Tag: west end

Posted in Theatre

Stunt/ Celebrity Casting in Theatre

Posted on by Georgia Haze

Today I want to discuss the topic of stunt/ celeb casting in theatre so please pass me a ladder so I can get myself up onto a fence because I don’t really have a clear side on this. Sometimes it’s necessary, sometimes it’s not. Sometimes the celeb is fantastic for the role, sometimes they’re not.

            Usually celebrity casting is done in theatre to keep the show running. Most of the time, investing in theatre is a really risky affair. A lot of shows lose more money than they make and it’s not uncommon for shows to close early or sometimes not even happen at all when the ticket sales aren’t looking great. Oftentimes, the show itself, even if it is a well-known show, isn’t enough to guarantee strong enough sales figures so casting a celebrity in one of the roles (or multiple celebs in multiple roles) is a handy way to get a few more seats filled. This means some amazing shows that don’t have the advantage of being well-known already or have missed out on awards, don’t lose their audiences to other shows that are sustaining their popularity. Which, also means that if the celebrity casting can keep the show open, the people working on that show get to keep their job. This also means that there are plenty of cast and crew members who could be getting their big break in theatre world and are getting to keep a job for a significant period of time (which can be unusual for some people working in theatre. For some, moving from one project to the next with periods of unemployment is common) because the celebrity casting is keeping the show running and therefore benefitting the rest of the team working on it.

            Except, when you think about how that role is now unavailable for aspiring actors and actresses who have trained for to work in theatre and are potentially missing their chance to get a leading role that could see their career take off. Plus, sometimes the stunt casting is done purely to bring in a ‘name’ regardless of whether they’re the ideal fit for the role or not. Working in theatre is hard work, I don’t think you need to be a professional actor to see that (I’m certainly not!). So, it can be really noticeable when someone on the stage doesn’t really have the skills or training required to be there. This then can make the show suffer in its storytelling and can be especially annoying for anyone who is more of a fan of the show itself than the cast in it.

            The other issue with celebrity casting is when the celeb has a day off and the understudy fills in for them. Now, I am a big advocate for celebrating understudies. They work incredibly hard and nearly every time I’ve seen an understudy perform, they have been amazing. So, when the understudy goes on for the celeb role you’d hope the audience would appreciate they’re seeing the show and support whoever is playing the role. But, unfortunately, not everyone thinks that way. I’ve heard really nasty things said by disappointed audience members who are there to see the celeb but see the understudy instead. Ergh. I swear, people that hate on understudies are worst people in theatre and celeb casting can make these people even worse for moaning and causing a negative atmosphere. This really is another topic for another time though.

            Overall, celebrity casting is not always a bad thing. Sure, sometimes the celeb clearly wasn’t the best choice for the role and it’s kind of annoying to see the part being taken away from someone who could have done it better but equally sometimes the celebs are brilliant and manage to keep the show open by increasing ticket sales. As I said at the start, I’m really on the fence about this but would love to hear your thoughts.

            Also, this post was totally inspired by all the drama that’s been going down at Waitress in London and I just want to say another issue with stunt casting is when there’s fantastic actor or actress in a role but then suddenly they’re dropped from the production for a few months to bring in a celeb*. Not cool. #JusticeforLauraBaldwin!

 *No hate to Ashley Roberts though, this situation is definitely not her fault and I wish her all the best for her run as Dawn.

Posted in Theatre

Hadestown First Listen & Reaction

Posted on by Georgia Haze

I don’t know where Hadestown came from but it seems like suddenly it’s everywhere. And everyone loves it. So, I did a bit of Googling to figure out the background of the show before going into my first listen of the 2017 cast recording. Turns out it’s a musical based on a concept album by Anaïs Mitchell from 2010 that has since had a few small runs and a live cast recording and was even on at the National Theatre recently (I’m so mad I didn’t go and see it because, spoiler, I’m now obsessed with Hadestown) before making its way to Broadway with an amazing cast.

