Weekly Round Up 29.01.16

Shows Seen (From Saturday To Friday): 1

Shows Booked For Future: 2

I saw This Will End Badly last Friday which I reviewed this week and would highly recommend for anyone to see before it closes. This week I saw Miss Saigon for the 4th time which marks my final visit to see it before it closes next month. I booked 2 shows this week, one of which I won't disclose as it is for a friend's birthday!

1. A Secret!

Another show I can't confirm a it's for a friend's birthday and the fact she hasn't seen this show before. It is a show I have seen twice previously but with new cast changes for this show coming up it will be great to see the show again with some new faces!

Booked For: 20th April 2016

At: Somewhere in London

Going With: 1 friend

2. The Book Of Mormon

I have seen this show 4 times previously and hadn't intended to see it again any time soon. However a cast change next week and an opportunity from Delfont Mackintosh Priority meant it was a date I could not refuse! As part of the Delfont Mackintosh Priority scheme, backstage tours and post show talks sometimes crop up and this time its for a post show backstage tour. As The Book Of Mormon is probably my favourite musical, I could not take up this opportunity and hence I'm seeing the show again.

Booked For: 22nd March 2016

At: Prince Of Wales Theatre

Going With: No one

I've got no shows planned for next week so I am hoping to post a delayed post on how I normally avoid paying full price for my show tickets.

This Will End Badly 22.01.16

This Will End Badly

Location: Southwark Playhouse

Date Seen: 22^nd January 2016

Seen With: 3 Friends

Understudies at This Performance: N/A

Summary

In recent years I’ve seem some fantastic shows at the Southwark Playhouse which inspired this visit. This Will End Badly is a one man piece which had a sell out run at Edinburgh’s Pleasance Theatre and was critically acclaimed. The piece itself looks at various aspects of a man’s personality explored through seemingly different personas and also looks at depression and suicide in men.

Acting

Ben Whybrow is the sole actor in this piece and succeeds in being engaging throughout. He breaks the fourth wall and talks to you as if you are his ex-girlfriend, friend or general member of public whilst maintaining eye contact. I personally found this unnerving but it was worth getting that feeling as an audience member.  Each persona felt real and didn’t feel forced or fake. Each one was delivered with equal amounts of conviction and I truly believe the vulnerability, anger or euphoria that the character was feeling.

Music & Songs

When you enter the theatre space, a medley of Duran Duran songs is playing and another track features later in the piece. Unfortunately I don’t know the specific meaning of these particular song choices and would have been one of my questions at the Q&A if I had been able to attend one. If anyone does know, please leave a message in the comments below.

Choreography

I have classed all my comments with regards to movement in the direction section.

Direction

Clive Judd’s direction is what makes this piece come alive in tandem with Ben Whybrow’s acting. The changes of pace removed your whole concept of time as after the hour show was up I went through varying thoughts of it feeling like a long time or no time at all. Each persona of the male character is given a unique way of moving and speaking. I thought again that this was very clever in reflecting the constant mindset of someone with depression or anxiety and how one minute you can be positive and happy and then suddenly for no particular reason slip into feeling like you’re stuck in a negative pit and can’t get out. 

Set/Lighting

The set is a simple raised platform which is tiled and features a toilet in the corner. The toilet is significant due to our man’s chronic constipation he is experiencing after breaking up with his girlfriend. The lighting is clever throughout as I noticed as the character slipped deeper into his depression the lights got darker and in a moment of euphoria, the stage was flooded with light. There is also a sole light bulb raised above the set. To me this represented the character’s consciousness and the way it is either on, off or flickering reflects his state of mind at that specific moment.

Costumes

My friends and I had a discussion after the show about whether Ben Whybrow just turns up and performs in the clothes off his back. What we were getting at was that the clothing was general day to day wear and I think this was significant on the fact that depression and suicide can happen to any one.

Stand Out Performances

With Ben Whybrow as the sole performer, he obviously stood out and I’d love to see him again. But credit really has to go to the whole production team on this piece for making this come to life and being something I will remember vividly for a long time.

