Musical Geek - Musical Theatre Reviews

Yes it's Panto Time and a journey up the beanstalk with Jack to rescue the Princess, what could be more traditional as Star-Struck Theatre Company played to a packed house at the Dormston Theatre in Sedgley. Audience took a little warming-up but, this was completed in style by Richard Probert's ostentatious and strangely feminine Dame Madonna Trott (I was hoping for a chorus or two of 'Like A Virgin' but, sadly that wasn't forthcoming) and her 'one bean short of a beanstalk' son Simple Simon, a virtuoso comedy performance from Ashley Wilkes. At this point I simply have to mention the musicians, Rob Murray (Musical Director & Keyboards), Sunim Koria (Bass) and Dave Shipley (Drums), only three of them but, it sounded like thirty, you've heard of the 'Wall of Sound' this is bigger and better, fills the venue throughout the show. Anyway back to the on stage production and Dame Trott obviously has that other son Jack (Ethan Hamblett) who has falle...

I've seen more than my fair share of musical theatre and ridden that emotional rollercoaster on numerous occasions however, TFTR Productions have built their own theatrical 'white knuckle ride' of a production with Gary Barlow and Tim Firth's, Calendar Girls - The Musical and if you don't shed a tear or two you are probably in the wrong theatre. I guess the story about a Women's Institute in Yorkshire producing a nude calendar after the death of one of their husbands is well known but, it's the interwoven friendships and challenges before that happens that is at the core of this production, not to mention the 'Big C' which I imagine has sadly touched everybody at some point. There is of course a central friendship between Chris (an ebullient and vocally exceptional performance from Natalie Baggott) and Annie who has lost her husband to that terrible disease and played with a gold medal level of emotion and a captivating vocal by Sarah Coussens. It is...

Always a joyous trip to Duloc (is that an anagram of Cloud, I've often wondered?) isn't it and if you'd like to journey to that mythical land of ogres, donkeys and fairytale characters then you can do so by joining Redditch Operatic Society at the Palace Theatre for their production of Shrek the Musical. You will of course have to deal with he who is short on stature and large on ego in the form of Matt Bridgewater's characterful portrayal of Lord Farquaad, full of an evil cackle (although perhaps a little more like a giggle) and a deluded belief that any princess might want to marry him. There is a princess of course, Fiona by name, beauty by day, cursed ogre by night, played with abandon and in the words of Patsy Cline a little 'crazy' in many ways but, with a vocal to 'charm the savage beast' by Sophie Hill. Locked in a tower and guarded by a Dragon, very much a cameo role but, I have to confess with an amazing song to sing and does Lucy Traves sing i...

Don't think it was Agatha Trunchbull that invited me to the final dress rehearsal of WBOS Youth Theatre's production of Matilda the Musical Jr but, I was very happy to attend and Harley Pearson's larger than life and distinctly unnerving performance as said headmistress is nothing short of a triumph (with a supporting credit to Pat Badger as Wardrobe Mistress for this and every other costume). There is a seething undercurrent of energy in this production from an extensive and talented youth cast that I am confident will blow the audience away at every performance and you can't really beat kids playing kids with some phenomenal individual performances led by a gloriously understated yet vocally gigantic portrayal of bookworm Matilda Wormwood by Holly Edwards. Couple this with the appetite (I am not sure I will ever be able to face chocolate cake again!) and booming vocal (particularly in the classic number 'Revolting Children') of Nathan Thevar-Ward as Bruce Bogt...

So, the Christmas Adverts are starting to appear on television, and I imagine there are many itching to start putting up the decorations, however perhaps a visit to the Core Theatre in Solihull should be on the agenda for all as there is full-on Christmas available on stage as St Alphege Musical Production Society (STAMPS) perform Elf - The Musical. If you haven't seen the 2003 Movie with Will Ferrell or another stage production (bearing in mind that you will be lucky to see a performance on the amateur circuit as it is usually dominated by professional productions, this time of year) here is a quick synopsis: Human baby falls into Santa's Sack and is taken back by accident to the North Pole to be brought-up by the elves, even though he is twice their height and really doesn't look right in elf clothes (don't think Lord of the Rings, you are way off-track for these elves!). Finds out who his real father is and goes to New York (still dressed as an elf) to find him but, ...

