The Wizard of Oz at The London Palladium

I was finally off to see the Wizard, the new production of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ at The Palladium. ‘Wicked’ has been dominating the London stage for long enough, it’s about time the original story marked its territory. I was unsure before arriving what to expect, I had read mixed reviews and with the stigma of Lloyd Webber, I was prepared for disappointment.

Having auditioned for Dorothy on the TV programme myself I was very eager to see the winning girl, Danielle Hope, in what is her professional West End debut. Even though she has just completed a three month intensive musical theatre course, no amount of training can adequately prepare a young girl for performing with a live dog, and this she does with ease and charm; she seems completely unfazed. She avoids the gushy sentimentality that comes with a part like Dorothy - she has a strong voice with just the right amount of vulnerability and an expression of hope in her eyes. I couldn’t fault her. This production also welcomes Michael Crawford back to the stage. Known best as the ‘original Phantom’ he is at home in this Lloyd Webber extravaganza.

No expense is spared with spectacular special effects at every turn. I was overwhelmed by the sparkling revolving set, the glorious costumes and the convincing cyclone film as the dear little Kansas cottage gets swept into oblivion. Each manoeuvre is executed to perfection, including incredible stunts hovering over the audience. Set and Costume designer Robert Jones is inspired with his crafty ideas and imaginative visions.

Along with the familiar classics, three new songs have been added in to fill out the show. Lloyd Webber and Rice have composed these additions and they are surprisingly acceptable, I assumed they would stick out like a sore thumb. The new numbers remind me of Wicked, unlike the original Harold Arlen songs in the Wizard of Oz, these have less repetition and move away from the innocent quality of the show. Hannah Waddingham is brilliant as the pointy nosed cruel witch, and even has her own song and dance, in which she does a bizarre Cheryl Cole like routine. Dorothy’s three loyal friends are well cast too, Paul Keating as the dippy scarecrow, Edward Baker-Duly playing a fantastic tap dancing tin man and David Ganly as the overtly camp lion.

It’s a real shame that the advertising for the return of this popular show is so kitsch. I was misled by the gaudy posters, and I’m sure many more will be put off from seeing the show altogether. Those that do chance it and go along will be glad they did; even those determined anti-Lloyd Webberites cannot deny this is an all round brilliant production.

Booking until 17 September 2011, book here.

Waving goodbye to Oliver!

A few nights ago I went to see Oliver! It has been on my ‘to see’ list ever since the Andrew Lloyd Webber programme went in search of the perfect Nancy. Oliver closes on 8^thJanuary 2011 after a fantastic two year run, and tickets are selling out fast. I didn’t realise the scale of this show before I went – the theatre is massive and very grand and the stage constantly changes, with ever more fabulous backdrops for each successive scene. But by far the most epic aspect of this musical is the huge cast, predominantly made up of very talented young children.

The show currently stars entertainer Russ Abbot as the loveable rogue Fagin (although I saw understudy Tim Laurenti in the role) and Kerry Ellis as Nancy. Laurenti is a devilish Fagin, he makes the character suitably sinister but still manages to be utterly comical; thanks also to the clever script. Ellis is clearly very capable, as is evident from her impressive resume, but for me she didn’t sparkle as much as I hoped she would, a shame considering how superb the rest of the cast are.

Gwion Wyn Jones (Oliver) and Ben Wilson (Artful Dodger) are the real stars of the night. I can’t believe how capable and confident they are on stage, singing, dancing and acting with startling maturity and swagger. I love the sequence right at the start of the show when all the kids come on stage to sing ‘Food Glorious Food.’ They are fantastically choreographed by Matthew Bourne who must have rehearsed them half to death to achieve this standard. I couldn’t help coo-ing, but also felt a twinge of jealousy and wanted to be up there myself joining in. How such young kids remember two hours worth of material and pull it off so convincingly is beyond me.

I am so glad I made an effort to see this before it disappears from the West End. Oliver! is an example of showbiz at its very best.

Book tickets here.

WICKED the Musical

I have heard so many great things about Wicked. Named by the Independent on Sunday in 2008 as ‘the West End’s most successful new musical’. It seems this production can do no wrong; in fact I still can’t believe it took me this long to see it. I have sung various songs from the show, ‘One Short Day’ in particular brings back wonderful memories of the BACK TO BROADWAY show we did annually at University. And I am still in no doubt that Stephen Schwartz’s music is by far the best thing about this production. With driving melodies, addictive rhythms and hummable harmonies, there is nothing not to like.

