Hairspray at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff was an absolute whirlwind of fun, energy, and infectious joy. This production captured the essence of the 60s with a vibrant, colourful, and over-the-top spectacle that left the audience cheering and dancing in their seats.
From the moment the curtain rises, you’re transported to Baltimore, where the rhythm of the music and the infectious enthusiasm of the cast immediately grab your attention. The iconic songs, including “Good Morning Baltimore,” “Welcome to the 60s,” and the show-stopping finale “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” were delivered with powerhouse vocals and impeccable choreography.
The heart of the show, of course, is Tracy Turnblad, played by Alexandra Emmerson-Kirby in her professional debut. She was just sensational. Her incredible voice made her the perfect embodiment of this beloved character. The supporting cast was equally impressive, with standout performances from Edna Turnblad (Neil Hurst) and Wilbur (Dermot Canavan) certainly stole the show with “(You’re) Timeless to me”. Michelle Ndegwa also made her professional debut in the show as Motormouth Maybelle having been selected from more than 3,000 people who applied to the open auditions in November last year. “I know where I’ve been” is such an emotional number and to perform it in the way Michelle did, wow!
The set design was simple but visually stunning, capturing the spirit of the era with colourful projected backdrops and eye-catching costumes. Most touring shows follow the same process – and Hairspray delivered. The choreography was energetic and fun, with the ensemble dancers bringing a high level of skill. The show start seemed a little laboured and it probably wasn’t till the second number things started to gel.
I’ve said that I believe Hairspray has one of the most incredible show finales – even better than Les Misérables – granted no one dies in Hairspray and it would be like comparing a Mini with a Porsche. But it certainly leaves you with a smile on your face and a spring in your step. It’s a feel-good show that’s the perfect antidote to a bad hair day!
The BBC sitcom ‘The Vicar of Dibley’ is a representation of British comedy at its finest. They just don’t make comedy like it anymore so what a treat it was to find that the well known show had been adapted from screen to stage.
The Vicar of Dibley follows the journey of a confident female vicar with a huge personality, as she becomes the vicar of the church in a small, conservative village where her presence is not, at first, welcomed.
Walking into ‘The Mix’ at Theatr Clwyd, we were met with a simple set that was effective in supporting the cast to tell the story. Scenes moved between the Dibley Parish Hall, the church vestry and the Vicar’s living room. Particular effort had been made to ensure that each set was instantly recognisable, and certain aspects could be likened to the locations seen on our screens. Lighting was used effectively to complement the set. For example, the stained glass church window that was lit from the back to highlight its beauty, and the light that changed as the door to Geraldine Granger’s (Nicola Simonds) living room opened and closed.
A particularly nice touch was the invitation given to the audience to join in with the hymn during one of the church service scenes – song words were included at the back of the programme. This provided audience members with a well received, immersive experience. Unfortunately, the decision was made not to use microphones during this performance which did, at some points, hinder the flow of the dialogue. The volume of the laughter after some of the comedic lines meant that the next line was missed by the audience.
The casting of this production was excellent and it was evident that each cast member had studied their character, and their characteristics. Alice (Sara Griffiths) and Hugo (Luke Crofts) were particularly convincing- their on stage double act was hilarious and they were extremely well received by the audience. Owen (Ben Wheelhouse) and Frank (Eric Jones) were also instantly recognisable as the much loved characters that once graced our screens.
A huge congratulations to the cast and crew of this production. The team is small, but evidently mighty. My first experience of watching a Phoenix Theatre Company production and, God willing, it won’t be my last!
Venue Cymru, Llandudno July 30th – Aug 4th 2024 and touring
(5 / 5)
Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Smith & Brant Theatricals, Red Hanger, Gavin Kalin Productions, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Echo Lake Entertainment, Square Peg, Stephen and Paula Reynolds, Fiery Dragons, Judith Ann Abrams/Peter May, Nancy Gibbs, Curve Leicester
Come from away documents a remarkable experience. As the tragedy of 9/11 unfolded and American airspace was closed, many planes had to make unscheduled landings in far flung places. 38 of them landed at Gander airport, Newfoundland.
With a population of about 9000, the local community found themselves hosting 7000 unexpected incomers with a range of different languages, customs, medical and dietary needs. There were also 19 animals including a pregnant bonobo ape. This was a refugee scenario where the hosts were entirely unprepared. The days that followed demonstrated the best in human qualities. Food was drummed up, beds found, activities were organised such that lasting friendships were formed that have been sustained to this day.
