Theatre Trip: Crazy For You (#2)

CRAZY FOR YOU

Gillian Lynne Theatre

Date: 27 December 2023 (Wednesday), 2:00pm

Seats: Circle D 72-73

(Seen with Bri! Or I was supposed to...)

Notes: This was something I had talked about doing - seeing Crazy For You again! And this time Bri was on board so I booked us a pair of seats for the first matinee after Christmas. And then the drama started! She was staying out of town for the holiday and had planned to head into the city to meet me for the show. Except that when she got to the station, there had been a signal failure and there were no trains! With no other options, she considered getting a lift to another station or even into the city, but even then there would have only been a 5 minute buffer and so she was unable to make it.

Even I had a little bit of trouble - despite leaving with enough time to get to the theatre at 1:30, the train and then the tube both ran slow. Plus I had to pick up some food for lunch and it was a 10 minute walk from the station, so by the time I arrived it was 1:50 anyway. And then the line to get in was huge, so I walked into the theatre at the 3 minute call, left the bathroom at the 1 minute call, and then got into my seat as they were announcing the show would be starting! But I wasn't late and that counts.

The music in this show is so good! While not every number is a stand out that is listenable outside the theatre, I love how every single one fits the show so well and they are so catchy. I really like the chorus numbers in particular and the dancing as well is just mind blowing. That being said, I think with a little bit more training (and a total body overhaul!) I could totally be a chorus girl in this show. Slap That Bass and I've Got Rhythm in particular are perfection and joy in theatre!

This time there were a few things that I noticed were different this time around. Mostly Bela Zangler, who played up his role and broke the fourth wall a few times to get extra laughs from the crowd - and it totally worked! Clearly all the performers are nice and relaxed and ready to have some fun in their final week.

Of course the cast of this show is spectacular. This time I particularly noticed one of the chorus members, Bradley Trevethan. He had been very athletic and had a few standout moments with jumps and flips! Turns out he is a swing too (and assistant dance captain too!) so that is very cool.

But that core duo of Carly Anderson and Charlie Stemp are just magic together. The way that they dance together is smooth and joyous, and I wish I could move like that! Charlie is also phenomenal, the way that he dances and clearly enjoys it so much while somehow also making it look easy? Impossible but somehow he does it.

I have appreciated this show so much both times I have seen it and while I do tend to lean towards more modern shows, I would love to see more in this vein as it is just such a great time.

Theatre Trip: Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends

STEPHEN SONDHEIM'S OLD FRIENDS

Gielgud Theatre

Date: 14 December 2023 (Thursday), 7:30pm

Seats: Circle E 15-16?

(Seen with Bri!)

Notes: I had heard so many good things about this show! I din't know when or if I was going to be able to go because of work and Christmas coming up, but then Bri messaged me to say that she had seen Today Tix having a 24 hour sale and she picked up a pair of tickets for £15 each, which is a total steal! It was a Thursday but that is manageable for sometimes. So I got up extra early and caught the train to work and then left as early as I could manage to get into the city!

We met at Fortnum and Masons as Bri needed some things, so we tried to get dinner there (they do lovely bagels and such - except they close that counter at 5pm!). Instead we wandered in the direction of the theatre on the hunt for something not crazy junk food and nice and fast. We ended up at Whole Foods where we got a slice of pizza each and some madeleines for interval sweets, which turned out to be perfect for eating as we walked over to the Gielgud.

Our seats were upstairs in the Circle but had a quite good view as that theatre has a lovely rake. I don't think I would have liked to be further back, especially because this show has no set changes and minimal costumes. It is a review style show which was set up to honour the work of Stephen Sondheim and was put on for a few gala performances. It did really well and then the passing of Sondheim meant that they decided to bring it back, with some amazing cast members! More on them later. 

Because there is a lot of Sondheim shows, this features music from all of them - Sunday in the Park with George, Company, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, West Side Story, Gypsy, plus more. I am familiar with the main music from almost all of those shows, even for the ones I haven't seen, and of course I am very familiar with some of them; Company, Sweeney, and Into the Woods in particular. It was interesting to hear the music from a beautiful on stage orchestra out of context from the shows and to hear which ones they chose.

Each show had at least a few numbers and some got entire sets, with some basic costuming and staging. But while the music is of course a big draw, the actors are the real deal and were an incredible part of this show.

The 'chorus' featured a lot of actors I've seen before, most of whom got starring moments and their own feature songs. Christina Allado got to be Anita in West Side Story (who I've seen in Prince of Egypt), Damian Humbley had some stand out songs, and then there was Bradley Jaden. His starring song was as the Wolf in Into the Woods, opposite the Red Riding Hood of Bernadette Peters. It was a great interpretation and he was gorgeous! Jeremy Secomb also had a starring turn as Sweeney Todd opposite Lea Salonga's Mrs Lovett. I also didn't realise ahead of time that Bonnie Langford was in this! She is an absolute British icon and still an incredible singer and dancer (I wish I could do the splits at all, let alone at 59!) and she was a part of the trio for You Could Drive a Person Crazy.

But of course, the two big performers are absolutely insane. Lea Salonga hasn't performed on the West End in about 20 years but is a big name on Broadway and was first discovered here in London. She had about half of the big songs, including A Little Priest, Children Will Listen, and Everything's Coming Up Roses. Her voice was powerful and resonant and she delivered every song beautifully! My favourite was definitely her Mrs Lovett

And, for the first time, making her West End debut at age 75 and an absolute icon, Bernadette Peters. She dances so well, sings amazingly, with her highlights including I Know Things Now, Broadway Baby, Old Friends. It was also very clear that she was indeed an old friend of Stephen Sondheim's - at one point they had a video reel and she was clearly moved by it. She had worked on many shows with Sondheim and they clearly knew each other well.

I feel so grateful to have seen Bernadette, after seeing the legend Patti Lupone in Company previously. Two Broadway legends ticked off, plus Lea (who is on her way to becoming one), and a West End one too in Bonnie Langford! And to see it with my oldest friend was purely a bonus.

Theatre Trip: Crazy for You

CRAZY FOR YOU

Gillian Lynne Theatre

Date: 13 October 2023 (Friday), 7:30pm

Seats: Stalls C 1-3 (Front Row!)

(Seen with Jess!)

Notes: Another Friday night at the theatre! I do love a post-work theatre trip, even if it's a pain taking the train to work at 7am on a Friday. I saw this with Jess after picking up tickets for a super price, with restricted view seats on the edge of Row C. We did our usual pre-show routine - meet at McDonalds, eat dinner, head over to the theatre.

We had issues getting in, as once we got to the theatre. I lost my phone signal and couldn't load the tickets. I was plenty happy about that because I knew we could just go to the box office and ask for printed ones (which go in my diary), but they just let us in anyway using the written seating plan on my email. Mildly disappointing, but we needed time to get ourselves organised - program, drinks and bathroom before the start of the show.

When we got to our seats we realised that our seats were not restricted at all. We were right on the edge of the row - and C was the front row! The only thing restricted about it was that it was slightly lower than the stage, so I had to sit up REALLY straight to be able to see the best part - which was watching the dancers feet.

I didn't know a huge amount about this show other than it was from the 1990s. In fact it is, but it is a rewritten version of a musical from the 1930s which also entirely uses music by George and Ira Gershwin. This means that despite only being 30 years old or so, it feels more like 100. It had a really classic musical old-school feel which I really liked. It also means that the music has a really coordinated feel and all the songs are super coherent - nothing is new but the Gershwin's have a huge back catalog which they could pull from to make it fit together as well as possible.

One of the highlights of this show was definitely the choreography. Now that I am learning tap, I was so excited to see a classic musical with BIG chorus numbers and they did. Not. Disappoint!! The coordination was incredible and the steps were amazing. The chorus as a whole was great to watch and worked together amazingly as a team. Of particular note was the guy who played Moose, who was very funny.

