Tag Archives: Musical

Musical, Opera & classical

Candide, WNO a review by Eva Marloes

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out of 5 stars (3 / 5)

The Welsh National Opera know how to put on a show. On opening night, Cardiff’s public enjoyed Candide by Leonard Bernstein. It’s a light musical, more than an operetta, done in a cheeky tone. The WNO enthralls the public with colour, wit, and excellent performances from all the cast. Of note are also the choreography by Ewan Jones, the imaginative use of light by Rob Casey, to create animations and guide the story, and Nathalie Pallandre’s costumes, where the eighteenth century meets and crashes with the late twentieth century.

The singing by all members of the cast is excellent. Soraya Mafi stands out with a powerful voice and delightful timbre. Excellent is also Amy Payne as The Old Woman, delivering a funny and skillful performance, and Ed Lyon is an impeccable Candide. 

WNO Candide Ed Lyon Candide Amy J Payne The Old Woman Soraya Mafi Cunégonde photo credit Craig Fuller

Alas, Bernstein’s Candide lacks the satire and depth of Voltaire’s original novella. It’s a picaresque pastiche with no subtleties. The good mise en scène, creative costumes, and excellent performances cannot compensate for the lack of substance of this musical. There is no variation in tone in the music or the story. There is no emotional arch, and the cheeky jokes become irksome after a short while. 

The two-dimensional cartoon created by the light animation emphasises unwittingly the lack of depth of the show. Although effective in conveying the comedy in the beginning, the two-dimensional drawings keep the scene flat. As a result, there is little variety in the perspective on stage, just as there is no change in tone in the music. 

There is no escape from a mediocre score and shallow libretto, light years away from the subtle and biting satire of Voltaire, but also from Bernstein’s West Side Story. Yet, people loved it. It’s a bit of fun on a rainy night in what feels like an abrupt autumn.

At a time when culture is under attack, when theft of artistic work has effectively been legalised to make AI viable, one can’t help longing for the amazing productions of Janáček that the WNO gave us in the past. One can’t help yearn for the WNO doing operas to convey the truth of the human condition. 

WNO Candide cast of Candide photo credit Craig Fuller
Musical, Theatre

Review: The Rocky Horror Show, Venue Cymru, Llandudno by Richard Evans

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Venue Cymru, Llandudno, March 3rd – 8th 2025 and touring

out of 5 stars (4.5 / 5)

Howard Panter for Trafalgar Theatre Productions, Mallory Factor for Hill Street Productions and Rupert Gavin

The Rocky Horror Show has come a long way since it debuted upstairs in the Royal Court theatre in a 10.30 showing in an auditorium seating 60 people.  What is it about the show that gives it a lasting appeal?  Certainly there is a prevailing sense of fun throughout and the music is upbeat and energetic with the signature song, Time Warp having a timeless appeal.  However it is the subversive nature of the story that has seen the show gain its cult following. 

The storyline in one sense is a sideline.  It was never meant to be profound, rather it was a spoof on a long line of 1950’s B-movies that had a sci-fi theme.  A sweet couple having just got engaged break down in their car and seek help from Frank n Furters castle in the distance.  There they enter an alternative reality that shakes their perception of normality to the core.  Of course some of the inhabitants are aliens who take revenge on Frank n Furter who is guilty of having a profligate lifestyle and betraying some of his loyal servants. 

The cast were well drilled, enthusiastic and energetic.  Adam Strong as Frank n Furter was suitably commanding and was ably supported by the sinister Job Greuter as Riff Raff and the ebullient Jayme-Lee Zanoncelli as Columbia.  The choreography was slick and well rehearsed while the set was simple, adaptable and effective.   

The show is narrated by Joe McFadden who was excellent in dealing with the interruptions from the audience.  These have obviously become part of the tradition of the show as they were not only tolerated but expected.  Some of these were funny, sometimes the interruptions were intrusive.  Either way, McFadden handled them well

First produced in 1973, the play picks up on the attitudes that exploded in Britain with the advent of the permissive society.  This was the era of glam rock where people played around with traditional male and female norms and were less afraid of being openly indulgent in their sexual appetites.  To quote, ‘Give yourself over to absolute pleasure’.  Can people really do that without consequence?

