SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME

Malvern Festival Theatre

(Bill Kenwright Productions)

Creators of the hit show ‘Dreamboats and Petticoats’ return to Malvern Theatres with their other jukebox musical ‘Save The Last Dance For Me’ showcasing the works of Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. Timeless classics such as Viva Las Vegas, Sweets For My Sweet, Teenager In Love, And Then He Kissed Me, Please Mr Postman and Tell Her are interwoven into a charming love story set on an American Air Force base in ‘sunny’ Lowestoft in the early sixties. Free from their parents, two sisters escape Luton, heading off to the seaside, finding love and romance in unexpected places.

The romantic lead, Curtis, is taken by James Denton and although he doesn’t seem comfortable playing the love struck GI, he really comes into his own when he serenades the focus of his affections, Marie, reprised by Elizabeth Carter who is delightfully innocent and naïve, with the voice of an angel. X factor contestant, Lola Saunders, is great as Marie’s feisty, older sister, Jennifer, proving her competence as a comedic actress and dancer, as well as vocalist. Star of the pop band Blue, Antony Costa, revels in the part of Milton, with a very convincing New York accent and secure vocals. Sackie Osakonor’s muscular stature, as Rufus, is as impressive as his vocals and highlighted the interesting choice of the casting director to cast overweight men in the role of American servicemen. Audience members were discussing the male physiques during the interval and carrying extra weight in a role where the characters are supposed to be at peak physical fitness is something that the performing arts industry would absolutely not accept from female performers auditioning. It’s important that casting should reflect society and present a variety of body shapes and sizes, however, casting has to be appropriate to each specific role to make it believable and it is part of the actor’s job to then stay in shape. The women clearly recognise the importance of that.

Rachel Nottingham and Kieran Kuypers deliver great performances as Marie and Jennier’s, long suffering parents and Anna Campkin is brilliant as Doris from Leeds. Musical talent oozes from every pore of the immensely gifted cast of actor musicians, who make up the Forces’ band. The rest of the supporting cast deliver slick performances throughout, maintaining the energy and enthusiasm required for such a show.

Bill Deamer’s choreography is bright and cheery and despite being a little repetitive it caters perfectly for the varying dance ability of the cast making everyone look good. Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran write simple, but effective dialogue that keeps the story moving along at a pace and Mark Bailey’s set and costume design perfectly compliment the era and vibrancy of the time.

Save The Last Dance For Me is an entertaining and enjoyable night out with a sweet storyline and wonderful, live music.

4 stars

END OF THE RAINBOW

Malvern Festival Theatre

(Paul Taylor Mills & Mercury Theatre in association with the Belgrade Theatre)

Lisa Maxwell as Judy Garland

Lisa Maxwell gives the performance of a lifetime with her tribute to Judy Garland in the wonderfully captivating End Of The Rainbow. Better known for her nine year stint in The Bill and being a regular favourite on the lunchtime magazine show Loose Women, Maxwell astounds with the most incredible interpretation of Hollywood’s movie-musical legend. Her visual, physical and vocal mimicry is breathtaking as she gives us an insight into the tragic personality of this gay icon, battling with drug addiction and alcoholism and the resulting crippling anxieties.

The story takes place in London at the start of a ‘comeback’ tour in 1968, only months before her untimely passing, with the action switching between her hotel suite and The Talk of the Town cabaret club. Her young, new manager, and soon-to-be fifth husband, Mickey Deans, strives to help Garland overcome her demons and rebuild her career, which lies in tatters, as she faces financial ruin. He is aided by the songstress’ accompanist, Anthony Chapman, whose love for Garland runs deep, fuelling his attempt to save her from herself and the impending marriage.

Sam Attwater’s impressive stature, as the fiancé, dwarfs the delicate frame of the silver-screen star, juxtaposing her fragility with her strength and resilience. Gary Wilmot is absolutely perfect as Garland’s pianist and silent rescuer. His solid stillness and witty repartee are a constant in the crazy dichotomies of show business. The final member of the players is Simon Pontin, who is great in his various cameos.