In more major character news, there were 3 great leads. Bela Zangler was played by Tom Edden, who was wickedly funny and over the top. The beautiful Polly Baker was played by Carly Anderson. She moved incredibly gracefully, danced like an angel and made a perfect partner to the real star of this show. Charlie Stemp played Bobby Child. I've never seen someone so perfect for a role. He practically floated across the stage, his footwork was impeccable, he looked so graceful and he was the perfect partner. And the comedy routine with Bela Zangler, and his impressions? So amazing. He's only just 30 but Charlie Stemp is a really rare talent and now I want to see absolutely everything he does for the rest of my life.

This is only on until January, and while it is currently December already I really want to see this absolute classic again before it closes!

Theatre Trip: Rebecca

Rebecca

Charing Cross Theatre

Date: 24 September 2023 (Sunday), 3:00pm

Seats: Stalls M 2

(Seen solo!)

Notes: This show was a whole experience, one that I really enjoyed! I had heard about this show originally from one of the YouTube channels I watch, Wait In The Wings. Brendan does all sorts of short documentaries about the history of different shows, and one of his famous and radical was about the musical Rebecca. 

Written in German by Michael Kunzer, and premiering in 2006 in Vienna, it has been extremely popular and running the Europe for 17 years. And yet it has never been staged in English. It was due to have a West End premiere, and then when they were excavating under the theatre they were going to use to put in a big set piece, they found an underground stream! So they had to cancel it on the West End. That was supposed to be the test for Broadway, but they decided that instead of doing a different tryout somewhere else, they would go straight to Broadway. Then it turned out that it all fell apart just after rehearsals started when it came out that one of the investors, a mystery man, didn't actually exist?! If you're interested in more definitely watch the Wait in the Wings documentary.

This production is in a very different staging to the original. It has been greatly scaled down in terms of set pieces and staging. The theatre it is in is also new to me - the Charing Cross theatre is in... Charing Cross. It's actually underneath one of the railway arches, so it's tiny! It must have been about 20 seats across in each row, and my seat in row M was behind the centre cross-aisle, so it must only have had a total capacity of a couple of hundred.

The show itself is the same as previously - no changes were made that I understand to the plot or music. The plot is based on the Daphne du Maurier book by the same name, in which the main character (only referred to as 'I' in the book, and not really referred to in the show) meets and marries a millionaire, Maxim de Winter. He brings her back to his house (mansion), only to meet the housekeeper Mrs Danvers, who is extremely loyal to Maxim's first wife Rebecca. Rebecca disappeared in mysterious circumstances and nobody knows what happened. It all unfolds from there and it is very interesting. Eventually our main character realises that she needs to become more confident as secrets about Maxim and Rebecca are revealed, and she becomes exactly who Maxim needs in his life; however, Mrs Danvers is not to be trusted, particularly as Rebecca's influence wanes. And of course, a dramatic ending!

I actually really enjoyed the music in this show. It had vibes of early Andrew Lloyd Webber with a big and slightly electronic sound. I found myself waking up the next morning with a song from the show in my head, which is always an excellent sign. I found out afterwards that actually, and despite the small theatre, it has the second biggest orchestra on the West End! Bigger than Phantom and second only to Wicked. Which even though they can't be seen, really makes a huge difference.

The cast of this show had nobody I had heard of before but there were some really amazing people! Lauren Jones played 'I' - she has had some understudy roles but nothing major. She was very sweet and she really developed over the course of the show as her character grew within herself. Richard Carson played Maxim de Winter - his main role that he has played was Sky in Mamma Mia. He was pretty good, but the definite standout was Mrs Danvers. She did have the best song in the whole show (and it's reprise), and balanced really well creepy and effective. Kara Lane played this role and she was AMAZING!

I'm so glad that I went to see this show. It was a really interesting show and knowing the story behind it made it so much better. Plus, the theatre was excellent! Totally worth it once but I don't think I need to go again.

Theatre Trip: Oklahoma!

 Oklahoma!

Wyndham's Theatre

Date: 17 August 2023 (Thursday), 7:30

Seats: AA 8-9 (Front row!)

(Seen with Jess!)

Notes: This show is a classic - but not as you know it! This show was a last minute pick, and the only show I managed to fit into my summer break due to the few little trips that we took (home to Oz, overnight trip to the Cotswolds, and the 70.3 World Champs in Lahti, Finland!) over my summer holiday. I had grand plans of a matinee every week but that just did not happen... sadly.

But Jess and I decided on the Wednesday to try a show on the Thursday. My list of shows to catch over the summer was long, but my top 3 picks were Oklahoma, We Will Rock You and Spongebob. Jess picked Oklahoma, so on Thursday morning we went for the rush. Jess got upstairs seats and I could not believe my eyes when I was STALLS AA on mine! It had to be front row so we pounced on it!

When we arrived I saw the set and had a mild panic. There were steps going down to the audience... So I asked and was told that there MIGHT be some mild audience interaction and that it MIGHT involve us. So I steeled myself as we sat down. I've seen Oklahoma once before - in a semi-staged prom early in our time here in London. I think it may even have been 2017? So I know the show - it's a classic anyway so I knew all the big songs, and knew that it was Hugh Jackman's big break back in the 90s (not that I was old enough to see it then).

This production has come over from Broadway and it had SUCH a buzz. There was a lot of talk about it being very different and much more modern and edgy. I wasn't sure how they could update the show for a more modern audience but they totally managed it and did it SO WELL. One thing that has stayed the same is the music - I believe some of the orchestrations are different but the lyrics and melodies that you all know are totally there, which for me made the modernisation even more intriguing.

The staging was very bare which I felt really put the focus on the actors and the music. There were definitely no distractions with only a large table and some chairs on the stage, with a few smaller props. It means you have to picture some things but I didn't find that an issue at all. When they were in the smokehouse where Jud Fry sleeps, they did something amazing - they turned all the light off! Every single one, including the exit lights in the auditorium. And they whispered directly into a handheld mic. It was creepy and made it so much more intense and intimate. They even had one gunshot go off in the dark, which I'm glad I saw coming because I'm sure it made a lot of people jump! I was hanging onto Jess' arm at first panicking slightly because I've never been in a theatre so dark and intense before, but funnily enough I adjusted and it became more home-like. The acting was also more intense - the romance was super played up in a sexual way and everyone was just heightened. It really transformed what I had thought of as an old-fashioned, slightly stuffy show into one more thrilling and tense. The ending as well (SPOILERS!!!) was really dramatic, with the shooting of Jud Fry and a violent spray of blood up onto Curly and Laurey. They then sang the final reprise of Oklahoma in a completely different tone, Laurey beginning to melt down as she sung. And then it was over and they were bowing - no curtain music, no bow choreo, no happy ending. It makes sense but it was so shocking that at first nobody was clapping. And then we all were once we realised what had just happened and how it had been done!

They also completely restaged the dream ballet, re-orchestrated using a guitar and more modern instruments and danced by a solo ballet dancer. It was modern ballet, which I found a bit confronting (probably was the point!) but it was really interesting to see that. They also during that and some other points, a handheld camer for extreme close ups which they live projected onto the backdrop so that we could see every tiny thing to bump up the impact even further!

