July 2006

With the plethora of new shows - musicals - coming to the West End this year, this is likely to be the first of two visits to the capital assaulting my bank balance in 2006. Not that I’m complaining, you understand, after a few leaner years, it’s good to see so many exciting prospects on the stage’s books. Also, following the early curtain call for Mack & Mabel, and an unexpected extension to my trip for business, I was able to slot in a few last minute extras - the first of these was the Blue Man Group.

Blue Man Group - New London Theatre

The notoriety of the group, the reason why most people recognise them (and I guess the reason why most go to see their show, in the first instance), has come from their featuring in the adverts for the computer chip manufacturer Intel. I’m not sure those adverts give enough of a clue as to what their performances are about - and this could be a blessing or a curse, depending on what expectations the audience brings with it. Running without an interval, the 90 minute show could lead to itchy feet (or other affects on other parts of the body) but the variety of sketches and energy of the percussive rock-based soundtrack easily hold the attention and the audience are very much left wanting more come the frenetic finale.

The show is an audio-visual feast, a more “arty” STOMP with circus tricks, straight-faced clowning, audience participation (watch out late-comers) and an artful use of technology. It’s difficult to give much more than a flavour of a performance which, overall, has the feeling of a piece of installation art in Tate Modern, or street theatre in Covent Garden, rather than something that’s conventionally seen on the stage. It’s ultimately a novelty act, of course - any performance focussing on three bald men painted bright blue could hardly be labelled as run-of-the-mill, but it isn’t just a one-trick pony and certainly if you want a lively and entertaining night out that’s different from the same old play or musical options, this is the one to see.

Donkey’s Years - Comedy Theatre

A confined reunion of a group of old friends/adversaries - in this case former Oxford University students coming together for a reunion dinner - and the ripples this creates, is such an obvious vein for comedy that writers have been plumbing its depths for some time. Gracing this presentation is not what everyone would regard as a “stellar” cast, but it’s certainly a well-known array of British acting talent. David Haig and Mark Addy, in particular, excel - but there really isn’t a weak performance in the bunch. Of course, it could be said that the characterisations are somewhat one-note, perhaps even stereotypical or caricatured - but that’s missing the point in what is essentially a situation-based farce. A good gauge, for me, of how well a farce is written/produced (or, perhaps, how wide its appeal will be) is that despite being almost invariably broad or silly, it never seems so at the time - often because you’re too busy laughing. So it is here - expert timing of both verbal and physical gags make this an exceptional piece of boisterous good fun. If you’re after a laugh, you’ll be hard-pushed not to get one here.

Phantom of the Opera - Her Majesty’s Theatre

As its 20th Anniversary beckons in October, you would perhaps expect the producers to fill the cast with top talent to demonstrate the show is still going strong. If that was there intent here, they have certainly succeeded. Rachel Barrell has probably the strongest voice of any Christine in recent years, backing up the most emotive and visceral Phantom in Earl Carpenter. Even David Erik gives Raoul a strength and dignity often lacking in other portrayals of the role. The three main protagonists were ably supported by a fine cast - albeit one going through the by now well-established motions (which is to be expected in a show that has run so long). All this and a standing ovation for a show in its 20th year - not bad - and well deserved by one of the best all-round casts that have been assembled in London.

Sunday In The Park With George - Wyndham’s Theatre

As a fan of Sondheim’s work, I’m well aware that not everyone feels the same way - his shows are certainly not as easily accessible as, say, those of Rodgers & Hammerstein or Lloyd Webber. I do think I’m on safe ground, though, to highlight the expressive and precise performances of Daniel Evans and Jenna Russell in the lead roles of this (as the programme notes) Broadway show about artistic modernism across two centuries. This being a piece about an artist, Georges Seurat, one expects the staging to reflect this and so it does, with the artist’s drawings (in the first act) and laser-based art (in the second) projected on the white blank-canvass of the set. This is particularly evocative when, piece-by-piece, the artist assembles his first-act painting before the audience’s eyes. Whatever level you take this on - and as always with Sondheim, there are levels of complexity if you want to look for them - the show is a very professional, beautiful and well-crafted piece of art.

Mary Poppins - Prince Edward Theatre

An elegant, uplifting, yet curiously dark, show for children, this is, of course, another big show that has now become a fixture. Still expertly performed by a well-drilled cast (how they manage to dance/spell out Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in synch still amazes) it has lost none of its magic since the opening just over 18 months ago. Scarlett Strallen isn’t quite as snug-fitting in the coat and hat as Laura Michelle Kelly was and her voice is a little shrill, but these are minor qualms rather than concerns. The rest of the cast are easily equal to those who opened so well - Gavin Lee remaining as the sole surviving major cast member (for now - before heading off to Broadway later this year for the show’s opening there in November). Disney appears to have this corner of the market covered and yes, it may be a big US corporation continually after our hard-earned pounds, but when they produce material so full of wonder and inventiveness, appealing to both children and their parents, who are we to gripe about their ongoing encroachment in the West End.

