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King’s Theatre, Edinburgh – until Saturday 20^th November

Reviewed by Ellen Searle

3***

Death Drop is a “Dragatha Christie murder-mystery”, set in 1991 on Tuck Island during a soirée for Princess Diana and Prince Charles’ tenth wedding anniversary.  Could the scenario be any more camp?  Probably not, and as such is a perfect scenario for an evening of outrageously over the top bawdy entertainment.

Top drag stars there are a plenty, drawn from around the globe.  US performers Willam and Ra’ Jah O’Hara from Ru Paul’s Drag Race plays one-hit-wonder pop starlet Shazza and sultry TV girl Summer Rains respectively, Vinegar Strokes from Drag Race UK is superb as Lady von Fistenburg, and the inimitable and much loved Karen from Finance from Drag Race Down Under plays tabloid editor Morgan Pierce.  You can see the way this is going. The play is written by Holly Stars, who herself plays triplets the Bottomley Sisters – Blue, Brie and Spread, her mother’s favourite types of cheese. 

And as you would expect, they are serving it up rude, crude and over the top.  There are rollicking songs, very dirty jokes, and the lavishly rhinestoned dresses and skyscraper heels definitely, to imitate one of the best known spoofs of them all, go all the way up to 11.

We also see drag kings, that is mostly female performance artists who dress in masculine drag and personify male stereotypes.  Here, Richard Energy as Tory MP Rich Whiteman (took me a moment to get that one!) and Georgia Frost as TV producer Phil Maker take infectious delight in rocking their male stereotypes to the full.  While there is possibly no such thing as too much in drag, for me, these characters both matched and helpfully balanced out the exorbitant energy of the drag queens. 

Is this for everyone?  Probably not, as the humour certainly requires a broad mind. Risque doesn’t even begin go cover it!  But there is somehow something refreshing and joyful about seeing a full on drag production (is there any other kind?) with a properly diverse cast in the oldest theatre of a city with a reputation for being a bit on the stuffy side.  Each actor gives their all, delivering every one liner, vulgar gesticulation, and pantomime scream with what feels like the very essence of their being.  If you’re tough enough, strap yourself in and enjoy the ride!

Park Theatre – until 19th December

Reviewed by – Emily Cliff

4****

Louisa May Alcott’s timeless classic Little Women has gone from book to music to film in the century and a half that it has been out. From the Academy award-winning film to the Tony-nominated musical the story of the four March sisters has touched hearts wherever it has gone and here in London we get to be a part of that joyous magic just in time for Christmas.

With music from Grammy award-winning Jason Howland, it is safe to say that this musical has been built on a pretty solid foundation. Following the lives of four Meg (Hana Ichijo), Jo (Lydia White), Beth (Anastasia Martin) Amy (Mary Moore) in the days of the American civil war this musical navigates all the ups and downs of growing up and the ever-growing bond that binds sisters together. Very few productions have a strong female leading cast, and Little Women does and it screams it proudly from the rooftops.

The first act captures brilliantly the strong sense of imagination and the bond the sisters shared through that. Lydia White captured the essence of Jo’s strong witted determination from the very offset of this musical, linked in with her clean and smooth vocals show the strength that lies within her character and also the vulnerability in her personality. The harmonies between the four sisters gel and blend so sweet and soft that it mirrors the love that these girls have for each other. The first act of this musical was a wholesome and touching reenactment of a brilliant childhood classic. With humour in all of the right places you truly felt like you were in on the secret between these sisters as if you were a part of the special bond they shared. The key songs from the first act are Here Alone performed by Marmee (Savannah Steverson) showing the strength of a mother with a husband at war, and an operatic tragedy, a number where we truly see the imagination and the creativity of Jo’s fantastic and creative mind.

Act two is where we see these sisters grow up. Moving through adolescent heartache, the pain of losing a loved one and all of the chaos and heat ache that follows. A downfall of this play however is that while to story is captivating, we lose the development and some of the key factors of the other sisters. The musical while it tries to be inclusive of all the sisters are still very much centred around Jo, whereas the beauty of the novel and the films that have followed is that all of the sisters are recognised and shown in their own right.