There were a few standout members of the cast for me. Most of them had solo songs, and nobody is really a background performer in this show! I was excited to see one name I knew in the cast - Sally Ann Triplett, who I haven't seen in anything personally, but she's kind of a legend. Her Aunt Eller was really gutsy and just the right amount of coarse and I loved the energy she had. But energy - Paige Peddie as Ado Annie was phenomenal. Her 'I Cain't Say No' was something else! It gave more depth of meaning to the song with her movements and phrasing throughout, and her voice was KILLER. She even came down the stairs in the second verse, moved a lady in the front row out of her seat, and sang to the lady's partner while playing with his hair. His face and the way she did it was priceless. They also added an extra reprise of the chorus using the handheld mic at the end which had a more rock-y vibe that I really liked. She is supposed to be a quite promiscuous character so I liked that she was much less restrained in this version. And then there was Stavros Demetraki as Ali Hakim. He was crazy - very intense and over the top the whole way through, but in the best way. At one point in the dance scene he came right up to the edge of the stage, sculled a beer, then splattered some over us all in the front row. He really seemed upset by the events that befall him throughout the show and made intense and funny eye contact with several audience members at various points, including us! We were hysterical watching him.

The main 3 were also excellent. Patrick Vaill (Jud Fry) was an amazing actor - and reading later, he has played this role in this interpretation of the show in every staging since it was created at a university (including Broadway) and I can see why. He has these intense eyes and serious manner that really does creep you out a little bit. His acting, even in the mostly dark, was really wide-ranging and I really felt for Jud in a way I hadn't before. Sam Palladio played Curly and he was cocky and perfect... And while Jess knew him from a TV show and I then had mild reservations, his voice was incredible. But not as good as Anoushka Lucas (Laurey Williams). She was acting her heart out, and from the front row we could see every little expression and the way she folded in towards Curly in the intimate moments. Her voice was warm and expressive and beautifully controlled through all the emotions and especially through the end.

In the end I'm glad I went to this over Spongebob. It is a classic musical and this adaptation just turned it up to 11 in every way. It was like watching it in bold colour - maybe too intense for some, but it gave this show from 1943 (literally!) a whole new lease of life and showed a modern audience that the material really is a classic. Incredible.

Theatre Trip: RIDE

RIDE

Southwark Playhouse Elephant

Date: 22 July 2023 (Saturday), 2:30

Seats: B12-13

(Seen with Jess!)

Notes: This show. Wow.

I had heard about this show from a YouTuber I follow, who had seen it in its previous version, and did a video where he live reacted to the release of the cast recording. I listened to it and watched along with the video and fell in love. It is a new British musical, only 3 years old and the second production of it in this form. When I looked up the production it was being ahead at a new to me venue as well - the Southwark Playhouse Elephant. I have been to the Southwark Playhouse before, seeing Ain’t Misbehavin’ there as well as one of my all time favourite shows, Preludes, but this is the new venue they opened in 2021. It is just near Elephant and Castle station and not far from what is now called Southwark Playhouse Borough! So I booked Jess and I preview seats for one of the final preview shows, and just after school finished and all.

When you see a show in a theatre as small as this (only 300ish seats) every seat is a good one, but ours was excellent in Row B! We were within much eye contact distance, which also definitely happened - they even pointed at me at one point! The premise of this show was also super interesting. It is about Annie Londonderry, the first woman to cycle around the world, which happened in 1894-5. The show takes place after that journey, while pitching herself to the New York World newspaper as a their newest writer. She retells her travels, with the help of the secretary Martha, who plays every other character along the way. Accents and simple costumes included! That’s the basic premise but there is a deeper level, about what is actually real, what is not, and who Annie Londonderry really is as well as why she set off on their journey. A fascinating story!

I really enjoyed the staging of this show. It is set up as the interview room with table, desk and chairs which are all on wheels to be moved around to form different parts, and with functioning drawers with costumes and props coming in and out the whole show. The coatrack serves as both a place for Annie to hang her hat, but also a place for the costume pieces. And then about halfway through, it opened up (as Annie does!) to give more space including space for riding bikes! Every inch of the small stage is cleverly used and made worthwhile which I really appreciated.

The reason I wanted to see this show was the music, which I have been listening to on repeat ever since I first heard it. I loved the accents, the clever rhymes (as Annie travels through Asian cities), and the soaring vocals. The main themes of each song is reused cleverly throughout to link the themes. My favourite numbers are the title song ‘Ride’ - it is a sweeping bop which extols the virtues of riding a bike as a tool for freedom, particularly for women of that era. Also incredible is ‘Miles Away from Boston’. It has a beautiful rocking guitar line, those clever lyrics again (‘heck if it wasn’t so franchise it could be romantic, you know’, ‘look at who we are/we’re like fire and ice, you’re verbose I’m concise that won’t do/a disastrous pairing so why am I staring like this at you’), and with a heartbeat underpinning the whole thing. And despite being a love song between a female and male character, it is two actresses as Martha is playing the role of the male. So it becomes a 2 female duet, with the most gorgeous harmonies I’ve heard in ages between two ladies. To die for, even in the recording, and even more so live. And definitely sapphic vibes between Annie and Martha.

I definitely think that a lot of the show relies on the actors, and this is even more true when there are only 2 people in the show. Katy Ellis played Martha, and while I took a while to warm up to her character, I think that’s supposed to be the case as she takes time to warm up to the show too. As she came out of her shell I only liked her more and her character work was very good - she does a great French accent! The mixing of the voices was sublime. But Annie. Played by Liv Andrusier, and having won the 2023 Off West End Award for ‘Leading Performance in a Musical’ for this role, is perfection as Annie. A flawless Bostonian accent all the way, super character work, brutal honesty and heartbreaking moments abound. And the way she was mixed in the sound meant that she was as loud as she could go without breaking the sound, loud enough to drown in. Physical chills on multiple occasions, and in person ‘Miles Away From Boston’ brought me to tears. She is the perfection of this role and I hope it gets recorded so I can watch it forever.

Because this show was a preview, it was only £16 a seat. One of the most incredible shows I’ve seen in ages, and for an incredible price! We are so lucky to have this life here in London, really. I love it so much. I would want to see it again before it closes but we are in Australia. I don’t think I will ever forget this show and will see it again in a heartbeat if I get the chance in the future!

Theatre Trip: Newsies

NEWSIES

Troubadour Theatre, Wembley Park

Date: 25 June 2023 (Sunday), 1:00pm

Seats: Manhattan ZA, 9-11

Understudies: George Crawford (Jack Kelly), Bobbie Chambers (Katherine Plumber), Ross Dawes (Joseph Pulitzer), Les (Ethan Sokontwe) 

(Seen with Linda and Jess!)

Notes: This one was a bit of an adventure! I had heard so many good things about Newsies and we were lucky to find a decent priced seat with a 1pm Sunday matinee! Perfect for driving, especially given it was out in Wembley Park. I've never been out there and at 9am it said it was only a 55 minute drive so I committed to driving and got ready for the rest of my day. Then around 11am I checked again so I could get there nice and early, and it said 1 hour 35! So I left and of course traffic didn't improve. I arrived at the car park (pink) right on time - only to find that the actual theatre is another 15 minutes walk away! I rushed over there only to arrive at the 10 minute call, so I had just enough time to go to the bathroom, and my way in took me past a kiosk shop where I picked up a water and a program before taking my seat. Jess and Linda, on the other hand, drove from a similar place but went a different route and got stuck in traffic! They ended up arriving around half past 1 and coming in part way through the show.

Going in, all I knew about this show was that it was about the 1900s newsboy strike. I was actually wrong - it was 1899! The newsboys lived in poverty, mostly without parents, selling 'papes' they buy from Joseph Pulitzer for 50c/100. When Pulitzer, trying to make more money, raises the price to 60c/100, they quickly unionise and go on strike! There's also an intriguing female reporter trying to break the story so she can get a job outside the social pages (that way there can be romance).