Would the stage be the best place to retell these events or would a film be better? On the evidence of this performance, the energy and immediacy of the stage is a great platform and the cast exploited this story in excellent fashion. It was a prime example of ensemble theatre, a close knit team working together in a fast moving, intense drama. Actors do an outstanding job as they switch roles from hosts to incomers seamlessly and retell these events and their aftermath. There is a great backing group playing a range of Irish-Canadian melodies to enhance the action.
The individual stories invoke a range of emotions when you hear them. Diane and Nick were on the same plane, met and the following year got married. Hannah was worried for her son, a firefighter in Brooklyn yet was comforted by Beulah who also had a firefighting son. It is in the minutiae that the poignant moments rest. A moment when a Christian song, a Muslim chant and a Jewish incantation are heard as people pray, emphasising the importance of faith in coming to terms with life experience. A scene where an older gentleman reveals to a Jewish rabbi that he had a hidden Jewish background dating from his early life in Poland. Two people communicating through the use of Bible references to encourage each other when they had no shared language.
The welcoming nature of this Canadian-Irish community is graphically shown in the ceilidh held one night. It saw some visitors inducted as honorary Newfoundlanders through ‘screeching in’, drinking a shot of Irish whiskey and kissing a fish, a custom used to welcome new cast members to the show. This to me is an enduring legacy of a must-see show, the power of community. Had this town not been as tight nit and warm in its embrace, the experience of the incomers might have been quite different. As it is, they felt an immense debt of gratitude but in attempting to express this, received a standard response, ‘It was nothing, anyone else would have done the same.’ It was not nothing, it was remarkable. This makes the show a privilege to watch.
I must admit, I am a bit of a purist when it comes to sticking to the original score and production values of a piece of musical theatre; these shows are of their time and representative of the period that they were written and set in. The Wizard of Oz, especially, is a well-loved, exceptionally well-known film and show; it’s on every Christmas after all! Everyone knows the songs, the characters, the story of the young girl from Kansas who flies over the rainbow to the land of Oz, meets an extraordinary group of friends, vanquishes not one, but TWO Wicked Witches and learns the true meaning of home.
This production is based on the London Palladium version from 2023 and features new songs and orchestrations from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jeremy Sams. The new songs add to the story well; giving Dorothy a bit more reason to be looking to leave her Kansas home in ‘Nobody Understands Me,’ providing the Wizard with a techno catchy number in ‘Bring me the Broomstick,’ adding an excellent villain song for the Wicked Witch in, ‘Red Shoes Blues’ and a heart wrenching final song in Oz, ‘Already Home.’
It’s not just the score that’s new; the production has an altogether faster pace, high octane dance numbers, new orchestrations of the original songs (without losing the flavour of the originals but allowing their performers to shine) and a bright, colourful visual element which mostly revolves around the moving projections behind and, sometimes in front of, our cast of characters. As a musical theatre fan, I really loved the references on the projections, ‘Margaret Hamilton the Musical’ featuring the original actress who played the Wicked Witch in the film, ‘The Lahr King’ referencing Bert Lahr who played the original Cowardly Lion! There’s also a Frozen the Musical logo (replacing ‘Frozen’ with ‘Emerald,’) ‘Munchkin the Musical,’ an homage to ‘Hairspray’ and many more. It’s not just Musical Theatre references to catch the eye, however. The projections mention the Great Depression, the dust storms that hit farmers in the south of America in the 1930s and other topics of the period; Kansas and Oz truly come to life in this smart set. The tornado is excellent, transforming the farmhands into their Oz counterparts as well as Miss Gulch to the dastardly Witch. The stuttering images and elements from Dorothy’s own life back in Kansas really add to the dream element of the story; it’s really as if she has created the fantastical landscape from the gas pumps, empty food cans, junkyards and more of 1930s America and created her very own place over the rainbow.
The cast is excellent; obviously there is the celebrity casting of Craig Revel Horwood as Miss Gulch and The Wicked Witch of the West and Aston Merrygold of JLS fame as the Tin Man and Hickory, who are both fantastic, but the whole cast and ensemble are an asset to show.
Craig Revel Horwood is an imposing, statuesque Wicked Witch, stalking the stage in purple boots and switching from sassy to terrifying with ease. He owns the stage whenever he steps onto it; terrifying the children one minute and having everyone in stitches the next. ‘Red Shoes Blues’ is a great moment of theatre, surrounded by his dancers, he really nails the song, belting it out with ease.