In the auspicious surroundings of Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Hall there is yet another classic taking to the stage in the form of Lionel Bart's, Oliver! I suspect this story will never lose appeal and will continue to entertain audiences long after I have hung-up my keyboard and stopped writing reviews. Manor Musical Theatre Company have filled the stage with a remarkable entertainment marvel as young orphan Oliver Twist, treated badly at the workhouse, sold to an undertaker, runs away and joins a thieves kitchen and is eventually reunited with his grandfather, proving that good will come in the end to those that deserve it. Young Twist on this occasion is played by Jack Brayley-Boddington and is the epitome of scared young orphan with that perfect boy soprano voice needed to create an engaged silence during his performance of 'Where Is Love ?'. On the opposite side of the coin is an ebullient performance from Jamie Wilson as The Artful Dodger commanding the stage as he le...

It's always amazing how The Sound Of Music by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein continues to stand the test of time over sixty years after it first hit Broadway in 1959. It is just one of those musicals with a touching story, some iconic characters and musical numbers that will never be forgotten. I often use the quote from WC Fields, 'Never work with animals or children' in my reviews and some adults choose to appear on stage with both, in this case it is only the children element but, what a set of Von Trapp youngsters they were. I challenge any audience member who gets to witness the Bluebell Team (sadly I will not get to see the Snowdrop Team but, I am sure they will be equally endearing) to not leave the auditorium with a dose of smile-itis, in particular the girls, Larna Richards (Louisa), Giovanni Cutts (Brigitta), Maria Riga (Marta) and the uber smiley Georgia Riga (Gretl), the boys, Billy Brooks (Friedrich) and Myles Richards (Kurt) are a little more reserved bu...

If you are an aficionado of 'We Will Rock You' the Queen Musical, you might need to take a few moments to digest how this version has been specifically abridged and changed for Youth Groups, I am still not sure why Wembley Stadium needs to be changed to Graceland or the Heartbreak Hotel needs to become the Hard Rock Cafe but, fortunately it doesn't detract particularly from the core story and frankly anything that allows a cast (particularly one with this talent and enthusiasm) to belt out classic numbers from Mercury, May, Taylor and Deacon has to be a good thing. So for those less familiar with this musical, we are in the future, on the iPlanet and 'rock music' has been banned, the only legal music is that created by the ruling authorities, known as GlobalSoft, that which could be described as Computer Recorded Autotuned Pop (work that one out for yourself). An aging hippy and leader of 'The Bohemians' by the name of Buddy Holly and played with some intens...

Always a joy to review one of the classics of musical theatre and after the eponymous journey along the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City in the company of a talented and enthusiastic cast from Brierley Hill Musical Theatre Company, one can't fail to leave the venue inspired that good will triumph over evil and there really is 'no place like home'. I have no option but, to open with a comment about Toto, if you are expecting a Cairn Terrier a la the movie you might be disappointed but, that will last a mere trice before you are under the spell of George the Spaniel ! I have seen many a dog on stage and to be honest they are mostly looking for the quickest route into the wings, George however seemed very comfortable being part of the cast and you can't ask for more than that from your canine star. So what about the human cast I hear you say well fortunately they are not to be overshadowed (too much) by George and are led by a stellar performance from Connor Wilson as...

If when you hear the title 'Dogfight' you immediately think of 'The Red Baron' or Spitfires in WWII you might be in for an education when watching the latest production from Obsidian Theatrical Productions. Written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, you might call this their early groundwork before going on to have a hand in such beasts as 'Dear Evan Hansen' and 'The Greatest Showman'. So this 'Dogfight' doesn't refer to air battles over the sea but, instead is a challenge laid down by a group of US Marines to see which one can bring the ugliest girl to a party. Doesn't say much for their respect for the female of the species but, probably highlights the fear they have for the battle ahead and how they will do almost anything to take their mind off impending doom, particularly since we all know what was to play out in the Vietnam War. At the centre of the story are three characters who are all dealing with that fear in different ways, Eddie B...

So this is a little departure for me which normally sees me reviewing a particular musical theatre production, instead this is a show containing a montage of songs from multiple musicals, a good helping of the old classics alongside some more modern pieces. Paul Roberts and Becky Gosling (aka 2's Company) are probably two of the best musical theatre voices I have heard (and I have heard a lot), they complement each other exceptionally which allows them to take on so many songs from across the genre and I am sure we only heard a small percentage of what they can do at the Birchmeadow Centre, Broseley last night. Probably worth a few words about the venue, an intimate little location in rural Shropshire and definitely capable of housing a lot more musical theatre than it appears to, so if you are in the vicinity and looking for a theatre venue with all the facilities but, aren't sure if you can sell a larger venue then I would seriously recommend you give this one a shot. At this...

