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: The Great British Bake Off Musical

THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF MUSICAL

Noel Coward Theatre

Date: 22 April 2023 (Saturday), 2:30pm

Seats: Stalls R,  3-5

(Seen with Jess and Claudia!)

Notes: When I messaged asking Jess if she'd like to go to a show this weekend (Richard is away for a bike race up near Scotland), she said yes (as she always does!), but that her sister was in town from Australia. So we invited her too! And when we were discussing what show to see, I compiled a list of shows I'd like to see, complete with theatres and closing dates recorded too. And of course it's 30 shows long and covers all the way through to next year! But near the top of the list, because it was closing in May, was the Great British Bake Off Musical. So we snagged ourselves £30 tickets in the stalls.

We all had other life jobs to do in the morning, so we planned to meet at the theatre at 2pm to get ourselves in. In the end, I took the train in a little early and took myself for a little walk along the river and across it to the Noel Coward which is just near the Coliseum theatre close to Trafalgar Square. However, the girls got stuck in a short delay which meant that I was waiting outside at 2:15 and they hadn't arrived! Luckily they got in at 2:20, which happened to be just enough time to get a program and go to the bathroom, taking our seats with just enough time.

Of course this show is based on the show, complete with 2 judges, 2 hosts and cast of characters. A lot of the characters are based on some of the stereotypes you often see in those shows - there is a student, an immigrant, a retiree. But they put a slightly interesting spin on each character.

In this particular show, there are 8 contestants: Russell, Ben, Babs, Izzy, Hassan, Derrick (Dezza), Francesca and Gemma, a last-minute back up contender who joins after another pulls out. The show follows what goes on 'on screen' as well as 'off screen', with drama and friendship and romance, through the different challenges and cooking tasks. 

After seeing Waitress and wondering if I would ever see another show with baking related choreography, here it is! Flinging around dough, clapping flour into the air, lots of baking utensil choreo waving around wooden spoons and pans. I love that stuff!

I was pleased to see some familiar faces in this show. They were some of the best performances in the show! Grace Mouat played Izzy, the student who is perfect and thinks she can win and it will create a huge empire for her. I've loved watching her as a swing in Six, and an ensemble/understudy in &Juliet, and it was so great that she is getting a bigger role! My favourite of the other contestants is Gemma, who is brought in as a backup contestant at the beginning (and who I think wins, although they don't say in the end of the show!). She was played by Charlotte Wakefield and I was wondering how I hadn't heard of her before. Turns out that she has actually been playing great roles since she was 18, but primarily outside the UK and on UK tours. That would explain it! The hosts of the Bake Off were Kim (Zoe Birkett) and Jim (Scott Paige) - and I've seen Scott in Addams Family on tour. He was amazing! I think the most impressive performances were Hadyn Gwynne and John Owen-Jones, who played Pam Lee and Phil Hollinghurst. They are of course the judges (Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood) and they do an incredible job of pretending to be them! They captured the vibe of each judge so well and they get great numbers to perform as well.

I did thoroughly enjoy the show - I even inadvertently called it sweet afterwards without meaning to! I'm not sure it's going to break any records or win any awards, but it is that. And I especially liked the main line in the final song: "Good thing come to those who bake." So there are good things headed my way!

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: Bring It On

 BRING IT ON

Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre

Date: 30 December (Thursday), 2:30pm

Seats: Stalls, Row FF, 5-6

(Seen with Jess!)

London has been a little bit crazy! Most everyone seems to have Covid, and it has really been affecting the west End shows. Many cast members have been out due to getting sick, and self-isolation requirements for close contacts mean that there have been 3rd covers playing roles for the first time. Great for the understudies and cover actors, but not so great for other shows when they have to get cancelled.

This show (Bring It On) was actually also cancelled in the lead up to Christmas, but luckily everyone was back in for this show. It was only a few shows after the Christmas break, after all. Jess and I decided to catch a matinee over our Christmas break.

We didn't know much about this musical. I have seen the movie it is based on, and Lin-Manuel Miranda worked on the music and lyrics - plus I didn't realise until the program that Jeff Whitty (of Avenue Q fame) wrote the book! So it has pedigree.