Show to Show Comparisons

I’ve never seen anything like this so cannot make any direct comparisons however what I can say as is I had a real emotional response to this piece from Ben’s performance and no play has ever done that to me before in such a way.  What I can compare it to is my own experiences with anxiety as the constant changes of through expressed through the acting and direction, felt very real in how you brain can over think situations and jump from one thing to another.

Would I Recommend?

Yes – definitely. I was surprised that the Friday night show I went to wasn’t sold out as this really was superb.

Overall Verdict (Out of 5 Stars):

5 Stars

Weekly Round Up 22.01.16

Shows Seen (From Saturday To Friday): 1 (tonight)

Shows Booked For Future: 1

This will be a fairly short round up due to the fact I’ve not seen anything and have only booked to see one show.

1. A Secret!

I can’t actually say what I’ve booked to see as it’s a surprised for a friend’s birthday. What I can say is that it is a show I’ve seen before and absolutely loved, and it is a musical. I am currently addicted to this said show’s soundtrack at the moment! I picked this to take my friend to see as I personally loved the music and themes and thinks she will also appreciate it. We will be accompanied by her boyfriend and one of our friends so it should be a good evening!

Booked For: 27^th February

At: Somewhere in London

Going With: 3 friends

I am seeing This Will End Badly tonight with my review likely to follow on Monday. Next week I will be seeing Miss Saigon for the 4^th time and the final time of its West End revival before it shuts on the 27^th February. I cannot wait as I am sitting in the second row like my last visit and I know my friend who is seeing it with me will be blown away!

Weekly Round Up 15.01.16

Shows Seen (From Saturday To Friday): 0

Shows Booked For Future: 2

I didn't see any shows this week however I did book to see 2 shows with the reasons below!

1. Something Rotten!

When I visited New York City in September 2015, I went past the St James Theatre and obviously saw that Something Rotten! was playing here. As I walked by I heard so many people saying how good the show was and put this on my 'To See' list if I ever returned to the city. I got seats in the front row of the Front Mezzanine. I cannot wait to see this and review it on return from my trip.

I got tickets from Theatre Mania with a discount so got these tickets a lot cheaper ($79 plus fees) than what they should have been full price.

Booked For: 12th March

At: St James Theatre, New York City

Going With: Dad

2. This Will End Badly

I get newsletters from the Southwark Playhouse and this was advertised a few months back. It had a critically acclaimed sell out run in Edinburgh which is what intrigued me about this. It officially opened last night and so far from what I've heard, its a really good piece! I'm seeing this next week so I won't have to wait long to review it.

Booked For: 22nd January

At: Southwark Playhouse

Going With: 3 Friends

As I have no shows until the end of next week, I will be posting about how I manage to get to show many shows. I've been asked a lot how I afford it so I want to share some insight into just how I manage to do it.

Broadway, Broadway!

Broadway, Broadway!

As I don’t have any shows booked until the 22nd January, I thought I’d look back at my trip to New York City last September. It was the first time I’d been back since I was younger and I was now old enough to visit the city alone. My prime reason for visiting was for seeing shows on Broadway, as well as seeing the sights. I loved it so much that I’m returning the second weekend of March. I booked to see Something Rotten this week and there are thoughts of 'winging it' for a second show on arrival.

Until then I thought I’d reflect on the shows I did see with a small summary of my experience of each!

Chicago

Location: Ambassadors Theatre

Date Seen: 14^th September 2015

I chose to see this partly because it hasn’t been in the West End since 2012 and I hadn’t seen it since 2009. It was also chosen as my dad likes this musical and he accompanied me to see this. The show was as good as I remember it and we were up close and personal in the second row. Amra Faye Wright still had it as Velma and was I good as I remember her from seeing her in London in 2009. Dylis Croman gave a spectacular performance as Roxie and I think she will be hard to top in my opinion.

Whilst the show was one of the slickest and best I’ve seen, the theatre left me with a touch of disappointment. It did not have the entrance hall or the grandeur of West End theatres and had me wondering if the rest of the theatres I was visiting would be the same.

