THEATRE REVIEW: Forbidden Broadway - Vaudeville Theatre

Something an off-Broadway institution, musical theatre satire show Forbidden Broadway can currently be seen over on our shores, at the Strand’s Vaudeville Theatre, more specifically, having transferred from the Menier Chocolate Factory.

Razor sharp and devilishly witty, the show lovingly (or so it claims) rips to shreds a whole host of musical shows, performers, writers and more, perfectly pinpointing the source of humour in each individual musical. Unlike its original American counterpart, however, this version focuses almost exclusively on shows with are either on in the West End at the moment, are touring or at the very least fall within recent memory. Comedy comes from recognition, after all, and there are nods, well perhaps stabs would be more appropriate, to some pretty huge shows. From Billy Elliot to Phantom of the Opera via Wicked and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I would wager that most people in the audience would have been familiar with at least one or two shows in the parody repertoire.

And even if they weren’t, each sketch has enough silly, slapstick comedy in there to keep you going if you’re not getting the in-jokes.

Brought to life by a ludicrously talented cast, including Merrily We Roll Along’s, also on at the Menier, Forbidden Broadway is unfailingly funny throughout. For me the Les Miserables section, turning ‘One Day More’ into ’10 Years More’ and having great fun with the rotating stage was a particular highlight, in fact I would merrily have watched an full-show spoof of it, as was the Idina-bashing of Defying Gravity and Let it Go. Cristina Bianco's impression of Kristen Chenoweth is also well worth a mention, although admittedly by the nature of the show everyone will have their own personal favourites.

Laugh out loud funny, this is a great night out, particularly if you’re going with a gang of theatre nerds, professionals or a combination of the two. Oddly though, and I’m not sure whether this says good or bad things about the show, although I mean it as a compliment, the overwhelming effect on me when leaving the theatre was one of wanting to go and see again every one of the shows I’d just seen ridiculed.

I’ve also had every single one of the sketch songs in my head over the past few days since I saw it. And with musical theatre, there isn’t really a higher compliment than that.

★★★★★

- Jen

@jenniferklarge

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Watch the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4arIIDKEUM

THEATRE REVIEW: Great Expectations

Almost every other review I’ve read of Jo Clifford’s adaptation of Dickens’ classic bildungsroman has kicked off proceedings with an obligatory pun on its title. Compelled to do the same, I should therefore point out that I trundled off to Great Expectations the play at the Vaudeville with absolutely no expectations whatsoever, seeing as decades of TV and film productions have taught us nothing if not that Dickens adaptations really can go either way.

My expectations were raised somewhat after seeing the set, which really is stunning. Cobwebs hang from absolutely everything in the elaborately decorated room set up, emphasising the eerie presence of jilted bride Miss Havisham, with her rotting wedding cake given centre stage. There’s also a mantelpiece, windows with light artfully streaming in, chairs and even light fittings. It’s impressive. Which is a good job really, as it is the only setting we see for the entire production, but more on that later. Fresh from a UK tour, this show is the first full length Great Expectations to ever be presented in the West End. And cast aside, unfortunately at times it is easy to see why.

It’s clear that the play wanted to bring out elements of the book you may well discuss in a book group or seminar, but miss on a casual read through. This dogmatic following of the themes of the novel, however, whilst admirable, and fairly rare these days, means that many ideas feel thrown in and at odds with the nuances of a stage show. Taylor Jay-Davies does a good job of heading up the cast as young Pip, but this is spoiled somewhat by the haunting presence of his older self, played by Paul Nivison. Whilst this is certainly an interesting idea, and draws attention to the novel as a first person memoir, you can’t help but wish that he’d just give the poor boy five minutes to hold the fort on his own without the constant fear of accidentally tripping up his adult persona. It’s nothing short of a relief when one finally sits down and leaves the other to it.

Jay-Davies' earnest performance is matched by that of the equally genuine Josh Ellwell, as Joe Gargery, with Jack Ellis (Jaggers), Rhys Warrington (Herbert Pocket) and Sarah Robertson (Biddy) giving other performances of note. Grace Rowe grates a little as Estella, but her impassioned final speeches go some way to reconciling her to us, and Paula Wilcox certainly looks the part as the infamous Miss Havisham, but lacks the presence to make the character as terrifying as she should be. Difficult though it admittedly is to match a theatrical performance to a well-established literary character, the majority of the cast leave a little to be desired when held against their fictional counterparts, leaving most of the play feeling a bit flat.