Writer Richard O’Brien never expected it to last but shortly after it bombed on Broadway for not being high brow enough, he heard that it was getting cult following on campuses across the USA where students were attending a performance in costume.  A new trend was formed that allowed those of us who were normally constrained by their career driven, family orientated lifestyles could throw off those shackles and go wild for the evening.  

Now that the show is over 50 years old, does it retain its cutting edge?  It is still subversive but has to be slightly more explicit to give that shock factor.  There is also a disconnect.  Having started off with such humble origins, the glitz and glamour of a West End style show seems slightly out of place.  However, that does not detract from what remains a fun filled, light hearted and still slightly shocking show.

Musical, Theatre

Review: Book of Mormon – London – 25.8.23

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If you’re not aware of BOM. It’s a musical comedy with music, lyrics, and book by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone (South Park & Frozen). It follows two Latter-day Saints missionaries as they attempt to preach the faith of the Church to the inhabitants of a remote Ugandan village.

Simple premise for a musical, I guess. The best way to describe it, is someone took a book of Musicals For Dummies, copied different musical ideas, used the comical genius behind South Park (not forgetting Robert Lopez who’s part of the team that have brought us Frozen & Coco), and you have one of the funny & cleverest musicals of the last decade.

In saying that, this isn’t for everyone. The subject matter itself could be controversial, but I’ve another perspective. It’s not about one religion, it might be named after one, but the tone and material itself is about all religion, and the basis of it – a belief. It doesn’t say one religion is bad, and one is good, it just says your beliefs are yours – there are no wrong or right answers.

Having seen the tour which came to Cardiff in 2021, and in London in 2017, the current cast of the Summer of 2023 are quite possibly my favourite by a long way.

Steven Webb shines as Elder Mckinley – which isn’t a major part but steals the show with his asides and quirks that he’s brought to the role. Ben Tyler and Connor Pierson, Elder Price and Elder Cunningham also remain a huge highlight, and the ensemble were also on point.

Overall – I believe, Book of Mormon, is much better than any golden plates!

Review: Patrick Downes

Film & TV, Musical, Theatre

Review Everybody’s talking about Jamie, Venue Cymru by Richard Evans

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Venue Cymru Nov 28 – Dec 2 2023

out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

Nica Burns and a Sheffield Theatres Production, music by Dan Gillespie Sells, book and lyrics by Tom McRae

Why would a teenager want to stand out from the crowd?  For many teenagers, fitting in with your peers is hugely important so there must be a reason to be different. 

This is the story of Jamie, someone who by force of personality stood out from the crowd.  Perhaps he always knew he was different.  Perhaps an extrovert personality made him a born performer, but why choose to be a drag queen? By any stretch of the imagination this is an unusual ambition, and this play is a recounting of a now well known story based on the real life experience of Jamie Campbell. 

The action centres around the school environment of a year 11 class in the lead up to their end of school prom.  It focuses on Jamie, who is coming to terms with himself, and explores his ambition to be a female impersonator.  It seems he came out twice, once as gay and subsequently as an aspiring drag queen.  As the school setting is a working class environment in Sheffield, these factors brought with them the scrutiny, must of it unwanted,  from his peers and teachers.  

The stand out performer was Ivano Turco as Jamie who started shy, and mixed up yet became increasingly feminine and confident.  My problem was that in using a soft voice to accentuate his femininity, he became hard to hear.  He was ably supported by Rebecca McKinnis as his mother, Darren Day as his mentor, Hugo/Loco Chanelle and Talia Palamathanan as Priti Pasha, whose songs were memorable.

The production was great although not without its problems.  There was a 10 minute hiatus for a sound system failure near the start, yet the cast and crew addressed this and the musical continued without affecting the enjoyment of the audience.  The set was varied, flexible and effective, switching seamlessly from school room to nightclub to kitchen.  The choreography was energetic and balletic and the score varied in intensity from highly charged to being soulful and poignant.