We actually almost ran late, as the tickets on the TodayTix app only had 'Southbank Centre' down as the theatre, so we headed for the main building. We popped to the bathroom beforehand and got to the theatre at 2.15, only to find out it was the wrong theatre and we needed to go to the Queen Elizabeth Hall in a different building! Luckily it was right next door so we still made it in time.

Unfortunately, the show itself wasn't a stand out. The music was fine - it wasn't particularly memorable (I couldn't sing you any songs from it) but you could tell Lin had a hand in it (particularly when someone started rapping!) The dance and cheer parts were definitely the highlight. The performers were amazing dancers and they were doing actual cheer, basket tosses and the like, right there on stage, which was very cool!

Some of the performers were great. I really liked the girl who played Eva (Campbell's nemesis - played by Alicia Belgarde), she was a little powerhouse when it came to singing and dancing! Bridget (Chelsea Hall) was also amazing, and unexpected because she seemed like she shouldn't have been very good. So great. I did feel like some of the actors might have been a bit poorly or off-colour though, as some weren't great. I think that some of them were on their first job as well, which might be a factor.

All in all, it was good. I am glad that we saw it, but I would rather go and see something else again instead. But I'm always glad to see something new!

Theatre Trip: &Juliet (2)

 &JULIET

Shaftesbury Theatre

Date: 16 December (Thursday), 7:30pm

Seats: Stalls, Row B, 20-23

(Seen with Lisa and Louise from work!)

Understudies: Anne Hathaway (Kirstie Skivington), Lance de Bois (Ivan De Freitas), Francois de Bois (Billy Nevers)

We had booked this one a few months in advance. I had seen online that you could book the front row seats for the very reasonable price of £35. After seeing this the first time I realised that Louise, a colleague from work, would really love it, so I texted and suggested we see it together! After I mentioned it to Lisa she was in as well so I booked for the 3 of us in the front row for a few months later! It was actually good timing as Lou left us at the end of this term so it became a bit of a celebration for her.

We finished work around half 4 and headed straight in to Tottenham Court Rd station. Nearby was a Shake Shack, so we ate and chatted while we waited for the show to be ready to start. Then of course programs and getting to our seats.

And sitting in the front row was amazing! Even though we had 3 understudies it was such a cool party experience - and there were empty seats in the theatre (and also they had closed the grand circle and moved people down a floor) but everyone was really into it!

We had such a great cast - Kirstie Skivington was on again for Anne Hathaway, who we saw last time. I was disappointed I haven't had the chance to see Cassidy Janson yet (she is injured at the moment according to her Instagram), but Kirstie Skivington is amazing in the role and I love her portrayal. I just wish that I could get the chance to see Cassidy and compare it. We also had Ivan de Freitas in the role of Lance. He was great too - I do wish a little he was David Bedella as his portrayal is everything, but my friends said he was just as good and they wouldn't have known he was an understudy. And Frankie - the understudy was incredible! I preferred his portrayal to Tim Mahendran, actually, he had this amazing growl moment in one song that had me like WOAH. Billy Nevers, you were incredible!

Of course most of the regular cast was still in - Miriam Teak-Lee was awesome as always and my colleagues particularly loved Mel la Barrie (I swear she gets funnier every time!), but for me the draw is always the boys. Jordan Luke Gage was absolutely awesome as Romeo as he was the first time. But Oliver Thompsett is always the biggest draw of this show for me and it was an utter delight to get to see his facial expressions and reactions up close!

I had a couple of 'moments' during the show with cast members too. One of the perks of being on the front row! On Ollie's entrance, I may have made a rather loud noise which had him look and smile directly at me! It was a lovely moment. And at the end, Lisa pulled me up and we danced at the front, and at one point Kirstie looked over to us and did a little boogie at us, which was also awesome.

Such an amazing night, and I was really glad to introduce this show to my colleagues - they have both decided that they need to take their families to the show now! I can't wait to go see it again soon.

Theatre Trip: Hamilton (FINALLY!)

HAMILTON

Victoria Palace Theatre

Date: 14 December (Tuesday), 7:30pm

Seats: Stalls, Row C, 30-31

(Seen with Richard!)

