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Theatre round-up: 15 Nov 2015

Published on November 15, 2015 by LizLeave a comment

How was your week? Mine was a pretty quiet one for a change, but naturally still included a couple of nights at the theatre. One was local, one was London, and they were about as different as two shows can be…

Puttin’ on the Ritz (Orchard theatre, Dartford)

A song and dance extravaganza featuring star guests Trent and Gordana from Strictly, celebrating the Hollywood glamour of the 1920s and 30s. A talented and energetic cast give a polished performance, and although it feels a little bit like two shows in one, overall it’s a fun, foot-tapping production, packed with classic tunes from the likes of Irving Berlin and George Gershwin.

Puttin’ on the Ritz review

Staying Alive (The Pleasance, London)

This play from Blackshaw Theatre Company isn’t particularly easy viewing; it’s about a single mother coping with the tragic death of her young son, and her friends, who have no idea how to support her or each other. It’s a sad story, with moments of gentle humour, and a couple of particularly intense scenes that creep up on you. There’s also a wonderful performance from Rachel Nott as the grieving Mary.

Staying Alive review for LondonTheatre1

What have you seen at the theatre this week?

Next week’s theatre

Harlequinade / All On Her Own (Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company), Garrick Theatre

Miss Saigon, Prince Edward Theatre

Review: Puttin’ on the Ritz at the Orchard Theatre

Published on November 11, 2015February 7, 2016 by Liz1 Comment

When it comes to glamour, you can’t really beat 1920s Hollywood. Puttin’ on the Ritz is an entertaining celebration of some of the best-loved music of the era, featuring a talented cast of singers and dancers, and an appearance by guest stars Trent Whiddan (who danced with Pixie Lott on last year’s Strictly Come Dancing) and Gordana Grandosek.

With music from Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Cole Porter, it’s not surprising that this is a show bursting with classic, toe-tapping tunes: I Got Rhythm, Cheek to Cheek, Top Hat, Anything Goes… we’re whisked from one to the next with ruthless efficiency, pausing only occasionally for an introduction by one of the singers (and just once for a spot of awkward banter with the audience; our finger clicking was quite good for a Tuesday, apparently). The dance ensemble, meanwhile, fling themselves with great enthusiasm into Charleston, tap, jazz, ballroom and more, all choreographed by Emma Rogers, who also directs the show.

The latest offering from producer David King is a lively and entertaining evening, with some impressive performances from its cast, and a seemingly endless array of beautiful costumes (once again, I want all the dresses). The show is very much an ensemble production, although Lucy van Gasse’s beautiful rendition of Summertime is a particularly memorable moment. The same goes for the hand jive at the end of the show, even if it does bear a strong resemblance to the one that concluded Spirit of the Dance, another David King production, a few months ago (including the double encore).

Trent and Gordana are welcomed on to the stage a few times to perform alone; unsurprisingly, they’re brilliant, although it’s perhaps a little too obvious that they’ve been slotted into the programme (the guest stars vary throughout the tour, so I guess it’s easier that way). This doesn’t take away at all from the enjoyment of either their appearance or the show as a whole – it just feels a bit like two shows in one, especially since Trent and Gordana never appear on stage with anyone else until the curtain call. Fortunately, both shows are great fun, so having the guest stars there is basically just a bit of a bonus.

If you love Hollywood glamour, high-energy performances, gorgeous costumes and catchy tunes, you’ll enjoy this show. Puttin’ on the Ritz is a highly polished production, which packs an incredible amount into its two-hour running time – so there’s no hanging around, but this at least ensures we get a bit of almost all the classics. And whatever your taste in music, it’s pretty much guaranteed that your foot will be tapping by the time the curtain falls.

Puttin’ on the Ritz is at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford, until Saturday 14th November.

Theatre round-up: 8 Nov 2015

Published on November 8, 2015 by LizLeave a comment

Right, I haven’t done a theatre round-up for weeks – not because I haven’t been going to the theatre (far from it) but just because of lack of time. There are definitely not enough hours in the day lately.

So in an attempt to get back into a routine… this week I’ve had two theatre trips. And one of my recent reviews, of The Forbidden by Doll’s Eye Theatre, got a mention in an article on the Guardian website, which was pretty exciting 🙂

Rotterdam (Theatre503)

It’s New Year’s in Rotterdam, and Alice is finally ready to come out to her parents by email – until her girlfriend Fiona makes the sudden announcement that she wants to start living as a man. Suddenly finding herself in a relationship with Adrian, instead of Fiona, leaves Alice wondering if this means she’s now straight. This touching and heartwarming comedy by Jon Brittain considers the labels placed on us by society, but also those we place on ourselves. Well worth a look if you can get there – it’s on until 21st November.

Review of Rotterdam for LondonTheatre1

Anita and Me (Theatre Royal Stratford East)

Based on Meera Syal’s 1997 novel and adapted by Tanika Gupta, Anita and Me is the story of 13-year-old Meena, and her friendship with the rebellious Anita. Faced with changes within their family and their neighbourhood, the girls have to decide what’s most important to them. This is a fun, entertaining play with some catchy tunes – but it tries to squeeze a bit too much in to a relatively short time, which makes it hard to get into the story or identify with the characters. I didn’t love it – but definitely didn’t dislike it either; it has a lot of potential to be a really good show.

Anita and Me review for LondonTheatre1

What have you seen at the theatre this week? Any recommendations?