In one sense, this play is mundane.  The vast majority of 16 year olds go through struggles to assert their identity and individuality and many struggle with attendant mental health problems.  In another sense this story is highly unusual and comes with layers of meaning and issues.  Jamie knew from a young age that he was gay and had an attraction bordering on compulsion for dressing up in so called girls clothes.  This made him out of step with society, such that his father thought him a disgrace and some of his peers poured scorn on him, even bullied him.  As he explores his ambition to be a drag queen, he faces losing his best friend, and being excluded from the prom because he wants to wear a dress.  Issues such as prejudice and discrimination and then human rights spring to mind but most importantly, it is clear from the play that one should stay true to yourself and then it is possible to fight through the barriers of social limitations and achieve success.

Even if a story of an aspiring drag queen is not your cup of tea, there is much in this play that makes it thoughtful, entertaining and uplifting theatre.   

Musical, Theatre

Review, Branwen: Dadeni, A Wales Millennium Centre & Frân Wen Production, by Gareth Williams

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out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

A turning point? Branwen: Dadeni certainly feels like it. This “epic new Welsh language musical” heralds a potentially exciting new era for the nation’s theatre. Why? Because it is by far the most ambitious, large-scale theatre production in the Welsh language yet. Testament to what can be achieved when the might of Wales Millennium Centre meets the creative ambition of Frân Wen. It is no understatement in describing the show as worthy of a West End run. The culmination of a long-held confidence by some that our culture is worth investing in.

Adapted from The Mabinogi, this new version exports the mythic weight of the original into a bold and contemporary style. The result is a classic piece of theatre, Shakespearean in size, but with a cutting edge that makes it feel fresh and new. The musical element is a key component to this: a combination of choral tradition, music hall operetta, Sondheim-influenced harmonies and Disney-inspired ballads. Seiriol Davies has not been afraid to draw from the wide pool of musical theatre history and infuse it with Welsh character to create a score brimming with personality. The result is a captivating story. An absorbing commentary on power, family and history that could have been heavy or dictatory but has, instead, been generously and lovingly portrayed.

The costumes fit nicely with each of the characters: from the flowing dresses of the idealist Branwen (Mared Williams) to the army-like uniform of her renegade half-sister Efnisien (Caitlin Drake). So too, the choreography captures beautifully their contrasting personalities: particularly the swish swooning of Matholwch (Rithvik Andugula) in the presence of a buttoned-up Bendigeidfran (Tomos Eames). It is in the songs though that this royal cast of kings, queens and consorts really comes to life. And when one hits the right note, the emotional affect can be overwhelming. Take the tale of the snowfall for instance. The way that Mared gently presses her vocal against the window through which her character witnesses such a scene. So poignant and hopeful, it brings a tear to the eye. Or Gillian Elisa’s vivacious solo, in which her character runs roughshod over the King to proclaim where true power lies. It is delivered with such abundant force as to raise a rapturous applause from the audience.

These are moments which are memorable not just in the context of the show. They make an indelible mark on the mind in the way that some of the best musical theatre productions do. Finding yourself driving home with lyrics still playing out in your head. Fingers tapping the melody on the steering wheel. Feelings still flowing through your body as you go to bed. This is a sure sign that Branwen: Dadeni has in some way been a success. It certainly lays down a marker for future work, which is as challenging as it is inspiring. At a time when investment in the arts is in danger of falling, may Branwen: Dadeni be the start and not the end of something.

Reviewed on the final night at Pontio Arts Centre in Bangor by Gareth Williams

Musical, Theatre

Review The King and I, New Theatre Cardiff by Jane Bissett.

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out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

This is the first time I have been to the theatre since lockdown and this was a most wonderful reintroduction. There is nothing that compares to live theatre and this opportunity did not disappoint and I would certainly recommend this musical to everyone.

When composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein teamed up they became the greatest musical partnership of all time. Their influence and innovation to theatre musicals has been celebrated the globe over.

This production of The King and I comes to Cardiff following a critically-acclaimed season at The London Palladium where it was no surprise that it was a sell out!
 

From curtain up the audience was transported and transfixed to another world far from the mundane. For many the bench mark for this elaborate musical is the 1956 film with screen performances of Deborah Kerr (Anna) and Yul Brynner (King Mongkut).

The West End’s Annalene Beechey and Broadway’s Darren Lee did not disappoint with their interpretation and performances that transported us to the Siam of Margaret Landon’s novel Anna and the King of Siam on which the musical is based.

The story follows Anna, a widow, and her son as they travel to Bangkok, where Anna has been assigned as a tutor to the King’s children. Anna soon finds herself having cultural clashes and differences with the King whilst endearing herself to both the children and the king’s many wives.

The Royal children were a delight, completing the illusion of being in a far country at a different time.

There are also the side stories of star crossed lovers and references to slavery. These must be viewed in context but the female narrative cannot be ignored and gives additional depth to the story as a whole.

The stand out actor for me was Caleb Lagayan, who excelled as a truly believable Prince Chulalongkorn. His voice was powerful, captivating and commanded the stage.

From the golden age of musicals, The King and I is one of the greatest, with what many would consider one of the finest scores ever written.

Many in the audience seemed to genuinely find it difficult not to sing along to the familiar songs including Whistle a Happy Tune and Shall We Dance.
 
Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Sher and his internationally renowned creative team created the atmosphere of old Siam. The wonderful full-scale orchestra led by Christoper Munday, must be given credit for keeping us spell bound all evening, even before the curtain rose.

A truly memorable evening I would recommend to everyone.

Music, Musical, Theatre

Review Rock of Ages, Venue Cymru by Richard Evans

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Venue Cymru, May 2 – 6 2023

A DLAP Group and In Fine Company Production

out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

Rock of Ages, fit for the stone age or a timeless classic? 

The 1980’s is an ideal setting for a jukebox musical.  For many it is the heyday of glam metal bands, Styx, Journey and Bon Jovi among others and you can take your pick from any number of power ballads.  Would this musical be an excuse for an extended playlist of Metal’s favourite songs or would it have some substance to the story?  

It is the storyline that could be a problem. Many in this genre of theatre are fairly artificial and predictable and at first glance Rock of Ages falls into this trap.  There are two starlets seeking to make it on Los Angeles’ famous strip who meet and fall in love.  In their ups and downs they confront the reality of a rockstar lifestyle and the fate of many young hopefuls who tried to succeed only to see their hopes dashed.  

There is however, more to this musical than that.  The first act felt stereotypical, but the second blossomed into an unexpected parody.  It delighted in poking fun at the characters and breaking expectations.  My favourite was where the business tycoon revealed a secret dream of designing formal wear for pets.  At times it developed into farce, the aging rocker retiring and opening a llama farm in Mexico where he would teach the llamas to swallow and not spit.  

 One welcome aspect of the performance was the willingness to break down the fourth wall and relate directly to the audience.  Most prominent in this was Kevin Kennedy as Dennis Dupree, a rocker turned sound engineer who narrated the play and sought to turn at least one member of the audience into a groupie.  This added to the most welcome comic touch in the second act.

This farewell (at least for the moment) tour is a consummate production as you would expect having come from the West End.  The set is dazzling, the choreography energetic and complimented the action really well rather than being an annoying interlude.  Pride of place goes to the three piece band who, as well as being fittingly loud, were excellent with plenty of screaming guitar solos and thunderous drum rhythms.  To criticise, at times the loudness of the music and the quick pace of the production drowned out the dialogue and lyrics in the songs.  This made the production, especially in the first act hard to follow.  

Would this musical warrant a comeback tour?  Some of the songs were great to hear again and it is good to see a production laugh at its own topic matter.   It would also suit the rock scene, where it is not unknown for bands to break up and reform several times, so such a prospect should be welcomed.  Going by the strength of the standing ovation at the end, this audience would enjoy a return to the stage in the near future. 