Brilliantly directed by Daniel Buckroyd, the star of the show has to be Peter Quilter’s script, which is a superb mix of pathos, comedy and music. The dialogue is engaging throughout and despite the sadness of the situation, the storytelling remains energised and ever hopeful, cleverly challenging our opinions of each character as they struggle to cope on their collective journey.

I have heard that the tour has been cut short, due to poor ticket sales. This is criminal for such a worthy production. It is, without doubt, one of the best shows I have seen for a very long time. End Of The Rainbow is engaging, powerful and funny. It is as deserving of packed houses as Lisa Maxwell was of the standing ovation she justly received. This is live theatre at it’s absolute best!

5 Stars

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

Malvern Festival Theatre

(Bill Kenwright Productions)

Lucy O'Byrne as Maria

The Malvern Hills are gloriously alive with the Sound of Music this week, as this iconic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, that has become synonymous with a great British Christmas, plays to packed houses at the Festival Theatre.

This family favourite is enjoying a five star revival, touring the country and receiving standing ovations. Director, Martin Connor, demonstrates his expertise through his clear vision, beautiful stagecraft and wonderful casting. It’s so refreshing to witness skilled direction on stage, a seemingly lost art these days. Olivier Award winning choreographer, Bill Deamer, adds to the magic of this musical with his eloquent interpretation of the delightful score, brought to life by Musical Director, David Steadman, and his talented musicians. Liesl (Annie Holland) and Rolf’s (Kane Verrall) dance, in Sixteen Going On Seventeen, is an exquisite blend of traditional folk dance and ballroom and the perfect example of Deamer’s genius and beautifully performed. Gary McGann has designed the most impressive set, transforming a simple stage into truly magnificent settings. It is a wonder how everything fitted into the theatre.

Making her musical debut is the immensely gifted, Lucy O’Byrne, a recent finalist on BBC’s The Voice. Her interpretation of Maria is enchanting and engaging and she makes this epic role look effortless. Gray O’Brien makes a dashing Captain von Trapp and, although his physicality lacked the assuredness and stillness more suited to his character, he is very charming. Isla Carter brings an exciting new energy to the prim, Frau Schraeder and Duncan Smith is hilarious as the theatrical, Max Detweiler. Jan Hartley is a loveable Mother Abbess with almost supernatural power vocals. The von Trapp children all excel in the individual roles and the supporting cast are brilliant in their various guises, in particular Pippa Winslow as the housekeeper, Frau Schmidt.

This is a superb production of a timeless classic and worthy of the highest praise. A Sound of Music runs at Malvern Festival Theatre until Saturday. Go and see it!

5 Stars

PETER PAN

Malvern Festival Theatre

(UK Productions)

UK Productions makes a welcome return to Malvern this yuletide with their wonderful adaptation of the children’s classic, Peter Pan. I tend to gauge the success of a pantomime on the engagement of the younger members of the audience and based on the response of those attending opening night, the show was an undeniable, huge hit. They were captivated throughout, following the superb storytelling and joining in, with gusto, whenever required.

Director, Scott Ritchie, proves his metal again following his last visit to Malvern Festival Theatre with his equally excellent Cinderella. He has a definite skill in choosing the perfect cast for his shows. Jessica Punch is perfectly boyish as the eponymous character, Pan, clearly revealing in the challenge presented by the fiendish Captain Hook, played with aplomb by Mark Moraghan. Rosie Needham is striking in both looks and attitude as the pesky fairy, Tinker Bell, and Anna Lawrence presents a refreshingly empowered Wendy. Her brothers, John and Michael, are brilliantly played by Rhys Harris Clarke and Oliver Simmons, respectively. CBeebies star, Andrew Agnew, impresses with his pop vocals for his two numbers, Bills and Uptown Funk, and is clearly as at home on stage as he is on television. A rare quality these days. Laura Harrison plays a feisty Tiger Lilly and Hannah-Jane Fox is as delightful as Mrs Darling as she is entertaining as the saucy mermaid, Persil.