It isn't always easy to bring a Disney Classic to the stage, particularly as many of the audience will have their own memories of the movie that one has to make some attempt at replicating sympathetically. So the choice of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale 'The Little Mermaid' by Quarry Bank Musical Theatre Society Youth for their first 'post pandemic' production might have been seen as a challenging one. However it is obvious that Zoe Russell (Director/Choreographer), Nick Jeavons (Musical Director) and Niamh Hadley (Assistant Choreographer) are up for a challenge, one they have met face on and without doubt conquered. As mentioned in the programme many of the stars of previous productions (Les Miserables, Sweeney Todd and Phantom of the Opera) have left for pastures new but, this has opened the door for some new talent to shine and shine like stars they definitely do. Heather Hadley's picture perfect Ariel is at the head of an exceptional cast and matches...

Jason Robert Brown is a much under recognised writer of musical theatre (particularly in the UK), sadly you won't have seen many of his pieces achieve an extended run in the West End (although a production of 'The Last 5 Years' did run at the Garrick Theatre last year) but, his teen coming of age musical '13' is increasingly popular with youth theatre groups and it isn't difficult to understand why. Storyline revolves around Evan Goldman, twelve year old with his whole life in front of him, living in New York and a Bar Mitzvah to look forward to but, then his parents split-up and he is forced to move to Appleton, Indiana, start a new school and build a friendship group again. It feels like his world has imploded but, he probably should take comfort in two things: - backwater Indiana has a history, it might feel like 'The Lamest Place in the World' but, remember the Jackson 5 came out of Gary, Indiana. - more importantly there is another musical with dist...

Found myself at The Garrick Theatre in Lichfield for my latest review as I'd been invited to the Final Dress Rehearsal before the run of The Addams Family by Sutton Coldfield Musical Theatre Company, obviously this was a rehearsal so I would ask readers to bear that in mind, although it ran with very few delays (and most of those were last minute tech adjustments). If you were ever to find yourself in Central Park, New York, I wouldn't go looking for the residence of The Addams Family, for starters it's a work of fiction but, equally it's a pretty scary place inhabited by a family that can only be described as misfits who have a distinct liking for the darker side of life or to quote from the dialogue, 'the intoxicating smell of the graveyard'. At the helm we have husband and wife, Gomez and Morticia (played respectively by Mark Skett and Kate Pilling) both creating a confident and melodious portrayal of their characters, one caught in that eternal paradox of tr...

It's probably worth a bit of context on this one as it may not be a musical that is well known to readers although it is a popular school production across the English speaking world and is originally from the stable of Neil Gooding a leading theatre producer/director in Australia. Back to the 80s is fundamentally a story encompassing the Final High School Year for a group of students at the fictitious William Ocean High School and all the joy and angst they experience. It's packed to the brim with Hits from the 1980s and there is testament to the enduring quality of the music from that decade when one takes a step back and realises that there isn't a single member of the KODS Youth Section who were alive to experience that period directly. Narrated throughout by one of the adult performers, Reece Jones as the adult Corey Palmer, we commence the story with the vote for Senior School President, there are three candidates ..... - the teen Corey Palmer (played  confidently by ...

Things are looking decidedly 'pink' at the Norbury Theatre in Droitwich at the moment and there is some distinct legal jargon in the air, you might want to look-up the phrase 'malum prohibitum' or on the other hand you could just ask Miss Elle Woods who despite only a 4.0 average in fashion merchandising and against all the odds has managed to qualify for a course at Harvard Law, this is of course Legally Blonde ! Hot foot from her success as Snow White in pantomime, Molly Hill creates another piece of stunning characterisation as Miss Woods with a crystal clear vocal to match. I'm sure nobody is quite sure why she feels the need to chase ex boyfriend Warner Huntington III (a gloriously self-centred performance from Jake Jones) all the way from Malibu to Massachusetts but, it's amazing what one will do for 'love'. If you are travelling that far you're going to need some support from your friends whether in person or as the obligatory Greek Chorus com...