Understudies: Alexander Hamilton (Alternate - Nuno Queimado), Aaron Burr (Jay Perry), King George (Aaron Lee Lambert)

This show we had been waiting SO LONG to see! Booking tickets to Hamilton was my 30th birthday present (which was in January 2020), and we booked for 6 months later to make sure we could get amazing seats. However, 2020 (and 2021) had other plans and our show was postponed a year, then again 6 months as the new date was one week before the theatres reopened properly! So it took almost 2 years, as I now turn 32 in just a few weeks. It was totally worth the wait though!

Richard and I got some sushi from Itsu for dinner and ate it outside the theatre before we went in. We had plenty of time and even though the queue looked long it was pretty quick to get in. Our seats were amazing! We were close enough we could see absolutely everything and with lots of detail but far enough back that we could see the whole stage in one go. The set doesn't move very much with helped too. We had a few understudies as well due to Covid sickness.

I thought the show was amazing. I knew the music well but I hadn't seen the Disney+ version so I didn't know anything about the staging or choreography and I thought it was amazing! Really dynamic and musical, and the ensemble was really amazing. They had a lot to do and did it all in their costumes, which I thought were really clever. They wore their base layers (which were vaguely period) and continued to add and remove additional layers depending on who they were in any number.

There were a few cast members who I thought really stood out. Angelica Schuyler (Ava Brennan) was fab, and every time I saw her I wanted to see her more. We did think that Hamilton (Nuno Queimado) was VERY good and that he got stronger throughout the performance. I also really liked Jefferson in Act 2 (Waylon Jacobs), he was an excellent balance of funny and witty and had a really excellent suit! I also loved King George (Aaron Lee Lambert) - he had everyone in hysterics with just his mannerisms.

It was also much funnier than I thought. This sounds obvious, but you can't see facial expressions on a cast recording. Some of the more deadpan lines were much, much funnier when you could see the visual gags that went along with it!

I am so grateful we finally got to see it! I am really looking forward to returning to see some other performers in the roles, particularly of Hamilton and Burr. It also turned out we had great timing - as due to more extended absences, Hamilton has been closed for almost every show since (I'm writing this almost a week afterwards, with shows not going ahead for Wednesday, Thursday (2), Friday, Saturday (2) or Sunday!) so really we should consider ourselves lucky that we go to see it at all. I am very grateful and will be returning when things settle down again.

Theatre Trip: HMS Pinafore

 H.M.S. PINAFORE

Coliseum Theatre
Date: 30 October (Saturday), 7:30pm
Seats: Upper Circle A 21-22

(Seen with Richard!)

We were excited to come back to the Coliseum for another ENO performance! We decided that rather than rushing a takeaway dinner after our old favourite Mod Pizza has shut up shop in the UK due to the pandemic, we'd head to one of the many pubs near the Coliseum and eat there. Looking at the pubs there was one serving Thai food which we wanted to try but by the time we got there it was full! It was half 6 at that point so we popped into a nice looking Thai place just a few doors down.

By 7 we had ordered, received and finished our entrees and we were waiting for our mains. But unfortunately it got to 7:15 and we still didn't have our food. By this time I was stressing, so I went to the bathroom in the restaurant, but I got back and we still didn't have any food! By that time Richard had asked for it to go instead, so at 7:25 we were literally running out the door of the restaurant with our food all boxed up (they did give us the noodles for free for the trouble, which was nice) the one minute to the theatre.

We arrived, had to run down to the cloakroom (of course we couldn't take our food to our seats!) which had already closed, so find someone who could open it for us, check our food, then run up 2 flights of steps to our seats. Luckily we actually made it just while the orchestra was tuning up!

This performance was quite fun. As with other G&S performances we have seen, I knew the show well because of the version with Jon English in Australia in the 90s. This is definitely one of the more comedic operettas and I really enjoy the twisting of the plot in this particular show. They definitely added some things in an attempt to make the show even more funny, although we did feel a bit like some made them feel more like a panto - and not always in a good way. The addition of the Midshipmite was a good call, but they also added a silly Boris Johnson gag, a repeating seagull joke which was quite silly, and the worst one - one of the aunts who never lifted her head, walked with a cane (like a old person stereotype) and kept walking across the show or into parts of the stage. The rest of the audience seemed to think it was funnier than we did, so maybe it is funnier if you're British?

