Ilsestheatrediary: September 2021

Sunday, September 26, 2021

Phantom Of the Opera

– Her majesty's theatre- London 20/09/21 Stalls A 26

On my first ever trip to London -a long time ago- I went to see Phantom of the opera. I had a seat all up in the gods with a terrible restricted view, but I loved the show! Later on I went to see it two more times. It remained one of my favorites.

So now in 2021, twenty years after my last visit, I find myself in her majesty's theatre, in the front row. For my 4th visit to Phantom, I just couldn't wait to see that chandelier falling straight at me...

As it was 20 years ago when I saw the original production, I really can't compare the old with the new. They have cut down a lot of musicians, and altered a few scenes I think.

I really can't review this show as I normally would, because right at the beginning of act 2, I had a panic attack. I was feeling uncomfortable in my seat from the first minute. The seats are very narrow, and there isn't much leg room in that first row, you are sitting with your knees against the orchestra pit. The person sitting next to me was also quite large and squished me in my seat even more, and wearing a face mask didn't help either. I really couldn't move and all I could think of was 'what if I get sick and have to get out of this row'. I managed to stay in my seat and concentrated on my breathing, but I really couldn't enjoy the show.

So what were the few impressions that I had?

The costumes up close are so amazing! All that detail, all that beading, for the costumes it really is a plus if you are sitting so close to where the action is. I really liked Killian Donnely's version of phantom, strong and threatening where he has to, and broken and fragile in other moments. The falling of the chandelier was really something from the front row, real scary!

I know I was totally wowed by Phantom of the opera all those years ago, I wasn't this time. I have been thinking what may have caused it, but I can only guess. I have seen so many amazing shows over the years, I may be a little more difficult to wow these days? I still absolutely love the music, but it didn't have that big powerful impact on me like it used to have, it may be caused by the smaller orchestra? Maybe front row for Phantom isn't that good, as “Masquerade” and the boatscene with the candles, miss a bit of their effect. A person also changes over the years, and my likes and dislikes may have been changed. Or maybe it was just me, feeling not 100%....

I still give Phantom 4 out of 5 stars, as it remains what it is, one of the truly great musicals in theatre history!88

Saturday, September 25, 2021

Anything Goes

Barbican London 19/09/21 Stalls Row A seat 9

How do you describe pure perfection? How do you describe the feeling of pure joy that lingers in your heart for hours after you leave the theatre? If you would like to get an idea of what perfection looks like, go and watch “Anything Goes” in the Barbican before it's too late!

I had very high expectations beforehand. And sometimes those high expectation can't be met, but this time, oh boy!

It is an old school musical, “Anything Goes”, back then, the songs came first, and the story was written around those songs. So it's natural the Cole Porter songs are stage center. I just love the atmosphere of those old songs, I would just love to put on a ballgown and quickstep the night away.

I didn't expect much of the storyline, but it is fun, full of comical twists and turns, and of course with a very happy ending!

So what is needed to make “Anything Goes” this kind of perfect show? Some great actors with good comical timing: the amazing Robert Lindsay, and Felicity Kendal and Gary Wilmot: check! A couple of star eyed lovers: Samuel Edwards and Nicole-Lily Baisden: check! Some really funny characters like Erma and Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, played by Carly mercedes Dyer and Haydn Oakley: check An incredible ensemble, high energy singers and dancers: check! And a star, and what kind of star!!! Reno Sweeney played by Sutton Foster!

Miss Sutton Foster is a triple threat, her acting is superb, her singing perfect and her dancing, wow, she can tap like the best! But besides that, she has a quality beyond that, and that is a real charismatic presence. She just ooses joy, her energy towards all the other cast members is electric, a wink here, a smile there... And she 'playes' the audience, she has the audience in the palm of her hand.

The best theatre is about energy, its the subtle exchange of energy between the stage and the audience. And with “Anything Goes” the energy was pure, pure joy. If you are a bit down and need a boost, this is the show for you.