From the outside the Apollo Victoria Theatre is hostile and industrial looking, strange compared to Billy Elliot’s lively facade (the other big theatre in this area). The art deco cum gothic interior however quite suits the witchy tale of Wicked. My clever date managed to buy brilliant tickets relatively cheaply: £30 for Stalls is a good deal. Here is a tip – always phone up the theatre to get the best deals... I often ask for front row Stalls, restricted view, as I know these are a fraction of the price but thrillingly close to the action.

Wicked is based on Gregory Maguire’s acclaimed 1995 novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, re-imagining the land of Oz, and creating a parallel universe to the familiar story written by L. Frank Baum and first published as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900. It is a story of an outsider, and of difference, and most importantly it offers an explanation to some of Baum’s unanswered questions from his fairytale book.

The set glows in green splendour, and the large dragon at the top of the stage certainly sparked excitement among the audience. The chorus and monkeys (!) flood onto the stage and the whole theatre comes alive. We meet Glinda (Louise Dearman) and Elphaba (Rachel Tucker) the two students desperate to study Sorcery; it seems Elphaba has a bit more natural talent. They couldn’t be more different, in looks and personality, and they instantly loathe each other. An unlikely turn of events brings them closer together and eventually to be the best of friends. I have to say I found the character of Glinda a little annoying but that is the part rather than the actress so can’t blame Dearman. Rachel Tucker was fun to watch as the green Elephaba, and I was amused to find out that she has previously played the role of Dorothy in a production of The Wizard of Oz in Belfast. I found her performance got better as the night went on, initially her voice was a little weak.

The current celeb in Wicked is the angelic looking Lee Mead, winner of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph TV programme. He seems to have made his way through most of the leading West End musicals, so it’s no surprise to find him now in Wicked. He is sweet as the fairytale prince, and definitely looks the part with his dark curly locks. I enjoyed the performance too from Clive Carter as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, he is a brilliant actor who I have previously seen as Bob in Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

I expected more from the performers in Wicked, but I can’t fault the show itself. I love all the clever connections with The Wizard of Oz, the way it explains everything, from the flying houses to the shortcomings of the Scarecrow, Tin man and Lion. This is a unique fairytale with a twist, and while you are sprinkled with bubbles, confetti and lights, the underlying message too is worth hearing.

Book tickets here.

The Phantom of the Opera and Love Never Dies - Does the sequel succeed?

Phantom of the Opera premiered in London on 9 October 1986, and is now one of the world’s favourite musicals. The creators Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh originally conceived the idea as a tongue-in-cheek farce, and so the overwhelming success was quite unexpected. Nearly 35 years on and Lloyd Webber introduces us to ‘Love Never Dies’ the sequel production to Phantom. Earlier this week I went to see both shows on consecutive nights to see if they warrant all the hype and to decide if Love Never Dies lives up to the legend that is Phantom of the Opera.

As a music and drama graduate I will be honest that I am cynical about Lloyd Webber’s music, but none can deny the accessibility of this composer’s work bringing the musical to the masses. Phantom impressed me and definitely exceeded my expectations - a talented cast, grand set and costumes and exciting technical stunts make it visually magical. Phantom has many operatic qualities, including an orchestral power, a sense of luxury and a true classical style of singing from some of the lead roles. The huge success of the show is due to the hit songs that thread through the action. I recognised the numbers: ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ and ‘Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again’, and this made me feel instantly involved in the narrative.

Love Never Dies is an epic show. The story is mostly coherent; the music is just about bearable at times. The only aspect that excels for me is the spectacular circus scenes and clever use of projectors and lighting. This show is set in America, and so loses all the classic European elegance that Phantom displays, and sadly the operatic idea is mostly gone too, replaced by a garish psychedelic circus show. If you go to the theatre to see a spectacle then I can recommend Love Never Dies but for me the plot and music are far fetched and uninspiring.

So it seems the sequel has failed again. Without its popular predecessor I doubt Love Never Dies would be attracting large audiences. However one thing is for certain; The Phantom of the Opera deserves its status and is truly a masterpiece of the musical theatre genre.