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):
No comments:
Post a Comment