The pirate crew, made up of Andrew Rothwell, Jacob Theisinger and Chris Gage, bound around the stage with impressive energy and perform the most amazing tumbling act in the second half, with the help of a surprisingly agile, Smee. Alastair Bull’s choreography is slickly delivered by dancers of the Cecilia Hall Dance Centre, past and present, including Amelia Arnold and Isla Thompson who are currently training in London at Laine Theatre Arts and Millennium College. Lastly, lads from a variety of performing arts groups in Worcestershire do a grand job as the Lost Boys.

Andrew Ryan’s script is as funny as it is topical and moves at quite a pace. The music is inspired from the hilarious pre-show announcement with Smee and Adele to the great selection of songs throughout pretty much makes up the Now That’s What I Call Music 2015, with a couple of musical theatre numbers thrown in for good measure. The vocals from everyone are very impressive. In fact, Tinker Bell’s rendition of ‘Fight Song’ is one of the best moments in pantomime ever for me. Credit goes to Musical Director, Dean McDermott who is accompanied on keyboards by the talented Mark Cooper and Nicholas Atkins.

The only thing that lets this awesome production down is the scenery, which has seen much better days and is in desperate need of repair or replacement. The Darling children’s bedroom looks as if it would qualify for DIY SOS. Congratulations have to go to the stage crew and technicians who do the most incredible job and clearly have their work cut out for them during the run.

This is a truly magical pantomime and perfect entertainment for the entire family. Get your tickets quick though as it’s selling out fast!

THE SMALLEST SHOW ON EARTH

Malvern Festival Theatre

(Mercury Theatre Colchester, Brian Eastman and Christabel Albery)

Hayden Oakley & Laura Pitt-Pulford

The Smallest Show On Earth, a 1957 British movie starring Peter Sellers and Margaret Rutherford, has been wonderfully adapted for stage by Thom Southerland, Paul Alexander and an incredibly talented creative team and troupe of equally gifted performers. This new musical, with songs by Irving Berlin, is utterly charming and perhaps should be renamed The Sweetest Show On Earth.

The story follows a young scriptwriter and his new wife, struggling to make a success of things in London. They believe their fortunes have taken a turn for the better when they become the unexpected inheritors of a cinema in Sloughborough, only to discover it is on the verge of collapse both architecturally and economically. They decide to nurture The Bijou Kinema back to its former glory with the help of the devoted staff, despite the attempts of their rivals, at The Grand, to ruin them.

Southerland, who also directed the show, has gathered together a superb team of people to make his vision a reality. As well as his costumes, David Woodhead’s set is incredible and so beautifully lit by Howard Hudson’s lighting design. Lee Proud’s choreographer is cheerful, vibrant and brings a fresh dimension to Berlin’s songs with the help of Mark Cumberland’s brilliant orchestrations and Mark Aspinall and his amazing orchestra. Southerland has a real love of creating cinematic atmosphere in his productions and fans of his revival of Mack and Mabel and his more recent Grand Hotel, both at the Southwark Playhouse, will not be disappointed.

The fourteen strong cast are excellent. The stunning Laura Pitt-Pulford is phenomenal and perfectly paired with the adorable Hayden Oakley, as the newly-weds. Both are amazing actors with the most delicious voices and you cannot help but love them both and wish for their 'happily ever after'. Liz Goddard is as lovely as she is funny in the role of the matriarchal Mrs Fazackalee, with Sam O’Rourke giving an endearing performance as her poor, suffering son. Christina Bennington has powerful vocals as the Sloughborough Songbird after replacing the rather theatrically flamboyant solicitor, energetically played by Matthew Crowe.

The only disappointment of the evening was the unbelievably small turnout for this amazing production. It didn’t seem to matter though because the audience loved it and fully showed their appreciation throughout. This musical is nostalgic, romantic, funny, delightful and deserving of much accolade. Go and see The Smallest Show On Earth. It will lift your spirits and warm your soul on a dark, cold night.

5 stars

THE FULL MONTY

Malvern Festival Theatre

(Sheffield Theatres Production)

Oscar winning writer, Simon Beaufoy’s stage adaptation of his 1997 blockbuster British film, The Full Monty, opened to a packed out theatre at Malvern last night. A predominantly female audience buzzed with excitement and anticipation, proving without doubt that sex sells. It always has and probably always will and it is a concept in no way exclusive to the male of the species.