I didn't know anything about the music ahead of time but really fell in love with a couple of the songs, 'Seize the Day' and 'King of New York' in particular. I think it was because of the dancing! this show has an amazing (mostly) male cast that do a WHOLE lot of dancing. Most of it (including Seize the Day) take place in this gorgeous ballet style which is super athletic and cool to watch. But despite me doing ballet, I got wayyy over excited at the beginning of Act 2 because their shoes were shiny on the bottom... Which means a TAP NUMBER! I have become utterly obsessed with 'King of New York' and have listened to it so many times that I have begun dreaming about tap choreography! It was amazing and the whole show really fueled my drive to continue dancing.

I really liked some of the characters, particularly the lead female, Katherine Plumber. I liked her chutzpah and pizazz! Her characterisation was really great and I liked the idea of the female reporter who was trying to break into the big time out of the social pages. We actually got a few understudies in this performance and Katherine was one of them (Bobbie Chambers). I really really liked her characterisation and performance! She was eager but so full of character and sassy and she was really great. We also had an understudy for the lead, Jack Kelly. I knew he was an understudy straight away as the regular guy is black, and this understudy was fine. A few cracks but usually at parts with feeling so he got away with it. The guy who played Joseph Pulitzer I was surprised to see was an understudy given how much I enjoyed his performance. He was really excellent! And Les, the child actor was amazing! I always am so impressed by child actors in West End shows.

It turns out that Newsies is closing at the end of July, so it seems like I got in just in time! It was such an amazing show and I'm so glad that I caught it before it closed.

Theatre Trip: Disney100: The Concert

DISNEY100: THE CONCERT

The O2

Date: 4 June 2023 (Sunday), 6:00pm

Seats: Entrance H, Section 118, Row M, Seats 134-135

(Seen with Richard!)

Notes: We have really gotten into Disney lately! I went last year to Florida and had the most amazing time, that I convinced Husby to go for a day while we were in LA and he enjoyed it too! Now he wants to go to Florida because I talked so much about it. So when we saw the ads for Disney100 the concert, we were definitely on board! I even had Disney100 merch from LA to wear!

It was a Sunday evening over at the O2, so we headed all the way over. We had planned to get there early enough to eat food there but instead one of the trains were cancelled so we had to eat on the train and made it at just the right time to head pretty much straight in. We hadn't been to the O2 in ages and hadn't realised just how many food places there were there! Next time we'll go super early and grab dinner. We headed straight into our seats, picking up a programme on the way. We were sat on one side, but reasonably close to the front. I think it was a pretty good seat for what we paid.

The concert had a full symphony orchestra, which I always appreciate, it gives the musical such a lovely full feel. The show was hosted and featured about 6 main performers but it was the music people were mostly here for. The host (Janette Manrara) did a great job, when hosting and singing and dancing - especially given she was doing it all at what looked like 8 months pregnant!

The selection of music was loosely arranged into themes and it hit all the big songs. It did lean a little too recent for our taste - lots of recent ones got more play time, and some of the choices weren't what we might have picked (they could put me in charge next time!). We got Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan, Cinderella, Hercules, Princess and the Frog, Hunchback, Frozen, Fantasia, Tarzan, Aladdin, Encanto, Star Wars, Moana, Pirates of the Caribbean, Pocahontas, Little Mermaid, Marvel, Jungle Book, Toy Story, Frozen 2, Lion King and Mary Poppins.

The performers were pretty good. One of them I had seen about a week before in Bonnie and Clyde (Cleve September), but the other were new to me (Roberta Valentini, Earl Carpenter, Bessy Ewa, Georgina Hagen, Richard-Salvador Wolff)d. It must be a European tour as some of the performers have quite extensive European resumes. My favourites were definitely Bessy and Georgina, who I would love to see again in a proper role.

It was a pretty great evening. There were a few issues it seemed with sound mixing so the sound wasn't super great at times - we could sometimes hear an echo coming back from the back even though we were quite near the front. The biggest disappointment was actually the Fantasia performance. They chose the Sorceror's Apprentice, but it was out of sync with the video! So frustrating when you hear the chopping sounds which are big chords, then 3 seconds later you see them on screen. Very frustrating, although I'm sure we were the only ones who noticed or cared.

It was a pretty nice night, although I don't think I would go again. I'll stick to theatre.

Theatre Trip: Bonnie & Clyde

BONNIE & CLYDE

Garrick Theatre

Date: 12 May 2023 (Friday), 7:30pm

Seats: Grand Circle, C 3-4

(Seen with Jess!)

Notes: This was a show I went to see purely because it was closing and I was curious. It helped that I knew that Jeremy Jordan had played the lead in the original broadway cast and of course I've heard of Bonnie & Clyde but all I really knew was that they were criminals in the 1920s and they died in a shootout. There was so much more to it!

Jess and I met in the city for this show. She ended up delayed so rather than eating our customary McDonalds together, I ate in the city and she ate on the train but we still had our usual meal! We met outside the theatre around 7:15, plenty of time for the usual bits. I was actually really pleased because I couldn't get the app to load our tickets, so I went to the box office and asked - and I got given PAPER TICKETS! I missed paper tickets and will probably do this all the time going forwards so I can get them for my journals.We booked seats for £25, and it may be the best £25 we've ever spent on seats, even though with our seats labelled 'restricted view' we did lose the front right corner of the stage (but there wasn't really much happening there to miss, which was good). VERY good value!

This show started the way we all know Bonnie & Clyde end - driving their car and being shot with more than a hundred bullets, which of course killed them. Then you go back to the beginning with Bonnie, a waitress who wants to hit the big time as a movie star, and Clyde, who is a petty criminal who enjoys playing renegade. They meet and it's love (or lust) at first sight and they soon become inseparable. They follow each other as things unravel and they become famous, just like Bonnie wanted, but not for the reasons she wanted. She nearly leaves but then realises she loves him, and besides, it's too late. Throw in Clyde's brother and his wife and things get very crazy! I liked the story - it was wild and romantic and dramatic too which fit them as characters really well. I also thought the staging and choreography was really great and fit the style so well - a bit country, a bit 20s, it felt similar musically to Chicago which was fun.

A couple of the more minor characters I thought were played really well. I liked Ted, the sweet boy who is in love with Bonnie (played by Cleve September). His singing was so lovely! And the Preacher (Dom Hartley-Harris) totally blew me away - I really loved the song Made in America that came at the beginning of Act Two!

But there were 3 stand out actors in this show that I adored. Jodie Steele played Blanche, Clyde's sister-in-law. She sang so beautifully but more than that, she is a true triple threat! Absolutely gorgeous singing, great acting (she was actually very funny, unexpectedly in a show like this), and she also danced with the ensemble for the church numbers which she also did really well. I have seen her in Heather before but it seems that she is so much more than that. Incredible. Bonnie (Francis Mayli McCann) was beautiful, to look at, and she sung like a bird. I really enjoyed how fiery she was with Clyde, she clearly showed that Bonnie had such an equal relationship with Clyde. And Clyde. Jorden Luke Gage. I have seen him in &Juliet, where he played Romeo, and he had also been in Heathers at one point (but I had missed him). He was phenomenal. a gorgeous voice and just the right amount of intense and scary. His scene in the jail? Blew me away.

If this comes back, I'm seeing it again - I've been listening to the soundtrack and am annoyed I waited until a week before it closed to see it!

Theatre Trip: Sister Act

 SISTER ACT

New Victoria Theatre - Woking

Date: 24 February 2023 (Friday), 7:30pm

Seats: Upper Circle H,  15-16

(Seen with Jess!)

Notes: We were off to a new theatre today! We have never been to Woking before, let alone for a show. Used to going to Wimbledon for touring shows, this one seemed to be only at Woking before the end of the tour so off we headed! Jess joined me for this one - leaving work as soon as it was over to drive the 2ish hours around the M25. Such dedication to shows! She arrived at my place around half 5 and we chatted for a bit before leaving and driving to Woking to arrive there at half 6. It turns out the theatre is in a whole shopping centre, but at that time on a Friday the only thing in the centre open was the cinema, the theatre and the McDonalds. So burgers it is!