Overall Verdict (Out of 5 Stars):

5 Stars

Aladdin

Location: New Amsterdam Theatre

Date Seen: 15^th September 2015

My love of Disney’s Aladdin was the main show I wanted to see it since it doesn’t reach the UK until May this year. Although I was gutted James Monroe-Ingleheart wasn’t on as the Genie, his cover Trevor Dion Nicholas was incredible and blew me away and stole the show by a mile! The principle cast in the show is extremely strong, although I did wish Courtney Reed’s Jasmine was a tad feistier. The costumes set are exquisite and the musical numbers really are a sight to be seen! The magic carpet scene is well, magic! In my opinion, whilst the set is good, it didn’t have a complete feeling and could have been much more impressive and I feel this doesn’t mesh the show as well as it could. I will revisit this point when I see the West End’s production.

For me I don’t think this will be as timeless as The Lion King and I don’t this it has the impact as but it will remain a firm favourite for me.

Overall Verdict (Out of 5 Stars):

4 Stars

Finding Neverland

Location: Lunt-Fontanne Theatre

Date Seen: 16^th September 2015

I booked this only a couple of weeks before my holiday and was a random pick. My only influence was that someone I got chatting with recommended the soundtrack and that was that. I couldn’t have predicted how much I would love this show and has become a show quite close to me as I felt it summed up a fantastic trip to NYC. Matthew Morrison as J.M Barrie was a delight and his performance was well rounded. This for me isn’t a musical that packs a particular punch, for me it was poignant and reflective and I liked this change of tone from some of the really up beat, in your face jukebox musicals I’ve seen (not that I think that’s a bad thing!) The songs were what made this – a frequent listening choice for me is the Act 1 finale song ‘Stronger’.

Overall Verdict (Out of 5 Stars):

4 Stars

Wicked

Location: Gershwin Theatre

Date Seen: 16^th September 2015

I can’t quite believe I’m saying this as I am a true fan of Wicked as a musical but for me this production fell short. I enjoyed it but there were some big issues. Rachel Tucker and Kara Lindsay as Elphaba and Glinda were a saving grace for me with their superb onstage chemistry and strong vocal performances. I thought the actor playing Fiyero fell flat – even my dad said so and he isn’t into theatre like me – and I didn’t believe his connection with Elphaba or his surroundings. The whole production for me felt a bit empty – I can’t place my finger on what it was but the show just didn’t feel like it came together and climaxed where it should have done. This could be due to new cast members joining however I was disappointed. That said, I’ve loved all the Glinda’s I’ve seen (one of my favourite musical characters of all time) and Kara really hit that mark in her own unique way and will be a performance I hold on to.

If I got the chance to see Wicked on Broadway again I would – this hasn’t put me off at all as I love the story and was the performance which let this particular one down.

Overall Verdict (Out of 5 Stars):

3 Stars

So my trip was one full of surprises – I ended up liking things I didn’t expect to and being disappointed with a firm favourite. Who knows what my trip in March will bring?!

Weekly Round Up 08.01.16

Going forward, I plan to post a weekly round up on Fridays reflecting on what I've been up to, what new plans I've made and a look forward to what to expect from the blog next week!

Shows Seen (From Saturday To Friday): 2

Shows Booked For Future: 3

This week saw me see In The Heights and The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time. Both were shows that I hadn't seen before and each was brilliant and memorable.

I've booked to see 3 shows this week and there is a reason behind each one.

1. Hand To God

When I visited New York City in September 2015, I did a bit of a run around to see where the theatres were and what was on. I stumbled across the Booth Theatre which was advertising that Hand To God was making a West End transfer in 2016 and I decided I would go to see it.

LOVEtheatre as doing a deal on tickets this week and I got a dress circle seat for £29.50 - not bad if you ask me (a blog post about how I get the best prices for my tickets will be posted in the future).