Aviva Tulley is a wonderful Dorothy and performs the best rendition of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ that I’ve heard. She is her own unique version of the character, whilst capturing the wonder and innocence of Judy Garland in the original film. She is the glue that holds our hapless heroes together and is an inspiration to all the little ‘Dorothys’ in the audience.
As the Scarecrow, Benjamin Yates shines. His comic timing is impeccable, his voice soars and he is an exceptional dancer, capturing the Scarecrow’s movements with ease. His facial expressions alone had the audience in fits of laughter and his relationship with Dorothy is lovely to behold. Aston Merrygold is a very good Tin Man; his dancing, in particular, (choreographed for this new version by Asley Banjo) inspires cheers and whoops from the audience. His performance is heartfelt and sweet, and I loved the new version of ‘If I only Had a Heart’ which showed off his vocal skills excellently. Finally, Nic Greensheids as the Cowardly Lion; it’s like watching Bert Lahr from the film. The mannerisms are captured perfectly, his voice is excellent and he had me in stitches from the moment he pounced onto the stage.
Emily Bull switches with ease from Aunty Em to a very ‘Wicked-esque’ Glinda, resplendent in sparkles, onboard her hot pink scooter. Her voice is gorgeous and she hits those top notes with such ease even as she rides across the stage on her new mode of transport. Alex Bourne is a loveable rogue as Professor Marvel and the Wizard; his number ‘Wonders of the World is delivered with much style and panache and his Wizard is excellent. David Burrows is a sweet Uncle Henry, bemoaning taking in Dorothy but being her biggest protector against Miss Gulch. He completes the pairing of Em and Henry with ease, as well as taking on other multiple roles throughout the production; a veritable chameleon on stage.
I must give special mention to Abigail Matthews as Toto…the highest praise you can pay to a puppeteer is that you forget that they are there and you really do in this production. Toto becomes a fully fledged member of the cast, a living, breathing cairn terrier, prancing across the stage and getting into all sorts of mischief along the way. The little moments of brilliance, which may go unnoticed by most of the audience, kept me enraptured; the noticing of his own reflection in Glinda’s shiny scooter, the soft wagging of his tail as he rests his head in Dorothy’s lap, the wolfing down of Professor Marvel’s sausage lunch and his relaying of Dorothy’s capture to the Lion, Tin Man and Scarecrow will stay with me for a long time.
All in all, the original tale still sings from the stage, the homages to the original are clear. It’s a smart, modern but respectful production with a cast that clearly are having a fantastic time entertaining us all. It’s choc full of brave changes, smart new decisions and of course, loads of heart. The final moment of Dorothy walking in silhouette towards the rainbow, her ruby slippers glinting, cements this production in my mind and really catapults The Wizard of Oz into a new generation of fans and reminds them that, ‘there’s no place like home.’
If you’ve ever wondered what lurks beneath your bed, what clouds your brain when you’re asked a question in front of the whole class, or even what snaps at your heels when confronted with a physical challenge, then Taking Flight’s new show has the answer: Dragons.
You’ve Got Dragons is a deeply imaginative play for primary-age children by Manon Steffan Ros, adapted from Kathryn Cave’s book. Directed by Elise Davison, the concept is as simple as it is brilliant – all the fears and anxieties that plague us in our everyday lives are actually dragons, stubbornly immoveable. But how do we learn to live with them?
Six young friends hang out in a cityscape of brick, iron and electric light – a superb set by Ruth Stringer gloriously lit by Garrin Clarke – that suggests the dangers, real and imagined, hanging over an uncertain world. Grace (Grace O’Brien) watches her friends scale a low roof, but a dragon on her shoulder holds her back from completing the climb herself. She’s terrified. Rather than berate her, Grace’s companions recall a story they’ve been told of Ben, a boy who has to learn to combat his metaphorical (we think) dragons as he navigates homelife and school.
This Brechtian play-within-a-play device allows the characters to explore their fears in a safe environment without prospect of recrimination. The tension may have been ramped up further had the perils happened to the characters first hand, but Taking Flight has clearly considered the target audience of younger children, some of whom would find this once-removed conceit more palatable.
Ben – played by two cast members, O’Brien and Amy Helena (the latter signing BSL throughout) – demonstrates that we can all get “a case of the dragons” often in situations that our peers might find quite normal. And this personalisation of fears is so often what makes them feel worse. The trick, they discover, is not to defeat your dragons, but to learn to accept them and recontextualise them. Ros’s script communicates this sophisticated metaphorical conflict with skill, pathos and humour, the messages remaining clear amid the magic and madness of the tale. This is a play packed with honesty, and about how opening up to our friends can minimise our anxieties.
