Lady Day

Review by: Paul Towers, 30/8/17

Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill

Written by Lanie Robertson, starring Audra McDonald

Wyndham’s Theatre, London until 9th September 2017

“a breathtaking performance”

This is an outstanding performance from a true superstar of an astonishing story.

Billy Holliday was a troubled person, a battered product of a truly harrowing period of American history when black people were treated like animals. Yet despite her appalling life, despite the appalling abuse heaped on her by white and blacks alike, despite the ravages of drink and drugs Lady Day, as she was nicknamed, used her unique voice to lift her to unimaginable heights only for her self abuse to plunge her straight back down into the gutter.

Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill is set in a somewhat run down bar in Philadelphia in 1959 shortly before her death.

For this production several rows of seats have been removed and replaced with cabaret style tables and chairs with lamps to give the impression of being in the titular Bar & Grill, an American way of combining dinner and a show. To further foster the illusion some tables were on stage for patrons to be part of the performance.

It has to be said that Audra McDonald’s performance is breathtaking, an extraordinary portrayal of  the battered talent which was Miss Billy Holliday in all its gut wrenching truth. Going from uplifting as her spirits soar and she sings like her heart is bursting to the very depths of her despair as Lady Day gradually falls apart before our eyes. The drink and drugs eating away at her very core.

Lanie Robertson wrote the script way back in 1986 and had successful runs in 1986 and 1987. It had a revival in 2005 but it was when Audra took on the role in 2014 that it was truly recognised as the masterpiece that it has now become. Audra McDonald won her sixth Tony in the role as well as an Emmy.

Billy The Kid

Review by: Paul Towers, 23 August 2017

Billy The Kid by Ben Frost & Richard Hough

A National Youth Music Theatre production

Curve  23 – 26 August 2017

“funny, musical and energetic.”

It is often a calculated risk to produce a completely new musical. There are invariably problems with the story and/or the musical numbers.

I am delighted to say that Billy The Kid suffers from none of these problems. This is a fully formed original musical fit for any stage

The story of Billy The Kid was, apparently, a ‘fake news’ piece created by Pat Garrett, the man who shot him down, to bolster his fragile ego (now where have we heard that recently?). Frost & Hough resolved to put the record straight, well more or less. William Antrim, Billy The Kid, is an undersized cowboy in the wildest of 19^th Century America’s Wild West. The story concerns his turning up, on the run, in a town called Lincoln ruled by the corrupt patrician Col J Murphy. At first he is seduced by the Colonel’s power and influence but soon sees beneath the benevolent veneer and the violent bully that he really is. And leads the movement to free the town from his iron grip.

An unbelievably talented cast is led by Ben Lewis (13 but looks about 10) as Billy, Josh Barnett (19) as the Colonel and Fraser Jacobs (14) as Sam Briscoe. Young Ben’s scene stealing starts from the moment he launches into his big number at the top of the show. Billy’s Song is an all out show stopper rammed full of comedy and pathos. Not only can Ben sing up a storm but he has fine comic timing and can dance with the best of them.

As is typical in National Youth Music shows there is plenty of room for dance numbers that highlight the talents of the ensemble. It being a cowboy show there is an abundance of hoe-downing in a sea of check shirts.

The start was a little confusing as it began in modern day America with a classroom of unruly kids sabotaging the swots’ attempts at education. But then it all became clear when it was revealed that the whole Billy The Kid adventure was just the dream of young Billy, the smallest kid in the class.

The scene changes are masterfully achieved with clever choreography and multiple props. The staging was incredibly inventive with even a mad stagecoach chase at one point

This is a funny, musical and energetic romp from start to finish.

Billy The Kid is on at Curve until Saturday 26^th August

Tickets available at www.curveonline.co.uk

First published on Western Gazette

Leicester theatre autumn 2017

This autumn’s theatre roundup

Once again Leicester is spoilt for choice when it comes to cultural gluttony

Our three main theatres, Curve, DeMontfort Hall and The Little Theatre are crammed full of delights for the eyes and ears between now and Christmas

Curve has, as usual, a mixed bag of productions, both in-house and visiting, to suit all tastes. September starts off with the annual offering from LAOS. This year it is Parade, a ‘daring, gritty and bold’ story of miscarried justice. Further highlights are The Railway Children in October and my all time favourite movie translated to the stage, Sunset Boulevard, yet another Curve co-production prior to touring. Making a welcome return, for a third visit, is Paul Kerryson’s production of Hairspray. October sees the return of Curve’s very successful Inside Out Festival, a very accessible collection of performances in a variety of spaces within the theatre. Watch out for Curve Young Company’s Oaklhoma after their awesome Midsummer Night’s Dream. Once again Curve spoils us at Christmas with Scrooge and George’s Marvellous Medicine taking us into the New Year.