            But, what’s the story? Hadestown is a modern/modern-feeling retelling of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. If you don’t want anymore Hadestown spoilers, I’d stop here because I’m about to have a natter about Greek mythology and the show itself now so will probably spoil the ending for you.

            Are you ready for a slightly-random-and-kind-of-unrelated-but-actually-kind-of-is-related anecdote? I sure do hope so, because you’re getting one. About two weeks ago I knew very little about Greek mythology. That was before I stumbled upon a copy of Mythos. Mythos is essentially a book of Greek myths retold in a comedic style by Stephen Fry. It’s great, I’d definitely recommend it and I’ve already started his second book on Greek mythology, Heroes. But, honestly, I have no idea why I bought Mythos. It’s not the kind of thing I’d normally pick up. It’s not a novel and I don’t really read short story collections or anything similar but something made me really want to read it. As I said, I’m glad I did because I loved it and now have a new-found love and appreciation for Greek mythology.

            Naturally then, when I found out Hadestown, as the title suggests, had a link to Greek mythology, I was keen to start listening. So I did. I listened to the first song of the live recording and… I didn’t really like it.

            Here’s the issue I had. I’m not a big fan of jazz, it’s just not my thing and that first number (Road to Hell) is very jazzy and bluesy. I really wanted to like it but it just didn’t click with me on first listen so I stopped and that was it for a couple of days. But, then I saw Amy Lovatt (a theatre YouTuber who makes brilliant videos so if you don’t watch her, you should!) did a cover of All I’ve Ever Known and it didn’t sound jazzy at all. It just sounded nice. So I decided to give it another try.

            Livin’ It Up on Top was more fun to me and I love Amber Gray from the Great Comet cast album so I enjoyed that song but it wasn’t until I listened to All I’ve Ever Known that I fell properly head-over-heels-and-walk-right-into-the-Underworld-just-to-get-tickets in love with a Hadestown song. It’s just beautiful. I have nothing else to say. I just love it and have listened to it on repeat several times.

            I’m not going to go over every song in this live recording especially since it’s so fresh in my mind but here are a few further initial thoughts:

  • Amber Gray is amazing and I love her voice so much, please God may I see her live one day?!
  • I love chantey numbers in musicals and there’s literally a song called “Chant” so of course it’s one of ,my faves!
  • Damn Patrick Page’s voice goes low in Songbird, I hope he has some throat sweets back stage with him on Broadway.
  • Wait For Me is beautiful ahhhhhh and I can’t wait for the new cast recording so I can listen to the new lyrics ahhhhhh
  • Ow my heart hurts. Orpheus, why? You literally had one job. Even if she didn’t follow you out you were getting out of Hades anyway, why did you turn around?!
  • Hermes getting sad at having to sing the tragedy over again in Road to Hell II is almost more painful than when Orpheus looks back.
  • Maybe I do like a bit of jazz and blues after all…

I just want to go way down way down to Hadestown (not literally, I think I learnt the lesson) and see this show. Why I didn’t go and see it at the National Theatre I don’t know but maybe the Broadway hype will bring it back over here soon. I did look into the cost of tickets to see it on Broadway and they were literally the same price as the flight to New York so might just park that idea for now.

ANYWAYS, the moral is listen to Hadestown. And read Mythos. Bye for now!

Posted in Theatre

Three Mini West End Reviews: Aladdin, Wicked and Waitress

Posted on by Georgia Haze

I’ve seen a few West End shows lately so I wanted to group them all into one post and natter away about them for a little bit. Wicked is the only one of these shows I’d seen before and the Waitress tickets were a birthday surprise for my sister because I am, clearly, the best sister ever.

Overall, I thought Aladdin was bright, fun and colourful. The changes they’d made from the Disney’s animated movie (side note, even though I’m a bit over the Disney live action remakes, I am quite excited about the Aladdin movie, anyone else?) made sense and for the most part worked well. There are no animals in the show but Aladdin actually gets some real friends which is good for him. The new songs are nice but it’s the ones that come from the film that really have the entertainment factor, particularly the high-energy and genuinely spectacular Friend Like Me scene. Trevor Dion Nicholas is hilarious as the Genie, his comedic timing and stage presence lights up the stage almost as much as his glittery head.