Elise Davison’s staging is brimming with physical wit. The dragons’ appearances are at different times represented by silhouetted puppetry, prosthetics, flourishes of costume design and most cleverly by the movement of the ensemble themselves as well as the use of wire-cage gates to create the beast’s wings. It eschews cinematic effects, remaining joyously theatrical.
As ever, Taking Flight celebrates diversity in a way that is wholly truthful and unostentatious, normalising the inclusion of BSL and ensuring it remains an equal language in the text. The quiet impact this philosophy has on the company’s young audience is immeasurable and an absolute good. You’ve Got Dragons is much more than a brilliant example of inclusive art; it is a beautifully performed piece of theatre with which all of us can relate.
Performance reviewed: 17th July 2024
You’ve Got Dragons
Chapter, Cardiff
Adaptation: Manon Steffan Ros, from the book by Kathryn Cave
Director: Elise Davison
BSL and Participation Director: Stephanie Bailey-Scott
Composer and Sound Designer: Dan Lawrence
Set and Costume Designer: Ruth Stringer
Lighting Designer: Garrin Clarke
Creative Captions: Ben Glover
Producer: Ffion Glyn
Performers: Alex Nowak, Amy Helena, Catrin Mai Edwards, Eben James, Grace O’Brien, Gethin Roberts
Combination of post punk revolution and ancient Chinese tradition and story telling, this mash together of what would seem like very different genres comes together in this small but atmospheric production.
The Dao of Unrepresentative British Chinese Experience looks at the racial politics around British Chinese people, what it means to have the contrasting cultures and embrace them both, but also when you’re “not Chinese enough”.
The story flicks back and forth between traditional, ancient stories to more modern situations. While it is understood why they do this (predominantly that it is one of the main focus of the story and title itself) it becomes slightly hard to distinguish. Perhaps there’s an element of my lack of knowledge and naivety in the culture and history, but I do feel that theatre should teach and give a sense of learning to those outside its realms and this only left me in want.
Characters swap between the performers and it becomes a little difficult to follow – are they different characters, or the same played by different performers? It’s never really that clear. Between this and the jump between time and sometimes space, the main ethos and point of the production gets a little lost.
It is indispersed with original punk rock music and this is fun, exciting, catchy and new and adds another theatrical element. But without being too clear on the narrative, it just feels like a helpful break. There is, what unusually and one i’ve never heard of, a 5 minute interval. Only enough to run out and hardly seems worth it, but the lack of time to decompress and try to understand the first half would have been helpful.
The performers themselves are fantastic – in whatever they do, from acting to playing an instrument, they are fully in the show and there is passion and realism in the hardship they portray. Not to mention their talent and fantastic composition of music which is definitely worth its own space to grow fans.
The Dao of Unrepresentative British Chinese Experience is certainly that – an experience. It has all the elements to be a fantastic piece of work but there is something lost in its narrative and therefore lacks in educating those of us who are not from that society.
Requiem (Cysewski) Immerses us labyrinth of hospital curtains (Brown), and a tinnitus-like soundscape of voices, tones, and reverberating melodies (Orgon). We are led through a constantly shifting space by six performers (Cicolani, Clark, Fedorovykh, Relf, Rust, Tadd) and dynamic lighting (Moore). The proximity of this promenade performance reminds us of our (in)action as we witness abstracted fragments of care, hope, and despair.
Movement, and spoken words occur throughout the space, at times forcing us to make a choice of who, or what to observe. Do we leave someone alone without care? or follow caregivers as they navigate the needs of others and themselves.
The spoken text offers limited insights into the lived experiences of people with learning disabilities under NHS care. Instead we are invited to meditate on touch as a medium for communicating needs, and observe its failure to be understood in tender, emotional vignettes.
Requiem drifts between highlighting the general reduced life expectancy, and the impact of COVID of people with learning disabilities and/or autism. The lack of distinction serves the audience well, allowing us to reflect on our memories and experiences of COVID.
Data on mortality rates is repeated throughout the performance, sometimes spoken aloud, other times whispered into individual audience members’ ears. Both publicly, and personally we are given no room to escape the information, and experiences being shared with us. Each moment is a requiem for those who have died, especially the lives that have been lost early, and avoidably (42%).