If I could I would have seen this show multiple times, this is one I would love to have on DVD. So after coming home, I ordered the CD online to catch a bit of this magic. It is the broadway cast instead of the London cast, but it's better than nothing.

I am sure I will remember this show for the rest of my life, I am utterly grateful to have seen it. It gets 5 stars from me!

The only slight problem I have now... I would really want to go to Broadway to see more of Sutton Foster. She will star in “The music man” on Broadway soon, I would love to go...

Thursday, September 23, 2021

Hairspray

London Coliseum 18/09/21 Upper Circle Row E seat 2

After a matinee performance of 'The Prince of Egypt', and a drink in the Theatre Café, it was finally time to go and see “Hairspray”! It was one of the shows I was looking forward to, and because the run of this show is almost finished, I was really content to get to London in time to see it.

Why was I looking forward to it? I really like the songs, I like the story, and some of my favorite performers are in this show so it seemed a win/win/win situation.There aren't that many fun, uplifting shows who have a deeper message. It's story is the story of Baltimore in the sixties, in a time when segragation still existed. But it's a story about all kinds of prejudice, also about fat-shaming and not including people because of how they look. It's a story about being yourself, and defending what you believe in. It is also a story about love, young puppy love / loving your spouse even when they grow older and most of all, loving yourself.

And it's a BIG show, literally and figuratively. Its filled with joy, with singalong songs (not out loud please!), with dancenumbers so explosive and fun you want to join in! And it's funny! It is so funny! Expect to laugh till you cry...

You can't help but laugh with the duo Les Dennis and Michael Ball, in our performance, they couldn't either ;-) Les just broke down laughing so hard, and who can blame him, with such a gorgeous woman as Michael in his arms.

For me,the star of the show, the one whose voice blew everybody away, was Marisha Wallace. What a performance!! “I know where I've been” was epic! You can just feel that this song has meaning to her, and I got quite emotional listening to her rendition.

But I loved the whole cast, they did a fantastic job, with lots of skill and enthousiasm.

If I could, I would have gone back to see it. It's just that kind of show that I could watch over and over again, and I would love it every time. It's just a fun night out, just a very entertaining night out at the theatre. The run is at it's end, but if you haven't seen it yet, hurry! I think it's just the kind of show we need right now after all the Covid 19 and lockdowns.

And just a sidenote, Michael Ball can come and do my ironing for me any day he wants...

I give this show a well deserved 4 out of 5 stars.

Wednesday, September 22, 2021

The Prince of Egypt

– Dominion Theatre London- 18/09/21 Stalls Row P seat 46

A long, long time ago, … when people still shook hands, kissed and hugged and didn't fear slight colds and some coughing, like 18 months ago, I left London on a cold December night thinking I would be back by March. Little did I know. I had to cancel not one, not two, not three, not four, but five planned theatre trips. I had to postpone, and postpone yet again.I almost lost hope of ever coming back.

But I did! First show I planned to see on my trip September 2021 was “back tot the future”! But, lady luck wasn't on my side, and due to illness in the cast, the show was cancelled.

Not to worry, lots to see in London, so I decided to see 'The Prince of Egypt', the biblical story of Moses. I really like the music of Wicked and as Stephen Schwartz has written the music for both Wicked as The prince of Egypt, I thought it might be a good alternative. 'When you believe' is a well known beautiful song, and also 'Deliver us' is really special and powerful. Rush ticket booked and all was set!

Let me first start with the best thing about this show... the choreography is just one of the best I ever saw in musical theatre, Sean Cheesman did a very good job. It was creative, if was colourful, it told a huge part of the story and it was very well executed by a talented cast of dancers. If the whole story was just told with dance, it might have worked...

But it wasn't, and it really didn't work for me. It left me with a feeling of: it is just too long, there are too many parts/songs/scenes who don't add to the storyline, and it didn't make me FEEL. I felt nothing, and I want to be moved by theatre. When babies are being slaughtered on stage, I want to be MOVED. I want to feel tears flowing. I wanted to feel the brotherly love between Moses and Ramses, and I didn't, it just felt like, two dudes singing a song on stage. I also didn't feel the inner turmoil of Moses when he turned against the family who raised him, and what drives him forward. I didn't feel that he believed...