           The World New World scene was also executed nicely even if the actors did look a little scared to be floating around the stage on a “flying carpet”. The main criticism I have for the show, however, is the way they’ve worked Jafar and Iago into the stage show. As I said, there are no animals in the show so how do they get Iago in there? Well, he’s Jafar’s pretty annoying pantomime-esque sidekick. Sure, Aladdin is a pantomime classic and Jafar is widely considered to be one of Disney’s best villains but it felt a bit too over-the-top for me. I guess, maybe I’d feel different if I’d been to see the show with kids because that, for sure, would work for them. But, not for me and considering how many adults there were in the audience, it just felt a bit much.

           Stepping away from the negatives though, this show is lively and, like I said, oh so colourful and visually spectacular. Fans of Disney will love it, families will love it, everyone else will probably enjoy it too.

How can I see it?

Aladdin is showing at the Prince Edward Theatre and booking through to July 27th (it will be closing in the coming months though so if you’re keen on seeing it, make sure you get tickets soon!)

This wasn’t my first trip to the Emerald City. Seeing Wicked again was a bit of nostalgia fest since it was the first show I ever saw on the West End back in 2014 and is now the only London show I’ve seen twice (though there are quite a few I’m desperate to see again).

           Every musical fan seems to love Wicked, there’s something about it that just transports you into a magical realm where people can say slightly cringey non-words like “braverism” without anyone batting an eyelid. What I found most exciting about seeing it again was 1. Re-realising how funny it is and 2. Getting to see the amazing cast that is currently in the show. Alice Fearn as Elphaba and Sophie Evans as Glinda are brilliant and great when they perform together.

We were sat very far back right up at the top of the dress circle but you forget you’re so far back because the belting is so damn powerful and you get a great view of the random but awesome dragon at the top of the stage.

           Whether you have or haven’t seen Wicked on the West End yet, the cheap seats at the top do actually have quite a good view so I think you should treat yourself this summer if you can.

How can I see it?

Wicked is showing at the Apollo Victoria Theatre and booking until May 2020.

I was so excited to see Waitress and it didn’t disappoint at all. It’s funny, moving and inspiring. The cast were fantastic. Katherine McPhee had such a long applause after She Used to Be Mine and rightfully so because her performance was so heart-wrenching. She was just amazing. So were her co-stars, Laura Baldwin as Dawn (who was also fab in Eugenius last year) and Charlotte Raby (who was understudying for Marisha Wallace) as Becky. Their friendship felt real to me and it was so great to see a show so focused on women’s issues and humour relating to what it’s like being a woman. I already knew I loved the songs but I didn’t realise how much I’d love the book and choreography as well. Also, I did not know how awkward and adorable Dr Pomatter is from just the songs. David Hunter was hilarious and played the lovable doctor really well.

            I got too much merch – including a Waitress cookbook even though I rarely bake but I appreciate clever merch and I’m far too tigger-happy when it comes to buying things I don’t need so I got it – and obvs bought a pie there which came in a cute little jar.

            Everything about this show was brilliant, I feel like I was grinning the whole way through. I’d recommend it to everyone I know. I feel like I’m probably as enthusiastic about this show as Ogie is about Dawn… maybe… if that’s even possible. Just, if you can, go and see it. It makes for a great feel-good evening.

How can I see it?

Waitress is showing at the Adelphi Theatre and booking through to October 19th. Go see it!

Let me know if you’ve seen any great shows lately. I already have a long list of shows to see but I’m constantly extending it anyway so feel free to give me recommendations! 😀

Posted in Theatre

April 2019: Current Musical Theatre Jams

Posted on by Georgia Haze

There are a few tunes I’ve been enjoying a lot lately so I thought I’d do a series about some musical theatre jams I’ve loving that you should listen to as well if you haven’t yet. This series will be especially handy for me since it makes use of my annoying ability to listen to the same song over and over again for a whole month (although, often longer) before getting sick of it.

