LONDON TRIP REVIEWS

Sep 98

I’ve had a truly *wonderful* week with some friends in the West End, and I’d (once again) love to share my thoughts with you. The reviews are not as long as last time because of the fact that I’ve seen so many different things this time...

On Monday (14/09) and on Wednesday eve (16/09) I saw The Phantom of the Opera, this time with Glyn Kerslake starring as the Phantom, Jill Washington returning as Christine, Mike Sterling (Monday) and Chris Harley (Wednesday) as Raoul.

Seeing Glyn as the Phantom was a dream come true for me, as I had always hoped he would play Phantom one day. It’s not really the most obvious choice to cast him in a role like that, as he has done so many juvenile roles (Enjolras, Joe Gillis, Chris Scott, ...) before, but I was really looking forward to it.

I won’t compare both performances (I have my reasons for this), but I must say: Glyn is a truly great actor, with a wonderful voice and although he’s not *perfect* as Phantom, he moved me to tears in a way no other Phantom could before. His first appearance (Mirror) was a treat, with his mysterious voice resounding through the whole theatre. He didn’t do anything different than other Phantoms in the title song, but he moved gracefully and filled the stage with his presence. His “Music of the Night” was extremely emotional and powerful and he hypnotized the audience with his voice. He didn’t catch Christine (he’s the first I think in London not doing this, but apparently Hal Prince has changed it now for all the productions), but covered her with his cloak in a very sweet and caring way.

His “Stranger than you dreamt it” was very scary (but fortunately not demonic nor revolting) as it should be. His next scenes in Act 1 (the Il Muto scenes) were not bad, but not really commanding. His “Angel”scene was extremely good, very light and in the right pitch (which seems to be very difficult for other Phantoms).

In Act 2, as the Red Death, he moved his jaws a bit too much. The “Wandering Child” sequence was not bad either, but he doesn’t draw the focus on himself, which doesn’t really work.

But then a whole new world opened for me... His Point of no Return was very good, and when Jill uncovered his cloak, he really felt lost. He didn’t hide himself as long as others I’ve seen, but sang his lines more to Jill personally. When she ripped of his mask, his face was wonderful (surprised and in pain). When he sang his “Down once More”lines, he was extremely good. His Final Lair scene was very very good indeed: emotional, commanding and really very well sung: I will never forget this. When Jill kissed him, he tried not to touch her and there was some sort of electricity going through his body. After that, he did something extremely wonderful: with his hands he told Christine to leave him, as if to say that she shouldn’t stay with him and should go with Raoul. This really works, because it prepares the fact that later on he tells them to leave. Bravo Glyn !

He kept on crying and whispering “No”, and when he released Raoul, he didn’t shout the “Go”lines, but sort of ‘urged’ them to go, which was brilliant.

Then he knelt down next to the monkey and sang the Masquerade reprise and caressed the monkey and covered half of his face. Jill came back (very early, as Shona used to do as well) and she clearly didn’t want to leave Glyn. He couldn’t sing the very last words of “Christine I love you”, as he was feeling so emotional, but I was crying as well, so it was brilliant. After she left, he picked up the veil (which was left somewhere in the back, near the portcullis) and knelt down, almost fainting and was crying with the veil in front of his nose and eyes. His very last lines were extremely powerful, really fantastic and only when he disappeared, I could stop crying as well.

Jill Washington is a very good Christine and it’s very clear she has done the part before: not only because of the fact she looks a bit too old now for the role, but as well because she really proved she knew what she was doing and showed she understood the part of Christine. She’s really a great actress and I’m very very pleased she took over from Shona Lindsay. Jill’s “Think of Me” was very light (maybe that’s the only thing which is a pity with her voice: it’s very soft and fragile in the big numbers) and very pure. Her last notes were very clear as well. Angel of Music was not bad and Amanda Light is back as well as Meg, so I enjoyed it very much. She really made something of the Title Song and during MOTN, she showed she was being hypnotized.

“All I ask of You” has never been better at Her Majesty’s (though the wonderful Nikki Ankara and Megan Kelly were not bad either), and Jill was very much in love here (not just trying to show off with her voice).