I was very familiar with the original cast recording for this show but actually they seemed to have changed the plot a little, and the music quite a bit. One of the songs has the same melody but totally different words! I started getting a bit worried about some of my favourite songs being missing but they were still there intact. The plot of this show is the same as the film, I think? It's been a long time since I saw it if I'm honest.

The show as a whole was really fun! It was definitely a Friday night vibe and a Friday night crowd, everyone was really into it. Unfortunately there was one cast member that I didn't like. It was a real shame that it was Sandra Marvin, who was playing the lead role of Deloris. She wasn't out of tune or anything, but she just took too much liberty with the songs and notes which I found frustrating. It happened too much and too often for my liking but the rest of the crowd didn't seem to mind.

It was a shame because there were so many other performances I loved. Lesley Joseph played Mother Superior (I have seen her in Young Frankenstein previously and thought she was fabulous, and Sister Mary Robert - who sings my favourite song, 'The Life I Never Led' - had previously played Tracey Turnblad in Hairspray and absolutely killed this role! A few of the other nuns also were great; Sister Mary Lazarus (Anne Smith) and Sister Mary Patrick (Catherine Millsom) killed their smaller parts.

Honestly the real standouts in this show were the boys! They were all great, but the standouts were the trio of boy backups. They were hilarious and so in sync with the cheesiest dance moves which only made them even funnier! But Eddie Souther though. Clive Rowe is a bit of a British theatre legend, although after googling him I realised I've only ever seen him in a single episode of Doctor Who (and he doesn't sing in that). But he was so good in this! His vocals blew me away and his dance moves were great too. My favourite moment by far was during his big number he was revealed through a velcro quick change that he had a disco suit on under his police uniform... Except he also had another police uniform on under that and there was another velcro quick change which took us both completely by surprise! What a great twist.

Well, I would definitely head out to Woking again. It's definitely not London or Wimbledon, but it's only a half hour drive from home! Totally worth it.

Theatre Trip: Moulin Rouge!

MOULIN ROUGE

Picadilly Theatre

Date: 24 January 2023 (Tuesday), 7:30pm

Seats: Stalls M,  12-13

(Seen with Richard!)

Notes: This ticket was also part of my Christmas/birthday goodness. I have wanted to see this show since it opened last year. I love the film and it is absolutely iconic! However, it also happens to be one of the hottest tickets in town and therefore on a weekend costs around £150 for a decent seat, so we hadn’t had a real reason to spend that much yet (even our tickets to Hamilton weren’t that expensive - they were only £100 which feels cheap in comparison) until we decided to do this festive season. We also picked a Tuesday night because the same seats that were around £150 were now £85 just by virtue of it being midweek. Normally I wouldn’t go to a show mid week now that we live in Epsom, but just this once it can’t hurt that much (and it didn’t!) and it was worth every. Single. Second!

I have to say, I much preferred this to the film, probably partly due to the live nature of it. It had a similar vibe to the opening sequence - opulent, decadent and a little overwhelming, but in a good way. When you enter the theatre, they've redone it with deep red velvet on the walls, and there are ensemble members walking around on stage. You have the windmill up on the left and the elephant on the right (I think they were in the boxes?) which were very cool and the large fluorescent 'Moulin Rouge' sign which moved up and down (starting down on arrival and moving when needed). It all felt very real and very fancy.

As well as the staging, I adored the costumes. So many corsets! So little other clothing! It was very showgirl chic, so corsets and tights and not much else. The leads costumes were great too - very similar to the film to match the aesthetic. Satine's outfits were gorgeous - I wish I looked half as good as her!

Of course the plot is the same as the film. They did move around a couple of the songs and give some to other characters but this didn't change the story line. They updated the music by adding more songs into each medley with updated references and they also changed a few songs (they lost 'One Day I'll Fly Away', replacing it with Katy Perry's song Firework - totally worked!) I really liked the updated songs and the pace of the references! They gave a more modern feel to the show which worked to refresh it for all of us who know the plot already.

Some of the secondary characters I really really liked. The Argentinean (Elio Lo Tauro) I thought was just mostly funny, until we got to Bad Romance and he really let loose - wow that guy can growl! So cool. I also liked the guy playing Toulouse-Lautrec. His Nature Boy was really sweet and despite not looking at all like John Leguizamo I thought he brought his own to the role really well. The Duke was also awesome (Ben Richards) - he was exactly the right mix of creepy and attractive and tread that line really well. Fabulous acting!

We had one understudy in the show - for Harold Zidler (Craig Ryder). He was so full of energy! I adored him and he seemed so at home on that stage playing that role you'd think he was born to it. Cheeky and a bit sexy and vocally great too.

But the two leads. Melissa James played Satine and she was something else. Tall, leggy, and incredible dancer - I couldn't take my eyes off her when she danced (all the sparkles certainly helped!) Her voice was gorgeous and she really took on the role seriously, her consumption slowly taking over was really well acted to be dramatic but not too much so. She was really great.

But the highlight for me which made me go now rather than later. I always wanted to see this show but when they cast Jamie Muscato (who had previously WOWed us in Heathers multiple times) as Christian I couldn't get there fast enough! And he absolutely slayed me. And the role. Vocal perfection. Saving the growl for the most dramatic number (Roxanne). He was absolute perfection and anyone who even slightly likes him needs to get themselves into that theatre IMMEADIATELY.

We realised during interval that there are seats right at the front. Looking it up later, they are called 'Can Can Seats', and they look amazing. The stage comes out in a T shape and there are seats in front of the T as well as behind the bit that sticks out. When we return to this show (which we inevitably will, as it will run for ages I'm sure!), I would LOVE to sit there and get up close with all the action. For a first viewing our seats were perfect for getting the whole picture but I love me a close up shot! Next time...

Theatre Trip: Wicked (#14)

WICKED

Apollo Victoria Theatre

Date: 21 January 2023 (Saturday), 7:30pm

Seats: Stalls B 25-26

(Seen with Richard!)

Notes: I had been muttering about seeing a show around my birthday - either Wicked or &Juliet, thinking I’d be doing Rush tickets and being perfectly happy with that. And then on my birthday morning, when opening my birthday card, inside was a piece of paper and a note. Richard had gotten us seats to Wicked on the second row in the stalls and a reservation for a Japanese BBQ restaurant! I’m so spoiled.

So on Saturday we popped into the city early for a bit of a wander before our dinner. Dinner was really great (one of those Japanese places where you order everything raw and cook it ourself on the grill), and we made it over to the theatre in plenty of time. We both thought that the cast change had just happened, but actually it doesn’t happen for a few more months so I was pleased to see no understudies and the full current cast.

Of course I know the plot and songs in Wicked super well, so I’m there for the nostalgia and to see the cast! We only had one substitution, which wasn’t listed in the theatre anywhere that I could see but I saw on the West End Understudies twitter page. Rhidian Marc played three roles in one show! He was the Witch’s Father in the beginning, then he was Doctor Dillamond (he’s the first cover for that role), then he was the Wonderful Wizard as well! He is the second cover for that part. I’ve never seen anything like it! He was also an amazing Wizard, with a lovely tone of voice and I thought he balanced the silliness of the Wizard quite well with the serious parts of his roles.

My favourite performers of the night were the three main ladies. Carina Gillespie as Nessarose was really powerful and I thought her acting was really good as well. Her learning to walk was really good and believable which I think could be hard, and while Nessa is only a small part it is mighty. If I was in Wicked I’d love to play her.

