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Leeds Grand Theatre, 17-22 April 2017

Thoroughly Modern Millie is Thoroughly Marvellous – a totally feel good show with absolutely no weak links at all.

It’s 1922 and naive ingenue Millie Dillmount quits Kansas for the bright lights of New York City, determined to bag herself a wealthy businessman as a husband.  But things don’t go exactly to plan, as she has her money stolen, ends up living in a flophouse run by a white slave trader Mrs Meers and falls for the penniless Jimmy instead of capturing the heart of her boss.

The character of Millie is fascinating, warm, charismatic and full of bubbly personality and Joanne Clifton ticked all of those character boxes. Obviously as a Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer and the current series winner she is an amazing dancer but she also has a stellar pair of lungs and a stunning voice and I found some of her solos a delight.

Her best friend Dorothy, played by Katherine Glover, is the complete opposite to Millie. Desperately trying to become an actress, she is highly poised, well dressed and has a polite exterior. Her charming vocals reach unbelievable notes, and there is an element of comedy as she is constantly singing about how in love she is whenever she first meets a man.

Sam Barrett is handsome in that boy next door way made so familiar by endless American television shows, possessing  the confidence his character needs, and his vulnerability. He has a fabulous voice and he can dance – he gives the part vigour and enthusiasm.

Millie’s prospective husband, her boss Trevor Graydon III, is hilariously played by Graham MacDuff.  It really is a basic requirement of the part that he can sing Sweet Mystery of Life with ease and The Speed Test with alacrity and dexterity and he was clearly up to the task.  He steals the show though when playing the most hysterical drunk I have ever seen.

Jenny Fitzpatrick gives the vocal performance of the night as Muzzy Van Hossmere, effortlessly filling the auditorium with her rich, velvety voice.

Described as a musical comedy, the production certainly pulls out all of the stops when it comes to the over the top characterisation. Hotel owner Mrs Meers (Lucas Rush) presents himself as an old Chinese woman, despite actually being a wanted criminal. The two sidekicks Ching Ho and Bun Foo (Andy Yau and Damian Buhagiar) pander to his manipulative orders, and their lack of English provides great comedy. The decision to put up surtitles for the rapid Chinese dialogue is a masterstroke.

There was lots that I enjoyed about this production, the scenes in the illegal drinking club.  The massed ranks of the stenographers in the office, earphone hairstyles and spectacles, coloured in green under the eagle eye of Miss Flannery (Catherine Mort) were fun.  The big ensemble numbers have bags of pizzazz, and director/choreographer Racky Plews’ clever tap dancing typing pool sequence is a visual treat.

The set is magnificent, the costumes are sublime and the live band, lead by Rob Wicks, are superb – never drowning out the vocals of the performers.  This is possibly the best David King Production I have had the good fortune to see

Epitomising old school musical theatre, Thoroughly Modern Millie is a show that boasts a tremendous score and excellently witty dialogue.  Thoroughly Modern Millie is a thoroughly fun show which continues until Saturday.

York Theatre Royal – 13 April 2017.  Reviewed by Marcus Richardson

September In The Rain is a play written by the Yorkshire born playwright John Godber famous for his comedies such as Bouncers.

The play features a couple who goes to Blackpool every year in September. Set over the past 40 years of their lives we see their journey as a couple and how it grows with conflict and love. The whole play is a dialogue between the couple and is very character heavy, which puts a lot on the actors.

Una McNulty played Liz, a woman who loves to travel by bus and loves getting a tan at Blackpool, chirpy she holds most of the dialogue with her telling stories and often getting carried away.  Coming from Yorkshire, just like her creator she is both funny and independent.  

Mark Stratton played Jack a pit worker and very traditional Yorkshire man, a person of few words and when he does speak it will often be with authority and just one word mainly being ‘eye’. Their relationship on stage is key to creating an amazing performance and the whole structure depends on it. The two work so well together on stage, in creating the believable bond as we watch through some arguments and the sweeter parts where we fall in love with their story.

My favourite part of the whole entire play was when McNulty pretended to be her daughter when she was young, doing a talent contest in Blackpool.  This was both hilarious and sweet to watch as it just mirrored what so many children do on stage and when they do talent contests. Stratton added to the comedy here saying she was absolutely amazing and shedding a tear.