Dance, Musical, Theatre

Review, The King and I – Venue Cymru by Richard Evans

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Venue Cymru, March 7th to 11th 2023

Rodgers & Hammerstein, based on Margaret Landon’s book Anna and the King

Howard Panter for Trafalgar Theater Productions

out of 5 stars (4.5 / 5)

“How will I know when I know everything?” “When you are King!”

This faithful production of The King and I portrays the unexpected love story between the King of Siam and a schoolteacher really well. It also draws out a series of dilemmas thrown up by a remarkable passage in history, not least the problem of how one inherits omniscience!

At its heart it is the story of two people, the King and Anna, but like much of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s work, the apparently light musical romance is rooted in political change.

For generations, each king of Siam had ultimate power within his protectorate, but the current king is now struggling to reconcile ancient rights with modern progress and the pernicious influence of western colonialism. The king is seen as barbaric, even though the show is set at the same time as the American Civil War, and only shortly after the Indian Mutiny. 

In fact this king is an educated, intelligent man trying hard to balance his autocratic power with a more considerate, conscience-driven approach.  

Opposite him is Anna, an intrepid, forthright widow employed as a teacher to the king’s children – all 67 of them. She arrives in Bangkok accompanied only by her young son, having never lived outside the British Empire. The culture shock in itself would be extreme. 

While others say what they think the king wants to hear, Anna  speaks her mind, becoming a “difficult woman” in the process. Her arrival throws up a number of clashes of culture, attitude and morality, some of which become humorous. Why did Western, Victorian women wear dresses with hoops ten feet wide?  I have no idea.  It is slightly ironic that I viewed this production on International Women’s Day, which seeks to raise the status of women worldwide today. Anna repeatedly asserts her right to be treated with dignity and equality, yet the king sees the role of a woman as merely to serve a man.  

There is therefore much to take from this story. Helen George and Darren Lee are excellent as the leads and are ably-supported by the cast, in particular the children. The score has a number of well-loved tunes, and Marienella Phillips showed her operatic voice to good effect as Tuptim, the chief narrator, a slave girl with an education and attitude.  The choice of Uncle Tom’ Cabin as a showpiece play for western visitors is a definite dig by R & H at US society.  

But there is a problem with this show in the present age: what was vital, bold and brilliant in 1951 lacks the intensity and grittiness that has become today’s standard. It has become a period piece. Some of the songs are very much of their time, and rather twee. 

But this criticism nonetheless admits the show’s classic status; it’s a rattling good story. The score may seem dated to some, but others will recognise their enduring appeal. The audience, of course, lapped it up from curtain-up and offered a sincere ovation at the end. For all its age and increasing creakiness, no one can deny its star quality.    

Musical

Review: Back To The Future The Musical, London, 23.10.22 by Patrick Downes

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This was a musical we’d planned to see earlier this year, but the weather won and trains, buses and all manner of transport down the M4 stopped, so we waited, and on a bright Autumn day in London, we finally came to see the brilliance that is Back To The Future The Musical (herein known as BTTFM).

Prior to it’s West End debut, BTTFM was workshopped in Manchester and had a very short run before the world locked down and the pandemic closed theatres all around the UK and beyond. I’d heard about it then and wasn’t 100% on whether a musical on a film such as this would work. I’ve previously seen Titanic the musical, as well as Sister Act and Ghost, so know there’s two side to every film/musical cross over.

I don’t feel I need to explain the plot, but I’ll give it a go;

When Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history. Now he’s in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past and send himself… back to the future.

Add into the mix an incredible 80’s soundtrack and you have a musical, that when it hits 88, you’ll see some serious sh…. You know what.

New songs written by Glenn Ballard based on the script by Bob Gale and Robert Zemekis, this could feel like it’s trying too hard to be BTTF – but it doesn’t and I think that in itself is down to the cast of Ben Joyce (Marty Mcfly) and Roger Bart (Doc Brown), Oliver Nicholas (George Mcfly), Amber Davies (Lorraine Baines), Jordan Benjamin (Goldie Wilson / Marvin Berry), Sophie Naglik (Jennifer Parker) and Harry Jobson (Biff Tannen).

