For theatregoers, cast albums essentially serve two separate purposes. For those who haven’t seen a show before they provide a taste of the show and may influence a decision about whether to visit; for those who have seen the show, a cast album provides the chance to relive the show and to enjoy the memories. So when listening to The Clockmaker’s Daughter I have explored it from both perspectives. Let us first think about the latter perspective - how does this cast recording work for people … [Read more...]
Di and Viv and Rose at the White Bear Theatre | Review
Di and Viv and Rose is one of the most beautifully written and intricate plays I have ever had the privilege to see. Amelia Bullmore, best known perhaps for her TV work such as Scott and Bailey, has produced a script that is both hilariously witty and deeply moving. Seeing the play in the West End I fell in love with it instantly, and, having read it several times since I was very excited to see it performed again. The story is a simple one, three friends who meet at a university where … [Read more...]
Broadway @ Leicester Square Theatre: Jenna Russell with Seth Rudetsky
Jenna Russell with Seth Rudetsky was almost like musical theatre meets the Graham Norton show, and I mean that in the best possible way. A chat show with a charismatic host who draws out crazy and hilarious anecdotes from his guests, but with added show tunes. What’s not to love? Seth Rudestsky is the perfect interviewer - funny and charming with an easy manner and brilliant piano playing used to show his guest, Jenna Russell, at her absolute best, and in the same vein, Jenna Russell was the … [Read more...]
Review of Blink at Drayton Arms Theatre
Blink is a surprisingly heart-warming, if slightly strange, tale of life and loneliness in London. When Sophie and Jonah find themselves in the big city, having recently lost loved ones, loneliness takes hold until Sophie comes up with an unusual way to make herself feel more visible in a city of strangers. Sending her downstairs neighbour Jonah a camera, she goes about her everyday life with someone watching her, keeping her noticed. Ashley Gyngell is fantastic as Jonah, the socially awkward … [Read more...]
Beauty and The Beast: A Musical Parody | Review
A theatre company sees a film, they don’t like the message of the film, and they decide to parody the film. It’s a tale as old as time (or for copyright purposes perhaps it’s a ‘story you have heard before.’ After seeing the recent live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast, Rascal Theatre felt that the promised feminist message failed to deliver and so decided to make their own version. In this gender-swapped version of the Disney Classic, Beauty and the Beast, Beau, a young, Jane Austen loving … [Read more...]