The stage was rather simple with the barrier to the beach acting as the backdrop, I loved the simplicity of this as it gave the actors a lot of room to set the story and focus more on their acting rather than the performance space.  There were fairy lights that also lit up the stage in certain scenes, these looked aesthetically pleasing – making some scenes feel much more pleasant to watch. The music also played a key part in the play as the song September in the Rain plays a big part in the story and a lot of music perfectly set the scene.

The play is pleasant to watch and you can sit back and relax, have the frequent chuckle at the jokes, you don’t need to get too involved with the story and it’s a rather enjoyable night out to the theatre. If you have a night off and fancy a simple pleasant play go and see this

York Theatre Royal – 11 April 2017.  Reviewed by Marcus Richardson

Cyrano a classic tale of love war and poetry. The play set in France during the 1600s and follows an amazing swords man, a brilliant poet and witty charmer; but there is one large problem, very large problem. His nose. The comic play takes us on a journey with the whole play in verse.

The acting style has to be naturalistic even if the script adds this poetic vibe. The actor who played Cyrano, Christian Walker was the prime of performance with the script, the wit of Cyrano certainly came out with a fiery passion, working with poetry can be very hard and if you mess a line the whole flow can fall apart but thankfully he commanded the script and stole the performance. The ever so beautiful but sturdy Roxanne played by Sharon Singh, when she first spoke I was surprised by her accent as it was a thick Scottish and I was caught of guard as most of the other actors had Yorkshire accent, however after the first few seconds I got used to her accent and she captures the independent but elegant perfectly.

The stage was decorated with Lunar Diagrams and such, due to the simplicity of the stage, scene changes were quick and effective on of the best scene changes was into the bakery as loads of pastry and bread filled the stage which didn’t take time to put on and take off, in the second act war breaks out and the transition was just as seamless as all the other changes even though there was a lot to change, and it was the whole cast in charge of doing the changes so well done to one and all for their amazing acting and stage use, the actors played instruments and sung during the scenes and their changes this was done really well and was so effective in moving the play along.

This is second time I’ve seen the play, and it’s my most favourite script capturing the hilarious wittiness that I love to watch, and read. I loved what they did to the script and I have to lower my expectations for the play. If you can please go and see this production of Cyrano as you won’t be disappointed with the whole package of the play.

King’s Head Theatre 11 – 29 April.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Girl power storms back to the King’s Head in this 90s pop musical, squeezing a decade’s worth of fun into 60 all too short minutes.

Jess thought that her relationship was as unbreakable as Brad and Jen’s, or Justin and Britney’s, but she was wrong. After being dumped, she just wants to stay in and watch Titanic, but her friends find the perfect way to cheer her up – speed dating!

Full of warmly mocking nostalgia and smutty innuendo, this show feels like the naughty little sister of Victoria Wood and French & Saunders. The four girls are instantly recognisable caricatures – think Sex in the City set in Essex. Amanda (Jessica Brady) is the romantic searching for Mr Right to fit her 5-year plan, Charlie (Eliza Hewitt-Jones) is just out for a good time, Molly (Kerrie Thomason) is the weird one and Jess (Natasha Granger) just can’t let go of her last relationship. Writers Thomason and Granger could have kept the best lines for themselves, but the belly laughs come thick and fast from all the cast. Familiar lyrics are quoted and, like every good musical, the cast burst into song at every opportunity: Shania Twain, All Saints, Britney, B*Witched and, of course, the Spice Girls are in the mix. With delivery ranging from karaoke queens to clean harmonies, depending on the laughs the cast are aiming for, you can’t help but sing along, and if you’re lucky, you could get pulled up to dance too. If you’re unlucky, you could be the object of Amanda’s affections and end up on a speed date with her, leading to a brilliantly naff and hysterical Celine Dion number. Another standout is No Scrubs – performed on the loo using toilet brushes as microphones.

The loud and brash girl power attitudes are tempered with recordings of men talking about women and dating that will make you laugh, groan and wince. As will Jess’s slipups when she reveals slightly too much about her boyfriend. The cast are all fantastic physical comedians and seem to be having as much fun as the audience, who all left on a high.