In the second Act she really did a nice job with “Twisted” and her “Wishing” was much better than Shona’s, though maybe a bit too soft. In the “Point of no Return”, she was not as sexy as Shona, but did some other things, which worked. During the Final Lair, she seemed very surprised by all the things Glyn did, and he did something very lovely at “His life is now the prize...”, which I can’t really describe, but believe you me: go and see it yourself !

She really tried to hold Glyn when she kissed him, but he was so shocked he didn’t know what to do (which was very natural). When she came back, she was crying and didn’t want to leave him, so she stayed as long as possible and the ran of the stage. She’s really very good indeed.

On Monday, I saw Mike Sterling again as Raoul, but he didn’t change a bit from July. Funny thing is, he moves his hands and fingers like Phantom in MOTN all the time, especially in the Masquerade dancing (which is not right at all for Raoul), so I think he’s really desperate to play the lead again, as he’s only second understudy now... Chris Harley plays Raoul more in a funny way and it’s more camp... I think he’s better than Mr. Sterling, but I still like Mike’s voice more as Raoul.

Jasna Ivir was still playing Carlotta and I had to laugh so much with her. Apparently she had some ‘laughing problems’ as well on Monday (during Notes, Leo Andrew (Andre) said some joke to her and she really couldn’t sing anymore and tried not to laugh, and Leo was trying to look into her eyes even more, so she really broke down; I had to laugh so much with this, but I’m sure 95% of the audience didn’t notice it). On Wednesday I spoke to her at the stage door and she’s really very very funny in real life as well, and very nice and friendly. She even did some sort of cabaret for some German lunatics with a videocamera, which was hilarious...

There are some new cast members (a new Passarino (who thinks of himself being very funny in the Auction, when he claps his hands rather awkwardly: I didn’t like it at all...).

The best thing was that I met Glyn twice in his dressing room, and I had an interesting conversation with him about Phantom and all sorts of things. He’s really very nice as a person and I’m certainly coming back again for his last night in the show, which should be sometime in March next year.

On Tuesday’s Matinee (15/09) I saw Cats again, this time from the second row on the moving platform. Suzanne Heyne was on again as Grizabella (unfortunately). I saw some new understudies as well, but they weren’t that good. I saw the main Mistoffelees, Gen Horiuchi, but he seemed to be a bit bored. I saw the main Jellylorum as well now, but I think her understudy is even better. Michael Cantwell was extremely funny as Gus/Bustopher, and he should be seen from the first rows, because he puts so much detail in it...

Anyway, the Dress Circle was completely empty (so it was not like on my previous visit in July at all), but it was a nice audience and I really had a lot of fun seeing the show again.

On Tuesday eve (15/09) I saw Whistle Down the Wind again. I sat a bit more in the middle of the Stalls, which is better to see the people on top of the platform, but you miss a bit of the detail you get from sitting in the first rows. Anyway, Marcus Lovett and Lottie Mayor were both on that night and I must say, they were in much better voice than last July. I heard the cast album was taped this week, and I’m really looking forward to it. I saw Dean Collinson this time as Amos, who has a nice voice and really looks the part. Candy was played by understudy Louise Marshall, who has a great voice (very deep as well) and it’s a pity she isn’t really a beauty, but she was great.

Jim Graeme was Boone and Walter Reynolds was Edward again. They were both very good, especially Jim was in good voice this time. Unfortunately Rohan Tickell was singing “Vaults of Heaven” this time and it was simply awful. He shouldn’t be singing this great song. Anyway, as far as I can see, there are no new things or changes, so I think Lord Webber thinks the show is as fine as it can get now, but I don’t think it has the best book in the West End (to say the least), and some things are pretty dull, but Marcus really is doing a great job, although he has not the most beautiful voice in the world. It’s still sold out, so I think it may have a bit of a future in London, but is it a Hit ? No !

On Wednesday Matinee (16/09) I saw Rent. It was my first visit to this show and I waited for student standby tix for £10. We sat in the 2nd row and it’s a truly magnificent, exciting musical. I knew the story and the music from Puccini’s “La Boheme”, and I think Jonathan Larson has done wonders with it. It’s even showing respect to what Puccini did with it (with some music from ‘Musetta’s Waltz’ when Mimi ‘dies’). As far as the story goes, I think it’s really something for the young at heart, with lesbian and gay relationships and lyrics like “To dildo’s...Mucho Masturbation...Cunningham and Cage...La Vie Boheme”stuff. But I must say, it’s fun and it’s emotional and it’s one of the best new scores I’ve heard for years.