The spirit of sisterhood and the importance of family bonds run the very end. The heart-wrenching duet between Beth and Jo ‘Some things are meant to be’ broke all the hearts of the audience and it is safe to say that there wasn’t a dry eye in the theatre. Overall the true sense of sisterhood and love shown throughout this musical was wonderful. It was a truly charming evening of theatre, filled with imagination, love heartbreak and everything in between.

INITIAL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR NEW MUSICAL

BROKEN WINGS AT CHARING CROSS THEATRE

Aria Entertainment today announces initial casting for the musical adaptation of Kahlil Gibran’s Broken Wings by Nadim Naaman – who will also play Kahlil Gibran -and Dana Al Fardan. Bronagh Lagan directs the cast including Yasmeen Audi (Layla Bawab/Ensemble), Haroun Al Jeddal (Mansour Bey Galib), Lucca Chadwick-Patel (Young Kahlil Gibran), Soophia Foroughi (Mother), Alex Kais (Ensemble), Nadim Naaman (Kahlil Gibran), Ayesha Patel (Dima Bawab) and Noah Sinigaglia (Selma Karamy). After multiple productions of the musical in concert form around the Middle East this will be the first full staging of the musical. The production opens at Charing Cross Theatre on 26 January, with previews from 21 January, and runs until 5 March 2022. Full casting will be announced shortly.

Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment with Bonnie Comley and Stewart F. Lane in association with Edward Prophet and People Entertainment Group presents

Kahlil Gibran’s

BROKEN WINGS
Written by Nadim Naaman and Dana Al Fardan

Cast: Yasmeen Audi (Layla Bawab/Ensemble), Haroun Al Jeddal (Mansour Bey Galib),

Lucca Chadwick-Patel (Young Kahlil Gibran), Soophia Foroughi (Mother), Alex Kais (Ensemble), Nadim Naaman (Kahlil Gibran), Ayesha Patel (Dima Bawab) and Noah Sinigaglia (Selma Karamy)

Director: Bronagh Lagan; Musical Director: Erika Gundesen; Orchestrations: Joe Davidson;

Set & Costume Designer: Gregor Donnelly; Choreographer: Philip Michael Thomas; 
Lighting Designer: Nic Farman; Sound Designer: Andrew Johnson; Casting Director: Jane Deitch; 

Assistant Director: Riwa Saab

21 January – 5 March 2022

New York City, 1923. Through exquisite poetry and enchanting music, an ageing Gibran narrates our tale, transporting us back two decades and across continents, to turn-of-the-century Beirut. Gibran meets Selma; their connection is instant and their love affair, fated. However, their journey to happiness is soon thrown off course, as the pair face obstacles that shake the delicate foundation of their partnership. Will their love win out or will their dream of a life together be torn apart?

Performed in-the-round, Broken Wings takes us on an unmissable musical voyage, exploring issues of gender equality, immigration, the freedom to love who we love, and what ‘home’ really means to us. Over a century later, and the themes and debates raised in Gibran’s story, remain increasingly relevant today.

Nadim Naaman is the book writer and co-composer, and is also playing Kahlil. His credits include Rumi: The Musical – released by Broadway Records as a Concept Album. His credits as an actor include A Little Night Music (Holland Park Opera), The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre/Greek tour), By Jeeves (The Old Laundry), Sweeney Todd (Tooting Arts Club), One Man, Two Guvnors (Theatre Royal Haymarket), and The Sound of Music (London Palladium). As a soloist, he has performed concerts in venues including The Hong Kong Philharmonic, Birmingham Symphony, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, RTE Concert Orchestra Dublin, Liverpool Philharmonic, The John Wilson Orchestra, London Symphony and BBC Proms at The Royal Albert Hall. His 2016 studio album, Sides, topped the iTunes UK Vocal Chart, and is available on iTunes and Spotify. Naaman is also an associate at The Royal Academy of Music.

Dana Al Fardan is a Qatari composer, songwriter and symphonic artist. Her credits include Rumi: The Musical – released by Broadway Records as a Concept Album. She is the official composer of Qatar Airways and also Brand Ambassador of Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, with whom she has recorded two albums: Layla and Sandstorm – the latter has been performed by The London Metropolitan Orchestra at Theatre Royal Haymarket in London.

Yasmeen Audi plays Layla Bawab/Ensemble. She recently graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she won the 2019 Toni V. Fell Prize for Acting through Song. She made her West End debut playing the legendary in Umm Kulthum & The Golden Era (London Palladium). Her other work includes Broadway’s Gypsy of the Year (assistant choreographer/swing), RENT, Little Shop of Horrors and Into the Woods.