If you’re looking for a laugh, great music (and B*Witched) and a show that will leave you buzzing with nostalgic feel good energy, get your ticket for 2 Become 1. It’s the perfect start to a girls’ night out.

Mayflower Theatre, Southampton – 13 April 2017.  Reviewed by Lindsay Sykes

It’s no secret I like Earl Carpenter, the velvet richness of his vocals are beautiful and totally worth flying from one end of the country to the other to see him perform in his hometown.

An Evening with…. however was a to raise cash and awareness of the Mayflower Musical Youth Theatre and show off the amazing talent of the youngsters who attend there.  And yes, Earl was supposed to be the star of the show but I’m sure he’ll agree the kids were the real stars

The show started with comedy and there was much comedy through out, Earl supposedly auditioning by singing Race You to the Top of the Mountain from The Secret Garden, after a rapturous performance he was told he was too old and this paved the way for the stage to be invaded by one who weren’t too old and we got to hear the theatre group sing songs from Hairspray, Bugsy Malone and two from special shows written just for the group – Rock Around the Gaumont and Five of the Best.  We were given information about the shows and heard some lovely stories about how the MMYT had given help and confidence and where the older performers were now – at various colleges and performing arts schools.

There were some stunning vocals from Hannah Morton, Hannah Hunt and Georgia Carr – showing what amazing talent MMYT is producing

The first half ended with Earl singing Music of the Night from The Phantom of the Opera, after he’d given us an entertaining story about the his Frank Spencer impression at the 20th anniversary of Phantom.

The second half opened with Earl and company sing Luck be a Lady from Guys and Dolls the show the MMYT are putting on this year.  Followed by a solo rendition of Sunset Boulevard.

The MMYT entertained us to a few from Oliver – with vocals from Charlie Steggall, Megan Pake, Sam Wood and Georgia Carr again.  A stunning version of Bui Doi from Miss Saigon with Earl on lead vocals and then one of the hi-lights for me – the very multi-talented George Shrapnell singing Major General and Hail Poetry from The Pirates of Penzance.

The evening ended with a stunning run of songs from Les Miserables.  Starting with a brilliant version of Master of the House with Sam Wood and Jenni Walker. Sadie Levett’s stunning rendition of On My Own was phenomenal.  Earls own version of Stars – a song he has sung over 2000 times but makes every time seem like the first and a whole company version of One Day More with Earl, George Sharapnell, Sam Wood, Jenni Walker, Sadie Levett, Hannah Hunt, Theo James and Dominic Green on lead vocals

The whole performance was supported by a fabulous live band on stage lead by Simon Slater.

The show was wonderful, showcasing what amazing talent we have right on our own doorstep and proving how we should nurture that talent so we can have our next West End stars.

Richmond Theatre 13 – 15 April UK tour.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

The Crucible, set in the Salem Witch trials of 1692, where bitter neighbours jump on the bandwagon of vengeance, hysteria and tyranny, blaming the most vulnerable for their own misfortune, was Arthur Miller’s brilliant allegoric response to the McCarthy era. Modern parallels are clear, making the judges pronouncements and denouncements seem frighteningly familiar.

Director Douglas Rintoul has created a dark and moody production, with Anouk Schiltz’s imposing wooden set adding to the atmosphere of brooding tension. Even the set changes are impressive, with the cast all working together like an Amish barn raising. The only flourish Rintoul has indulges in is the projection of occasional stage directions, which works wonderfully, and the thrumming sound design, which sometimes made it feel as if there was a night club below the theatre and drowned out some dialogue. The placing of the microphones was almost inspired, creating an echoey tone that gave the actors’ words great weight, but should, perhaps, have been turned down in the shoutier scenes, as it gave the speeches a strident, irritating feel.

The strong cast was headed by Eoin Slattery as John Proctor, bringing a lightness to the character that is rarely seen, but still showing his strength and guilt convincingly. Victoria Yeates is a devastatingly noble Elizabeth and Lucy Keirl is full of malicious energy as Abigail. As Reverend Hale, Charlie Condou gives a wonderfully measured portrayal of a good man gradually realising that his faith in justice has been misplaced. Jonathan Tafler gets to chew the scenery as Judge Danforth, full of self-righteous rhetoric, delivered with relish and producing gasps of disbelief from the audience.

This touring production isn’t exactly a barrel of laughs (although David Delve delivers quite a few as Giles Corey), but if you’re looking for an intelligent, atmospheric and relevant play, The Crucible should be at the top of your list.

UK Tour dates: Brighton, 24 – 29 April

Manchester, 8 – 13 May

Birmingham, 5 – 10 June

Glasgow, 12 – 17 June

Lyric Theatre, The Lowry, Manchester – April 12th 2017.  Reviewed by Julie Noller

I was very excited about The National Theatres touring production of Jane Eyre, Directed by Sally Cookson. This was nothing to do with the red carpet and as always friendly welcome I’ve come to expect at The Lowry in Manchester. More to do with my younger years and Jane Eyre being one of my favourite novels. Albeit a classic and their tendency to confuse a younger reader, Jane Eyre expertly written by Charlotte Bronte always called to my imagination from young child struggling with grief and lost in a world she did not understand to young love and determination. If you want girl power look no further than Jane.

Settling into our seats I, as usual with the Lowry, took in the stage set up, modern theatre is so much more inviting than that of old, there are no curtains or hidden crevices. It looked like a church set up or maybe a school, perhaps an old country house. For you see what The National Theatre has done is clever, they have kept it simple using basic structures with ladders and your imagination to fill in the blanks. The only changes to set throughout are the addition of lights, props and from the ceiling little touches such as pictures, window frames or small children’s dresses to define the changing settings and periods in Jane’s life.

With theatre in my opinion what you see is what you get, rawness that’s practised without the CGI polished screens of the movies. However to suggest Jane Eyre was anything but polished would be wrong.

Maybe I am a little biased as from the start I was hooked, pulled onto the stage to watch characters I knew so well or felt I did. For just over 3 hours I sat transfixed at times forgetting I was sat in a theatre with others but that I was the only one watching a personal performance. I loved the fact the costume changes happened in front of our eyes, characters developed and grew in the same way they do whilst reading. Jane Eyre is brilliantly portrayed by Nadia Clifford whose physique so resembled my image of Jane, small and slight yet with a power that drew you in. I was struck by how Jane was Jane, childlike yet so grown up at the same time.

I could see there was a set up on stage for a small band however I wasn’t expecting music from Alex Heane as the musician along with Matthew Churcher and David Ridley but the folkstyle music fitted perfectly, add in the haunting voice of Melanie Marshall who plays Bertha Mason and well, what a fantastic voice. At times the music reminded me of Dr Who, I know that statement does not do this modern twist justice but I’ve listened to Dr Who at The Proms and believe me I got the same shivers and goosebumps. I’m still humming to myself this morning, wondering if there’s a CD?

Credit to Lynda Rooke for her talented portrayal of mean and nasty Mrs Reed, hating Jane believing her to have destroyed her family. Yet as Mrs Fairfax we see the polar opposite, amazing. She is warm, inviting and intuitive. Then there was Paul Mundell who was saintly Mr Brockhurst, a worried Mason (some would say fool) yet an impressive Pilot (Rochesters loyal dog). Tim Delap was a mean and moody Rochester as we had expected but somehow I wasn’t quite expecting him to be quite so surly. The kiss between Jane and Rochester I am sure had some audience members blushing and some (me included) beaming with delight. I am sure I heard a few sighs. All in all an extremely talented cast who show great understanding of each others characters and as such I must mention Hannah Bristow who was wildchild Adele, poor Helen Burns and not forgetting Grace Poole whom Jane misguidedly believes to be behind the misterious acts of attempted murder and then Evelyn

Miller as trustworthy friendly Bessie, bolchy Blanche Ingram and ultimately St. John wanting Jane to marry him and lead the same life as her parents had.