Booked For: 19th February

At: Vaudeville Theatre

Going With: No one - solo trip

2. War Horse

With War Horse closing in March, my family had expressed they wanted to see this and take my brother for his upcoming birthday. It is one of the books he has actually read and has also seen the film. I purchased full price tickets, but got the side view £15.00 so the whole family could afford it. I'm looking forward to seeing this and hopefully I can read the book before hand.

Booked For: 3rd March

At: New London Theatre

Going With: Mum, Dad & Brother

3. Drinking With Angelika

Kent Production Company 'Crazyhouse Theatre Productions' have started a Kickstarter page to raise the money to put on this show. I've pledged the price of a full single ticket to the show and have offered to review the show for them should they raise the necessary funds. 

If you would like to contribute, you can do so here

Booked For: 26th May (if it goes ahead)

At: Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury

Going With: +1 TBC

So that rounds up this week. I've not got any shows planned for next week so there will be no reviews however I will be posting about my trip to New York City last September and reflecting on my experiences there.

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time 05.01.16

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time

Location: Gieguld Theatre

Date Seen: 5^th January 2016

Seen With: 1 Family Member & 1 Friend

Understudies at This Performance: N/A

Summary

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time follows protagonist Christopher Boone as he seeks to solve the murder of his neighbour’s dog. During his investigations he uncovers another mystery which sees him travel from Swindon to London to find out the truth. It is an insight to autism and how someone on the spectrum views situations and how the outside world views someone with autism including family and strangers.

Acting

The acting is a thing of beauty in this show. As mentioned in the summary autism is brought to the forefront from different perspectives of someone with autism. All the performances were believable and every actor was alive to their surroundings which were particularly showcased in the larger ensemble scenes. Numerous comedic moments and breaking of the fourth wall are delivered brilliantly by all the cast members due to a clear focus and good timing. Moments of silence saw some beautiful acting specifically two separate scenes featuring Christopher and his dad including a scene where the two are simply watching rain fall.

Music & Songs

The music enhances what is going on onstage and is balanced perfectly as it does not distract or take anything away from the actor’s performances.  It is used in greater capacity for movement pieces such as the train station which assists in conveying how Christopher experiences it being much louder and more claustrophobic than you or I might do and really heightens his panic.

Choreography

I have to commend the ensemble for bringing Christopher’s sight of the world to life with all the movement and transitions being dynamic and smooth. The choreography is used to convey how Christopher sees things inside his own mind through the use of physical theatre and lifts. The choreography by Scott Graham & Steven Hoggett for Frantic Assembly uses everyday movements and exaggerates them without them feeling like dance. The use of levels and use of the ensemble in unison creates an impactful visual. Time and space are cleverly depicted with specific reference to a scene where Christopher describes how long his elderly neighbour Mrs Alexander takes to complete a task. They use the slow-motion of Mrs Alexander against the sped up movements of the remaining neighbours in their homes in a time-lapse style sequence which explores time visually with great effect.

Direction

Marianne Elliot’s direction is what has really helped this piece come to life. Each scene has something special due to the way a piece of choreography has been inserted, the choice of music or the way props have been used. One of my favourite scenes was Christopher in his bedroom with the lights on. All the other lights were off but you could hear an argument. I thought this way of portraying how a child hears an argument with the use of the actors on stage and the choices of lighting and staging reflected on how well direction is used throughout.

Set/Lighting

I knew prior to seeing this that the set and lighting played a big part hence why I had booked dress circle seats over stalls seats. The use of lights and projections depicts Christopher’s thoughts and is also used to depict different locations. For example, rather than bringing on pieces of set to represent different house, lights on the floor outline each house to identify the new location. Use of small props and boxes on stage to create set pieces are all pre-set at the side of the stage in view for swift transitions that assist with the flow of the show.

Costumes

The costumes in this production are minimalist. Important figures such as policeman and station staff are dressed accordingly but most of the time everyone is dressed in ‘everyday wear’ which is all this show needs.

