal with loss and old age in their own ways.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is at Curve until Saturday 5^th November and then touring until it hits the West End next year

www.marigoldshow.com

www.curveonline.co.uk

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk

 

The Shawshank Redemption 2022

Review by Paul Towers, 10/10/2022

The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King, adapted for the stage by Owen O’Neill & Dave Johns

Directed by David Esbjornson

Produced by Bill Kenwright

At Curve til Saturday 15^th October 2022

“A strong production of this beloved classic ”

Many people will have seen the 1994 film with Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman and this stage version stays quite close to the storyline.
Adapted from a Stephen King short story, The Shawshank Redemption is the story of Andy Dufresne (Joe Absolom) who has been wrongly convicted of the double murder of his unfaithful wife and their daughter.  He is soon taken under the wing of Ellis ‘Red’ Redding (Ben Onwukwe), the prison supplier of all illicit goods.

While many would spend their last breath trying every way to prove their innocence Dusfresne decides to keep his head down and just try and get through his sentence with the least trouble. Unfortunately his fellow prisoners have other ideas and a vicious round of beatings and rapes force him to alter his survival strategy. Utilising his accounting abilities he inveigles himself in with the prison staff as a financial advisor. This doesn’t make him any less unpopular with the inmates but it does afford him some protection by the management.

A brutalistic set of concrete and girders by Gary McCann ensures this stage version is as claustrophobic and utilitarian as it needs to be. Furniture is carried on and off while a minimum of backdrops fly from above.

Joe Absolom has exactly the right air of naivety and innocence while Ben Onwukwe channels Morgan Freeman as the narrator addressing the audience.

The sex and violence is well choreographed while the ensemble raucously provide the chaos inherent whenever the delicate balance of power is upset.

The Shawshank Redemption continues to tour https://tinyurl.com/4bnk84z6 and is at Curve until Saturday 15 October 2022

 

www.curveonline.co.uk

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk