LONDON TRIP REVIEWS

July 98

Well, having recovered from my annual pilgrimage to the capital, I foolishly set about jotting down some thoughts for your benefit, and quickly realised just how substantial my visit was. Fourteen shows in twelve days flew by and brought in a good smattering of the best of the shows running in London (and possibly the worst as well). So here it goes:

Closer
At turns funny, moving and insightful, it's easy to see why this play has won the accolades it has. The quartet of actors (Frances Barber, Lloyd Owen, Neil Pearson and Lisa Walker) are all superb, and the script and direction are taught. Gripping drama except for only the occasionally slack moment, it contains some wonderfully comic, dramatic and poignant moments, handled (in all but one or two cases) very deftly and believably. An excellent evening's entertainment.

Kat and the Kings
Initially sceptical about this, I was persuaded by glowing reviews on the London Theatre Guide website to catch this musical. I'm glad I did. The songs are new, but so '50s in style as to seem, well, authentic. Excellent performances from every member of the cast (though I'm not sure why Mandisa Bardill [Lucy Dixon] has an English accent when all the others sound South African) boost the superb music and energetic routines to perfection. This is a really enjoyable foot-tapper of a show - believe the praise and go see it before it closes.

Rent
Hugely popular in the US, this show is probably as famous as it is because its creator, Jonathan Larson, died on the eve of its birth. It appears to be for a largely uncatered-for group of twenty and thirty-somethings, being filled with tuneful rock anthems and doing its level best to be hip in an American 'Friends' sort of way. I enjoyed it, I must say (I fall into the aforementioned age-ranges), but I can also see why some find it sentimental, monotonous and/or bland. Despite the emotive nature of the subject matter (largely concerning AIDS), it repeatedly fails to engage and there is very little grit or complexity to the book or score, with the tone and the tempo being fairly consistent from start to finish. Truly emotional moments are few and far between, and only the death of Angel (played magnificently by Wilson Jermaine Heredia) really tugs at the heartstrings. To counter this, though, the show is well performed, and all of the roles are well cast, with good strong voices on all of the key players. It is good, no question, but whether it is good enough to survive outside the US, only time will tell.

Les Miserables
The lady sitting next to me in the front row of the dress circle had seen this show some 65 times, and had booked to see it once every fortnight up to Christmas. While such loyalty is rare, it is a testament to the quality and endurance of a show the critics originally panned. Sadly, the current cast doesn't match that of previous years' in either voice or acting (Graham Mackay-Bruce's [Marius] voice, in particular, didn't do justice to "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables") and this, combined with the directoral changes made since last year, makes Les Miserables a less fulfilling experience than usual. Perhaps the changes set for this autumn will rectify this - I hope so. This is too good a show to be spoilt by such minor and transitory flaws, though, and remains a centrepiece for the west-end.

Miss Saigon
The Theatre Royal seems to have cleared up the one criticism I previously had of this show, namely, its sound. In previous years, I have found a certain muddiness to the sound which has taken the gloss off the otherwise excellent performances - but not so on this occasion, so congratulations are in order. Sound still caused problems, however, as poor Cezarah Campos (playing Kim) twice - once in each half - had to contend with microphone failures. She bravely battled through both, but while the first led to an excellent version of "I Still Believe" (for which she justly received extra applause), the second coincided with "The Confrontation" - a more dramatic and powerful scene - and she was sadly drowned out. Despite these problems, however, Miss Saigon remains as powerful as ever, and although some cast members are not as good as previous years' (Richard Lloyd King [John] for example), the overall picture remains rosy.

Starlight Express
I have previously avoided Starlight Express on the misconception (as it turns out) that I wouldn't like it. Where I was right to avoid Cats until last year (sorry, can someone explain why that has run so long?) I was equally wrong to avoid this. It is simply electric, and is a show I would (and will) advocate to all those wanting to have the word ENTERTAINMENT emblazoned before them for just over two hours. I think this is perhaps best suited to slightly older children, as the 'story' could be tricky for the young to follow, and the races can be disorientating to watch as the cast whizzes around the auditorium. This notwithstanding, the vibrant Lloyd Webber score is energetically performed and though the performers' quality is variable (Rusty [Neil Couperthwaite] is average, but Poppa [Trevor Michael Georges] is excellent), any deficiencies are made largely unimportant by the quality of the show overall.

Sweet Charity
Turn the clock back twelve months and the Victoria Palace was showing a musical going by the name of 'Always'. The name proved inaccurate, and a short run proved shorter still. The show was not completely appalling, and though slaughtered by the critics, most people who actually saw it found it quite pleasant, if bland. The staff at the theatre must be experiencing a weird sense of deja-vu at the moment, as Sweet Charity repeatedly plays to the same nearly-empty auditoriums that Always did last year. Again, it's not all that bad, indeed, some may find it to be quite good - but in a climate where there are (arguably) too many musicals on in the more central West-End (the Victoria Palace is stuck out by Victoria Station) it is too far below the standard to survive. Bonnie Langford does her best (bless her) to fill the shoes of the tragic heroine Charity Hope Valentine, without ever quite convincing, and Cornell John (playing Oscar) gives a suitably neurotic performance as her hope for happiness. The rest of the cast are, however, largely below average (for example, Joanne Murdock and Jane Fowler, who play Nicky and Helene, Charity's friends, have sharp voices which grate somewhat - especially during "Baby Dream Your Dream") and the dance sequences are rather stilted. Overall, this is capable (just) but very unexceptional.