So, here a few I’ve been loving lately and they are pretty random…

My Grand Plan – The Lightning Thief

My grand plan is that I will be remembered.
My grand plan, just you wait and see.
You better wise up
‘Cause I’ll rise up.
Bring any challenge.
And someday soon someone will notice me.

Yesss Annabeth! I love this song because it’s just a girl singing about how she is a badass and she’s going to prove it after being ignored by her mum, Greek goddess Athena, all her life. You go Annabeth!

I Say No – Heathers

Let me be, let me go.
You need help I can’t provide,
I am not qualified.
This troubled teen is getting clean.
I say no.

It’s powerful and awesome and I’m so gutted I didn’t get to see this song in the show when I saw Heathers because, God damn, is this a tune. Also, Carrie Hope Fletcher’s vocals on this are so strong, she seems like a force to be reckoned with.

Inútil – In The Heights

My farmer was a farmer,
His farmer was a farmer
And you will be farmer
But I told him, ‘Papi,
I’m sorry I’m going further,
I’m getting on a plane
And I’m going to change the world someday.’
And he slapped my face.

This song has so many emotions and I just love it so much. You can really feel the anguish of Kevin as he describes what he did to break the cycle his family found themselves in and the dreams that he had for Nina seemingly falling apart by the seams. This is a beautiful song about a father who just wants the best for his family and takes every potential failure upon himself. This song is also so underrated arghh.

Bat Out of Hell – Bat Out of Hell

And the last thing I see is heart
Still beating
Still beating
Still beating
Breaking out of my body and flying away
Like a bat out of Hell.

Please could BOOH return to the West End? Please? It was so good. The incredible energy that the actors put into the production is felt so strongly just by listening to the title song. I also love Andrew Polec’s voice, he sounds so much older than he is and it’s so effortlessly rock ‘n’ roll-y, arghhh it’s just so good.

I’m Here – The Color Purple

I believe I have inside of me
Everything that I need to live a bountiful life
And all the love alive in me,
I’ll stand as tall as the tallest tree.
And I’m thankful for everyday that I’ve given,
Both the easy and hard ones I’m living.
But most of all
I’m thankful for loving who I really am.
I’m beautiful.
Yes, I’m beautiful.
And, I’m here.

Celie, girl, you are beautiful and you’re going to be fine. I love this song because it have an amazing build, an inspiring message and Cynthia Erivo’s vocals from the most recent The Color Purple cast recording are stunning. Everything about this song is just amazing to listen to and I recommend it if you ever need a motivational number to soothe your eardrums.

So, that’s it. Five songs I’ve been loving lately. I’ll have some more blog posts coming soon so stay tuned for more random musical theatre-related content. I may also have some non-musical theatre posts coming in the pipeline soon but bye for now! 😀

Posted in Theatre, TV

Riverdale’s Musical Episodes: Are They Really That Bad?

Posted on by Georgia Haze

Yes.

Ok, no, let’s delve into that a bit more, but firstly a disclaimer. I don’t watch Riverdale. I watched the first season and the Carrie episode but I hadn’t seen anything between then and the Heathers episode. I don’t know much about the plot now apart from the fact there’s a cult and things are weird. Therefore, I’m not trying to hate on Riverdale. I wouldn’t ever want to hate on something I haven’t even properly seen so I promise, I’m not hating on Riverdale… I’m just hating on this one episode of Riverdale. Here’s why…

Why it doesn’t work for the show

Here’s something you might not be expecting from that opening, I actually love the idea of Riverdale doing musical episodes. Since much of the action is set in a school it makes sense for them to incorporate real musicals into the show as their school productions. However, they do seem to be going for more of a Glee-approach to the episodes where the songs aren’t always performed as part of a show-within-a-show format. Sometimes the characters will just start singing when they’re not performing or rehearsing in a they-don’t-actually-know-they’re-singing-their-feelings kind of way. This is fine in a regular musical or even just in the odd one-off musical episode. Lots of shows have managed to include a musical episode without it feeling really off, usually it’s a bit cringy but they just-about make it work because they include original songs.