Helen Woolf was a beautiful G(a)linda! Her tone was clear as a bell and her top notes really rang true. There was no sliding which others have done in the past, intentional or otherwise. Just bang, top note! Perfection. She and Elphaba clearly know each other well and are friends in real life. Speaking of, I was totally chuffed to be able to watch Lucie Jones as Elphaba! I’ve seen her in several things before, notably Waitress and she is amazing. Beautiful tone and she did a couple of awesome riffs which had me in chills. She did look like she may be pregnant but vocally she blew me away. I’m so glad that I got to see her in this role!

I will need to go and see it again after the cast change - after this it will be the first time ever that all three leads will be played by black performers, and more people that I know and like or haven’t had a chance to see yet! But that will be for the second half of the year.

Theatre Trip: ENO (The Cunning Little Vixen)

THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN (ENO)

Coliseum Theatre

Date: 26 February (Saturday), 7:30pm

Seats: Upper Circle, Row J, 34-36

(Seen with Jess and Bri!)

This show was quite a random seeming booking. I get emails from the ENO with upcoming shows, and the idea of one composed by Janacek was intriguing. Plus we  could get tickets for £25! So we did that.

We met up for dinner beforehand, having pasta at a place in Carnaby Street. We arrived at the theatre around 7:10, which would usually be enough time. We had booked seats in the Balcony, but it was closed this evening so we got moved down to the Upper Circle. We had to line up for the new tickets (which I did while the girls went to get programs etc) and they gave me 3 new tickets. But when we got up to the seats I discovered that actually they had given us 2 seats together, and the third in a totally different row! So at 7:20 I gave them to the girls to exchange while I sorted myself out before the show actually started. Luckily we got back to the right place just in time to take our new new seats in Row J, and actually all got to sit together!

I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. The music was composed in the 1920s, which actually I recognised once we got into it, as it had simliarities to Rachmaninov, Stravinsky and Shostakovich. It was in English, which I wasn't expecting as Janacek is actually Czech, and in English it had some very communist-sounding ideas (as noticed by Bri).

The costuming was really interesting and beautiful. They brought the woodland creatures to life and used both child and adult actors to portray the passing of time really well. They also had one scrolling backdrop which shows the passage of times really well and I liked that it was the main set piece. The rest of the set was very minimal and the costumes  did most of the talking. I think my favourites were the mushrooms, all in cream while wearing mushroom hats!

The performances were all great. I recognised a few names from seeing other performances, mostly Gilbert and Sullivan shows. Unfortunately I couldn't recognise any faces with such complex costumes! But every performance was great.

The plot was really interesting. I did need to read some of the plotline to get the details, but the little vixen being caught was practically visceral and I really liked the cyclical nature of it. It also had 3 acts, which I wasn't expecting, with interval after Act 2 and a very short Act 3. We did make the mistake of getting drinks at interval which we then had to drink quite quickly before it was all over!

I like visiting the ENO a lot and I saw that there is an opera of the Handmaid's Tale in April that I would like to go and see next. But there will probably be more musicals in the meantime...

Theatre Trip: Hairspray

 HAIRSPRAY

Coliseum Theatre
Date: 23 September (Thursday), 7:30pm
Seats: Dress Circle, B1-2
(Seen with Jess!)

Understudies: Wilbur Turnblad (Dermot Canavan), Motormouth Maybelle (Sharlene Hector), Male Authority Figure (Christopher Howell), Lorraine (Tinovimbanashe Sibanda), Tammy (Annie Guy)

I was very excited for this show! I love the movie of Hairspray but I have never seen it live. I thought I might miss it given it was on over the summer, but luckily we have refund vouchers and it was on for just another few weeks. So Jess used the voucher from one of our other shows and we booked it!

We picked the seats in Row B which were supposedly restricted view but when we got there ended up being pretty amazing! I enjoy seeing a little bit off the side of the stage so it was good for that and the only thing we couldn't see was the scoreboard at the dance competition, which was totally fine.

We were a little disappointed about the understudies when we arrived. Les Dennis plays Wilbur, Tracy's father, and he is a pretty famous comedian here in the UK. He was off, which wasn't what I really was annoyed about. I was most excited to see Motormouth Maybelle, who was being played by Marisha Wallace. We had recently seen her in Waitress and she had been great, so I was very sad to see that she was actually out this evening.

I needn't have worried though, the cast was amazing. A lot of the young people were starting their careers on the West End with this show, including Link (Jonny Amies) and Tracey (Lizzie Bea), and every single one was incredible!!! Tracey was flawless and Link was swoon-worthy but I think my favourite was Amber (Georgia Anderson) and Penny (Mari McGinlay). Amber was such a toddler, throwing tantrums and being very over the top which was lots and lots of fun! Penny was also over the top, but she was such a nerd. Twitching and being deliberately dorky which really made everyone laugh, and she had such a great transformation as a result!

The Motomouth Maybelle was incredible - you would never have guessed that she was the understudy! She was so amazing vocally and had such an incredible power. And the understudy for Wilbur was also super, although he did corpse at one point. Edna made him laugh so much that it put them both off in 'You're Timeless To Me'! He had embraced her form behind and had hidden his face because he was laughing, but Edna could feel his shaking and made an on stage comment about it which had the audience cackling!

The main draw in the casting was Michael Ball playing Edna! He was so fantastic, sang gorgeously and of course, did it all in heels! Super star. The curtain call had everyone up on their feet dancing along and Jess and I did our best to keep up with the choreography! Even though it was a Thursday night after working and we were both tired, this show had us back on our feet jumping up and down! It was so fun.

Theatre Trip: Walden

WALDEN

Harold Pinter Theatre

Date: 3 March (Thursday), 3:00pm

Seats: Stalls, Row D19

(Seen with Jess!)

Well, it has been a a minute! In fact, I worked out it has been 63 weeks and one day since my last theatre show in March 2020 (The Red Shoes). It feels like longer though. For a while I ‘broke up’ with theatre because it just made me so sad to listen to shows knowing I couldn’t see any. But now we’re back!

I have about a half dozen shows currently booked, which span the next 6 months or so. Some very exciting ones - Tim Minchin on tour, Sutton Foster in Anything Goes, Joseph, and of course (finally) Hamilton, which was refunded then rebooked then rescheduled and now is finally on the books for December. But this was a last minute booking, just a couple of weeks out - Jess was over to watch the Eurovision broadcast when we booked in!

The COVID protocols were very good. We checked in to the theatre using the app when we arrived, sanitised out hands on entry, had our temperatures checked on entry as well, and of course we kept our masks on the whole time we were inside (unless we were eating or drinking). So we felt very safe. When we were waiting in line out the front, we got given new tickets! Jess had booked the Balcony for £12 a seat, but it must have been a quiet day because we were given tickets that moved us up to the stalls, on the edge of row D! A much better view, for sure.

I didn’t know much about the play going in. We had booked it because Gemma Arterton was is in, but it turned out to be a really deep and thoughtful piece. It is about twin sisters who work/worked for NASA, one as an architect and one as a botanist. The one who was the architect had moved out into the country and invited her sister to come and visit after returning from a moon mission. It exposed the history between the sisters, their past traumas, and the reasons behind their lives. I’m not explaining it well, but it was really emotional and everything unravelled in a really interesting way. Add in the fiancé and the fact he’s an advocate for saving the Earth instead of leaving it for other planets and it made it even more complicated. We both left feeling really reflective and wanting to think more about it.

Like I mentioned, Gemma Arterton was the main actor in this play. Her character spent the whole time on the edge of a breakdown and she did an amazing job of being on edge. There were also a lot of tears and a lot of tension which was acted out really really well! I just wish that the stage door would have been open as I would have loved to tell Gemma and the other two actors how fantastic they were!

While it was a deep way to restart my theatre going experiences, I was so glad to be back in a theatre. Given I’m testing twice a week for work, I’ve had my first vaccination, and the safety protocols at the theatre, I felt perfectly safe and look forward to going back to more shows - I just need more theatres to reopen!

