WORLD PREMIERE OF AKRAM KHAN’S JUNGLE BOOK REIMAGINED
OPENS AT LEICESTER CURVE IN APRIL 2022, FOLLOWED BY A UK AND INTERNATIONAL TOUR
Akram Khan Company will present the world premiere of Akram Khan’s new work, Jungle Book reimagined – a deeply personal interpretation based on the original story of Rudyard Kipling’s much-loved family classic – at Leicester’s Curve Theatre, 2 – 9 April 2022. A UK and international tour will follow, taking in cities including Birmingham and Edinburgh.
In a near future world, a family is torn apart as they escape their homeland, devastated by the impact of climate change. Arriving alone in a deserted modern city, and with wild animals claiming the streets as their own, the child soon discovers unlikely allies in this strange new jungle.
Embedded in the roots of Kipling’s Jungle Book is the deep threat that mankind poses towards nature. In this new dance-theatre production, Khan and his team reinvent the journey of Mowgli through the eyes of a climate refugee. Featuring an original new score, ten international dancers and state-of-the-art animation and visuals, Jungle Book reimagined is a compelling and vital piece of storytelling about our intrinsic need to belong and bond with others, and placing the importance of connecting with and respecting our natural world at its heart.
A stellar creative team will be working on this reimagining of Jungle Book directed and choreographed by Akram Khan, and with script by Tariq Jordan, dramaturgy by Sharon Clark and original score by Jocelyn Pook. With sound design by Gareth Fry, lighting by Michael Hulls, visual stage design by Miriam Buether, video design and animation by YeastCulture, and the insight of film director Andy Serkis, the visual technology will turn the stage into a magical world that dives into the myths of today.
The cast of dancers include Lucia Chocarro, Tom Davis-Dunn, Thomasin Gülgeç, Max Revell, Matthew Sandiford, Pui Yung Shum, Fukiko Takase, Holly Vallis, Vanessa Vince-Pang, Luke Watson.
At the age of 10, Khan played Mowgli in Akademi’s Indian dance production The Adventures of Mowgli. Decades later, he is reuniting with this story and embracing it with a new sense of urgency. Akram Khan: “We are now living in unprecedented and uncertain times, not only for our species but for all species on this planet. And the root cause of this conundrum is because we have forgotten our connection to our home, our planet. We all inhabit it, we all take from it, and we all build on it, but we have forgotten to return our respect for it. So I believe that we must make changes from the grassroots up if we are to see a brighter future. And so I feel compelled to share the story – lovingly known as The Jungle Book – with children and adults from all cultures, in order to re-learn what we, as a species, have so conveniently forgotten. And I believe that the strongest and deepest way to tell this story is through the magic of dance, music and theatre.”
Jungle Book reimagined is recommended for ages 8+.
ViSiBLE TODAY ANNOUNCES FULL CAST AND NEW DATES FOR
THE WORLD PREMIÈRE OF
FIVE CHARACTERS IN SEARCH OF A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP
ViSiBLE,a theatre company dedicated to creating work focused on later life, today announce the full cast and new dates for the world première of Five Characters in Search of a Good Night’s Sleep, devised by Mike Alfreds and Sonja Linden with the company – Geraldine Alexander, Andrew Hawkins, Sally Knyvette, Gary Lilburn and Vincenzo Nicoli. The production, originally postponed due to Covid-19 in 2020, opens at Southwark Playhouse on 29 April, with previews from 27 April, and runs until 21 May.
Sonja Linden said today, “It feels wonderful and very special to reunite our fantastic cast of older actors to share this production, having had to postpone the 2020 run. In this show we explore the universal experience of sleep and those moments where it proves elusive, something that many, particularly as we get older can relate to.”
ViSiBLE presents
The World Première of
FIVE CHARACTERS IN SEARCH OF A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP
Devised by Mike Alfreds and Sonja Linden with the company
Directed by Mike Alfreds; Set and Costume Designer: Agnes Treplin
Lighting Designer: Neill Brinkworth
Southwark Playhouse
27 April – 21 May 2022
Five insomniacs try to make it through the night. From dusk to dawn, they struggle with a crisis in their lives which they must resolve by morning. Increasingly conscious of their shortening futures and lengthening pasts, they fill their nights with distracting activities, desperate sleep techniques, evaluations of their lives, delusions, fears, panics and utter foolishness as they prepare to face the day.