I can not end his review without mention of the energy that resonates across the theatre, from the constant climbing, swinging even running at times. To the clever use of those ladders to portray Rochester’s horse riding. I thought the use of all the actors as a collective conscience for Jane was superb and helped us to understand her reasoning without the need of a narrative. My favourite was the coach scenes which reminded me a Zumba class, full of so much fun that I wanted to climb on stage and join in. My surprise came in the humour throughout and that’s the joy of theatre, challenging me to see the very things I had never considered. If you enjoy the classics you will love this retelling with a modern twist.

DREAMGIRLS
Savoy Theatre, London
Dreamgirlswestend.com

• ON SUNDAY 9 APRIL DREAMGIRLS CELEBRATED TWO OLIVIER AWARD WINS, FOR AMBER RILEY (BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL) AND ADAM J BERNARD (BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL)
• THE ORIGINAL LONDON CAST RECORDING RELEASE DATE IS CONFIRMED AS FRIDAY 12 MAY 2017 – THE RECORDING IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER VIA AMAZON
• TO CELEBRATE AMBER RILEY’S SHOW-STOPPING PERFORMANCE AT THE OLIVIER AWARDS ‘AND I AM TELLING YOU I’M NOT GOING’ WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ON FRIDAY 21 APRIL AS AN EARLY DOWNLOAD EXCLUSIVE TO ALL WHO PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM
• “LISTEN” IS CONFIRMED TO BE RELEASED AS A SINGLE ON FRIDAY 28 APRIL

Following celebrated wins at the 2017 Olivier Awards this week: Best Actress in a Musical forAmber Riley (Effie White); and Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Adam J Bernard (Jimmy Early), Sonia Friedman Productions is delighted to confirm that the highly anticipated Dreamgirls Original London Cast Recording will be released by Sony Masterworks Broadway on Friday 12 May 2017 via Amazon, iTunes, and all usual channels.

This brand new live recording of hit West End musical Dreamgirls, is currently available to pre-order via Amazon. 

For all digital pre-orders, one track -‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going’ – will be made available as an exclusive early digital download on Friday 21 April, three weeks ahead of the album release date. Amber Riley’s show-stopping performance of this song at the Olivier Awards ceremony was broadcast on ITV1 on Tuesday 11 April and is currently available to view via itvplayer.

It has also been confirmed that ‘Listen’, taken from the Original London Cast Recording and performed by Amber Riley and Liisi LaFontaine, will be released as a single on Friday 28 April.

Featuring iconic songs from the musical including, ‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going’ ‘Listen’,‘I Am Changing’, ‘One Night Only’, ‘Steppin To The Bad Side’, ‘Move’ and title track ‘Dreamgirls’, this double-album was recorded live over four performances at the Savoy Theatre in February 2017. With no additional studio re-recordings or musical overdubs it captures the on-stage exhilaration of the Dreamgirls original London cast, 14 piece band and the audience thus retaining the live in-theatre integrity of these special performances.

Produced by Henry Krieger and mixed by Andy Bradfield, the Dreamgirls Original London Cast Recording features Olivier Award-winner Amber Riley (Best Actress in a Musical) as Effie White, Liisi LaFontaine as Deena Jones and Ibinabo Jack as Lorrell Robinson – making up the soulful singing trio ‘The Dreams’. Joe Aaron Reid plays Curtis Taylor Jr, Adam J. Bernard plays Jimmy Early (a role for which he won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical), Tyrone Huntley plays C.C. White, Nicholas Bailey plays Marty and Lily Frazer plays Michelle Morris. Further cast includes Michael Afemaré, Jocasta Almgill, Callum Aylott, Hugo Batista, Samara Casteallo, Chloe Chambers, Carly Mercedes Dyer, Joelle Dyson, Kimmy Edwards, Candace Furbert, Nathan Graham, Ashley Luke Lloyd, Gabriel Mokake, Siân Nathaniel-James, Sean Parkins, Kirk Patterson, Ryan Reid, Rohan Richards, Noel Samuels,Durone Stokes and Tosh Wanogho-Maud.

Henry Krieger says of the Original London Cast Recording: “It is my great pleasure to share this ‘alive’ live recording of the West End production of Dreamgirls. Producing this recording and working with our brilliant Musical Supervisor Nick Finlow and studio pros Andy Bradfield and Tris Penna, has been a dream come true. I am thrilled to share the Dreamgirls Original London Cast Recording with those who have loved the production for 35 years as well as with those who are just discovering it now.”

