Sondheim's 'Road Show' at The Menier Chocolate Factory

I have never visited the Menier Chocolate Factory Theatre before, but their current European premiere of Stephen Sondheim’s musical ‘Road Show’ was reason enough for me to swallow my pride and buy a pair of extortionately priced tickets... how this tiny independent theatre can justify selling seats, STARTING from £29.50, I do not know; but credit to them, they still frequently manage to sell out. Well, I marched in feeling rather bitter; very few theatre trips are worth £60.

Road Show has been reworked several times by Sondheim and writer John Weidman, and settles now at a ninety-five minute long piece that packs in a hell of a lot of narrative. Based on the real life story of the Mizner brothers, Road Show spans forty years and represents two very different aspects of America. Addison is a hard-working, honest gay man; Wilson is a selfish, cheating womaniser - both are desperate to make money but take very different roads to do so. Despite their contrasting opinions and personalities, the two brothers find themselves regularly reunited. The famous ‘Carpe Diem’ quote seems to linger – the boys are warned by their father, before he dies, that they must seize the day, find their way, and make a decent living to support their mother.

The two brothers, Michael Jibson as Addison and David Bedella as Wilson, both show impressive commitment to their roles and give developed, nuanced portrayals - I found the pair of them thoroughly engaging. It was only afterwards that I realised I had seen David Bedella playing the extravagant role of Frank’N’Furter in the Rocky Horror show a year before, and was amazed by the transformation seen here. Phil Wrigley is sweet as the doe-eyed posh boy Horris Bessemer, befriended by Addison as his patron. Though I thought Gillian Bevan was a little weak as Mama Mizner: she has a quiet singing voice that couldn’t carry even in this small theatre and was disappointingly lacklustre throughout.

The music is characteristically Sondheim-esque, which you either love or hate. I enjoyed the rhythmic riffs and jazz progressions, but did find the music a tad repetitive. Towards the end however, there are a few tender moments between Addy and his lover as they sing ‘The Best Thing That Has Ever Happened,’ a gorgeously melodic song. I was delighted to be sitting right next to the enthusiastic band who gave a hearty and secure rendition of this tricky Sondheim score.

Director John Doyle makes the production surprisingly evocative with clever use of the transverse stage and quirky props, including handfuls of hundred dollar notes that are scattered over the stage and audience during the show.

Road Show continues until 17 September, book here.

Company at The Southwark Playhouse

Endless wrong turnings meant the two minute walk from London Bridge station to the Southwark Playhouse took an agonising forty-five, resulting finally in a rather desperate taxi trip. I have never been to the theatre before and was confused by a strange (and infuriating) trail of signs directing us, quite literally, in the opposite direction. Note to all S.P. first timers: turn RIGHT out of London Bridge Station, not left and your journey should be quick painless.

When we eventually arrived at the Playhouse I was delighted by the building's stature and general appearance, impressively established-looking for a fringe theatre. The interior is rather dark and damp, much like a warehouse, though oddly comfortable with stools and sofas, and an accessible bar selling drinks and snacks. We made our way to the theatre space quickly, with unreserved seating you have to get in there fast!

Company is one of Stephen Sondheim’s more familiar musicals; with memorable melodies and repetitive choruses, it is easy to enjoy. The songs are catchy and fun and have become popular as audition pieces, unsurprisingly considering how the different solo numbers evoke individual character’s personalities. This production has a little band accompanying; I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t see them anywhere, perhaps they are tucked away due to lack of space. A charismatic Oli Jackson (I could just see him on the screen) leads the group of musicians in a tight and together performance - thanks to effective amplification one can hear the music sharp and loud and it energises the whole show.

I was engrossed by the singers thrilling approach to the first chorus. Their concentration and power makes the music immediately gripping, and made me want to sit up and listen. Paul Wills’ staging is simple and flexible, easily transforming into the necessary New York backdrops. For me it was a little bare though, a few extra props or motifs could have represented the couples and given the actors more to play with on stage.