Where this gets confused in Riverdale is when they try to fit the songs from one pre-existing musical into the context of what is happening in that one specific episode of the show. Which, like any TV show, needs to continue the same established storylines it’s been setting up so far. Glee worked existing songs into its story by establishing itself as a musical show from the off and including any and all songs into the show. By restricting itself to an album of 20-odd songs to choose from, especially a musical theatre album where the songs are all very specific to a certain story, the Riverdale writers have to work extra hard to fit these songs into their pre-existing narrative. This is really difficult and credit where credit’s due, they tried. The Heathers episode did see them slot Seventeen really nicely into the show where it actually felt like it fit but no other song in the show that wasn’t added in to be the characters performing in the school production really did.

For example, the fact that Archie is practicing boxing when Josie comes to speak to him doesn’t justify her singing the lines “Well whoa, you can punch real good/ You’ve lasted longer than I thought you would”. This makes sense in actual Heathers because JD is fighting Kurt and Ram. Archie is on his own, not fighting anyone when Josie walks him so how has he “lasted longer than [she] thought [he] would” exactly? He was punching the air. The air’s not likely to fight back, Josie. It just doesn’t make sense.

Why it could be good for theatre fans

Let’s go back to what I said earlier about loving the idea of Riverdale doing musical episodes for a second. I really think if the songs from Heathers were kept in the context of a school production it would be a cool way to introduce musical theatre to an audience that perhaps doesn’t know about the amazing world of musicals. I love the thought that someone might watch that episode of Riverdale and go and download the Heathers album. Getting musical theatre out there and more accessible to more people is a good thing for theatre and, in turn, a good thing for theatre fans. Despite the dodgy lyric changes and awkward singing, there’s definitely going to be at least one person who comes away from that episode wanting to hear more from Heathers.

Why it isn’t good for theatre fans

Ok, now we’re getting into the real nitty gritty. To be perfectly honest, despite what I just wrote, I don’t think the makers of Riverdale care about anything I said in my last paragraph. At all. The makers of Riverdale naturally want to get their show to a wider audience. They’ve clearly done their research and found that there is a community of fans in their target demographic who are also fans of musicals which, since the likes of Glee, Smash and Rise are no more, don’t get a chance to see their love for musicals incorporated into TV. This means Riverdale is tapping into a gap in the market and trying to pander to musical theatre fans to get them to watch their show. This would be fine if they actually seemed to sincerely care about the musicals they were adapting or wanted to pay a tribute to those that created them. You can see this level of respect for source material in Heathers the Musical itself as it’s very much a homage to the film yet still functions on its own. The Heathers Riverdale episode didn’t feel like a tribute to Heathers the Musical, Heathers the film or even of musical theatre itself. No one seemed particularly happy to be working on a musical, in fact, it almost seemed a burden for some characters. Neither was there any championing of the messages and morals that Heathers stands for.

For me, the most glaring example of this was the fact that no one in the show was cast as Martha. Why? Because none of the current Riverdale cast members could or should be cast as Martha. Not a single one of them fits the casting type because Martha is a bigger girl and the Riverdale cast are all slim. Now, arguably, this isn’t that big a deal as it’s not as if we get to see Sweetpea (I literally had to replay it to make sure I heard his name right) as JD or Archie or Reggie as Kurt and Ram. But, celebrating acceptance and tolerance of all and disregarding social hierarchies in favour of befriending each other despite our differences is such a key message in Heathers and it’s not at all in the Heathers Riverdale episode. If you’re going to include a musical, please just try to care about what the musical is trying to say to see if it’s relevant to the context you’re putting it in.