Evita - Adelphi Theatre

I should admit up front that Evita has never really struck me as impressive - as it obviously has many other people - I find it a little lacking. I’m not of an age to have seen the original stage production and came to this having only seen the recent film - which was entertaining, though unexceptional. I could say the same of this stage production. The score/lyrics are not, to my mind, among the best from the Lloyd Webber stable and the book is rushed, lacking anything to really involve the audience - ultimately I didn’t care what happened to anyone. The cast is capable but they don’t lift the material beyond the pedestrian - Abbie Osman gave an acceptable, if uninspiring, turn as Eva, Philip Quast seems under-utilised as Peron and even Matt Rawle doesn’t quite have enough venom to succeed completely as Che. If you’re a fan of the show, you will doubtless love the production - the design and general delivery are very good - but I don’t think it will convert any neutrals like myself.

The Boy Friend - Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park

On a glorious, balmy summer’s evening, a gloriously summery show. The Boy Friend is 53 years old, but as the composer Sandy Wilson said in a curtain call on this, the press night, The Boy Friend is young again with this marvellous cast and wonderful production. On a bright and breezy set, surrounded by sky-blue parasols, the cast tease the audience with a loving homage of 1920s musicals. Spread over three acts with two intervals, this is a simple tale - boy-meets-girl, boy and girl split due to a misunderstanding, problem is solved and boy and girl reunite. The affection for the period is clear in both the writing and the performance and the humour never becomes too knowing, tongue-in-cheek or post-modern to break the flow of the fresh, bubbly innocence coming from the stage. Rachel Jerran (playing Polly Browne, who is in search of the boy friend in the title), in what is her first role, gives a fine performance of innocence and sweetness, but she is by no means alone in producing a finely-judged interpretation - the cast is faultless. In the wonderful surrounds of the Open Air Theatre, this is a perfect summer evening’s entertainment - if only everything in life could be this delicious.

Footloose The Musical - Novello Theatre

From the 80s film of the same name (which I only vaguely recall in the dim distant recesses of my youth), Footloose is an electric rock, dance-fired storm with a top-notch cast. All the leads excel in a format which has, of course, been used many times in the past. Other efforts have floundered - or at least have been only partially successful - because of their tendency to sentimentality, or a naivety in key characters at key times, but these are kept neatly in check here. It does start to go down whimsy lane once or twice (particularly in the second half) but this is usually tempered by a realism to the situation and in any case a return to the power-rock core of the show is never too far away. The first half is the more energetic and faster-moving of the two - the second half being impeded by plot and character development before the boisterous finale. Despite the slower second half, this remains a great advert for the genre - fun, energetic, fast-paced and with the sweetness reigned in - the kind of show to put an extra zing in your step when you leave the theatre - great stuff.

Avenue Q - Noel Coward Theatre

It was only a matter of time before a ‘Muppets for adults’ was produced in one medium or another. Cartoons and puppets have gradually ‘grown up’, if I can use that term, over the last decade-or-so - largely through the efforts of ‘The Simpsons’, ‘South Park’ and latterly the film ‘Team America’ so someone had to mine the rich seam of Muppets/Sesame Street sooner or later. I’m not objecting - this mix of twenty-thirtysomething genre material (which has been done before on the stage more conventionally: Rent; Personals; I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change etc) is well-crafted, funny, revealing and, at times, unsentimentally poignant too. The principals, holding the puppets aloft before them, are so accomplished with the voices and puppetry that it seems completely natural for them to be voicing and singing for a felt-covered creature at the end of their arm - also, for that creature to be speaking with a ‘real’ person on stage as an equal. Therein lies the charm of and key to the piece - the tone of the show and the characters is the same almost child-like tone that the Muppets would normally use - when they begin to cover topics like homosexuality, internet porn, racism, homelessness and Gary “what you talkin’ about Willis” Coleman, it somehow seems entirely natural and unthreatening. Such, I suppose, is the familiarity with the style of puppets (á la Jim Henson) with which most of the audience will have grown up. The difference here is that the puppeteers are visible too and contribute as much to the show as do the puppets. Totally un-PC, very fun and very well done.

Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell - Garrick Theatre

Mastery from Tom Conti in the title role of what is, pretty much, a single-scene monologue lasting a little under two hours. I can still recall the performance of Peter O’Toole in the same role some years back - his off-stage persona merged seamlessly with the on-stage hard-drinking role, of course, but the same cannot be said of Tom Conti. Perhaps this ranks as the better performance because of that fact. He makes the figure engrossing and, aptly, intoxicating - the audience rapt at his every anecdote, rant and opinion. Throughout, he provides a masterclass in how to play a drunk - at times broad - at times nuanced - at times lucid - at times slurring or stammering. A memorable performance of a wonderfully comic and entertaining script.

Once again, London and the West End stage thrives - after the shocks of last July things have settled back into normalcy and the tourists have kept on coming. With big-hitters like Wicked, Spamalot and The Sound Of Music still to come later this year, alongside many others, it’s a musical bonanza in 2006. Purists may decry the musical as populist, but as long as the quality remains as high as the shows I’ve seen on this trip and as long as we have the variety of formats, styles and genres that currently honour the West End, I don’t think we have much to worry about.

END

David Heppell
david.heppell@eidosnet.co.uk