A musical without spectacular effects and without a simple storyline, usually becomes a flop, but not this time. It’s a pleasure to see this cast, headed by the gorgeous Krysten Cummings as Mimi, Adrian Lewis Morgan as Roger, the wonderful Anthony Rapp as Mark, Jocelyn Hughes as Maureen and Wilson Jermaine Heredia as Angel. I particularly liked Sharon D. Clarke as Joanne, Angela Bradley as Mark’s Mom and Josh Cohen as The Man as well.

It’s wonderfully emotional and the cast really ‘live’ their characters. I think it should become a real cult show in London as well and I’m definitely seeing it again ! The hit of the season...

On Thursday’s Matinee (17/09) I saw Showboat. As this show has sailed out of London by now, I thought it was interesting to see it before it closed. Well......interesting it certainly wasn’t. It’s really a flashback to the early days of ‘musical comedy’, with the main character being a boat ! And the average age of the people in the audience was way over 60 !

Anyway, the score is pretty well orchestrated by Bill Brohn, but that can’t make it interesting enough. It’s far too long for a start and the ‘story’ is a joke.

The cast included Teri Hansen as Magnolia, who wasn’t bad, Hugh Panaro as Ravenal (typical tenor voice) and Kenneth Nicols as Joe. I think I’ve heard “Ol’ Man River” enough after 8 or even more reprises. “Can’t Help Lovin That Man” wasn’t bad, but is reprised again too many times. It has some good jokes in it, but it’s too old-fashioned for my tastes. The sets are not bad either, but it’s too polished, leaving nothing for the imagination.

Hal Prince has clearly tried to make a tribute to the show itself (in its many incarnations), but should have tried to make it a little bit interesting. Anyway, I hope the Prince Edward Theatre will have something more fresh with the revival of “West Side Story” now.

On Thursday eve (17/09) Bernadette Peters was doing her first real concert in London. I was there, and didn’t regret it one second. She was very funny, gorgeously dressed and in pretty good voice. The audience was full of Bernadette-lovers (and Sondheim-admirers as well of course), including Ruthie Henshall, Stephen Clarke, John Owen Jones and Glyn Kerslake to name but a few.

The first act consisted mainly of songs Mrs. Peters has sung in her carrier (or NOT sung as she clearly pointed out), including highlights as Broadway Baby, Sooner or Later, Unexpected Song, Making Love Alone (which was extremely funny) and Raining in my Heart (with Glenn Carter and Michael Strassen among others).

The second act was a tribute to Sondheim’s music, in all its glory. I particularly liked Joanna, Happiness, Hello Little Girl, Not a Day Goes By, Children Will Listen and Being Alive. The audience really went wild (including myself) and Bernadette did 2 encores, including the very intimate “My Romance”. I heard myself whistling Sondheim when I left the Royal Festival Hall and I haven’t stopped doing since.

On Friday eve (18/09) I saw Dr. Dolittle at the London Apollo Hammersmith. I can be short about this one: I have never seen anything as bad, dull, uninteresting and stupid as this show. I thought “Well, it’s for children”, but even that was not the case: all the children I saw were yawning, running around the auditorium and yelling.

Phillip Schofield tries to do something to make it interesting, and when he sings a love duet with a seal, well ... I was almost leaving the theatre. Emma was played by Louisa Shaw that night and she’s far too old for the role (she looks as if she could be Matthew’s mother), though I remember her being good in the Martin Guerre days. Matthew is played by Bryan Smith, who has a nice voice, but that’s about it really. I do feel sorry for the wonderful Peter Gallagher, having to play Straight Arrow instead of doing Caiaphas again on the road in the Jesus Christ tour.

All I can say is this: “Do miss Doctor Dolittle”, “Guaranteed to annoy children of any age”...

( Sept 98 / Sven Verlinden/Sven.Verlinden@rug.ac.be)