On the one hand, I could be mad that the ploy to bring the musical theatre fans in clearly worked on me because I watched the episode but equally, I’m not likely to watch another one so did they really win?

Now, please, like I said before, don’t think I’m hating on Riverdale. I’m really not. I’m annoyed at one episode of a successful show that has many fans in its own right but that doesn’t mean it can’t try harder. I know the show gets a lot of stick for being cringy and weird but, as far as I’m concerned, as long as it does that on its own turf, it’s all good. But, when it tries to take good musicals down with it, regardless of their relevancy to their own plot and without even acknowledging the key messages of the piece and celebrating musical theatre itself, that’s just sad.

Overall though, there are way worse things to get worked up about. If Riverdale does another musical episode, I just hope it’s an improvement on this one.

In other news, I miss Glee.

Posted in Theatre

Heathers the Musical Original West End Cast Recording Act 1 Mini Song Reviews

Posted on by Georgia Haze

Greetings and salutations!

I was lucky enough to see Heathers during its run at The Other Palace, one of my favourite venues. Its small space makes it feel intimate yet the productions still feel high quality which means you always get great value for money on your ticket price. I was a bit gutted I didn’t get around to seeing it at the Haymarket (I’ve got to give my bank balance a break sometimes!). Sadly, I never got to see Carrie Hope Fletcher belt out I Say No but luckily they released a cast album so I can hear her take on Veronica whenever I like as well as the rest of the amazing original West End Heathers cast!

Here are my reviews of the songs from Act One:

Beautiful

From “September 1st 1989” straight through to that last note, I was buzzing listening to this. It’s very like the original American cast recording but it’s the introduction to the show so it makes sense for it to be the same with a few differences here and there. It’s also the first time we hear a few of the cast members’ individual vocals (which are fab!) and the ensemble singing together (also fab!).

Candy Store

Yessssss galsss, this song is just as feisty as the original American Heathers take on it and Jodie, T’Shan and Sophie’s harmonies are gorgeous. I honestly think I’d be honoured if Jodie Steele threatened me in song.

Fight For Me

Firstly, Carrie Hope Fletcher’s “daaayyuuumm” is hilarious and how her voice sounds so soft and hopeful (no pun intended) in this song suits the theme of the song so well, I love it!

Freeze Your Brain

Oh my Lord. I think I did a Carrie daaayyuuumm the first time I listened to this. Jamie Muscato’s voice is so so so smooth. I also feel like he made this song totally his own. To me at least (baring in mind I have little-to-no actual music knowledge), the way he sings this song is totally different to Ryan McCartan on the original cast recording. It’s more smooth and feels more like he’s being a bit flirty with Veronica as he’s singing which totally makes sense for the scene. And, somehow his voice STILL sounds smooth as hell when he’s singing the harsher end of the song and his last “freeze your brain” line is so… am I going to say it again?… apparently yes, for lack of a better word, smooth. The whole damn song is smooth ok. This is one of my favs from this album so sorry but I just needed to get this ramble of me.

Big Fun

~ Do I hear lyric changes? ~ “You’re a natural, just like my mom”, had me cackling. I very much approve of this new version of Big Fun.

Dead Girl Walking

Ok, so what I was saying about how The Other Palace is a small and intimate venue… yeah I felt *very* close to the actors when this scene was happening which was a… unique theatre experience let’s just say! Again, this song is fairly similar to the original but hey, you can’t improve on perfection and I like the way Carrie changes the way she sings certain parts – especially that last note. This song really reminds me of the confidence Carrie oozed on the stage in this number and the cheer from the audience which was LOUD so this one evokes memories for me.

Pictures from outside The Other Palace on the day I saw Heathers the Musical

The Me Inside of Me

The transition from Jodie’s “No one sees the me inside of me” to “Jesus, you’re making me sound like air supply” was hilarious, what a comedy queen. Also, did Ms Fleming really say, “What this song needs is a good old-fashioned rap session”? Because, I really hope so. Might just leave this one with “HOLY CRAP THIS IS AWESOME!” because, yep, same Jodie.