Haroun Al Jeddal plays Mansour Bey Galib. He recently graduated from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. His performance credits Grease (UK tour), Bring It ON (The BTA), West Side Story (FutureStages), Imaginary, The Battle of Boat (NYMT), Peter Pan Goes Wrong (Mischief Theatre), and Baby and We Lost Elijah (National Theatre Connections); and for television, Coronation Street.

 
Lucca Chadwick-Patel plays Young Kahlil Gibran. He graduated this year from Guildford School of Acting. His theatre work includes The Magician’s Elephant (RSC), In Pieces (Turbine Theatre), Dogfight (Southwark Playhouse), and Carousel: In Concert and The Clockmaker’s Daughter (Cadogan Hall).

Soophia Foroughi plays Mother. Her theatre credits include The Prince of Egypt (Dominion Theatre), Rumi – The Musical (Concert/Workshop/Recording), Spamalot (Frankfurt, Germany), The Sound of Music (Popular Productions), Michael Ball Sings The Musicals, Michael Ball: Both Sides Now (UK tours), White Christmas (Pitlochry Festival Theatre), The Rat Pack, Live From Las Vegas (Wyndham’s Theatre), The House of Bernarda Alba (Union Theatre), Thursford Christmas Spectacular, and Jack and the Beanstalk (Mercury Theatre Colchester).

Alex Kais is making his London stage debut in the Ensemble. He recently appeared in The Hades & Persephone Project and partnered with Trinacria Theatre Company to develop the production. He is currently part of the team that are producing the 2021 Black British Theatre Awards.

Ayesha Patel makes her professional stage debut playing Dima Bawab. She recently graduated from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Her television work include as part of the choir in Ball & Boe: A Very Merry Christmas.

Noah Sinigaglia makes her professional stage debut playing Selma Karamy.

Bronagh Lagan directs. Her theatre credits include Cruise (Duchess Theatre), Rags The Musical (Lyric Theatre/Park Theatre), Umm Kulthum (London Palladium), Putting It Together, Little Women (Hope Mill Theatre), A Winter’s Tale (Rose Theatre Kingston), Brexit the Musical (Edinburgh Festival Fringe), Promises, Promises (Southwark Playhouse), tick, tick… BOOM! (Park Theatre), As You Like It (Jackson’s Lane), The Adventures of Pinocchio (Ambassadors Theatre), The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (Chipping Norton Theatre), The Pajama Game, A Man of No Importance (Pleasance Theatre), Heart of Winter, The Stationmaster (Tristan Bates Theatre), James and The Giant Peach (UK/international tour), Portia Coughlan (The Old Red Lion), Girlfriends (Union Theatre), A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (Greenwich Theatre), The Mistress Cycle (Landor Theatre), Expectations (Arcola Theatre), Blood Wedding (Courtyard Theatre), Newsrevue (Canal Café Theatre), Henry VI Part 1 (Rose Theatre), Erris (Theatre503), Julius Caesar (The Scoop) and The Madness of Sweeney (Lyric Theatre, Belfast). Lagan is also part of the From Page To Stage Literary department for Aria Entertainment.

www.brokenwingsmusical.co.uk

Twitter:                @bwmusical
Facebook:           @brokenwingsmusical
Instagram:           @brokenwingsmusical

BROKEN WINGS

LISTINGS

Charing Cross Theatre

The Arches, Villiers Street, London WC2N 6NL

21 January – 5 March 2022

Box Office: www.charingcrosstheatre.co.uk/ 08444 930 650

DENZEL WESTLEY-SANDERSON

WINS THE RTST SIR PETER HALL DIRECTOR AWARD 2021

NATHAN CROSSAN-SMITH IS RUNNER-UP

The Royal Theatrical Support Trust (RTST) and English Touring Theatre (ETT) have announced Denzel Westley-Sanderson as the winner of the 2021 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award and Nathan Crossan-Smith as the runner-up. Now in its fifth year, the award – which honours the memory of RTST co-founder, Sir Peter Hall – is made to an up-and-coming director demonstrating exceptional directing skills in a rigorous competitive process.