Next week’s theatre

Puttin’ on the Ritz – Orchard Theatre, Dartford

Staying Alive (Blackshaw Theatre Company) – Pleasance Theatre

Review: King Charles III at the Marlowe Theatre

Published on October 28, 2015February 7, 2016 by LizLeave a comment

Most of us Brits have only ever known one monarch during our lifetime. And it’s easy to assume it’ll stay that way forever, but of course we all know a time will come – probably not too far in the future – when things must change, and a new ruler will come to power. But then what?

King Charles III examines this question in unique and ingenious style, imagining the heir to the throne as he finally steps into the role that he was, quite literally, born to play. But when, within days of his mother’s death, he’s asked by the Prime Minister to put his signature to a controversial bill, Charles begins to realise what being a king actually means. As events spiral out of control, he struggles to balance scheming politicians with the expectations of the public and his own family, whilst remaining true to his own conscience and principles.

Mike Bartlett’s Olivier Award winning play is a fascinating glimpse into a possible not too distant future for our country. Though often light-hearted, poking gentle fun at the figures we all know so well (or think we do, at least), King Charles III is also a powerful political thriller that grips from the start – not least because its outcome could affect all our lives. As Charles discovers that holding power is quite different to waiting for it, black sheep Harry’s out meeting a new girlfriend, who might just make him see life a little differently – while golden boy William’s firmly under the thumb of a shrewd and ambitious Kate.

Robert Powell gives a commanding performance as the tortured, lonely Charles, a man desperate to cling on to what he sees as his God-given birthright, and with all the trappings of authority but none of the power to back it up. Richard Glaves gets some of the biggest laughs as Harry; his awe at the wonder that is Sainsburys is quite delightful, and Glaves’ performance captures all the frustration of a young man tied to an institution in which he has no significant part to play. After some initial misgivings, I also enjoyed Jennifer Bryden as Kate – particularly once she drops the saccharine sweetness and lets her inner Lady Macbeth out to play.

Most of the action takes place within the palace walls (with Harry the only royal to escape and venture into the world outside), and Tom Scutt’s majestic, towering set and Jocelyn Pook’s haunting choral music combine to provide a constant reminder of the weight of history and responsibility bearing down on the new monarch’s shoulders.

King Charles III is not at all what I expected… it’s better. This is a play that’s not just entertaining, but wonderfully inventive and incredibly relevant, raising important questions that could well affect our future in the years to come. For most of us, the monarchy is a decorative institution that exists mostly for our amusement. But it wasn’t always that way – and who’s to say it always will be? Obviously, chances are slim that the play’s an accurate depiction of how the future will play out – but it’s nonetheless a powerful reminder of the fact that, one way or another, the monarchy as most of us have always known it is on the verge of major change. So I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens next…

King Charles III is at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, until Saturday 31st October.

Review: The Last Tango at the Orchard Theatre

Published on October 27, 2015February 7, 2016 by LizLeave a comment

If, like me, your Saturday evenings feel a bit empty during the summer months – when you’re forced to leave the house for entertainment instead of the infinitely preferable option of curling up on the sofa with a cup of tea and Strictly Come Dancing for company – then you need to get yourself along to see The Last Tango. Strictly favourites Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace are performing together in their third and final theatre tour, and if you think that means it might get emotional… well, you’re right.

The Last Tango, directed by Olivier Award winner Karen Bruce, is a dance show, but it also tells a story – and what a story it is. The show opens with George (Teddy Kempner) poking around in the loft. What he’s actually looking for we never discover, but what he finds is a host of memories of the love story he shared with his wife, which then unfolds as George looks nostalgically on. Over the next two hours, we’re swept along on the couple’s enchanting, exhilarating journey, as they and an energetic ensemble tango, waltz, rumba and jive their way through the years, to a repertoire of classic tunes performed by a fantastic live band and singer Matthew Gent.

The Last Tango - credit Manuel Harlan — Photo credit: Manuel Harlan

Vincent and Flavia have been dancing together for 20 years (they were winning competitions long before they joined Strictly in 2006), and it really shows; they have the most amazing chemistry, particularly when it comes to their speciality, the Argentine tango. Everything we’ve learnt to look out for when judging Strictly contestants from the comfort of our sofas is there in abundance – beautiful arms, great shaping, intricate footwork (my friend was keeping an eye out for heel leads, apparently) and incredible storytelling. This is not just good acting; the closeness between the two is real, and that makes the story much more powerful to watch than if its stars were just two strangers pretending to care about each other.

There’s really nothing not to love about this show; even the story, which could have been shoehorned to fit the choreography, is an uplifting and enjoyable tale of enduring love that could quite easily stand on its own. It’s funny at times – my particular highlight is the moment Flavia pops out four babies without once losing her figure – and at others desperately sad; I doubt I was the only one who welled up when George had to leave for the war, leaving his brokenhearted bride behind. But throughout everything that life throws at them, the couple’s love for each other never falters – and if the end of the story feels a bit predictable, the journey to get there is worth every second.

Flavia Cacace - The Last Tango - — Photo credit: Manuel Harlan

Whether you’re a Strictly fan or not, it’s hard to deny that this is a pretty fabulous show. And though it may be the last we’ll see (in theatres, at least) of Vincent and Flavia as a partnership, it’s fair to say that with The Last Tango, they’ve ensured they won’t be forgotten in a hurry.

The Last Tango is at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford, until Saturday 31st October.