Five Characters in Search of a Good Night’s Sleep has been developed over a two-year period through a series of workshop in which all the material for the play was created by the actors.
Mike Alfreds is an award-winning theatre director, adapter, translator, teacher and previous Artistic Director and founder of theatre companies Shared Experience and Method and Madness. His previous credits as a director include Year of Wonders, The Tin Ring (The Lowry), Cymbeline (Shakespeare’s Globe), The Wandering Jew,The Black Dahlia, The Cherry Orchard – Winner of Critics’ Circle Theatre Award(National Theatre), A Handful of Dust, Jude The Obscure (Lyric Hammersmith), La Ronde, The Miser, Arabian Nights (UK tours) and Bleak House (Royal Court Theatre). His credits as an author include Different Every Night: Freeing the Actor (2007), Then What Happens? Storytelling and Adapting for the Theatre (2013).
Sonja Linden’s credits as a playwright includecredits include Roundelay, Who Do We Think We Are? (Southwark Playhouse), Welcome to Ramallah (Arcola Theatre/York Theatre Royal), Crocodile Seeking Refuge (Lyric Hammersmith/UK tour), I Have Before Me A Remarkable Document Given To Me By A Young Lady From Rwanda (Finborough Theatre/UK tour/US tour), On A Clear Day You Can See Dover (Wilton’s Music Hall/UK tour), Asylum Monologues, Palestine Monologues (UK tours), Asylum Dialogues (Tricycle Theatre/UK tour), The Strange Passenger (Battersea Arts Centre/UK tour), The Jewish Daughter (New End Theatre) and Call Me Judas (Finborough Theatre).
Geraldine Alexander’s theatre credits include Draw Me Close (Young Vic), Oslo, Strange Interlude, Pillars of the Community (National Theatre), Persuasion, Breaking the Code, Present Laughter (Royal Exchange Theatre), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (UK tour), Holy Warriors, Titus Andronicus, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest (Shakespeare’s Globe), In Skagway (Arcola Theatre), The Empty Quarter (Hampstead Theatre), The Welsh Boy (Theatre Royal Bath), For Once (Hampstead Theatre/Traverse Theatre), In Praise of Love (Royal & Derngate Northampton), State of Emergency (Gate Theatre) and Holy Terror (UK tour/Duke of York’s Theatre). Her television credits include Oslo, The One, Bridgerton, The Child in Time, Marcella, Quick Cuts, Shetland, Extras, The Man, Forgotten, Bust and Miss Marple: Sleeping Murder; and for film, Messages, The Discovery of Heaven, Merchant Garcon, The Wall of Tyranny and The Nightingale Sage.
Andrew Hawkins’ credits for the company include Who Do We Think We Are? and Roundelay (Southwark Playhouse). Other theatre credits include Flight (The National Gallery, London), To the Bone (Rich Mix), Naked, Live… and Never Again (Edinburgh Festival Fringe), Heldenplatz (Arcola Theatre), I Have Before Me a Remarkable Document Written by a Young Lady from Rwanda (Finborough Theatre), A Wedding Story (Birmingham Rep/Soho Theatre/UK tour), King Lear (Royal Exchange Theatre), The Cenci, Katerina (Lyric Hammersmith), Time and the Conways (Theatr Clwyd/The Old Vic/UK tour and Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto), Married Love (Wyndham’s Theatre/UK tour), Nicholas Nickleby (Aldwych Theatre and Plymouth Theatre, New York), The Knight of the Burning Pestle (Aldwych Theatre), The Suicide (Donmar Warehouse/Aldwych Theatre), Baal, Pericles (Donmar Warehouse), and The Merchant of Venice and Robin Hood (Young Vic). His television credits include Martial Law, Bugs, Moving Story, Citizen Locke, Tropical Heat, The Black Tower, Good Behaviour and The Glittering Prizes; and for film, The Art of Love, Tomorrow Never Dies, Shadowlands, Son of the Pink Panther, The Object of Beauty, The Whistle Blower, Top Secret! and Chariots of Fire.
