Salisbury Playhouse – until Saturday 25 January 2020
Reviewed by Leanne Caplis
5*****
Mind-blowing, exhilarating, breathtaking, spectacular, unmissable, electrifying, magical and outstanding are just some of the words I can use about Mame which is currently showing at Salisbury Playhouse!
Mame has not been seen on stage for decades and I cannot understand why. The performance was awesome and would not be out of place back on the West End stages.
Set in the 1920s we watch as young Patrick Dennis (tonight played by Harry Cross) moves to live with his only living relative Mame (Tracie Bennett) following the death of his Father. Agnes Gooch (Jessie May) who is the Nanny for Patrick is to ensure, along with Mr Babcock (Hugh Osborne), that Patrick is raised correctly. Is Mame the one to provide this?
With a flair for life (and alcohol) Mame raises Patrick with the saying “Life is a Banquet”. Mame exposes Patrick to what life really has got on offer but after the stock market crash, where Mame loses all her money, and when Babcock learns what is going on Patrick is enrolled at boarding school.
Supported by her faithful Butler Ito (Benjamin Wong) and Nanny Agnes we see Mame turn her hand to many different career choices in order to earn money of her own. From party girl to a career girl. From being alone to finding love and to becoming a widow – will life at 3 Beekman Place ever be filled full of gin, children’s laughter and the sound of best friends singing again?
From the opening scene to curtain call this show is non-stop action. A musical extravaganza with voices that blew me away, it was impossible not to absorbed. The dance scenes are captivating and there is so much going on, on such a small stage, that it is hard to know where to look.
Harry Cross was outstanding as young Patrick. His rendition of My Best Girl brought a lump to my throat and he seemed very at ease on stage and I look forward to seeing more of him as his theatre portfolio grows.
The staging is quite basic but that is needed – there are many scene changes. The changes are seamless and this this is probably down to the clever use of the cast to move the props. The humour within this production is first class. Comedy timing is superb with Jessie May as Gooch deserving a special mention as she particularly stood out for me. The one-liners are punchy, bang on time and are not too over the top that it makes it slapstick – perfect!
It was hard to find negatives with this production. If pushed I would say that, dependant on the theatre, those with a side view might miss some of the action and probably didn’t realise the band were on stage throughout the show. I would have also liked to have seen and heard more from Mame’s love Beauregard (Darren Day).
There is some strong talent on this stage not least Vera (Harriet Thorpe) who is the best friend of Mame. Vera keeps Mame grounded, her glass filled up and can belt out songs that leave you wanting to hear more.
I save the best to last – Tracie Bennett. She is perfect as Mame. It is clear to see why she is a double Olivier Award winner (and been nominated on a further four occasions). She has infectious energy, but most of all her voice is divine. I had to remind myself to breath as I sat in awe whilst she belted out her songs. It took all my effort not to stand and applaud her following her solos. It wasn’t a surprise when she got a standing ovation at curtain call.
This really is a must see for all those who love musical theatre. It is a shame that this short tour will soon come to an end and I can only hope more dates are released, it would be a shame to see this show leaving our stages once again.