DeMontfort Hall, despite having a rolling series of renovations and improvements continuing, has a well stock festive cupboard for all tastes. For pure musical fans there is Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers, to my mind the perfect musical theatre production. Christmas is taken care of with the now traditional pantomime. This year it is Beauty and The Beast with Leicester’s own Sam Bailey. Between now and then there is the usual eclectic mix of stand up comedy, musical acts and headline bands.

Not to be outdone, The Little Theatre has the usual mix of thrillers, farces and musicals. All at affordable prices. Where else can you get to see Les Miserable or Annie for less than £15? Alongside the visiting productions there is the annual pantomime. This year it is Dick Whittington.

Just up the road from The Little is the often overlooked Y Theatre. This 117 year old theatre is home to a wide selection of one nighters ranging from comedians to bands to ballet.

Of course we mustn’t forget our very own Upstairs at The Western, Leicester’s only pub theatre. This very popular venue, now in its second season under new management, has a wide range of shows, many running for more than one night or on a monthly basis. Find The Write Words is the immensely popular poetry nights. This season there is a ew regular comedy night, Jestin’ at The Western hosted by local legend Dan Nicholas. There is also the return of the well respected comedy workshops

Full details of all the above venues can be found online  at:
www.curveonline.co.uk

www.demontforthall.co.uk

www.thelittletheatre.net

www.leicesterymca.co.uk/theatre/

www.upstairsatthewestern.com

A Midsummer's Night's Dream

Review by: Paul Towers, 16 August 2017

A Midsumer Night’s Dream  by William Shakespeare

A Curve Young Company and Community Production

Curve 10 – 20^th August 2017

“a magical dream”

First up I have to admit that Shakespeare normally leaves me cold. I just cannot tune into the dialogue patterns. It is like a foreign language to me.

That said, although I did not have high hopes for this production I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. While the huge chunks of Shakesperean verbiage bored me to death, this play has the huge advantage of being liberally laced with plenty of  humour and, under Nick Winston’s direction, huge chunks of physical comedy.

Most of the hilarity is provided by Alexander Clifford’s Bottom (his character, not his anatomy!) who seemed to be channelling Marlon from Emmerdale to great effect.

While the entire cast is excellent special mention has to go to Harvey Thorpe and Chris Brookes as Demitirus and Lysander, the thwarted lovers of Helena and Hermia who swashbuckle their way through a very realistic fight sequence.

In a break with tradition Puck is played by two actors simultaneously, Joel Fossard-Jones and Mahesh Parmar, as a sort of devilish Jedward, sometimes sharing lines and sometimes alternating but at all times creating mischief. Very effective.

The set is very imaginative, a grassy knoll which doubles up as a stage; a very effective cyclorama across the back of the stage that is used to imply the forest, the various interiors and also a screen for dream sequences.

To make the play more relevant to a young audience there are modern ‘street’ dances inserted and a couple of songs which, although not strictly authentic, worked well.

All in all this is a magical dream that will, hopefully, entice more youngsters into the theatre.

Tickets are still available at www.curveonline.co.uk

http://ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk/

First published on Western Gazette

Miss Saigon - Curve

Review by: Paul Towers, 12 July 2017

Miss Saigon by Alain Boublil & Claude-Michel Schineberg

A Cameron Mackintosh production

Curve 1 – 22 July 2017 and then touring

“a spectacular, romantic story of love against all odds”

I first saw Miss Saigon in the 2014 London revival and, it has to be said, I was blown away by the spectacle of a show that was firmly ensconced in a West End theatre. So I was prepared to be a little disappointed by a touring production. How mistaken was I? This new touring version not only matches the production values but, dare I say it, exceeds some of them. The role of The Engineer has been tweaked to make him even more slimy and manipulative. Hats off to Red Concepcion, who plays him like an immoral MC from Cabaret.

Miss Saigon originally opened in the Drury Lane Theatre in 1989 and was inspired by Puccini’s opera Madam Butterfly. Like the authors’ previous work, Les Miserables (yet another Cameron Mackintosh production), Miss Saigon was originally written in French and translated into English.

Set in Saigon as the Vietnam war is closing and US troops are withdrawing from the country, this is a spectacular love story that is inevitably doomed for crossing the race divide.

Chris, an American soldier (Ashley Gilmore)  tasked with helping to evacuate Saigon, seems to be above the rampant debauchery of the girls and their pimps trying to scratch a living and also find a way to get to the promised land of America. A new virgin, Kim (Sooha Kim), falls into the immoral clutches of The Engineer (Red Concepcion), so called because he can twist, manipulate and engineer any situation to his advantage. Naturally the two fall in love, despite the cultural obstacles, and wed. But Chris is called home and has to leave Kim.

Fast forward three years and Chris has married a white American girl and is settled into home life. Then his best mate delivers some astonishing news. Not only is Kim alive but she has Chris’ son. So begins a fight to bring them both to America, ostensibly to create an extended family.