The long-awaited UK premiere of Dreamgirls opened in December 2016 to widespread critical acclaim, 35 years after originally opening on Broadway, and is playing to sold out houses and standing ovations every night at the Savoy Theatre, London. Dreamgirls is Directed and Choreographed by Olivier and Tony Award®-winning Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon,Disney’s Aladdin and Something Rotten!), with Set Design by Tim Hatley, Costume Design by Gregg Barnes, Lighting Design by Hugh Vanstone, Sound Design by Richard Brooker and Hair Design by Josh Marquette. The Musical Supervisor is Nick Finlow, the Orchestrator is Harold Wheeler, with Additional Material by Willie Reale.

Swarovski is delighted to be the Set and Costume Design partner for Dreamgirls, bringing to life the incredible visions of Tim Hatley and Gregg Barnes. Over one million Swarovski crystals have been incorporated into the production, adorning 275 costumes and 3 crystal curtains.

Dreamgirls transports you to a revolutionary time in American music history. Dreamgirls charts the tumultuous journey of a young female singing trio from Chicago, Illinois called ‘The Dreams’, as they learn the hard lesson that show business is as tough as it is fabulous.

With Book and Lyrics by Tom Eyen and Music by Henry Krieger, the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls, Directed and Choreographed by Michael Bennett, opened in 1981 and subsequently won six Tony Awards®. The original cast recording won two Grammy awards for Best Musical Album and Best Vocal Performance for Jennifer Holliday’s ‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.’ In 2006 it was adapted into an Oscar winning motion picture starring Beyoncé Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx.

‘Listen’ is written by Scott Cutler, Henry Krieger, Anne Preven, Beyoncé Knowles.

Liisi LaFontaine, Asmeret Ghebremichael and Marisha Wallace are appearing with the support of UK Equity, incorporating the Variety Artistes’ Federation, pursuant to an exchange program between American Equity and UK Equity.

DREAMGIRLS (ORIGINAL LONDON CAST RECORDING)

Cat. number: 88985429492
Barcode: 889854294922
Formats: 2CD & Digital
Label: Sony Masterworks Broadway
Pre-order link via Amazon: HERE

Track Listings

CD1 ACT 1

1. I’M LOOKING FOR SOMETHING, BABY Curtis Taylor Jr, Marty, Stepp Sisters
2. GOIN’ DOWNTOWN Little Albert and the Tru-Tones
3. TAKIN’ THE LONG WAY HOME Tiny Joe Dixon
4. MOVE The Dreamettes (Effie White, Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson)
5. FAKE YOUR WAY TO THE TOP James Thunder Early and The Dreamettes (Effie White, Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson)
6. CADILLAC CAR Curtis Taylor Jr, Jimmy Early, C.C. White, Marty, The Dreamettes (Effie White, Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson), Cadillac Man, Ensemble
7. STEPPIN’ TO THE BAD SIDE Curtis Taylor Jr, Jimmy Early, C.C. White, Wayne, The Dreamettes (Effie White, Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson), Ensemble
8. PARTY, PARTY Effie White, Curtis Taylor Jr, Jimmy Early, Lorrell Robinson, C.C. White, Ensemble
9. I WANT YOU, BABY James Early and The Dreamettes (Effie White, Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson), Ensemble
10. FAMILY C.C. White, Effie White, Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson, Curtis Taylor Jr, Jimmy Early
11. DREAMGIRLS The Dreams (Deena Jones, Effie White, Lorrell Robinson)
12. PRESS CONFERENCE Deena Jones, Curtis Taylor Jr, Effie White, Lorrell Robinson, Ensemble
13. HEAVY The Dreams (Deena Jones, Effie White, Lorrell Robinson), Curtis Taylor Jr, Jimmy Early, Ensemble
14. IT’S ALL OVER Curtis Taylor Jr, Effie White, Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson, Jimmy Early, C.C. White, Michelle Morris
15. AND I AM TELLING YOU I’M NOT GOING Effie White