Roger Bart is musical theatre royalty, and in this performance you can see why. The ensemble pieces are amazing, as are the solos – although the songs aren’t quite as memorable as I’d like – I know as soon as I start listening to the cast recording in the car, it’ll all come flooding back to me.

I loved it, can’t say I didn’t, even contemplated doing a rush ticket for the next day’s performance. My only issue with BTTFM is that it relies too much on a that 80’s nostalgia. You find yourself completely immersed in something so familiar that it feels right. Maybe that’s just something I felt, and you won’t feel the same way, needless to say there is a moment when I felt myself get a bit emosh – not saying where, needless to say, Alan Silvestri’s composition is as part of the 80s as anything you’ll hear from John Williams.

The only thing that sets this production apart from anything else in the West End, is that Delorean!

What a machine! In terms of being in the moment, it’s up there with Elphaba’s Defying Gravity moment, Mary Poppins flying, and Cinderella’s rotating auditorium (what, do we not talk about Cinderella now?). It’s an incredible prop – and I realise calling it a prop does it a huge disservice, as it’s so much more than that! The car is literally the star!

Musicals are about escapism, fun, and feeling good, and BTTFM does this in bucketloads.

Your review is whatever you make it. So, make it a good one!

88 mph / 100

Review: @ImPatrickDownes

Musical

Review: & Juliet, London, 24.10.22 by Patrick Downes

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Having seen this earlier this year and not reviewing it, I thought it time I gave my reviewing fingers a go.

If you didn’t know;

& Juliet is the 2019 coming-of-age stage musical featuring the music of Swedish pop songwriter Max Martin, with a book by David West Read (Schitt’s Creek).

This is where I don’t want to say any further about the plot, as you may think you know, but trust me you don’t.

Max Martin’s songs are neatly interwoven into this tale of a “what if” scenario, where Juliet does not die at the end of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

You’ll be watching, listening, and thinking “who sung this originally”. Just me? Okay, just me.

The script by David West Reid is perfectly pitched and interweaves the songs quite nicely. The pace feels familiar (as does the music), and you won’t feel the songs are shoehorned into the story as can sometimes happen with other jukebox musicals. Okay, this isn’t Mamma Mia, but it feels fresh and fun and is the perfect accompaniment to a good night out – do try and not sing along though as that can be a bit annoying!

As I’ve said I’ve seen this earlier this year with Keala Settle as Angelique (just amazing), and I think apart from a few other cast changes on the evening, the cast was the same.

Miriam-Teak Lee as Juliet is amazing, as is Cassidy Janson as Anne Hathaway – her version of Celine Dion’s “That’s the way it is”, is probably up there as my favourite Celine cover! There was a little bit of Fenella Fielding in her portrayal of Will Shakespeare’s wife – together with Karen Walker from Will & Grace! Just loved it. Oliver Tompsett as William Shakespeare is sublime and fun to watch in his other guises. You maybe getting the idea I liked this production, if you haven’t so far, we can’t really be friends, because I loved it!

My only concern is the shelf life of the music. Some of the songs are over 20 years old, and as anyone in radio knows, some songs burn out with being overplayed. & Juliet is finishing in the West End in March 2023, so that’s a good time to be able to rest it in it’s current guise (specially since the Shaftesbury Theatre will be undergoing a transformation), but I’m also guessing a UK tour will be on the cards. The Broadway version started on October 28th 2022, and I’m sure it’ll do amazingly across the pond, and in the UK a tour will bring new life (and fans) into this little piece of musical history.

Before I end, one thing of note – the story maybe called & Juliet, but like another musical named after a historical person (rhymes with Samilton), maybe this story too isn’t actually about the one female protagonist?

Rating, Two be, or not two be….? No – 9 / 10

Review: @ImPatrickDownes