The set is, I wouldn’t be surprised to find, probably largely the London set transported to us in the provinces. Most people who know anything about the production know about the helicopter. In fact it is the iconic symbol of the show. Well, it flies in just as expected, full size and able to transport fleeing soldiers. What I had forgotten is the outrageously camp fantasy sequence, complete with showgirls and a limousine, as The Engineer dreams of his American Dream.

All in all this is West End/Broadway standard musical theatre at its very best. It is a spectacular, romantic story of love against all odds.

Miss Saigon is on at Curve until 22^nd July and then on tour. The rest of the run is completely sold out but any returns are released on the day only by applying in person at the box office.

If you can’t get to see it at Curve it is on at the Birmingham Hippodrome from 26 July til 23 September.
First published on Western Gazette

Half a sixpence

 Review by: Paul Towers, 28 June 2017

Half A Sixpence by David Heneker & Beverley Cross after HGWells

Cameron Mackintosh/Chichester Festival Theatre co-production

Noel Coward Theatre, London

“a stonking riot of a musical”

This current reworking of the old classic musical, famously starring Tommy Steele on film, has been given a new lease of life by Cameron Mackintosh and the Chichester Festival Theatre by bringing in Julian Fellowes to rewrite the book and Stiles & Drewe to provide additional original songs. The result is a stonking riot of a musical which has taken the West End by storm and has made a star of leading man Charlie Stemp.

HG Wells’ original story was a semi autobiographical tale of his early beginnings in a haberdashery store.

This musical version takes that humble beginning and turns it into a sweet love story and a cautionary tale of the dangers of letting money turn your head.

On a warm Wednesday matinee the understudy, Sam O’Rourke, took the lead role of Arthur Kipps and made it his own. A fine singing voice was complimented by energetic dancing and a great stab at playing the banjo. This is a visual treat for the eyes as the cast swap costumes at the speed of light and the scenery twirls around as locations change form the fabric store to the bar to the various homes all in a twinkling of the eye. Add to this the beautiful back projections that conjure up sun, sea and scenery along the Kent coast. All of this set in the beautiful Matcham designed Noel Coward Theatre in London’s West End.

This show is the perfect show to take your children and grandparents to, and anyone else in-between who appreciates lavish musical theatre.

Full details to book tickets on www.halfasixpence.co.uk

Review by: Paul Towers, 29/8/17

Half A Sixpence

Charlie Stemp

Noel Coward Theatre,London

It is rare that I want to revisit a production so soon after my original viewing but being given the opportunity the return to the West End’s Noel Coward Theatre to see Charlie Stemp in the lead role during the very last week of the show’s London run was too good to miss.

Watching Stemp I felt I was witnessing the birth of a new musical theatre star. His balletic dancing skills perfectly compliment his comic timing and characterful singing voice. The perfect triple threat.

I had no complaints when I saw the understudy go on a couple of months ago but Stemp has made the role his own looking and sounding like a young Tommy Steele (the creator of the original role) but even more talented.

His energy seems to catapult the rest of the cast into even more energetic performances, leaving them all dripping with sweat by the end of the night. This boy will go far and I can’t wait to see where he goes next.

Car Park KIng

Review by: Paul Towers, 27 June 2017

Car Park King by Jessica McDonagh

Every Egg A Bird Theatre Company production – James Beglin, Jessica McDonagh & Kris W Laudrum

Upstairs @ The Western, 27^th – 28^th June 2017

“Horrible Histories for grown ups.”

Car Park King is a comedy loosely, very loosely, based on the life of Leicester’s very own King Richard the Third and probably yet another thorn in the side of the Richard III Society.

You know you are in for a good laugh when even the programme causes you to chuckle on the way into the auditorium. This wholly original comedy, written and acted by Jessica McDonagh and her able company of James Beglina and Kris W Laudrum is an absurd mixture of Monty Python, Blackadder and Horrible Histories for grown ups. Right from the moment the lights dim the gags start to flow and don’t stop for the next hour and 20 minutes.

The set is a wall of heraldic shields with windows that enable multiple costume changes to be done in a split second and is also the repository for the many props.

James Beglin as Richard is the single constant as the other two cast members play a couple of dozen peripheral characters in wacky costumes, very weird wigs, hats and various accents, not all of which are necessarily appropriate except for comedy value.

As we make our way through the turbulent life of Richard, often paying scant attention to linear storytelling, we canter through his childhood, his brother’s death, his ascension to the crown, his marriage and ultimately his fateful decision to play the big man on a field in Bosworth before ending up under a council car park in Leicester.

Car Park King is back at Upstairs at The Western on Wednesday 28^th June although it is probably sold out again.

Full details of the tour can be found at http://bit.do/dxx6R

First published on Western Gazette and London Pub Theatres