This play is much more than just a bunch of unemployed ex steel workers taking their clothes off to earn money. It is a story about struggle and hardship and the, often unexpected, consequences of enforced change, good and bad. It explores the dichotomy of vulnerability and strength of the human spirit in challenging times. This is Beaufoy’s first venture into playwriting and although it is a terrifically entertaining show, it seems to lack heart. The characters are great and the storyline clear but it is still presented in a screen format, consisting of a multitude of relatively short scenes, which can make it difficult to truly connect and care about each character. In fact, many of the actors get very little opportunity to really establish themselves. This certainly doesn’t seem to effect the audience’s enjoyment of it though.

The large cast is made up of fifteen performers, many of whom appear very little and double up as stage crew for the many scene changes. The plot mostly revolves around Gaz, played by Gary Lucy, who is certainly very pleasing on the eye and has a great energy. Unfortunately, his grasp of a Northern accent isn’t so good and can make it difficult to hear the dialogue at times, particularly at the beginning. This production is also his maiden voyage onto the stage and perhaps placing a novice theatre performer in the lead role of a play by a novice play writer wasn’t the best idea. Having said this, Lucy commits fully to the role and gives his all. Andrew Dunn is superb as Gerald, the gnome loving, white-collar worker who reluctantly becomes the group’s choreographer while hiding his redundancy from his wife. Martin Miller gives a star performance as the overweight stripper with self-esteem issues, Dave, his stagecraft shining through and Rachel Finnegan is very convincing as Mandy. Louis Emerick, Rupert Hill and Bobby Schofield are great as the rest of the troupe and twelve year old, Fraser Kelly, is absolutely fantastic as Gaz’s son, Nathan. Finally, the set, designed by Robert Jones, is phenomenal and works brilliantly to accommodate the action and various settings.

The Full Monty does exactly what it says on the tin. The audience loved it. It’s true to the film, with the same wonderful soundtrack, and doesn’t disappoint those expecting to be titillated. The show is practically sold out for the week run at Malvern Festival Theatre and it was a joy to see a new audience demographic attending live theatre in droves. Long may it continue!

KING CHARLES III

Malvern Festival Theatre

(Sonia Friedman Productions, Stuart Thompson Productions, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Charles Diamond and the Almeida Theatre in association with Birmingham Repertory Theatre and by Arrangement with Lee Dean)

Robert Powell, Ben Righton & Jennifer Bryden

Writer, Mike Bartlett, recently wowed the nation with the most watched drama series this year, Dr Foster. Over 8 million people tuned in to follow the exploits of the woman scorned. Malvern Festival Theatre’s last encounter with this gifted playwright was the stunning Earthquakes in London and this new tour of King Charles III is equally enthralling. Following a successful run in the West End, this visionary work has won several awards, including an Olivier for Best New Play and last month saw it preview on Broadway. The play gives a glimpse of a possible future, just seven years away, in the weeks following the queen’s death and Charles’ long awaited ascension to the throne. It explores the political and social impact of freethinking within the monarchy, freedom of the press and the right to privacy, with the demands and difficulties of familial duty and expectations.

Robert Powell heads the cast as the future King and is impressive in the enormity of the role. It will be unreasonable to highlight any particular performance though as every single member of the sixteen strong cast are superb in the telling of this very plausible story. The play runs for nearly three hours including interval and is a wonderful homage to Shakespeare’s history plays. Written in iambic pentameter, with soliloquies and comedy to relive the tension, it gives the audience an utterly unique experience of exactly what it must have been like to have witnessed the bard’s work at the time of writing. Directors, Rupert Goold and Whitney Mosery, do an impeccable job with the staging of this epic piece and Tom Scutt’s stunning recreation of the Almeida Theatre is inspired and a beautiful canvas for Jon Clark’s atmospheric lighting design.

King Charles III is remarkable, groundbreaking theatre. It is the most unusual feeling watching a live performance about such familiar people in a future event that isn’t far off and entirely possible. It’s a truly unique experience and unquestionably one worth experiencing.

5 stars