I have so far this year seen a total of twenty-nine shows in the theatre, mainly in the West End. As I have taken a couple of weeks annual leave, I am enjoying a mid-year break from my trips to the theatre. Full reviews for some of these may follow, but this is my current summary of the shows that I have enjoyed, and not enjoyed so much.
A Clear Winner
This year, one show has clearly stood out among those I have loved. I first experienced it last year in a smaller, more intimate theatre, and if it weren’t for Sunset Boulevard making an appearance, it would have undoubtedly been the theatre event of the year. Now, in a limited engagement at Wyndham’s Theatre until 21st September, is the extraordinary Next to Normal. I would even go so far as to say that it surpasses its original run, which is remarkable. This is not something to be missed, so if you are considering it, I strongly recommend booking immediately.
The cast is exceptional, particularly the four members of the Goodman family. Caissie Levy, in the lead role of Diana, is flawless, delivering outstanding vocals and a pitch-perfect performance. Eleanor Worthington-Cox as Natalie is sublime, with acting and singing that are both first-class. It is nothing short of a travesty that Jamie Parker was overlooked for an Olivier Award nomination; his portrayal as the long-suffering husband is show-stopping, and the delivery powerfully conveys the exhaustion of living with his wife’s condition day after day. Finally, Jack Wolfe as Gabe is my standout performer; his nuanced portrayal, navigating through different moods and twists, draws you into his story arc, making every emotion felt and portrayed utterly believable.
Next to Normal is at Wyndham’s Theatre on Charing Cross Road until 21st September 2024. A full review will follow in due course.
A Crushing Disappointment
My greatest disappointment this year, though perhaps not the worst production I have seen, was the staged concert of Bare at the London Palladium in April. This coming-of-age LGBTQ+ story, set in a Catholic boarding school and exploring the struggles of Jason and Peter in their relationship, has long been a favourite soundtrack of mine However, this production was marred by sound and technical issues, and given the ticket price, it simply did not meet expectations. It was evident that there hadn’t been sufficient technical rehearsal time, and my view from the rear stalls, for which I paid a hard-earned eighty pounds, required binoculars to hear anything at all..
The sound issues, in particular, ruined any enjoyment of the show, with the start and end of songs frequently cut off, and I could not decipher a single word Cassidy Janson sang. None of this was the fault of the performers, of course, and there were some bright spots, such as discovering Laurie Kynaston, who was solid in the role of Peter, and Claudia Kariuki as Sister Chantelle. Unfortunately, Jordan Luke Gage was entirely miscast as Jason, presumably to attract his fanbase to the production. The result was that I felt absolutely no emotion during the final scenes, which should have been heart-wrenching.
There was widespread dissatisfaction among the audience, with complaints abounding between the theatre and Oxford Circus station, and I, for one, will not be spending another penny of my hard-earned money on a Lambert Jackson production. Cutting corners may save costs, but audiences will ultimately vote with their feet.
Overrated Expectations
I had been waiting an exceptionally long time to secure affordable tickets for Moulin Rouge at a convenient time. Imagine my delight when, in January, I finally won discounted seats through the former lottery—now a process that requires logging in on a Friday and joining a queue when one should be working. However, I found the show to be vastly overrated, and I’m immensely relieved that I didn’t pay full price (as this production boasts some of the most expensive tickets in the West End). By the second act, I found myself impatiently willing the story to end, just to escape the experience.
Earlier this year, I also attended The Play That Goes Wrong. While it may have been more entertaining when it first debuted in London, I felt it fell short, especially given the expectations set by the televised version that used to air on the BBC. It’s very much a case of “once you’ve seen the jokes, that’s enough.” I also finally saw 2:22 in its latest West End iteration, and I must admit I was disappointed. The twist was predictable, and the pacing dragged to the point of tedium.
Speaking of tedium, I also saw Slave Play at the Noël Coward Theatre. Much of the buzz surrounding the production centered on Kit Harington’s brief nude scene and the pre-show instruction to place a sticker over your phone lens. This precaution seemed unnecessary, as the lighting was so dim during the scene that it was difficult to see much at all—if you were still awake after enduring the show’s endlessly dull middle act. That act made it quite clear why there was no interval; I doubt many would have returned.
Sometimes You Need to See Things Twice
I attended Kathy and Stella Solve A Murder shortly after its previews, sitting in the Circle seats at the Ambassadors Theatre—a venue I had not visited before. The theatre’s layout was peculiar, and the seats were, without question, the most uncomfortable I have ever experienced. This made for an unfortunate start, with my knees pressed against the seat in front and feeling as though I was packed like a sardine next to my neighbour. To add to the discomfort, the woman in the row ahead sat sideways, not watching the stage, and appeared to be writing a list—perhaps of possible escape routes. The poor acoustics compounded the experience, as I couldn’t understand a word that was sung. I thought the show was dreadful, and it was the easiest one-star review I had ever given.