Theatre Trip: The Red Shoes

THE RED SHOES

New Wimbledon Theatre

Date: 11 March (Wednesday), 7:30pm

Seats: Upper Circle N8-9

(Seem with Chloe!)

This week, I saw my first ballet! While one favourite movies is still Centre Stage (so good!), I have never actually seen an actual ballet in its entirety before. And that’s something I’ve wanted to change for a while. This feels like a stepping stone to that experience, as whole this is a real ballet, I’d still like to have the full special theatre and fancy evening out ballet experience, I think.

This came about in a really interesting way. Back at the beginning of March, I Skyped my family and my grandfather recommended Matthew Bourne as a choreographer. He had been to see his version of Romeo and Juliet at a cinema screening in my hometown, and when I looked I saw there was this show on in Wimbledon soon. But I didn’t book it, and then that night my sewing friend Chloe got in touch saying that she wanted to go and asking if I’d like to go too! So she picked up the tickets and we went together.

I really enjoyed the ballet! It was a story I was vaguely familiar with, which I think helped me to understand. I definitely wanted them to start speaking at certain points (it almost felt like they should) but of course they didn't. I think the part that we appreciated the most, as sewists, was the costumes. It was amazing to see how they looked really good as clothes but then also functioned as dancewear. And some of them were so gorgeous! There were definitely a few that I still have on my mind (the 40s style tea dress in a blue striped linen...).

As far as the casting goes, there are at least 2 people for each part in the program, so I went through and circled each for my future records. I don't think I can really speak about favourites though, given I know nothing about ballet and don't know who the dancers are either. Everyone was really lovely and it was a very cool experience.

My next intended theatre experiences are on the 25th March and the 3rd April (&Juliet and Blithe Spirit, respectively), but given the state of the world at the moment, I don't know what is going to happen and if theatres will even be open by then. Here's hoping...

Theatre Trip: Prince of Egypt

PRINCE OF EGYPT

Dominion Theatre

Date: 7 March (Saturday), 2:30pm

Seats: Stalls Row V Seats 10-12

(Seen with Jess and Karla!)

Young Miriam, Leah and Hebrew Girl played by Mia Lahka.

Young Aaron, Young Egyptian Boy and Young Midian Boy played by Taylor Jenkins.

After last night at Endgame, we met up again at midday (just over 12 hours later!) for our next show! Karla was really pleased that we could fit in 3 shows over the two weeks she was here, as she only had 1 planned when she left! We started with a little Primark shopping trip and lunch before heading just to the Dominion Theatre. For what is I think the first time ever, we had to pay to check bags as we had bought a little too much!

I knew barely anything about this show. I obviously did know that it was a animated movie back in the late 90s, and I'm sure I saw it at the time, but I don't remember anything about the rest of it. I was also familiar with the story, as it is the story of Moses - to be fair, I didn't know that story well until my last job when I had to teach it! I learnt it well then, that's for sure, so I knew what the plot was going to be. But unusually for me, I didn't know any of the music or any of the performers going in.

Or so I thought. It turns out that both of the leading ladies in this show I knew of. Tzipporah, Moses' wife was played by Christine Allado, who had originally played Peggy/Maria in Hamilton in the first West End cast, and Miriam, Moses' sister was played by Alexia Khadime, who I had actually seen as Elphaba way back in 2008! So that was a nice surprise. Both women were spectacular, but I think the star of the show for me was Christine Allado - she was sensual and raw and so very strong. I really really loved their performances.

The leading men were good, however I wasn't as wowed as I was by the women. Liam Tamne played Ramses and he was very strong, showing a good progression of his emotions throughout the show. Luke Brady played Moses and I thought he was very good too - he definitely grew on me throughout the show.

I do think though, that the best thing about this show was the show itself. The music was really great! Composed by Stephen Schwartz, who also wrote Wicked, I could tell that but only in a couple of moments during the whole show as generally the music was extremely strong. I also appreciated that the score incorporated the use of Hebrew into the vocal parts for when the Hebrews were singing (and I was a bit embarrassed that it took me so long to realise what that was!)

The stage craft was by far the stand out. Throughout the show, there are quite a few 'magic' tricks which the High Priest and Moses do during the show which was really cool. The choreo was amazing, using people to replicate water, sand and the burning bush as well as having them dancing during actual dancing scenes. The dancers were all fantastic and they worked so well together in sequence to form the things they had to form. And even the stage got in on the act! At interval when I went to look at the orchestra pit, I noticed there were some crash mats underneath the edge of the stage. I figured they were for just in case, given during Act 1 some of the characters were sitting right on the front edge of the stage, but it turns out the whole thing moves! I won't say how or when because I don't want to completely ruin the surprise, but it is a genius piece of stagecraft and I loved that about it.

At the end, I commented that it felt like I was watching a movie. It felt lush and full and it was so new and complex in the staging, that it was a really cool experience. I'm so glad I saw it, although I don't think I've fallen in love with it the same way I have with Wicked or Waitress. And I don't feel the need to see it again super soon, but if I had a friend who asked, I definitely wouldn't say no! I really would like to see that stagecraft again, and I'd pay even more attention to the background details next time.

Theatre Trip: Endgame and Rough for Theatre II

ENDGAME and ROUGH FOR THEATRE II

Old Vic Theatre

Date: 6 March (Friday), 7:30pm

Seats: Lilian Baylis Circle Row E15-18

(Seen with Jess, Viddie and Karla!)

This was a night! It was a long week but I was excited for the theatre tonight. Originally, Richard was supposed to come, but he was feeling super tired so he let me offer his ticket to Karla and she was free, so it was girls night! As usual, we met at a McDonald's (Waterloo, as it's super close to the theatre) for a quick dinner first. I loved being back in my old neck of the woods!

This play was actually two plays, both by a playwright called Samuel Beckett. I actually know nothing about Beckett or his plays, and we had bought these tickets well in advance due to the actors in it... Alan Cumming and Daniel Radcliffe!

Alan Cumming is one of those actors most people have heard of but don't know what they're from, but I know him from recent things, like the Good Wife, but also things from my childhood: primarily, the Spy Kids and Josie and the Pussycats movie! And then of course, Daniel. Harry Potter. It has been a dream to see him live and finally it's happened!

The first play was only 25 minutes, and it was called Rough for Theatre II. It was a really shory and interesting play with a third man on stage the whole time, silhouetted in a window and ready to jump. The other two characters (Alan and Daniel) were discussing whether to let him jump or not by analysing his life. I really enjoyed it and it was rather funny in an absurd way.

Actually, both plays were absurd, although I think I preferred Rough for Theatre II. After the interval, there was the longer play, called Endgame. I also found it quite funny, although it was much more weird. I'm actually not sure I can fully explain it, but on this particular Friday night I was in just the right mood for that kind of crazy humour, and I was in hysterics!

After the show, we went out, around and waited in a queue. They checked our tickets, then let us back into the foyer... To meet Daniel Radcliffe! It turns out most evenings he does signings after the show. We waited our turns and when it was mine as he signed my program, our conversation went like this:

Me: "Can I ask you a stupid question?"

DanRad: "Of course, go right ahead."

Me: "Does it hurt, going up and down those ladders all the time every night?"

DanRad: "Actually, less than you'd think. You do get used to it too. I like doing the ladder tip every night though."

Me: "Oh, I thought that was a mistake!"

DanRad: "A lot of people think that, and I love that. That's made my day!"

And then he took my phone and took a selfie.

After we just talked for a while, losing our minds and posting our photos all over the internet. He was so nice (like Natalie Dormer!) and I still cannot believe that I got to meet Harry Freaking Potter! Life made.