Sally Knyvette’s theatre credits include King Lear (City Lit Theatre), Divine Right (Birmingham Repertory Theatre), Jack and the Giant (Royal Exchange Theatre), Rule of the Game (Churchill Theatre/Yvonne Arnaud Theatre) and Sawn off at the Knees (Sheffield Theatres). Her television credits include as series regular Kate Sugden in Emmerdale and Jenna Stannis in Blake’s 7.
Gary Lilburn’s theatre credits include Trouble in Mind (National Theatre), Pinocchio (Citizens Theatre), As You Like It (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Trestle, The Hairy Ape, The Hostage (Southwark Playhouse), The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Golden Ass (Shakespeare’s Globe), Deluge, Buried Alive, Tuesday’s Child (Hampstead Theatre), The Cripple of Inishmaan (MGC at the Noël Coward Theatre/Cort Theatre, New York), The Kingdom, Angels and Saints (Soho Theatre), Calendar Girls (Chichester Festival Theatre/Noël Coward Theatre), The Man Who Had All The Luck (Donmar Warehouse), The Quare Fellow (Tricycle Theatre/Oxford Stage Company), To Kill a Mockingbird, Hen House (Arcola Theatre), The Weir (Royal Court Theatre) and The Measles (Gate Theatre). For television his credits include Belgravia, Paula, Catastrophe, Mrs Brown’s Boys, Pete Versus Life, I Shouldn’t Be Alive, Whistleblower, Single-Handed, Perfect Day: The Funeral, Pulling, Sea of Souls, 55 Degrees North, Dalziel and Pascoe, McCready and Daughter, My Family and Perfect Scoundrels; and for film, Philomena, Eden, Garage, and Veronica Guerin.
Vincenzo Nicoli’s credits for the company include Roundelay (Southwark Playhouse). Other theatre credits include The Merchant of Venice (Almeida Theatre), The Shawshank Redemption (Edinburgh Festival Fringe), The Revenger’s Tragedy (Hoxton Hall), The Kitchen (National Theatre), On the Waterfront (Nottingham Playhouse/Theatre Royal Haymarket), Yerma (Arcola Theatre), Pool Death (Salisbury Playhouse) and Things You Shouldn’t (Soho Theatre). His television credits include Roadkill, Housebound, Father Brown, Our Girl, The Coroner, I Want My Wife Back, Hank Zipzer, The Prey and Mr Selfridge; and for film, Captain Phillips, The Dark Knight, Enemy of the Unseen, Sixty Six, Rabbit Fever, Razor’s Edge, Odyssey, In Love and War, Joseph and Aliens 3.
Eric & Ern is a tribute to the late, great duo Morecambe and Wise. I have fond memories of watching them on television with my family when I was a child, so I leapt at the chance to review this show, to see if it did them justice. I should imagine that the majority of the audience were like me, grew up on the old variety shows that are unfortunately lacking on our screens today.
Ian Ashpitel and Jonty Stephens bring the two to life as “Little Ern” and Eric. They both have an uncanny resemblance, at least at a distance, and the mannerisms certainly hit the right note. Stephens really does encapsulate Eric to a tee, with his gestures, facial expressions, and physicality. In true Morecambe and Wise tradition, we are treated to various well-known sketches and routines that resonate with so many of the audience. The perfect example of this is the siren/ice cream joke, which had the audience shouting out the punchline and Stephens replying, “It’s almost as if they knew what was coming”.
Of course, we couldn’t have a Morecambe and Wise show with the guest entertainer. Vocalist Sinéad Wall gives a brilliant performance whilst singing Send in the Clowns, hilarious to watch with clowns and balloons involved. How she kept a straight face I do not know.
The show has slapstick, jokes, songs and dancing, some admittedly worked better than overs, but it had the whole package. We were all laughing, some did not stop. It takes you back to a more innocent time, the jokes may be a bit risqué, but they do not offend. I miss the good old days of variety acts hitting our screens.