Cysewski, and Harris reference data from Learning from Lives and Deaths (LeDeR) in the performance text, and promotional materials. Whilst a knowledge of this research is not essential to understanding Requiem , it grounds the abstracted narrative in an ongoing call for action and change. But it is here that I question the decision to partially excise information on gender differences, and fully omit ethnicity differences from the performance text (and casting). A requiem for the disabled should honour the intersections of identities.
Outside of the Unity festival we see too little inclusive dance work from professional companies in Wales. I hope in the future we will see more, and performances that have disabled people in senior creative roles.
I had expected to be viewing this 1963 set comedia dell’arte in glorious sunshine…it is July after all! However, the Harlequin, Francis, and his motley crew had a typical wet Welsh summer to perform in…on the 5th July!
After weeks of General Election coverage, voting and exit polls, I was feeling in need of a few good belly laughs and I knew One Man, Two Guvnors by Richard Bean would not disappoint. The set was as colourful as the subject matter, not even dented by the constant downpour of rain that evening. The bright backdrop is versatile throughout, with a space reserved on the roof for some very catchy musical numbers!
One Man Two Guvnors is an adaptation of Servant of Two Masters, a comedy play, from 1746 by Carlo Goldoni. The exotic Italian location is replaced with 1963 Brighton, the Harlequin becomes an out of work skiffle player, the food he is constantly pining for becomes the haddock, chips and mushy peas served by the Cricketer’s Arms (a pub…that does food!). The plot is remarkably faithful to the original play; the woman in disguise as her murdered brother, the Harlequin bemoaning his empty stomach and the confusion that arises when he attempts (ill-advisedly) to take on and serve two masters, without one, or the other, discovering.
One Man Two Guvnors takes that storyline and slaps the action firmly in 1963. The script is smart; hilarious, pacey and full of puns and tongue twisters. The farce and physical humour elements are particularly strong, such as when Francis argues with, and manages to knock out, himself. I must say, I had huge admiration for the entire cast as they, clearly drenched and getting wetter by the minute, rolled around on the floor space, dived from railings, rode food trolleys and much more.
The action is ably directed and there is no stone left unturned in the pursuit of comedy. Simon H West, in his 24th year as a part of the festival, ensures that there is no let up of side splitting humour; whether it’s the clever use of his stage crew (a moving crew), interactions with the audience (such as the policeman handing out flyers to look for Rachel who ‘looks a bit like Ringo Starr’ in her mugshot), musical interludes which had me cackling and the sheer pace and delivery of the script, Simon has clearly ensured that every opportunity is utilised.
The cast are all brilliant in their roles and the casting is spot on. They’re clearly having an absolute ball performing this script, and the camaraderie and trust they have in one another is clear to see. The comedic chops are strong throughout, but particular mention must be made of the Harlequin himself, Francis Henshall, played by Matthew Preece. His physicality and timing are both excellent, as is his ability to ad lib and create new humour out of audience interactions. I must admit that, when Francis asked for a sandwich (a cry usually left unanswered) and somebody offered one, only for it to turn out to be hummus, I thought the audience would die laughing at Matthew’s lightning-fast responses and ability to turn the unexpected addition to his advantage.
The cast features fantastic performances from Bethan Maddocks as Rachel Crabbe who also had a beautiful singing voice, Joshua Ogle as the hilarious Stanley Stubbers (aka Dustin Pubsign) and Gregory Owens as Harry Dangle, the ‘no win, same fee’ lawyer. Brogan Rogers is Pauline who, cracked me up every time she proclaimed loudly, ‘I don’t understand!’ She is joined by Tom Price as Alan (Orlando) Dangle who played the ham to perfection, Toby Harris as hard-nosed but ultimately soft-hearted Charlie Clench and Jess Courtney as the ultimate feminist bookkeeper and love interest of Francis. Her proclamation about us one day having a female prime minister who would show compassion and love for the people certainly got some laughs! Completing the cast is Devante Fleming as Lloyd Boateng whose side glances at the audience as he mentioned ‘Parkhurst’ had us giggling away. The ensemble is also excellent, but Joan Hoctor as Elsie made my night. She had the whole audience spluttering with laughter and she stole every scene she was in, even if she just walked (slowly) across the stage pulling her shopping troller behind her.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the new interpretation of this very funny play. The cast should be highly commended for their very well executed performances, even as the rain poured down around them. It proves that farce is still alive and well, whether it’s performed in the 18th or the 21st century! In these often doom and gloom times, it’s so lovely to leave a show with a huge smile on my face, that even the torrential downpour could not wash away.