Like many societies it has been three years since Quarry Bank Musical Theatre Society have managed to bring a production to the stage, you might ask has it been worth the wait ? Well read on as this is a powerhouse production requiring a deep dive into a thesaurus for superlatives, these might be my words but, as the song goes, this is their story. Not often do you get to play a demanding (bordering I imagine on exhausting) lead role that even your closest friends might not recognise as you but, Carl Cook under a weight of costume and make-up brings a performance of epic proportions to the role of everybody's favourite ogre, Shrek, outstanding vocals (not to mention some pretty impressive farting and belching). Every self-respecting ogre needs a sidekick (or maybe even a 'noble steed') and that comes in an energetic and audience pleasing performance from Luey Pearce as Donkey, with a soulful vocal and milking the comedy element for every conceivable drop. Now the ogre has h...

It is probably a sad indictment of the country that equality in its wider sense is still not quite where we would like it to be, despite all the hard work and pain suffered by the women at Ford Dagenham in 1968. However there is nothing sad about this production of Made in Dagenham by Star-Struck Theatre Company but, there is a deep vein of emotion, some powerful musical numbers and a story that I would challenge anybody not to be enthralled by. The root of the story is the fight (and I use the word unreservedly as it is a 'fight' in so many ways) by the women of the Ford Dagenham Plant to achieve equal pay with the men. You might think that should have been a given but, not in 1968 when females were still expected to run the house, bring up the kids, manage the finances and only take on a job as a last resort ! That isn't something that Rita O'Grady (played with passion by Vicky Bull) and her colleagues are happy with, I'm not sure that Rita expects to lead the off...

There is a little piece of the Philadelphia Underworld that has currently taken-up occupancy at the Kinver High School Theatre and the local convent has been dragged into this seedy world after a murder is witnessed and a singer needs to be hidden prior to the trial. Made famous by Whoopi Goldberg in the 1992 Movie, Kinver Light Operatic Society finally manage to bring their much delayed version of Sister Act to the stage and its absolutely worth the wait. Attiye Passey's vivaciously flamboyant performance as Deloris Van Cartier is just the tip of a musical iceberg that smashes its way into a responsive audience, a voice that could blow the roof off any venue and eyes that draw you into the story, suggests perfect casting. Said story is all about the relationships built between Deloris and the rest of the nuns at the convent in which she now finds herself (much initially to her chagrin it must be said) isn't it ? And there is a rich array of characters and voices in this partic...

In a world that is dominated by the 'modern musical', it is always nice to be able to witness one of the classics and they don't come any more loved than The Sound of Music by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein who could probably be defined as the inventors of the musical as we know it. Manor Musical Theatre Company have created a production that adheres to all that we remember and cherish about the story of the Von Trapp Family and the challenges of existing in Nazi occupied Austria during World War II. Pressure of performance for leading characters is nothing new but, there is so much riding on the portrayal of Maria Rainer that it needs an actor of some considerable capability and capacity which is exactly what Paula O'Hare brings to the performance, bags of enthusiasm and a voice of incredible quality. Richard Parry provides an equally formidable performance as Captain Von Trapp, the strong and initially foreboding type who runs his house like his ship (with a wh...

'Everything I touch is turning to gold' is a lyric from the Petula Clark classic 'Colour My World' which has become a bit of an anthem for this musical, the story of three drag queens crossing the Australian Outback in a coach (they christen Priscilla, hence the title). I suspect that the production team from Willenhall Musical Theatre Company, Alf Rai (Director), Lindsey Vickers (Choreographer) and Rob Murray (Musical Director) can now apply that phrase to themselves after an outstanding opening night at the Mill Theatre in Sedgley. Much of the success factor comes from some majestic casting and incredible on-stage presence in every scene, let's be serious for many of the performers it is hard enough to maintain a convincing Australian accent throughout the production without having to stay balanced on high heels for much of the time as well. James Totney opening the show as Miss Understanding also had to overcome a slightly belligerent curtain that for one moment ...

There is something really appealing about a show within a show, it gets to the heart of what performance is all about and opens the curtains on the creation process, warts and all. Pretty Lady isn't a musical that many would be aware of (it isn't 'Pretty Woman' by the way, that's a totally different story) but, there are few that can't be aware of the powerhouse song and dance spectacular that is 42nd Street. Studley Operatic Society have assembled an equally powerful company to bring their production to the stage at The Palace Theatre in Redditch. Let me depart from the norm here and mention some names that probably wouldn't be included in a review, Barbara Camelford, Carole Corden, Val Dallaway, Alison Ellis and Hannah Johnson as Dressers and Elaine Lawrence, Doreen Owen and Jacqueline Perry covering Costumes. There is an insane amount of costume change in this production and without this team it simply wouldn't work as seamlessly as it does. When it c...