Bobby is a 35 year old single guy left stranded amongst his coupled up friends. The musical is a study in marriage and relationships as Bobby struggles to figure out what it all means. We are introduced to the different couples, each with their own ‘kind’ of love. The advantages and disadvantages of their lifestyles are contrasted with Bobby’s life of parties and freedom. The action revolves around Bobby’s 35^thbirthday celebrations.

A dashing Rupert Young plays the enigma that is Bobby. He sports a dishevelled look, and is definitely more of an actor than a singer. His life seems to be a mad whirlwind of alcohol, drugs and women, which are all he seems interested in. That’s okay, but this 21^st century spin on Sondheim makes him seem a little out of place next to his set of ordinary middle-aged friends. I noticed early on that I recognised Young and after much brain racking I realised I had in fact been directed by him ten years back in W11 Children’s Opera.

Bobby’s single girlfriends are great, full of girly angst. Katie Brayben, the air hostess has brilliant comic timing in her main scene with Bobby. And Michelle Bishop heroically conquers the complex song ‘Another Hundred People’ without slipping.

Of the couples, there are some performers that stand out more than others. Siobhan McCarthy storms the stage as the sour and sultry older woman, Joanne... she gets the best song ‘Ladies who lunch’ which she screams at us with venom and vigour. But my favourite role is Amy – the manic girl who gets cold feet on her wedding day. A highly accomplished singer, who has come from a part in West End hit Avenue Q, she delivers the hysterically fast ‘Not Getting Married Today’ with precision and strength, it is a marvel. Her husband to be, Greg Castiglioni as Paul is a quiet role, but has a stunning voice when he gets his chance to sing: lyrical and strong with a rich tone.

A fresh if slightly odd interpretation of a Sondheim hit, vocally this production is a real winner. I thoroughly enjoyed it despite its shortcomings.

Company continues until 12 March 2011, book tickets here.

Sondheim's Into the Woods at Regents Park Open Air Theatre

This year marks Stephen Sondheim’s 80^th Birthday. Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre are celebrating with their tremendous production of a Sondheim favourite, Into the Woods. I have seen this musical once before at St Paul’s Girls School and was impressed with it then, so was excited to see it again.

Into the Woods, with music and lyrics by Sondheim is based on a book by James Lapine. The story intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales and follows them further to explore the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. The main characters are taken from the stories of Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, and Cinderella, tied together by a more original story involving a baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family, most likely taken from the original story of Rapunzel. It also includes references to several other well-known tales. The first half introduces us to all the characters and we accompany them as they explore the woods. The second half feels like a completely different show, half the characters are killed off or transformed, and the general atmosphere is much more sinister. Various moral themes emerge, for example the importance of love over material things and the repercussions of unpleasant greed.

The cast is brilliant, and big, so I will only mention my favourites. Little Red Riding Hood comes top of my list: a delightful smiling girl played by Beverly Rudd she acts and sings charmingly. Ben Stott as Jack is also memorable. The two strutting self-absorbed princes (Simon Thomas and Michael Xavier) provide some comic entertainment with their hilarious duet, ‘Agony’. Not all the vocals are great though and I noticed some faltering particularly from the Baker, but on the whole this cast tackles the tricky Sondheim score well. A special mention also to the adorable cow, Milky White, scarily lifelike, despite only being a puppet, it reminded me of War Horse.

An outdoor theatre is, of course, the ideal setting for a musical about the woods. The large wooden structure is set up beautifully and used so creatively throughout the show. Hidden away around every corner are clever little gadgets, and swings, and even wires to lift the characters high into the sky. The creative team have thought of everything, and the multi-levelled platforms continue to surprise right until the end. The orchestra too, lurk behind the woody backdrop producing the most enchanting music to accompany the drama.

I love this production, but much prefer the first half to the second. The show starts at 8 pm and so by 9.30, when the interval comes, I was pretty exhausted. Also, be warned the seats are quite uncomfortable and it gets bloody freezing towards the end of the night, I luckily came prepared with my lovely checked Brora blanket to snuggle under. Visually absolutely stunning, musically brilliant, Into the Woods is always a great show to see, but Regents Park gives it a little bit extra that for me makes it a breathtakingly magical production to see.