Three Days in May, Trafalgar Studios

Three Days in May is a history lesson, Winston Churchill and his war cabinet argue about the difficult situation between the British and the Nazis in May 1940. If I'm honest I didn't know much about these crucial three days in our country's history, and I left the Trafalgar Studios feeling much more educated but slightly ashamed of my pathetic historical knowledge.

Phenomenal casting brings this play to life, the obvious star of the show is Warren Clarke as Winston Churchill, who lives and breathes as the great leader. He is so convincing it could be mistaken for an impersonation... apart from looking almost identical, his croaking voice and gestures feel perfectly judged. The rest of the cabinet are suitably austere and the ensemble acting is on pointe throughout. The only actor I found a tad irritating was James Alper as Jock Colville, Churchill's young assistant. Alper is a narrator-like character and is rather pompous and patronising, over-annunciating every word and lecturing the audience.

The set by Gary McCann is bland and as a plain backdrop doesn't help the actors much. Though the acting was impressive, this is not a particularly thrilling topic for a play and at times I felt bored, luckily the Trafalgar Studios sells particularly yummy mint choc chip ice-cream which revitalised me in the interval and I enjoyed the second half more.

Three Days in May continues until 3 March 2012, book here.

End of the Rainbow

Tracie Bennett deserves every one of the five stars she has been receiving for her rendition of Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow, however the play does not. This bio-play relives the final sad days of Garland’s life when she struggled through a five week season at the Talk of the Town in London. The storyline is flimsy with no explanation of how Garland got to this disastrous stage in her life, and no mention of the dreadful ordeal child stars of her era went through. In fact the play consists mostly of ferocious arguments and is, as a result, rather grim to watch.

I have never been to the Trafalgar Studios before; it is a one tiered theatre, that for the audience is a bit like looking in on a shoebox. The stage is nicely decorated as Garland’s London hotel room, although with no set changes throughout, it looks stale by the end. The band are cleverly located behind the back wall of the stage, and are revealed for musical numbers.

Bennett truly is a tour de force, belting out Judy’s most famous songs with power and yet a unique vulnerability, that makes you want to listen. She manages to conquer even the trickiest of Garland’s songs: ‘The Trolley Man’ and ‘The Man That Got Away’, with real power and emotional intensity that must be hard to sustain on stage for two hours. Occasionally Quilter’s play allows for a little humour, and Bennett masters this too, most memorably when she realises she has swallowed drugs intended for a Cocker-Spaniel and starts to do hilarious canine impressions.

Starring alongside the diva are her fifth husband-to-be, Mickey Deans (Stephen Hagan) and her sympathetic gay pianist, Anthony (Hilton McRae). McRae is faultless, and is a pleasure to watch with Bennett, he also proves to be a very accomplished pianist, playing alongside her live on stage. I felt sorry for Hagan whose role in the play is not particularly meaty, but he does what he can with the part.

End of the Rainbow continues at The Trafalgar Studios until 5 March 2011. Book here.