Theatre Trip: Les Mis #2

LES MISERABLES #2

Sondheim Theatre (formerly the Queen's)

Date: 24 February (Monday), 7:30pm

Seats: Royal Circle Row K10-12

Understudies: Luke McCall (Jean Valjean), Richard Carson (Javert), Leo Miles (Enjolras).

(Seen with Jess, and Karla while she is here on holiday!)

Karla is back! We met and saw a lot of theatre together (mostly Heathers) before she returned to Australia about a year ago. Luckily, she now works for a UK teacher recruitment agency, and is back for a work trip! So of course us girls got together several times, including for some theatre (and hopefully more before she leaves!) 

However, it being a Monday Jess and I did have work, so we met in the city at 6:30, had a very quick rushed dinner at McDonalds, and rushed over to the theatre. The Queen's is no longer, as they have just finished renovating it and renaming it the Sondheim! Inside the theatre is lovely - definitely new but quite cosy feeling, and there was barely a bathroom queue (apparently they've added 16 more than before, which is always appreciated) either time! our seats were in the Royal Circle, so right up the top, but we had a totally clear view and could see all of the barricade and the stage, even though we weren't close.

This version of the production is different to the Queen's as well. They have gotten rid of the rotating floor from the old version and now have lovely sets that cruise seamlessly in and out. I think my favourite part, production wise, was when they are in the sewer - they didn't have a set for this, only projections on the backing screen! It was very well down and saved them several different sets which must have been helpful. I feel like the production was improved on last time since being updated.

In terms of the cast, I liked almost everyone in the production. Marius (Harry Apps) was really good - his acting was great and I really liked his Empty Chairs at Empty tables. I think out of everyone, Eponine (Shan Ako) was the weaker link. She was really great but her voice sounded more 'pop singer' than 'musical theatre', which worked better when she sang alone (although I didn't like her version of On My Own as much as Carrie's) than when she was singing with others and her voice didn't blend quite as well as others.

My standouts of the ensemble were the Thenardiers (Josefina Gabrielle, Gerard Carey), who managed to be funny, but not too out of control or turning it into a farce which I really appreciated. They are supposed to be over the top, but they didn't feel crazy - well, too crazy. They also worked really well as a pair and boucned off each other fantastically!

One of the reasons I was so excited to be back at Les Mis was that Carrie Hope Fletcher has returned to the show! After originally playing Eponine, she is back and now has grown into the role of Fantine. I wasn't sure how that would work, having played both roles, but Carrie was amazing! She did get beat up and thrown around a bit but her singing was incredible and she was just so good.

Our two leads were both understudies (probably not so surprising on a Monday night, when I actually thought about it), but it was an instance of them both being amazing! I would never have suspected they were anything less than the regular leads. Javert (Richard Carson) had a really great stage presence and inhabited the role so well. I thought he did an amazing job of showing Javert as he was unraveling and losing his sanity. His rendition of 'Stars' was to die for, although watching him actually die was a bit amusing (fake running in the air for just a little bit too long...) I thought he was so great.

And then there was Jean Valjean (Luke McCall), another understudy and yet another amazing actor! He did a great job embodying the character and really felt authentic. His voice did falter just slightly on the highest of the high notes, but his acting was great and actually that added to the authenticity. Even though we were quit high up, I did feel like he connected with the whole audience.

A really good Monday night (especially when you go for donuts after!) and we ticked a show off Karla's list of shows she didn't get to in the two years she lived here! We have one more show planned together - Prince of Egypt in a couple of weeks, which we snagged on sale yesterday. Plus I booked one other and another friend asked me to see a play in a couple of weeks... Oh, and I still want to see another play and get back to the diner... I'm having a good theatre year so far!

Theatre Trip: Waitress #4

WAITRESS #4

Adelphi Theatre

Date: 3  February (Monday), 7:30pm

Seats: Stalls Row O 11-13

Lulu was played by Madison Worley in this show.

Back in the diner, order up! This time, for my 4th visit, it is a very special one. After all, how often do you get to see a show with the composer in the starring role she wrote?

Tonight I went with Viddie and Jess. We have all seen Waitress before (Jess twice, and Viddie just once) and so know the show. Before tonight I didn't realise Viddie had never even seen the same show twice, which is something I love to do. We met before the show and went to Leon to get dinner, and I also popped into the Hotel Chocolat across the street to get dessert for the interval! Jess was running a little late so she met us in the (awfully long) ticket collection queue around 7pm.

It was luckily a fast moving queue and we headed inside the theatre with plenty of time for programs and the bathroom before the show started. And as I've mentioned before, this show is amazing. I love the songs, the message of empowerment, and of course the performers!

This cast is by far the best I've seen in this show. As I mentioned, how many times do you get to see a performer in a role they wrote? For 6 weeks only, Sara Bareilles, the composer and lyricist for the show is playing Jenna! They have brought her over from the States, along with her Dr Pomatter, Gavin Creel. They both played their roles together on Broadway and her only here for a limited engagement! Having missed Lucie last time, I was very pleased to hear that she will be back in the role with David Hunter after that.

I think the cast was really on fire for this performance - and i think I know why. There were signs up in the auditorium I noticed at interval which talked about the fact that they were filming during the performance. So I think that, them of course knowing this, they put on an extra great performance for everyone!

That being said, overall this is by far and away the best cast in total that I've seen! Earl, Ogie and Becky were the same cast as before. Tamlyn Henderson was a bit better this time around, but I think overall he may have been the weakest link in the ensemble. Joel Montague is the best Ogie I've seen, for sure, and the others were equally as impressed as I was with his amazing performance. Marisha Wallace was of course fantastic as usual, but even in her number she was even better than before. This is my 3rd performance seeing her, and I love it! I am now looking forward to seeing her in Hairspray when it opens as well now that I know she will be playing Motormouth Maybelle

There were also 3 new actors to see. The first was a new Dawn (rising, haha). This is now the 4th Dawn I've seen in these shows, and Evelyn Hoskins was definitely the best! She had a great accent but was also really well in tune when singing, and between the three leading ladies, this combination had by far the best blend of voices and it was amazing. She was also funny and worked super well with Joel as Ogie.

Then there were the leads. Gavin Creel is a name I have heard multiple times and listened to him singing on cast recordings like Hair. He was incredible. Compared to David Hunter, he was not quite as funny - and not quite as silly-funny either, but he came across a bit more genuine and sweet instead. It was nice to see a different perspective on the role. And Sara Bareilles. How to explain her as Jenna... I think it's this: I've seen 3 other actresses play Jenna, but actually, Sara Bareilles IS JENNA. She just is. She was funny, sharp, sarcastic, and above all, her performance felt effortless. That was also the most impressive thing about Sara and Gavin together, they were just the perfect combination together. They both sang so effortlessly and with such grace. There were runs and playing around but it all felt natural and not a thing felt forced - at all. And I adored it.

After the show, I heard people talking about stage door, and i was like YES. Viddie had never done a stage door, and Jess and I haven't done one in ages. So we headed over only to find a rather large queue. Luckily everyone was super nice and was really kind and talkative at stage door. We met Marisha first as she was out really fast. She was giving everyone flyers about her solo show and promoting it, which was quite funny. Then Gavin Creel was out next, being so kind to everyone else, just before Sara! I said thank you and that she was amazing, and she replied, "I'm really glad, I would hate for it to be just okay." My response was, "Of course - you wrote it!" which made her laugh. After she left, most of the queue disappeared, which was a shame because Evelyn had just come out and she was super sweet! I told her I don't know how she keeps a straight face opposite Joel and she said that while they're dancing at their wedding, they're usually laughing!

After that I still had to get home and it was a super late night which has thrown me off for the rest of the week, but oh well. Totally worth it. And I want to see Sara again before she leaves, and the Lucie again once she's back! So I guess I'm addicted to Waitress and will get to at least 6... Oops?