However, determined to give it a fair chance, I decided to attend a captioned performance a few weeks later to see if I could better understand the lyrics and jokes. Unfortunately, upon arriving (this time in the stalls), I was dismayed to find that the captions were not visible from my seat. A note to ATG: those in the less expensive seats with hearing difficulties would appreciate being able to see the captions too! Fortunately, they weren’t necessary, as I understood nearly everything this time, except for one character portrayed by an actress with very poor diction. Eventually, I realised that my initial judgement was mistaken; the show was quite funny and enjoyable, especially with the much more comfortable seating in the stalls. Although I still struggled to understand Felicia Taylor’s performance, I was happy to upgrade my review, and if time permits, I would gladly see it once more before it closes.
Kathy and Stella Solve A Murder plays at the Ambassadors Theatre until 14th September 2024.
Other Gems
An absolute musical gem, Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York), will close at the end of August. This two-hander romantic comedy (reminiscent of Love Actually) stars Dujonna Gift and Sam Tutty in the leading roles. I believe Sam is even better suited to the role of Dougal than he was to Evan in Dear Evan Hansen, which is saying something. The only downside to the experience was the pre-show sound, which I found grating. I thought nothing could be worse than Back to the Future or Dear Evan Hansen in this regard, but I was mistaken. My only disappointment with the show was the lack of clear understudy announcements; I would have loved to see Ellis Kirk as Dougal—he was my favourite Evan in the aforementioned show—but with just an hour or two’s notice, I missed the opportunity. Fortunately, I will soon have the chance to see him as the alternate Marty McFly in Back to the Future.
I also saw The Motive and the Cue at the Noël Coward Theatre this spring, where Mark Gatiss delivered a wonderful performance as Sir John Gielgud. The story was both fascinating and engaging, and although it lost out to Dear England for Best Play at the Olivier Awards, it was a strong contender, with Mark Gatiss deservedly winning Best Actor. My only critique was that Johnny Flynn’s accent as Richard Burton sounded more like a deep Southern American drawl, making it difficult to understand any of his dialogue.
Additionally, I saw People, Places & Things and For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy, both of which were outstanding pieces of theatre that truly drew you in. It was also heartening to see a more diverse audience at the Garrick Theatre for the latter show. My only gripe was the excessively loud music played before the show and during the interval; it was deafening. On a whim, I also attended a preview performance of the musical adaptation of the manga/anime Your Lie in April, which I found quite enjoyable. I would have liked to see it again, but unfortunately, due to poor ticket sales, the show closed prematurely, cutting short its planned run.
Everything Else in Summary
I must give honourable mentions to a few other shows I’ve seen this year. I hadn’t attended Showstopper! The Improvised Musical for quite some time, but the performance at the Cambridge Theatre just before the summer break was the best I’ve ever experienced. I can’t get the line “I’m not giving you my f**king coat” out of my head. The premise of the show is that the performers improvise a musical based on themes and song styles suggested by the audience at the start of the performance. In this case we enjoyed a tale about Freshers Week entitled “New Balls Please” (Wimbledon was an alternative suggestion). The talent of these performers is truly remarkable.
On paper, Fawlty Towers at the Apollo Theatre seems like a risky endeavour. How could something so classic and iconic translate to the stage? Yet, it does. Adam Jackson-Smith embodies the role of Basil Fawlty seamlessly, and the two hours, including the interval, fly by as the show skilfully weaves together three classic episodes into one coherent narrative. This is definitely a production to recommend, and I can see it enjoying a long run.
Earlier this year, I saw Police Cops at the Southwark Playhouse Elephant. While it was undoubtedly clever and very funny, I found it hard to fully enjoy the brilliance on stage because I spent most of the show anxious about the possibility of being dragged onto the stage. I’m not sure why audience participation has become such a trend in recent years. I’ve avoided Heathers for fear of being “Steved,” would not return to Police Cops, skipped Babies after hearing about audience interaction, and have steered clear of Choir of Man, which is notorious for pulling audience members onto the stage. For some of us with severe anxiety, this trend is a deterrent, and it’s disappointing that producers seem indifferent to this concern. After all, that’s ticket revenue lost.
Complete Ranking
Next to Normal; Operation Mincemeat; The Motive and the Cue; Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York); People Places and Things; For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide…; Standing at the Skys Edge
Showstoppper!; Fawlty Towers; The Little Big Things; Your Lie in April; The Mousetrap; Just for One Day;
Kathy and Stella; A View from the Bridge; The Time Travelers Wife; Rhod GIlbert and the Giant Grapefruit; Back to the Future; Police Cops; Bare; Red Pitch; The Unfriend; Cruel Intentions; The Play That Goes Wrong
Sister Act, 2:22, Slave Play
Moulin Rouge, Opening Night