CD2 ACT 2

1. LOVE, LOVE YOU BABY The Dreams (Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson, Michelle Morris), Jimmy Early, Curtis Taylor Jr, C.C. White, Ensemble
2. WHEN I FIRST SAW YOU Curtis Taylor Jr, Deena Jones
3. I AM CHANGING Effie White
4. AIN’T NO PARTY Lorrell Robinson, Jimmy Early, The Five Tuxedos
5. I MEANT YOU NO HARM Jimmy Early
6. THE RAP Jimmy Early, Curtis Taylor Jr, Lorrell Robinson, Wayne, Ensemble
7. I MISS YOU, OLD FRIEND C.C. White, Effie White, Ensemble
8. ONE NIGHT ONLY Effie White, The Dreams (Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson, Michelle Morris), Curtis Taylor Jr, Wayne, Ensemble
9. I’M SOMEBODY The Dreams (Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson, Michelle Morris), Curtis Taylor Jr, Marty, Effie White, C.C. White
10. LISTEN Deena Jones, Effie White
11. EFFIE WHITE’S GONNA WIN / YOU ARE MY DREAM (REPRISE) Curtis Taylor Jr, C.C. White, Marty, Mr Morgan, Effie White, Deena Jones
12. HARD TO SAY GOODBYE The Dreams (Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson, Michelle Morris), Ensemble
13. DREAMGIRLS (REPRISE) Effie White, The Dreams (Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson, Michelle Morris), Ensemble

Riot House Theatre and In Your Face Theatre present:

Jack Studio Theatre 4 – 22 April.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

My first experience of Macbeth was a little soggy – sat in the front row and showered with spit from the witches as they pranced around in chiffony rags in a very twee 1980s production. Walking into the Jack Studio and seeing the voile drapes around the stage with the cast dancing behind them gave me worrying flashbacks, so I rushed to the back row. Thankfully, the material (used expertly to create intimacy and mystery) was the only similarity between the productions. The AC Group’s new production is classy and claustrophobic, with some outstanding performances.

Macbeth has always been a staple of school Shakespeare, because it is, for Shakespeare, so short, and the youngsters in the audience were suitably rapt – although one lad was a little put out at the lack of blood and violence. For a play with so many murders and a final climactic battle, director Thomas Atwood has made the brave decision to minimalise the gore – fights are over in an instant, and there are no actual weapons on stage when Macbeth faces his nemesis Macduff – instead using symbolic blood stained cloth to literally bind the men in battle. This may have disappointed the more bloodthirsty audience members, but was wholly satisfying for me as it focussed all the attention onto the words spoken, and the cast’s stunning delivery. The moments of interpretative dance, full of breathy noise, worked well building tension and the cast’s instrumental skills were excellent, providing depth to Malcolm’s final speech, which usually seems unnecessary.

With a mostly female cast playing multiple roles, and only the addition of jackets to delineate the roles, it did take a few moments to figure out who exactly was on stage at times, but the committed cast’s nuanced performances made it clearer as the play progressed. The witches (Kate Barry, Gabrielle Nellis-Pain and Nell Hardy) were weird and twisted sisters, full of animalistic noises and movement that was truly uncomfortable to watch at times. Hardy’s portrayal of Macduff was phenomenal – so full of bluster and pride at first, and heart-breaking on hearing of the massacre of his family. Amelia Clay was a convincing Lady Macbeth. At first her staccato delivery jarred a little, but perfectly matched the brittle and fragile character she built. Her partnership with William Ross-Fawcett was wonderful, with them being the only cast members to use Scottish accents. The ambition and love the couple held for each other filled the room, and they complemented each other brilliantly. Ross-Fawcett makes for a strangely likeable Macbeth, at first looking like a long-lost member of the Weasley clan in a big woollen cardigan, but becoming a true warrior after his coronation. This is a seemingly flippant Macbeth, with serious manic tendencies. Ross-Fawcett’s energetic and passionate performance is worth the ticket price alone – a very thoughtful interpretation of a familiar character.

The AC Group’s Macbeth is a beautifully crafted and atmospheric production, full of power and passion, and a fantastic introduction to Shakespeare.