Showboat
It is always a joy to go to see any show at the Prince Edward Theatre - it is arguably the most comfortable and pleasant venue in the West-End. Although this cannot save shows (Martin Guerre, for example), it does make an important difference to some patrons' frame of mind. No such influence is necessary, however, where the show is of the quality of Showboat. This isn't the best show on in London, but it is very close. It loses out to those 'must see' shows in one important respect. Whilst being exceptionally pleasant, it is ultimately uninvolving and, crucially, it doesn't leave you with the desire to see it again. One visit is quite satisfactory, or 'nice', but another, and the niggles would become flaws (like the repeated use of "Old Man River" - even though Michel Bell does sing it exceptionally well), the sweetness would become sugary - and the magic would fade. This is not to say that it is bad, or in any way sub-standard, it isn't, it's very good - but it's no more than that.

Things We Do For Love
A few months ago, I read the first half of this Alan Aykbourne play in COVER magazine, and it impressed me sufficiently (especially as I am not an Aykbourne 'fan') to book a seat. What a disappointment. Despite good reviews, I found it to be largely insubstantial, and decidedly average in both performance and content, although it was at least (I suppose), inoffensive. The ending in particular, I felt, was unsatisfactory and consequently, poor (it just stops). Jane Asher similarly failed to impress. I had been led to believe that her performance was of the highest quality, but I found it very disappointing (she delivered most of her lines directly to the audience in the first half), and the hostility between her character (Barbara) and Hamish (Stephen Pacey) was largely unbelievable (the fight scene between them was especially dire). Serena Evans, however, played the daffy Nikki well, and the obsessed postman (Gilbert) was also well played by Barry McCarthy. Maybe I was missing something - but this was little better than mediocre.

The Iceman Cometh
There is one overriding factor that lifts this play to the "must-see" level, and I must admit now that this made it a must-see for me too. That factor is Kevin Spacey. Widely acknowledged as one of the best actors of the film world, he gives a simply mesmeric performance - and one which is matched by the rest of the cast, especially Tim Piggot-Smith. To pick out names from the remainder of a uniformly excellent cast would be unfair, so I shall refrain. Suffice it to say drama is rarely demonstrated with such electricity. This is four hours and ten minutes of attention-grabbing, gripping, edge-of- the-seat stuff. At one point on the evening I saw the best play of the year so far, the irritating trill of a mobile phone (despite the house's best efforts to make sure they were all switched off) squeaked from the stalls, interrupting Kevin Spacey's flow. He stopped, and before returning to the script (without missing a beat, by the way), shot an icy stare at the perpetrator and growled "Tell them we're busy" (a sentiment with which the subsequently applauding audience obviously agreed). Please, if you have a phone (or a pager) - either don't take it with you or SWITCH IT OFF.

Doctor Dolittle
I almost didn't go to see this, but decided to give it a try, and I'm glad I did. It is truly superb, not only for the much vaunted creations of Jim Henson's Creature Shop, but for the cast (who clearly enjoy themselves throughout), the bright, fantastic sets and the tuneful, happy music. The tone of the show is also right - as the programme notes say - it never speaks down to children, it never gives (as, for example, Disney's Beauty and the Beast frequently does) the impression of someone putting on "a special voice". Ultimately it is its innocence that, for me at least, makes it the best show in London for children (not only a great deal of fun, but a message about treating animals well - what more can a parent/guardian ask for?), and indeed, for the child in all of us. For me, it was the best musical show of the trip this year. If you can get to see this, make the effort to go out to Hammersmith - you won't regret it.

The Phantom of the Opera
I was well prepared, having seen Glyn Kerslake in Les Miserables, to be disappointed on this visit to see what I have previously argued to be the best of the London long-runners. This is not to say I dislike Glyn, or his voice, just that I felt that he/it may not fit the Phantom. Thankfully, I was wrong. A truly excellent performance by him, well worthy of the mask, hat and cape. I was, however, less impressed by Shona Lindsay (Christine), whose voice seemed too weak to do justice to the role, and also by the changes in direction of the show since my last visit two years ago. The ending, in particular, which to me had always seemed wondrously delicate, was dealt with by rougher hands - and this marred (albeit slightly) what was a typically fine performance.

Whistle Down The Wind
After the very mixed reviews following its opening, I had braced myself to hate this, and whilst I can see why people do hate it, I don't think it's all that bad - though it isn't as clearly brilliant as shows like Phantom or Jesus Christ Superstar. The criticism of the music is largely unfounded - I found it mostly affecting and memorable (especially the title number) - but the script is messy, and the show never seems to settle on what it's about. Race is used only sporadically, and religion and the girl's sexual 'awakening' are threaded through without ever seeming too important. The show also feels out of sync throughout and the flow of the evening is rather like walking across a rocky beach, jumping from one scene to another with no real or consistent direction. Decidedly average (below average for the maestro) I doubt whether this will last (without reworking) as long as others from the Lloyd Webber stable.

Oklahoma!
Universally excellent performances from the cast (in singing, dancing, acting - whatever you care to mention) and a simple, effective set (beautifully evoking the wide-open spaces as well as the more confined, intimate moments between the characters) display this well-loved show at its very best. This is a heartswellingly beautiful production by the RNT, and one that I suspect will sell out its limited run (to October) rather quickly. Be fleet of foot - and don't miss it. So that's it for another year - some excellent shows seen (Starlight, Doctor Dolittle, Oklahoma!) and some not so good ones (Things We Do, Sweet Charity), but overall the standard of previous years being maintained beautifully - the West-End is alive and well...

END

(July 1998 / David Heppell / david.heppell@eidosnet.co.uk