As the winner of the 2021 Award, Denzel Westley-Sanderson will direct a full-scale, funded, mid-scale regional touring production of a classic or modern play opening in 2022 at Leeds Playhouse, in a co-production between ETT and Leeds Playhouse, then tour across the UK. The RTST will make a grant of £50,000 to be applied towards the costs of the winner’s production.

As the runner-up, Nathan Crossan-Smith will receive mentoring and professional support from ETT.

Denzel Westley-Sanderson and Nathan Crossan-Smith were selected by a panel comprising Chair, Richard Twyman; Artistic Director of ETT; James Brining, Artistic Director of Leeds Playhouse; Dominic Cooke, Director; Paapa Essiedu, Actor; Haydn Gwynne, Actor; Shelley Maxwell, Movement Director; Nickie Miles-Wildin, Co-Artistic Director and CEO of DaDaFest; and Sirine Saaba, Actor. 

The scheme promotes the RTST’s charitable objectives by supporting up-and-coming theatre practitioners and British regional theatres. It is also intended to appeal to a wide range of candidates and to play a part in promoting diversity in the theatre, onstage, offstage and among audiences.

Sir Geoffrey Cass, Chairman, and Mark Hawes, Director of the RTST said, “Our Award scheme has become a unique gauge of up-and-coming directing talent in British theatre — this year the reading is higher than ever. We received a surfeit of high-calibre entries from experienced directors eager to seize this rare career-transformative opportunity to progress to mid-scale tour directing -doubtless aspirations were pent-up over the pandemic. Winner: Denzel Westley-Sanderson and runner-up Nathan Crossan-Smith will be exciting directors to watch.

“Denzel’s production will be the fourth regional mid-scale touring co-production, and the fifth regional production in total, to be catalysed by our RTST Award and production grant. We’re thrilled to be working with our 2021Award partners ETT and Leeds Playhouse to bring this about next Autumn. Taking a wider view: we’re enormously proud that our Award is continuing to propel fresh and diverse talent into the mid-scale while providing meaningful support to regional British theatre companies, especially in these trying times for the industry.”

Richard Twyman, Artistic Director, and Sophie Scull, Executive Producer of ETT,also commented, “It’s a great pleasure to announce this year’s winner of the 2021 RTST Sir Peter Hall Directors Award, Denzel Westley-Sandersonand runner-up, Nathan Crossan-Smith. The award is unique in its ambition and scope, opening up the nation’s stages to an exceptional new artist each year, and allowing them to make work for audiences across the country. Denzel is a dynamic, intuitive director and we can’t wait to work with him to make a show in Autumn 2022, that will open in Leeds and tour nationally. We also look forward to offering mentoring support for Nathan to develop his craft over the coming year.

We’d like to thank the panellists and workshop actors, for all the care and talent that they gave to the selection process this year and to all the directors that took the time to apply and be part of the process. The quality of entrants was extremely high and we only wish that we could offer all of the directors that applied this opportunity.”

James Brining, Artistic Director of Leeds Playhouse, said: “Massive congratulations to Denzel on winning this award, which gives up-and-coming theatre practitioners a valuable opportunity to take their work to the next level, developing the scale and ambition of what they can achieve and giving them the support they need to move forward with confidence.

“We can’t wait to work with him on what promises to be an exciting addition to our 2022 programme. At Leeds Playhouse, we pride ourselves on supporting visionary artists at all stages of their career as part of our pioneering Furnace artistic development programme. We feel honoured to be able to work with Denzel, to help him develop his practice and to support him as he reaches a pivotal point in what looks set to be a stellar career.”

Previous winners and official runners-up respectively of the RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award are Anthony Almeida and Maria Crocker (2019); Nancy Medina and Josh Seymour (2018); Chelsea Walker and Tinuke Craig (2017); and Kate Hewitt and Rebecca Frecknall (2016).

For further details of the award, please visit the RTST’s website: www.rtst.org.uk.

SPRING 2022 HERALDS A UK TOUR OF CARLOS ACOSTA’S

BRAND-NEW PRODUCTION OF DON QUIXOTE 

For spring 2022, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Director Carlos Acosta promises entertainment for all ages when he brings an explosion of Spanish sunshine, spectacular dance and vivacious comedy to stages across the country. 