I can't say any of the cast didn't sing or perform well, I can't say anyone did anything bad on stage, all performances were good... but it just lacked feeling, it just lacked that little extra that I expect when I see a London show. It lacks the stuff that makes me want to go back to see a show. It lacks the stuff that pulls my heartstrings.

I am sure I won't even remember much of this show after a few years, it will just shift way back in my memory.

I don't think that the story itself is the problem, some biblical stories like 'Joseph and the amazing technocolor dreamcoat' and 'Jesus Christ Superstar' do work, and work well.

This is just my opinion, and some people love this show, go see it for yourself. I wouldn't take small children with me though, due to the lenght of the show, and it's not really a story for children, even when they first made the animated movie. If you do want to see a musical based on an animated movie, I think the Disney ones (Frozen, Lion King, Mary poppins) are a much better choice.

If I have to give this a rating, I would give its 2,5/5 and the choreography has saved it. I can't say this is a bad show, but for my taste it isn't a good show either.

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

I am a sucker for front rows -the saga-

Some people don’t like them, front row seats. They fear a stiff neck, having no overview of the show, lighting and dance numbers. They fear a bit of restricted view, as you can’t see feet sometimes. They fear of getting wet at “Singing in the rain”, the last I can understand. I totally respect their feelings.

Me-on the other hand-, I just love them!

It’s the feeling of being totally immersed in a show.

Of seeing the performers so close you can see every expression, or see their spit when they are singing ;-), do you need me to call names, no, I think we all know one or two!

Maybe it’s just that I want to forget all the people who are sitting behind me, and just imagine I am getting a personal performance just for me. Just imagine! My dream bubble eventually bursts at the curtain call, when I hear the applause from behind me.

I have queued for front row day seats to see Wicked for more than 2 hours, and loved the whole experience. After 15 minutes I started chatting to the other people in the line, fans of musical theatre from all around the world, and it was so enjoyable and interesting, and time went by very quickly. And those front seats that evening, wow, I just loved them! And by then, I knew all the people who were sitting on the same row as me. And we made a 'pact' to start cheering when Elphaba came on stage, such sweet memories!

I once had an amazing experience sitting front row to see “Jesus Christ Superstar” with Ted Neeley, just because the energy of that show, of that one performance I saw was so unique. I could just feel the energy and the enthousiasm of the cast flowing to the audience, and from behind me, as the audience kind off reacted as one person, one “whole singular being” their energy flowed back and lifted the performers to a higher level, each time. It was like waves. The people on stage and the people in the audience, we lifted eachother up. When it finished I still felt that bubbling energy inside me for hours. I had the chance to talk to Ted Neeley about this. He called it a spiritual experience. Maybe I’m not that spiritual, but I call it one of the most magical things I ever felt in a theatre.

When Cinderella tickets were on sale, I was among the first to book front row center seats, but my dissapointment was huge when after several rebookings due to Covid, I lost my front row center, got front row side, I was so sad…It may seen unnecessary or even childish, but for me it’s important. Those tickets are for November, so I still have to be patient to wait and see Cinderella from the front row.

But now, when my next London theatre trip is finally coming closer – less than 14 days!- I have managed to book front row for not one, but two shows!

First one will be for “Anything Goes”, Sutton Foster is one of my favorite performers (I have a list of people whose career I like to follow, she is on that list!) and it is on my bucket list to see her perform. I know it probably won’t be ideal for the dance numbers, but I will be sitting on the front row and I can’t wait!

Second will be “Phantom of the Opera”, a show I already saw 3 times, but the last time is more than 20 years ago. For the reopening of the new Phantom, and to see the new cast, I will be going back to see it. When Londontheatreweek discounts tickets for the front row became available, my heart started beating faster! I had to have them, had to have them… so now I have! I can't wait to see that Chandelier falling towards me...

I will write reviews of every show I’ll see, so … to be continued!

Ilsestheatrediary