The main casting draw for UK people is Les Dennis, who is a famous comedian and was playing the role of Sir Joseph. He was fine, although it was clear he was not a singer. I much preferred the ENO cast proper though. There were a pair of Harewood Artists in the cast. This means that they have a special programme of training to boost and support their new careers. In this case, both Ralph Rackstraw (Elgan Llyr Thomas) and Josephine (Alexandra Oomens) were these artists and I was very impressed with them vocally. Particularly Josephine - I thought that she had a gorgeous voice and surprisingly good comic timing!

The 2 best performances were definitely Captain Corcoran and the Midshipmite (a new character created for this version to be the cabin boy, and played by a child). Rufus Bateman was the Midshipmite at this performance and he was appropriately cheeky and I felt like he added quite a lot to the performance. Turns out he also is a killer tap dancer! So was the Captain, played by John Savournin to a tee. He was serious when he needed to be and silly when needed too. They added some tap dancing into the show which I thought was very well placed.

Despite the drama getting in (and the fact we had to eat out dinner after the show when we got home!), it was a very enjoyable evening. After lots of modern musicals, I do enjoy an operetta to get back to my childhood, it feels like.

Theatre Trip: ALW's Cinderella

ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER'S CINDERELLA

Gillian Lynne Theatre
Date: 13 October (Wednesday), 7:30pm
Seats: Circle, E51-52

(Seen with Richard!)

Another week, another weekday show! I bet this looks very exciting, but actually I'm going to need a break soon as my sleeping habits and caffeine consumption are not working super well together! In the, we were running late and we arrived at the theatre at 7, and through the doors at 7:15. They've recently redone the theatre though, so it was easy to get around, there were lots of places to buy drinks, and plenty of bathrooms (even for the ladies we never waited more than a few minutes) We were lucky enough to win lottery tickets with the chance to purchase tickets for £25. It turns out our seats were much better than I expected - they were up in the Circle, but the theatre has been resigned very well and all the seats in the house would have had a good view. Because we were further back we could easily see all the action and there was only a small amount of action that we missed.

The music of this new show - his most recent since School of Rock - is very good. At one point Richard and I turned to each other and said, 'This music feels very Gilbert and Sullivan', and it definitely does, but in all the best ways. There are 4-5 main themes which keep coming back being reused in different ways and it has a little bit of a pantomime vibe; but again, in a good way! We really enjoyed the music side of it.

The book for this was also quite good. Emerald Fennell has written the book for this and she got great fame for her recent movie Promising Young Woman, which I loved, and she has made this plot more modern. I felt like all the changes worked well and it definitely felt more modern than Cinderella usually is.

All of the actors in the chorus seemed great. There were some very hunky guys who did an excellent number with pretend weights and other such 'strong' showing off. The stepsisters (Georgina Castle as Mari, Laura Baldwin as Adele) were really funny and totally vapid. Laura I knew could pull off a role like this as she was Dawn in Waitress and while she was not vapid in that, she was quite a caricature and that works for her as an actress.

The older ladies were not my favourites in the show. The Queen (Rebecca Trehearn) was more genuine and she definitely had amazing costumes! Her voice was also very lovely and she was the right balance of silly and fun. The Stepmother I didn't actually like all that much. Victoria Hamilton-Barritt did a fine job of acting in the role, but the character she chose (as it said in the program) was a cross between David Bowie and Joanna Lumley, which I felt was way over the top and just too pantomime. It didn't really feel like it fit with the rest of the acting choices the other characters made.

The main prince in this Cinderella isn't actually Prince Charming but Prince Sebastian, Charming's younger brother. He was played by Ivano Turco, a new graduate in his first West End role. I feel like you could tell how new he was to being on stage, and his voice was more on the pop end of things rather than musical theatre. His voice was lovely though, if a little overpowered by the band at times. And boy, I'm trying not to spoil anything, but THE BOY CAN DANCE! I'd like to see him again in the role in a few months once he's had time to settle into things.