Arguably William Shakespeare’s most timeless receives a twist from the Everyman Youth Theatre, and it’s another success from the always-strong ensemble. ‘Romeo & Juliet’ is well-crafted adaptation that brings out the undeniable talent in its young performers.
The show has some interesting technical ideas, despite its authentically Shakespearean dialogue, it frequently incorporates modern music into its storytelling. It’s all very ‘Romeo + Juliet’, the 1996 movie (which is absolutely fine by me), and it even has some of the same songs. The costuming has the actors all wearing these stained shirts, and almost all of them have something unique written on them. I did spend an inordinate amount of time while watching trying to read every shirt I could. Every character has their name written down, for the newcomers, and a thematically-relevant quote, which was actively rewarding for people like me who know the play well. It added a level of depth that was creatively executed. This applies to every character except for Romeo and Juliet themselves, their clothes are unstained by blood, they are pure. I appreciated the metaphor. The youth theatre productions always have some constraints to contend with, the stage itself is still set up for the festival’s ongoing production of ‘One Man Two Guvnors’, but I’m grateful for the little things like that which leaves it deftly directed, with a great level of immersion despite contrasting circumstances.
The two leads are especially convincing, Romeo (Sidney Evans) and Juliet (Gracie Booth) are totally dedicated to selling their star-crossed love with an impressive maturity. Another standout is Mercutio (Seb Rex), a hilarious scene-stealer. But the entire cast is ever-present and almost always on stage, letting every individual contribute to the overall feel. It is a true ensemble piece, giving every actor their time to shine. Additionally, the discipline and commitment of the children in this production added to its high quality, making for a complete experience well on-par with any older-age equivalent.
The high standard set by this production is nothing less than inspiring, director Sarah Bawler clearly understands the original play and, with the talented performers in tow, turns the popular play into a seamless performance that is efficient in its simplicity and impressive in its quality. The good work of the Everyman Youth Theatre pays off in another fantastic production.
‘Romeo & Juliet’ is at the Cardiff Open Air Theatre Festival, July 7th & July 21st.
The Cardiff Open Air Theatre festival’s next show, ‘One Man Two Guvnors’, has arrived, and it’s obvious from the opening night that this comedy is going to be another great hit.
The play follows Francis Henshall (Matthew Preece), a man with, well, two ‘guvnors’. The simple idea of a man working two jobs leads to both expected and unexpected shenanigans. The original West End show starred James Corden, and the character has some obvious Corden-isms that can be a little draining at times, but Preece does very well to elevate himself from some of the constraints of that character. Some of the show’s funniest moments came from his improvised banter with the audience. With that, and elements of heavy audience participation, which ends up being very comedically well-implemented, every performance of this show entirely unique.
The rest of the cast with an eclectic bunch, with all sorts of different hilarious personalities. There’s Dolly (Jess Courtney), who brings some great humour with her feminist attitude, and Alan (Tom Price), a Hamlet-lite character who is deeply entertaining. The standouts are the two ‘guvnors’, Roscoe (Rachel Crabbe), who is not who they appear to be, and the borderline-murderous Stanley (Joshua Ogle), who are hilarious apart and especially together. The latter engages in some of show’s best physical comedy- which the whole show has in well-executed droves- and has some absolutely priceless exclamations that really stand out in my mind. I do hope that he says “oopsie-diddly-die-doe” every night.
On a technical level, the staging has a level of unexpected depth, folding out to create different rooms. Every part of the stage is milked for all the comedy it’s worth, the top being used for musical performances, the area behind the on-stage doors to make imaginary rooms, and even the railing along the top of the stage for Stanley to throw himself off of later. There are also a great deal of set-dressings and props, and in order to make time for the scene changes to have their details carefully placed, the show patches in song and dance numbers during the transitions. Their variance keeps things fresh, so there’s never a dull moment.
As a result, ‘One Man Two Guvnors’ is a hilarious time, especially with the older viewers, the audience around me was practically rolling in their seats. Everyman Theatre’s take on the hit West End hit was a home run with the audience here at the Cardiff Open Air Theatre Festival, and another real crowd-pleaser.
‘One Man Two Guvnors’ is at the Cardiff Open Air Theatre Festival, July 5th – July 13th.
Creating opportunities for a diverse range of people to experience and respond to sport, arts, culture and live events. / Lleisiau amrywiol o Gymru yn ymateb i'r celfyddydau a digwyddiadau byw
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