This isn’t helped by the lack of set changes. In a show where none of the performances particularly grab you, and the lines of the story are blurred by the aesthetics of trying to include a visual representation of every trope, as an audience you start to daydream about set changes. Maybe one will happen when Pip goes to London? No. Maybe there will be a different set in Act 2? No. I fully appreciate that, given the detail of the Miss Havisham set, budget may well have been an issue, but then again it does seem as if some sort of statement was being made through the use of only one set of scenery. I’m not 100% sure what it was, but I think there was one in there somewhere. Again, this is admirable, but as a Great Expectations as well as theatre fan dying to see what the famous graveyard and marsh scenes would look like on a stage, I was more than a little disappointed to see them played out on a dining room table. The whole thing looks beautiful, don’t get me wrong, despite the fact that the heavy handed Gothic moments make you wonder if Tim Burton didn’t direct a considerable part of it, but again it’s as if the creative team got a bit caught up in the idea of showing the production in cinemas, and forgot about the fact that, first and foremost, the action is happening on a stage.

I’m told that somewhere in the foyer there was a note about how we ‘won’t see another Dickens adaptation like this for 200 years’, or something to that effect. And no, I daresay we won’t. He remains as notoriously difficult to adapt as ever, with only one of the many individual threads of the wider tapestry of each piece ever managing to be tugged at once, leaving the others forgotten about and neglected. Like Miss Havisham herself, perhaps Dickens should be left alone for a bit? Not necessarily in a dusty room with a rotting cake like Paula Wilcox but just on a shelf, in a book where he belongs.

 **

http://greatexpectationstheshow.com/

Jen

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THEATRE REVIEW: Our Boys

It is set in “one of the most depressing places you can imagine”, remarks Matthew Lewis, one of the stars of David Grindley’s latest West End production, “Our Boys”. Odd then, that so much of Jonathan Lewis’ script is so uplifting, heart-warming, and genuinely really rather funny.

Set in a military hospital during the 1980s and originally released in 1993, Jonathan Lewis’ semi-autobiographical play charts the humdrum reality of the lives of six young soldiers recovering from war injuries of varying severity. Trying desperately to stay positive despite being faced with amputation, psychiatry and the ever present possibility of being dismissed from the army altogether, the six men must deal with their feelings of bitterness betrayal, and animosity whilst rubbing along together inside the tiny ward that, for the most part anyway, is as far as they can travel.

With a joke always on the tip of his tongue and a way with the ladies, Laurence Fox’s Joe is the ward’s definite ring-leader. He shares his space with leg injury victim Keith (Cian Barry), and the severely injured Ian (Lewis Reeves), shot in the head whilst on patrol. Arthur Darvill’s Parry and Matthew Lewis’ Mick race around on their temporary wheelchairs, and day to day life ticks along relatively nicely until the arrival of Jolyon Coy’s Potential Officer.

It is the lads’ half-hearted attempts to live in close quarters with exactly the level of authority they feel so heartily betrayed by that provides the real narrative arc of the play, with Lewis’ script drip feeding the audience with back story details and clues throughout. The script itself is poignant and moving, particularly in its final, surprising scenes, but is also playful and engaging, with the ward’s favourite drinking game and practical jokes  particular highlights.

All the performances really stand out in this production. Lewis Reeves is heart breaking as the traumatised Ian, as is Cian Barry as the frustrated, angry Keith. Darvill and Lewis provide a great deal of the dialogue, retorts whizzing around as fast as the wheels of their chairs, whilst Lawrence Fox delivers the moving conclusion nobody saw coming. Jolyon Coy also gives a poignant, well thought out performance as the group’s well meaning but misunderstood outsider.

I love a dialogue heavy, darkly humoured play, and this production has plenty to offer on both counts. It manages to deal with difficult subject matter without the usual red flagging, awkward comedy that usually screams ‘sensitive subject coming up’, instead moving effortlessly between its comic and tragic subject matter. The set also deserves a mention, perfectly depicting both the sterility and claustrophobia of the ward world. It’s a real achievement as a production, giving an insightful look at the individual psychology behind conflict, whilst remaining charming, moving and clever.

If any criticism is to be made, it’s that we perhaps don’t see quite enough of certain characters as we would like, due to the ensemble nature of the show. It is a production which may later be well suited for film, as close up shots might provide a slightly sharper and welcome focus on the character’s personal sorrows and frustrations, some of which are lost in the crowd on occasion.

On stage, however, it is well performed, well written and well put together, and truly earns its positive critical reception.

****

-Jen

Our Boys is on at the Duchess Theatre from now until 15 September.

http://www.ourboystheplay.com/

You can read more of Jen's writing here: https://memyselfandtheothers.wordpress.com/

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