You’re Welcome

NEW SONG #1! Ok, so I can’t help thinking of Maui when I listen to this song but honestly I love Christopher Chung and Dominic Anderson’s vocals together in this song and, this might be a bit random, but I also love their accents in this one for some reason. They just sound so much like your classic American high school movie jocks. This is one of those songs where it makes you feel slightly uncomfortable but it’s meant to since it’s actually about a really important topic. It’s great to hear Veronica’s thought process about how she handles the situation and manages to get away. Combining comedy with genuinely serious topics is something Heathers does better than most stories and this song is a great example of that.

Never Shut Up Again

NEW SONG #2! We’ve reached the new song relay part of the album and this is when T’Shan and her fierce vocals get to rock out as the new self-elected head bitch of the school. It’s great to see Duke getting a solo in this version of Heathers as we see from both Chandler and McNamara’s points of view and it doesn’t seem right that she didn’t have her own song before. Plus, it totally makes sense that Duke would want to take the limelight for a moment as she finally has a voice after being silenced by Chandler for so long. Although, again, bit of a random thought here, but a lot of musicals make Wizard of Oz references, don’t they?

Our Love Is God

I mean, this song has a lot of Jamie’s Muscato’s vocals and we’ve established how I feel about that (should I say they’re smooth again or have we sort of got that point now?). This is the first time we really hear Carrie and Jamie properly sing together though and their voices blend so nicely it’s just so daaayyuuumm good. This song is also quite similar to the original but again, it’s a great song and scene so why change it?

Phew that’s Act one Done, read my reviews of the songs of Act Two here.

Posted in Theatre

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Piccadilly Theatre | My First London Play

Posted on by Georgia Haze

Despite the fact I’ve seen quite a few London shows, I’d never actually seen a play until I saw The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time earlier this month. I had wanted to see it when it was in London before because the reviews were amazing and I read the book a few years ago and absolutely loved it. But, tickets are pricey and seeing a play wasn’t top of my theatre priority list back then. However, it was announced that the show was coming back to London and the glorious people at TodayTix had a 24hr cheap ticket deal so I was straight on it (if you love theatre but don’t have a TodayTix account, I would highly recommend it). I really didn’t want to miss the show this time and I’m so glad I didn’t because it was, as all the reviews suggested, amazing.

Ok, it did take me a few minutes for my brain to adjust to the fact that at no moment was any character going to burst into song but I got past that soon enough and was totally enveloped in this story and these characters that the amazing cast were portraying.

The show is about a boy called Christopher with a non-specified disorder, likely Asperger’s Syndrome, who becomes determined to find out who killed his neighbour’s dog with a garden fork in the dead of night. What you really see though is a fascinating family drama through the perspective of Christopher as his parents’ many secrets are revealed.

One thing I particularly liked about this play is that it shows the positives and negatives to having a condition like Asperger’s for an individual and their family. Christopher’s family find it difficult to explain things to him in ways he’ll understand yet he is incredibly intelligent and is confident in his mathematical abilities. He is uncomfortable with other people touching or chatting with him but he clearly has a great appreciation for animals and their welfare… he really genuinely cares about finding out who killed the dog because, in his eyes, the dog, Wellington, matters just as much as any human.

I also really liked how they managed to use the theatre format to show what sensory overload is like. The scenes where Christopher is taking a Tube journey took a fairly mundane activity and cleverly showed how overwhelming it can be for someone with a condition like Christopher’s, surrounded by strangers and in a place he doesn’t know well. The actor playing Christopher, Joshua Jenkins, was especially great in his role and particularly in the scenes depicting sensory overload.

I will warn you now though, if you see the show it ends up being the welfare of Christopher’s rat that you become more concerned with than Wellington. I’m hoping there is some sneaky tricks to get Toby in and out of his case during the very physical scenes of Christopher tackling the Tube where the case is flung around quite a lot but it did worry me for a while!