The biggest draw in this show for me was Carrie Hope Fletcher, playing the titular role. She seemed really at home in this show! The singing parts seemed to be written exactly in the best parts of her voice (maybe they were, as she has been Cinderella since the original workshop) and it meant that she could put everything she had into the big numbers. Her costume is very cool and she is witty and funny, which is refreshing for what is normally a Disney princess! I really enjoyed her in the role and am looking forward to seeing her again. I will be continuing to enter the lottery - Jess is too because she wants to see it with me next!

Theatre Trip: &Juliet (finally!)

 &JULIET

Shaftesbury Theatre
Date: 7 October (Thursday), 7:30pm
Seats: Stalls, P3-4
(Seen with Jess!)

Understudies: Anne Hathaway (Kirstie Skivington)

Finally, I get to see &Juliet! I had had tickets to this show twice already... But the first time I had a migraine and the second we were due to see it at the end of March 2020, and that got cancelled by the pandemic. But finally, our time has come!

We got great Stalls seats in row P. The Shaftesbury is smaller than I expected and so row P is actually quite close! Seats 3-4 are right on the right hand side, so there was a tiny bit on stage that we couldn't see but that didn't matter for anything important in the show.

The staging of this show is very simple. The stage isn’t big, and is framed as a musical within a play so the staff is kept pretty simple. It all looks great and it definitely doesn’t need big set pieces to hit home. The main feature is, of course, the music! This show is a jukebox musical, but rather than by an artist it’s about the composer/producer. Max Martin wrote and produced a huge amount of music since the 90s, so there is a lot of options to choose from. This means that it doesn’t feel at all like a jukebox musical, because the music fits so well with the plot of the show. But people my age who grew up in the 90s and 00s, you would recognise all the songs! So it’s such a trip hearing these songs in a new context.

I know a few actors in this show. Grace Mouat was in the chorus (with a leading role and a few mini solos tonight), and I remember her really well from being one of the backup Queens in Six. I really enjoyed watching her perform! Juliet’s father was played by a guy who I recognised instantly as Ivan de Freitas. The last time I saw him perform was in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Barbican, and he was very good. Mel la Barrie I remember from even further back, having seen her as Madame Morrible in Wicked, back in 2008 on my gap year. She was absolutely phenomenal in her role here and I was nowhere near prepared for her to be so amazing, or to be able to sing so well with a thick Jamaican accent! And David Bedella played opposite her, with a deep voice that instantly took me back to 2008. He was in the production of Chess then that I went to in the Albert Hall, playing Molokov, but in this he was so different! His deep voice and fake French accent were so good and he was really really awesome.

Romeo was played by Jordan Luke Gage, freshly returned from Heathers on the West End. He was so poppy and I felt like he really fit the character super well. His characterisation was really good (although Romeo is a terrible character - predictably, given the 'girl power' theme of the show) and of course, his voice is phenomenal! Miriam Teak-Lee played the lead role of Juliet and she was also amazing. Her voice at times, had too many riffs and felt a little out of place on a musical stage, but she was very very good. I would like to see her again so that I can hear if she does the same performance night after night, or if the riffs change!

The actors I was most excited about, are actually two who I have seen since 2008 when I first saw them as Fiyero and Elphaba in Wicked! Oliver Tompsett plays William Shakespeare and he was so amazing. His voice is like butter, even with a Cockney accent and they gave him a lot of great puns, on Shakespeares name and works, which I appreciated a lot. Sadly, the other person I was very excited about was out for the show. Cassidy Janson (who I have seen as Elphaba as well as many more!) is cast as Anne Hathaway, arguably the most important character in the show - as she is the one who interferes with Shakespeare's original plot and leads it astray. Sadly she wasn't in on this evening and so the role was played by Kirtie Skivington. I felt that she was very good, but especially during the big number I was thinking about how phenomenal CJ would be in that role. Also I would like to see the chemistry between CJ and Oli as they have history together!

I will definitely be going again though, as I messaged my colleague as I was walking out and told her that she would love it. In response, I have booked 3 front row tickets for myself and 2 colleagues for just before the end of the school year - and in the same week as Hamilton! It will be such fun to experience this on the front row.

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?

Theatre Trip: Waitress #3

WAITRESS #3

Adelphi Theatre

Date: 25 January (Saturday), 2:30pm

Seats: Stalls Row S 26

Understudies: Mark Willshire (Cal)

Lulu was played by Lucia Kaplan in this show.