In the words of the song 'Friendship' this is just a perfect 'blendship' of a production from The Tab Operatic Society as an interesting combination of saints and sinners board the SS America bound for the UK. Much credit is due to those not out front, direction from Andy Poulton, choreography from Helen Kendrick, stage management from Lisa Bird (I did think the sliding doors revealing the cabins might be your nemesis but, you kept them under amazing control) and the on stage presence of the nattily dressed Nick Jeavons and his Ship's Orchestra making this Cole Porter classic everything it should be. Sinner No.1 (it's not Moonface Martin, he just thinks he's a sinner!) is evangelist turned nightclub singer, Reno Sweeney and I marvel at why the West End Production felt the need to import Sutton Foster from the US, it can only be that Fleur Petford wasn't available to take her stunning triple threat of singing, dancing and acting to The Barbican and the au...

If you somehow managed to stumble into Central Park, New York and find the residence of the spooky Addams Family, your imagination is obviously something special (much to the disappointment of many, they aren't real) but, you don't have to go that far at the moment, just head down to The Rose Theatre in Kidderminster and you'll find them in residence at least for the next few days. I think it was the great W.C.Fields who said 'never act with children or animals' and I fear he was right as Harrison Bianco steals this performance as young Pugsley Addams, a stage presence that forces the whole cast to raise their game. As for animals, well Josh Dibble could be described as 'a bit of an animal' as the exuberant Uncle Fester, not only does he fall in love with the moon but, he's not averse to an ad-lib or two and abounds with energy, much to the joy of a packed house. Bringing some cool, calm, collected assurance to the story (with a glint in his eye and a se...

Suspect this will be one of the very few pantomimes I write about this far into the early months of a calendar year and with all the delays forced on them by Covid-19 it's really amazing to see Norbury Players still packing them in at their home theatre in Droitwich. If you've ever seen the 1937 Disney animated version of this classic tale (it is that long ago!) you might have an image of Snow White in your head and you'll be surprised to see exactly that image on stage, Molly Hill is Snow White in every feasible way, not least of all a crystal clear vocal both spoken and singing in the vein of Adriana Caselotti who took on that challenge in 1937. If you have beauty on one side, you need something distinctly wicked on the other and anybody who wants to have our heroine killed and her heart cut out is iniquitous in the extreme, that being of course Queen Avarice and Melanie Brown greedily laps up all the 'boo's and hisses' that the audience can summon up (I am re...

What is now a regular fundraising event for Mary Stevens Hospice seems to surpass itself every year and attracts not only some of the top local talent but, other well known names from across the UK. Crowned this year by the legend that is Beverley Knight, sadly not in person as her presence is required to star in The Drifter’s Girl in the West End but, in video form as the Magic Mirror. Honesty of course is required from the mirror in this tale and fortunately we get exactly that, much to the disgust of Queen Dragonella, a triumph of nastiness (yet with a far from nasty, melodic singing voice) from Jess Brooks (work out for yourself whether she or a much larger dragon called Brooksy is the more dragon-like). On the other hand our truly beautiful in looks, performance and singing voice, Snow White is a picture of nice no matter what she encounters by Lindsey Vickers. Taking the dame role to the next level is Wally Wombat as Nurse Fanny Annie and the rapport built with Will Phipps (as ou...

Had you been one of the lucky few to see the one and only performance of Frank Wedekind’s play of the same name when it was performed in English, in New York, in 1917, I suspect you may well have been shocked by the gritty realism of the piece. Subjects like teenage sexual enlightenment, domestic parental abuse, homosexuality and abortion were rarely mentioned in those days, in fact were specifically hidden and cast into the abyss of denial. Spring Awakening the musical has added an emotional and thought provoking score to a drama that at times is an awkward watch but, is given stellar treatment by Obsidian Theatrical Productions (I did research the word ‘obsidian’ which is a volcanic rock) and there is much of the volcanic about this performance when one remembers that the power of a volcano is not what erupts but, what is seething below the surface. Robert Bateman as Director/Choreographer (not to mention a thoughtful and determined performance in the part of Melchior Gabor) and his ...