Ashpitel and Stephens have great chemistry together, and on reading the programme you can understand why, they have been best friends for years, Ian was even best man at Jonty’s wedding. They are a perfect match to play this iconic duo, no one could do it better.
It is fitting that “Bring me Sunshine” was the finale. It had us all clapping and singing along and left us all on a high. This is a fabulous nostalgic show, perfect for the whole family, that is more than a simple tribute act. At times you really do feel that you are watching the real deal.
Anyone who is familiar with the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde knows that this tale is not for the faint of heart and the play isn’t an exception. Exceptionally directed, designed and adapted to stage this play on a whole is captivating, dramatic and eerie in all the best ways.
Adapted for the stage by Nick Lane, those who a big fans of the classic will note when they come to see this play that there are some changes to the story and the characters. However, this isn’t inherently bad, it works really well providing the audience with the same eerie story with a glimmer of individuality thrown into the mix. The novella itself is quite slow burn, as is the play however somehow it manages to keep you completely hooked from the very first scene.
A performance that has to be noted and mentioned is that of Blake Kubena. His portrayal of both Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde was enthralling. The was a clear distinction between the two characters from the way he carried his body to the way he spoke and even the look in his eyes is what made the line visible between the two personalities.
Physical theatre was used a lot in this play to show the transition between Jekyll and Hyde but also to choreograph some of the more violent scenes. The last scene of act one shows Edward Hyde brutally murdering an innocent old man, however, the twist on this was that it was down completely in slow motion. This type of trickery in film can be easily achieved by slowing down the footage in post-production however, on stage is a little more difficult. The immense amount of control both Blake Kubena and Zach Lee had in this scene is almost incomprehensible.
Everything in this production is exceptional, from the delivery of the lines and the tone of the voices put on by the actors to the stage and the lighting. The set of the play is so simple with intricate details that pull the whole thing together. a spotlight in the corners of the stage were used to cleverly cast shadows and eerie silhouettes that just added more and more to the intensity of the play. Overall this play was simply electric in its atmosphere. Every word said, every action taken, had you hanging off the edge of your seat wanting more. The twists and turns kept you coming back for more and for one of the first times ever it seemed like the interval was too long, I just wanted to dive right back into the story. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a story everyone should experience once in their lifetime truly testing our moral compasses and the true will of mankind. “All human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of good and evil: and Edward Hyde, alone in the ranks of mankind, was pure evil.” – Robert Louis Stevenson.
9 to 5 is Dolly Parton’s musical adaptation of the hugely successful 1978 film of the same name.
It is based on the real life experiences of women working in an office run by a tyrannical boss who has a misogynistic attitude to all his female employees and what can happen when the worm turns.
Although this is a highly sensitive subject in the real world even 30 years on from the original film this show gives a serious subject a humorous out come on how women can overcome such repression.
The three main characters are all very different women who are trying to make their way in a male dominated business environment.
Where sexiest jokes and inappropriate banter is accepted as the norm for all female employees.
But when the matriarch Violet Newstead is over looked for promotion, once again, by a chap she trained in the first place, Doralee Rhodes finds out no likes her because the boss has told everyone that she is sleeping with him and Judy Bernly realises she has wasted her entire adult life, she’s only 21, on a man that up and left when a younger model comes along, all hell breaks loose.
The three woman plot to bring down their boss and they do in spectacular fashion and in doing so fix all that is wrong in the work place.
Claire Sweeney, Violet Newstead, plays the somewhat solemn character trying to raise her teenage son after the death of her beloved husband and trying to ignore her attraction to a young kind accountant who obviously loves her. Her portrayal is mature and self assured. Her final number ,One of the boys, shows a woman fulfilled. All her ambitions achieved and your heart sores for her triumph.
Vivan Panka, Judy Bernly, portrays a sweet innocence women trying to find her feet without a man to lean on. Her voice is sublime and brings tears to your eyes when she sings “get out stay out” with the passion of woman who has found herself.
Stephanie Chandos, Doralee Rhodes. Fills the stage with her feminine wiles, tittering on the highest of heels and tightest of dresses she is every part woman, but don’t judge the book by the cover, she is feisty and means business, as “Backwoods Barbie” explains.