I am back in the diner! It has been such a busy few months that I have only seen one show (As You Like It at the Barbican with my family), and it feels like way too long since I saw a musical! So after my family had flown out and with Richard away, I had a few weekends to myself. Plus, tickets went on sale - so as well as booking to see this show in a few weeks (Sara Bareilles!), I decided to have a self care Saturday which involved taking myself to the matinee. I did almost run late (thanks to Apple customer care taking longer than expected) and got to my seat after the customary bathroom trip with literally 2 minutes to spare.

I do adore this show. It always brings me to tears, watching Jenna take control at the end, and grow into herself and the woman she could truly be. I will already be going back for my fourth viewing, and now I want to go more again - but I think I might have to continue the pattern of seeing a different Jenna every time!

For my third visit, I was really hoping to see Lucie Jones again. The cast is changing on Monday to have the role of Jenna played by the writer of the show, Sara Bareilles. Unbeknownst to me however, Lucie had been out for about a week already with a bad chest infection, and both understudies had also been ill or on holiday, so they had called the Jenna from the US Tour, Desi Oakley, to play the role. However, we were so lucky because she is fabulous! Her Jenna was more blunt and sarcastic, which I did feel was a portrayal which fit really really well with Jenna and how she would have reacted to the show. Her singing was amazing and she put in a whole lot of riffs and slides which really worked and made the songs which I literally know by heart seem fresh and new. I really liked her, and while I was briefly disappointed when Jenna came on and it wasn't Lucie, it worked out extremely well for me in the end. Oh, and her accent was definitely the most authentic to American Southern that I've seen

The other girls were great. Marisha Wallace was back on as Becky (although not in the program) - so I'm mildly confused about that, given we saw her last time and she was in the program then (there were actually 3 program inserts this time, with a new addition to the ensembles as well). She was fabulous, as always, and she did put in a few riffs which may be to match Desi and her love for vocal runs.

Dawn was another new actress - Hannah Tointon. She is apparently another TV star, but I wouldn't have guessed that from her performance. There was one small crack, but I really thought she was good and her comedic timing was great. I do still think that Laura Baldwin was better, but Hannah was definitely a really good Dawn, particularly after Ashley Roberts.

I did get to see the always fabulous David Hunter again. I can't really say how much I love him in this role, sweet, funny and goofy. I just want to give him a hug!

A lot of the boys were new to me though. the new Earl (Tamlyn Henderson) didn't really impress me, he didn't have the same presence as Peter Hannah. I may also have laughed when he stomped on his guitar and it barely did anything. Oops! Cal (Mark Willshire) was an understudy but I really liked him as Cal. He and Marisha worked very well together. And the highlight of the new boys was definitely Ogie. Joel Montague was a breath of fresh air in the role of Ogie for me. He isn't a stunt cast, just a real musical theatre performer. Given that my main issue with previous Ogie's was the lack of singing skill, he really was great. I think this was my first performance I actually paid 100% attention to Ogie... Oops? At least he is not a cover, but in the regular cast, so more people get to enjoy his performance.

I don't think there is much else to say, given I've now seen this musical 3 times! I have tickets already booked for #4, on Feb 3 with Sara Bareilles and Gavin Creel, so that will be exciting. Plus, after March I want to head back to see Lucie again - or Sarah O'Connor or Olivia Moore (the understudies) to round out my 'a different Jenna every time' thing? We'll see.

Theatre Trip: As You Like It

AS YOU LIKE IT

Barbican Theatre

Date: 15 January (Wednesday), 7:15pm

Seats: Stalls G31-36

(Seen with my family - Mum, Dad, David and Richard!)

Notes: I had suggested to my family that we see a show when they were in town. My mum did some research and found this RSC production which was in the Barbican during the winter this year. She suggested either As You Like It, or Measure for Measure. I chose the former as I knew it was a comedy. I had seen it in a previous summer at the Globe and enjoyed it, although ended up quite sore from the standing for 3 hours part. So it was nice to be able to see the show sitting down!

