Month: May 2013

We Will Rock You – Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield

Posted by: The Reviews Hub 

https://www.thereviewshub.com/we-will-rock-you-motorpoint-arena-sheffield/

31/05/2013 

Book: Ben Elton

Music/Lyrics: Queen

Director: Tony Edge

4*

In a distant future, the Earth is now known as the i-planet, under the control of Globalsoft. We now live in a virtual world where live music and instruments are banned. Thus is the chilling premise of Ben Elton’s scarily accurate script.

The Gaga kids are all virtual clones but Galileo and Scaramouche are the Dreamer and his “chick” helping to lead the rebellious Bohemians to the place of living rock.

MiG Ayesa and Lauren Samuels reprise their west end rôles of Galileo and Scarmouche interacting well with each other. The character of Scaramouche is easily the best written character with some of the best lines with her witty and sarcastic comments. While Kevin Kennedy and Brenda Edwards take a Busman’s Holiday from the west end production to play Pop and the Killer Queen on the Sheffield leg of the tour. Kennedy is wonderfully comedic and woefully under used as Pop. While his part is important to the plot it’s a shame it’s not larger as he really plays a wonderful part. Ms Edwards is hilarious in her rôle of half pixelated-half human Head of Globalsoft, The Killer Queen, business woman of the year and dynamite with a laser beam. A special mention should also go out to her cleavage defying costumes which she rocks with aplomb.

There are some sound issues with the show, in the first half there are issues with echo when the actors are speaking. There are also problems in some of the songs with the fantastically rocking band drowning out the lyrics of the singers. This is more noticeable with the weaker vocalists and Sean Kingsley’s Khashoggi loses the battle in his rendition of Seven Seas of Rhye. Outstanding vocals of the night must go to Lucie Jones for her character Meats hauntingly beautiful version of Only the Good Die Young, with not a dry eye in the house at the end of the song.

The 10th Anniversary Arena World Tour works well in Sheffield, only half of the arena is in use so the space isn’t much more than a large theatre. The production is wonderfully, interactively enjoyable. Whether a fan of Queen or not, this show has a lot to offer from its fantastic staging, wonderful costumes and energetic singing and dancing.

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – Grand Opera House, York

Posted by: The Reviews Hub 

https://www.thereviewshub.com/priscilla-queen-of-the-desert-grand-opera-house-york/

14/05/2013 

Writers: Stephan Elliot and Allan Scott

Director: Simon Phillips

Costume Designer: Tim Chappel, Lizzy Gardiner

4*

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is a rip roaring, riotous feast for the eyes and ears. Full of cheesy disco classics, wonderful scenery, and dancing diva’s unfortunately not descending from the heavens and exquisitely beautiful costumes.

Telling the story of two drag queens and a post-op transsexual crossing the Australian outback from Sydney to Alice Springs to perform at the club belonging to Marion (Julie Stark) the wife of Tick/Mitzi (Noel Sullivan) and giving him the chance to meet and bond with his young son. It’s funny and sad in equal measure with a beautiful touching love story between post-op Bernadette (Richard Grieve) and mechanic Bob (Giles Watling) and showing discrimination and acceptance this is a glitzy and glamorous feel good show. Poignant and sensitive, it’s a “cock in frock on a rock” at the top of Ayres Rock singing We Belong is a truly magical moment.

The only thing that disappoints is the Priscilla bus. Closely resembling a milk float, its lack of glamour is in direct opposition to the rest of the show. Having to be moved and positioned by the cast it’s unwieldy and ungainly and anyone who saw Priscilla in the West End will be very disappointed by this shadow of its former glory.

Alan Hunter as Miss Understanding is a stunning highlight of the piece; his Tina Turner is stunning and more Tina than the real thing. The love/hate relationship between the glorious Felicia/Adam (Graham Weaver) and Bernadette is bitchily glorious. This was Noel Sullivan’s first show tonight and there were one or two teething problems that can be forgiven, especially when joining a really well established show like this. By the weekend I’m sure he’ll be batting his lashes teasing his wigs and storming the stage in his stilettos like a pro.

Catch the show in York by Saturday 18th May and you too will be “Colouring Your World”