And so the boss, Sean Needham, Franklin Hart Jnr. What a chauvinistic pig, but with such charm that the women in the audience fell for him. He is rude and amusing all at once.
The romantic dream scene with Roz, Julia J Nagle, and Franklin bought the house down with the comic choreography, so well acted out you could feel the sexual tension Roz has for Franklin.
The ensemble all gave outstanding performances in dance, singing and character interpretation. With stand out performances from Sonny Grieveson, Bob, and Ross lee Fowkes, Dick. Both one of the boys!
The orchestra conducted by Dean Mcdermott were fabulous and the theatre rocked to the music.
The choreography by Lisa Stevens really gave the impression of rush hour and a busy working office.
So tumble out of bed, take a spoon full of sweet and low in your coffee and get your self down to the New Victoria Theatre for an evening of pure escapism and dream that we could all kidnap our bosses and hold them to ransom to make the world a better place
Full casting announced for Jude Christian and Tinuke Craig’s Hamlet, reimagined for young audiences
– To perform in the Dorfman Theatre and on tour to schools across the UK
Hamlet’s dad is dead. His uncle has taken over the kingdom and married Hamlet’s mum. The whole world feels like it’s turned upside down.
A ghostly encounter reveals a dreadful deed has been done. Should Hamlet take revenge?
An energetic retelling of Shakespeare’s most well-known tragedy, Hamlet, will perform in the Dorfman Theatre from 4 – 6 April 2022 and as part of a tour to state schools in Liverpool, Wolverhampton, South Essex and Sunderland from 7th March. Introducing young audiences to the world of Shakespeare, the production will tour into secondary schools for visiting primary school pupils and Year 7s to watch together. The tour will reach over 5,000 pupils across four weeks as part of the NT’s commitment to introducing children and young people to theatre.
This version is adapted for audiences aged 8-12 by Jude Christian (othellomacbeth, Cinderella) and directed by Tinuke Craig (The Colour Purple, Vassa).
Kiren Kebaili-Dwyer performs the role of Hamlet alongside a full company including Efé Agwele, David Ahmad, Jessica Alade, Curtis Callier, Claire Redcliffe, Vedi Roy and Chanel Waddock.
Director Tinuke Craig said, “I’m so thrilled to be revisiting this project – especially after it was cut short by the start of the pandemic in 2020. It’s a big challenge to take one of the greatest works in the canon and distil it to an hour long play for 8–12-year-olds, but one I’m so excited to be taking on again along with a fantastic cast and creative team. Not only do we have the task of creating an engaging production for an audience, but we also have a responsibility to introduce younger audiences to theatre, bringing productions to their home turf to provide an early, and often first, experience of Shakespeare that is welcoming, inclusive, exciting and fun.”
Rufus Norris, Director of the National Theatre said, “It’s so important that children from all backgrounds feel that the arts are open to them to participate in and enjoy, and so we’re delighted to bring Tinuke Craig’s reimagining of Hamlet to the stage of the National Theatre and directly into school halls. We hope this exciting first experience of Shakespeare and live theatre will inspire young audiences to discover more about theatre-making and support teachers to ensure creative learning continues to be a key part of a rounded education”.
The production is designed by Frankie Bradshaw with lighting designed by Paul Knott. Sound is designed by Clark Henry-Brown and Dom Coyote. The Movement Director is Morgann Runacre-Temple and Fight Director is Jeremy Barlow. Music is composed and directed by Dom Coyote.
Education packages to support teaching of the production are available for primary schools and include workshops, training and teacher resources.
NT Learning supports primary teachers across the UK to inspire creative learning and theatre-making as part of the curriculum. State schools can now sign up to take part in Story Seekers, a free digital storytelling project, and the National Theatre Collection to access the best of British theatre in the classroom for free. To find out more about these opportunities visit NT Learning.
The National Theatre’s Partner for Learning is Bank of America.
Schools Touring is supported by: The Mohn Westlake Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, The Hearn Foundation, Behrens Foundation, The Dorset Foundation – in memory of Harry M Weinrebe, The Ingram Trust, Sherling Charitable Trust, Archie Sherman Charitable Trust and The Constance Travis Charitable Trust.