This production was quite different to the Globe production. The casting was much less gender blind, which I actually think served to help us to understand it better. There was only one role which was cast opposite the original gender to create a pairing of two females (Phoebe and Silvia compared to Phoebe and Silvius), and I think it worked so well that I would never have known, even from the text, that that had been changed. There is even an original line in the text for that character which seems to refer to love as being from 'a woman' when the character is a man that really makes it work.

There were two things that stood out to me about this production. The first was the attitude. The whole show, while obviously still using Shakespeare's original language, was performed and phrased in such a way that it felt a lot more modern. It was really easy to understand the meaning, even if you couldn't make out each word, because of their intonation, phrasing, the acting - they all conveyed the feeling of the line. The setting and costumes were also modern, making it feel like it had been written much more recently that the 16th century!

The main thing that was amazing about this show was the cast. The standouts for me were Antony Byrne (Duke Frederick/Duke Senior), Lucy Phelps (Rosalind) and Sophie Khan Levy (Celia). Antony Byrne played both Dukes and did so really well, it was like he was two different people! He had totally different mannerisms. The two leading ladies, Rosalind and Celia, were the real amazing stand outs in the show. Lucy Phelps played Rosalind and in the first act she was good. But I wasn't wowed. I really felt, however, that she grew into the role, and particularly when she was playing opposite Orlando as a girl pretending to be a boy pretending to be a girl. She was funny, and overly dramatic, and somehow also really realistic? Like, she overreacted just how you would in that situation, and it really reflected how ridiculous some of the play actually is.

And then there was Sophie Khan Levy. She was absolutely hysterical! Totally fun and dramatic, and really the star of the show for me. She really played it for laughs as well, with one moment being when another character arrived suddenly and her solution was to flip her skirts over her head and pretend to be a rock! The other character sat on her!!! She also spent quite a lot of the play on stage, basically watching the action and reacting to it. She had amazing faces of reaction and a lot of the time, I watched her more than the main action. Really, I must see her again in something.

Talking about this after with my family, with the elements of breaking the fourth wall they included, we decided it was really as close to a traditional Shakespearean performance as you could get to actual Shakespeare times! It was a really good show for my family as well - funny, but very British. Just what the trip needed.

Theatre Trip: Ian McKellen on Stage

IAN MCKELLEN ON STAGE

Harold Pinter Theatre

Date: 18 October (Friday), 7:30pm

Seats: Royal Circle, B7-8

(Seen with Richard!)

Notes: Ian McKellen is a legend. He is so well known for many things, from Gandalf to Magneto, and he has been around so many famous actors and actresses. And when he turned 80, instead of throwing a fabulous party (which to be honest, he may have done anyway), he went on tour doing a solo show around 80 venues. He is now settled in London and we booked tickets which were above our usual budget (of about 25 pounds) to get to see him live.

We met 45 minutes before the show and picked up a swift sushi dinner so that we weren’t going hungry... And then we headed straight in! We were booked in the Royal Circle, the second floor up and although even in Row B we were supposed to have the safety rail in view, which we did but it was barely noticeable so I definitely would recommend those seats for the price.

This was really a show for theatre lovers. The first act, Ian opened with the famous speech that Gandalf does in Lord of the Rings (YOU. SHALL NOT. PASS!) and then he talked about his family, his childhood, and how he got into acting. He began by attending shows and fell in love with the theatre, and then he wanted to be behind the scenes, then on stage... It really resonated with me. My favourite moment in Act 1 was actually when he talked about poetry, then he recited Gus the Theatre Cat by T. S. Eliot! I love those poems and the Cats musical, and Ian is playing Gus in the film which is out in December; it was quite magical to hear him recite this.

Act 2 was really interesting. Ian has done a lot of Shakespeare in his time, and he had with him a copy of every single Shakespeare play. Then, with the house lights up, he invited the audience to call out the names of Shakespeare plays - we were able to name them all eventually. As they were called out, he picked up each copy and told a small story - about something famous and interesting in the play, about his roles in them, and for some he even recited sections (Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet). That was really interesting and makes me want to see more Shakespeare - particularly I want to go and see the RSC at Stratford-Upon-Avon next summer! So hopefully I can do that.

Sir Ian McKellen really is an amazing human being, and he has so many interesting stories to tell! We really have been lucky to experience him live, and he really is doing amazingly at 80 and beyond. I feel so lucky to have had that experience.