All in all, I am so so glad I got to see this show. Having not read the book for a long time, it was great to be reminded of this fantastic story. The cast and creatives are also great, the stage itself is so cleverly designed and I hope as many people see this show as possible. It’s the kind of play that promotes empathy for kids like Christopher and that’s a pretty special thing.

The Piccadilly Theatre and Curious Incident Stage

Where can I see it?

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is showing at the Piccadilly Theatre in London and booking until the 27th April 2019.

Posted in Theatre

I Saw Come From Away’s First London Performance!

Posted on by Georgia Haze

Squee. My first ever time of seeing the first performance of a new London show was a pretty epic experience. Come From Away’s first London performance was on the 30th January 2019 and I saw it from the third row. I had eye contact with the actors at points. I don’t think I’ve never felt more #blessed lol.

So, what was it like? Well, let me tell you, Come From Away is not a show that disappoints. It’s a fantastic celebration of all that’s good in humanity and a reminder that kindness and positivity can still prevail even in the darkest of times. I know that’s kind of a cliché but when you remember that Come From Away is based on a real event and each individual story told in the show is based on a real person’s accounts of what happened to them, this message loses it’s corniness and starts feeling like a real comfort. Especially in light of the grim stories that are being churned out of the news every day.

Come From Away had me laughing (A LOT more than I thought I would, honestly) and holding back the tears too. It was fun and it was heart-breaking and it was simple and complicated all in one. In case you haven’t been able to guess this already, I completely loved it.

I’ve listened to the cast album many times and I’d consider Me and the Sky to be one of my favourite songs ever (it’s, like, a feminist anthem!) so needless to say I was very excited about the seeing the show. The first thing I’ll say is that the cast and the band were amazing. The way the cast so quickly changed characters, which often involved switching accents and rarely involved leaving the stage in-between character changes, was seamless. One moment I was believing Rachel Tucker was Annette, a Newfoundland fantasist, the next, there she was as Captain Beverley Bass, the first female captain of a US commercial airline. The whole cast worked together so well and the comedy and sense of camaraderie that the show thrives on was generated brilliantly by everyone involved. The live band got to shine as well, particularly during Screech In and at the end when they showcased how talented they all were as individuals.

What surprised me the most was how little of the story I knew from listening to the cast album. There’s a whole storyline about Bonny and the animals on the planes (including the only rare Bonobo chimp in Newfoundland which was particularly touching) that you only get from seeing the show itself. I also found myself getting very emotional over certain parts of the story, particularly Hannah’s struggle to find out the fate of her son and her budding friendship with Beulah and the treatment of Ali by those around him. The show doesn’t shy away from important topics and actually makes the audience see issues from different points of view without ever losing the cheery spirit of the performance for too long. This is something I really admire in the writing of Come From Away.

It’s a beautiful show and I feel very lucky to have been there. I bought a Me and the Sky t-shirt on my way in and collected my free “I’m an islander” badge on the way out (they’re only giving out 20,000 of them so that felt a little bit special too). It’s uplifting and thought-provoking and moving and I hope I get to see it again before the end of its run but if I don’t then so be it. I still got to see it and it has to be one of my best theatre experiences ever. Getting to see it on its first London performance when the audience was full of die-hard fans and there was a buzz of excitement throughout the theatre was really special.

Just one question I was left with… why is every West End show now performed on a revolving stage??

What’s it about?

Come From Away is a musical about Operation Yellow Ribbon. After 9/11 happened, the USA closed its airspace and the planes flying in were told to land at Gander International Airport in Newfoundland. The show tells the stories of the plane crew, passengers and the people of Newfoundland who took in 7,000 people for several days until they were able to get back in the air. It’s a heart-warming show with a small cast playing multiple roles to tell the stories of many different individuals involved in the operation.

How can I see it?

Come From Away is currently showing at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End and booking until the 25th May.