I’ll start with a review from my 6-year-old daughter:
“I loved it mummy. It was soooo good. My favourite part was when Frog did the splits in the air and landed on the log on his privates!”
I always wonder how valid my grown-up perspective is on kid’s theatre as surely the review from my little girl is the most important, right? As you can see from her comment above she loved it.
I’ll say it was a lovely morning at the theatre but for me, this particular show had something ever so slightly off the mark. The story is glorious of course and the adaptation for stage works so well with the book coming to life in front of your very eyes. Now, I am not sure whether it was a tech issue or a venue issue but I found much of the dialogue hard to hear with some bits frankly inaudible. I wondered if it was just me so asked my daughter and her dad if they could understand what the animals were saying. He couldn’t either and my daughter said, “Not really but it doesn’t matter”.
Now, I know that an audience full of children will have its moments of distraction (it’s a big feat keeping under 6’s focussed for an hour) but here, I found that at times the audience had been lost (perhaps they had the same sound issue as us?).
Dog was definitely my favourite whilst my little girl LOVED Frog. The costumes are fantastic, the puppets are just wonderful, the songs were fun but I’m afraid Oi Frog! didn’t quite do it for me.
I do think that if the audibility of the dialogue and songs were fixed, I would have had a VERY different experience as all the other ingredients are there for a wonderful production.
All that said, my daughter loved it and seriously won’t stop talking about Frog landing on his privates, getting a splinter in his bum and getting farted on by Dog! Could we call that a successful trip to the theatre, I think so
Darlington Hippodrome – until Saturday 5 February 2022
5*****
The perennial favourite Blood Brothers makes a welcome return to Darlington, as part of its current UK tour. This haunting and beautifully tragic story starts at the end and then returns to the beginning to see how the story brought us to that point.
Set in Liverpool, we hear the story of the Johnstone twins and how poverty drives Mrs Johnstone (Niki Evans) to give away one of the babies to her employer Mrs Lyons (Paula Tappenden). Mrs Lyons is desperate for a child and takes advantage of Mrs Johnstones superstitious nature to ensure the boys never find out they are brothers.
Mickey (Sean Jones) stayed with his single-parent mum, living from hand to mouth, in a council house full of children and poverty. Eddie (Joel Benedict) lives with the Lyons, with a mum and dad, in a large house with a garden and all the advantages his twin never had. Despite the mothers intentions the boys meet and sustain a friendship, a blood brothers pact, from the age of 7 (but nearly 8).
The story is moved forward by the Narrator (Robbie Scotcher). In some interpretations of the musical, the Narrator is almost demonic, spreading malevolence and exuding menace, but Scotcher is more of a philosophical entity. His powerful vocals give you a shiver up your spine, as he judges with a cold condemnation.
Sean Jones returns to play Mickey for the last time, which is an incredible shame, for he has really made the part his own. From his convincing monologue of a 7 year old to growing up and finding love with Linda (Carly Burns). Becoming a father aged 18, losing his job, going to prison after being led astray by older brother Sammy (Daniel Taylor) and his tragic decline into depression and a reliance on anti-depressants. His acting is phenomenal. You believe he is child, riding his imaginary horse, you believe his terror at becoming a father when still a child himself and you believe his tragic depression. He will be missed when he leaves this role.
Niki Evans is an emotional powerhouse, wringing every emotion out of her vocals as the downtrodden and tragic Mrs Johnstone. From child bride to middle aged granny. From poverty to getting by, you watch her grow, sympathising with her plight. Her vocals in the iconic Tell Me It’s Not True are heartbreakingly raw, her voice cracks with emotion and you genuinely believe she really is sobbing.
I don’t know if Willy Russell knew what a remarkable piece of theatre he was writing when he put pen to paper for Blood Brothers. But this production by Bill Kenwright is one of the finest versions I have seen and I can only urge you to pack your tissues and book a seat as soon as possible, if only to witness Sean Jones before he leaves.