Stand Out Performances

Siôn Daniel Young as Christopher Boone: As the lead in this play, Siôn dominates the stage time. He portrays Christopher’s intellect and vulnerability with such strength. In a Q&A afterwards he said how he visited schools with pupils on the spectrum, read books and watched many documentaries to prepare for the role as well as spending 10 minutes before the show goes up to emotionally prepare to step in Christopher’s world. It shows in the competence of his performance and I’m sure he will go far in the future.

Nicholas Tennant as Ed Boone: As Christopher’s dad, I really saw the struggle in the character to deal with his son’s and his own emotions. This internal conflict came across in such a natural way on stage that I’d like to see Nicholas in another production in the future.

Show to Show Comparisons

A play I can liken this to was my trip to see Gods and Monsters at the Southwark Playhouse last March. Like Gods and Monsters, the acting in this piece is alive and you feel connected with the protagonist’s feelings.

Would I Recommend?

Yes - not only is the subject matter insightful, the piece is beautifully acting and extremely engaging. If you do see this, sit in the dress or grand circles to see the set from the best angle.

Overall Verdict (Out of 5 Stars):

5 Stars

In The Heights 02.16.16

In The Heights

Location: Kings Cross Theatre

Date Seen: 2nd January 2016

Seen With: 1 Friend

Understudies at This Performance: Vas Constanti as Kevin, Philippa Stefani as Daniela, Nathan Amzi as Piragua Guy

Summary

Before seeing In The Heights, I knew little about the plot or the musical style. Without giving too much away, it explores the lives of a community living in Washington Heights in New York through a time where rents are rising forcing people out of the area. The residents deal with a heat wave and conflicting relationships whilst dreaming of better lives.

Acting

The thing that impressed me about this show was that I believed every word that was spoken or sung by each character about their situation. Everyone who stepped on the stage was alive to everything and everyone around them and what I saw felt like the first time these people had been through these events.

Music & Songs

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s music is energetic and vibrant, capturing the spirit of the community living in Washington Heights. It also has some very poignant moments which contrast beautifully. My song highlight of the show was Josie Benson’s rendition of ‘Enough’ - her strong vocals absolutely blew me away. The musical style which I can describe as a South American/Rap fusion with powerful ballads makes for a musically interesting and captivating show.  

Choreography

Like the music, Drew Mconie’s choreography embodies the culture of the people in Washington Heights. Mostly high tempo, the numbers are a fusion of South American and street styles with undertones of contemporary dance. The ensemble is completely in tune with each other making for a spectacular visual for the audience. Stand out numbers for me were 96,000 and The Club which incorporate different tempos and styles.

Set/Lighting

The show is performed on a traverse stage. I’ve seen shows like this before and I personally always feel more immersed in what’s going on. The set is simple with two buildings at each end of the stage depicting Usnavi’s bodega, Rossario’s taxi firm and Daniella’s salon. Smaller set items are brought on by the ensemble in effortless transitions. The lighting design enhances this show and captures the atmosphere of the various locations our characters visit. One minute you’ll be in Washington Heights with the sun beating down and then you’ll be in a bar with strobe lighting.

Costumes

The costumes by Gabriella Slade were simple and was all they needed to be to be effective. Bold colours and prints set the scene and don’t distract from what is going on onstage.

Stand Out Performances

Jade Ewen as Vanessa: I was particularly interested in her performance knowing that she will be playing Princess Jasmine in the upcoming production of Aladdin - the Disney Film and Broadway show I love so much. I was blown away by her vocals and her stage presence and I am greatly anticipating seeing her at the Prince Edward Theatre later this year.

Sam Mackay as Usnavi: For me, he was my personal star of the show. His vocals and raw emotion on stage had me hooked as soon as he walked onto stage.

Philippa Stefani as Daniela: For me she nailed the sassiness of this salon owner to a tee. I love seeing understudies excel in the roles they cover so this was a real treat.

Show to Show Comparisons

Unlike my recent visit to see wonder.land, the lyrics feel natural and full of emotion unlike the clunky feel of those in the National’s current production.

Would I Recommend?

Absolutely – the modern setting will appeal to wide audience

Overall Verdict (Out of 5 Stars):

5 Stars