Festival Theatre, Malvern – until 5th January 2022
Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau
4.5 ****
Yet another mirthful evening brought to you by those comedy geniuses at Mischief. Anyone familiar with their earlier material such as The Play That Goes Wrong will know exactly what to expect. Or not! You see, this is a rather different work than the aforementioned one. It is a straighter, character driven piece relying less on their usual slapstick style.
The plot centres on a group of friends through 3 different ages. The first half of the show (acts 1 and 2 cover ages 6 and 14). The 6 year old section bursts forth with great vigour, introducing our main characters and their classroom. As you would expect there’s a lot of jumping around, noise and some wonderful misunderstandings of their parent’s words all portrayed with aplomb by this wonderful cast. The teenage act is less naive and joyous, though still very funny. Lots of awkward behaviour, posturing and hormones raging which cleverly sets up events which culminate in the final act.
I especially enjoyed the interplay between Spencer (Dharmesh Patel), Archie (Daniel Abbott) and Katie (Lauren Samuels). It’s hard to say too much without giving the plot away but each has their moments to shine in both humour and drama and there’s a great deal of both. Moon (Yolanda Ovide) and Simon (Matt Cavendish) are more tragic figures, but (again) there’s plenty of laughs there too. A fully rounded cast who you genuinely feel for, which is no mean feat given that this is a comedy not a drama. There is some exceptional acting from all involved showing great range (including touching moments, tragedy, farce and manic incredulity).
Although the first half of the show was very funny, it really takes off in the second half (act 3, the adult reunion) with the introduction of Chemise and Paul.
Chemise (Jamie Birkett) is especially hilarious and steals all the scenes she is in. It’s not just that her lines are hilarious but her delivery is perfect. It’s also the way the main characters react off her to perfection that brings (arguably) the loudest roars of the night. I would love her to have her own show – she was that fantastic!
Paul (Killian Macardle) is a character with few lines but every appearance is worth waiting for. His performance gets more manic and crescendos into a hilarious costume that is a sight to behold and will have you almost falling off your chair with laughter.
Hamsters are worthy of special mention too – with a clever series of names (yes, that is plural as there are plenty of our furry friends) etc. that displays the quality of the writing, as the creative team wring every ounce of humour out of anything and everything.
This show is enormous fun and was brilliantly acted by a cast obviously enjoying themselves, just as I was enjoying watching it. Another triumph from the Mischief team! Highly recommended to bring sunshine to these dark winter days
THE ALEXANDRA THEATRE, BIRMINGHAM – UNTIL SATURDAY 5TH FEBRUARY 2022
REVIEWED BY NADIA DODD
5****
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s adaptation of the 2003 hit comedy film follows lead character Dewey Finn (Jake Sharp) as a failed, wannabe rock star managing to lie his way into a substitute teacher position at a very high class prep school Horace Green.
Jake who plays the well known character of Dewey, (played by Jack Black in the film), has almost the same characteristics plus more, bringing such high-energy to the performance throughout the whole evening.
Whilst ‘working’ in the school just to help pay the rent after being threatened by his flatmates that he will have to leave unless he does his fair share, he realises that the class he is working with have amazing musical potential. Dewey has no teaching experience but feels he can bring out the best in these kids because he listens to them, something that some of their parents aren’t doing. The students are more suited to playing piano, cello and studying classical music rather than keyboard, electric guitar and drums until Dewey convinces them otherwise……
Once he has his band, backing singers, dancers, roadies and even manager Dewey then has to convince the principal of the school, Rosalie Mullins (Rebecca Lock) to take the pupils off school premises and attend The Battle of The Bands contest.
The young performers in this show are just amazing and the absolute stars of the night. Not just singing and acting, they play their instruments live throughout the performance with such enthusiasm you can really see they are thoroughly enjoying themselves, the audience were clapping along as the band were rocking out.
High energy, up beat new songs have been added by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the catchiest tune for me being ‘Stick it to The Man’, alongside the original songs from the film also being performed.
Fast paced, exhilarating, high energy and great comedy timing makes this show a fabulous choice for all the family to enjoy.
As the cast took their final bows, the audience were on their feet with a standing ovation to show their appreciation of what was a truly awe-inspiring evening