In a new production created especially for Birmingham Royal Ballet and featuring all-new designs by Tim Hatley, Don Quixote introduces us to Cervantes’ famous knight himself, lovers Kitri and Basilio, and a host of supporting characters. As the Don sets out on a quest to track down his true love, with his loyal friend and servant Sancho Panza at his side, he finds himself embroiled in an unlikely adventure of love and dreams.

The first UK performances of Acosta’s sparkling new 21st-century production of this 19th-century masterpiece, featuring music by one of the founding fathers of Russian Ballet music Ludwig Minkus, performed live by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, take place in Southampton in February and the tour continues to Birmingham, Salford, Sunderland and Plymouth through to 19 March.  

Carlos Acosta’s original production, his first full length ballet, was created for The Royal Ballet in 2013, and was last seen at the Royal Ballet in 2019. It has also been seen in cinemas all over the world. Carlos has been performing in Don Quixote since the age of 16 when he won the Prix de Lausanne so it’s very close to his heart but also a real crowd pleaser. As well as wanting to ensure this new version is suitable for touring, Acosta said:

“For this new production, I wanted to give it a completely new take and a new look to the one that I gave to the Royal Ballet so that Birmingham has its own. It’s a new production with new concept and designs, re-orchestration, new elements of the choreography, new colours, a whole new palette.

“This ballet is really popular with dancers,” he says. “It is a ballet for virtuosos. If you really have aspirations to become the best ballet dancer you can be, then you must have this ballet under your belt. Also it’s a production which gives opportunities to a large ballet company because there are a lot of roles for everyone in the company – for soloists, for corps members and principals so it’s a real showcase.”

Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham – until 20th November

Reviewed by Boo Wakefield

4****

Nottingham Concert Hall shook last night to the sounds of School of Rock, which is on its UK tour now it has finished in the West End. From start to finish, it will have you laughing, crying and definitely singing along to this fast-moving musical.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s School of Rock is based on the hit movie and follows the life of Dewey Finn, an endearing character who is down on his luck. He has just been thrown out of a rock band which was about to enter a competition called the Battle of the Bands, dashing all his dreams. As his whole life crumbles, he decides to masquerade as his best friend and takes up an offer of a job as a supply teacher at an elite school. He is put in charge of a class of bright students who, to his surprise, can sing and play music and sets about teaching them about the rock idols he loves rather than the curriculum. This gives him the idea of training them to enter the Battle of the Bands but can he get away with this without being caught by the headmistress or the parents?

It would be easy to make comparisons with the original movie, but Jake Sharp, who stars as Dewey Finn, has made this role his own. Sharp’s ability to play guitar live whilst blasting out numerous songs surrounded by 12 incredibly talented children is awesome. His energy levels never drops and his comic timing is spot on. And believe me, the sweat is real!

Rebecca Lock plays Rosalie Mullins, the headmistress who also falls for Finn, has the ability to swap her voice from an impressive soprano voice to beautiful singing with ease.

Unlike in the movie, the children’s family life is shown earlier in the production which gives more background to their characters. As a group, they are an impressive bunch singing and preforming their way through the production with strong voices, excellent timing, and mind-blowing instrumental skills. They risk outshine the adults in this production. Alfie Morwood, who plays Billy who takes on the task of designing the costumes for the band, is superb and deliver his part perfectly. But its Jasmine Djazel who really steals the show as Tomika. Her voice, which you expect to be as quiet as her character, is sweet and clear but then builds to an outstanding strong performance.

This production is slick, energetic, and all-round entertaining and is well worth a visit

Jonathan Church Theatre Productions and Cambridge Arts Theatre present

TWO CIGARETTES IN THE DARK

• CASTING IS ANNOUNCED FOR THE UK TOUR OF ‘TWO CIGARETTES IN THE DARK’ BY STEPHEN WYATT.
• LIZA GODDARD, MICHAEL LUMSDEN, NATASHA MAGIGI AND TIMOTHY WATSON WILL JOIN DAME PENELOPE KEITH.
• DIRECTED BY ALAN STRACHAN, DESIGNED BY SIMON HIGLETT, PRODUCED BY JONATHAN CHURCH THEATRE PRODUCTIONS AND CAMBRIDGE ARTS THEATRE, THIS BITTER-SWEET COMEDY WILL BEGIN PERFORMANCES AT CHICHESTER FESTIVAL THEATRE ON 17 FEBRUARY 2022 AND TOUR TO CAMBRIDGE, GUILDFORD, CARDIFF, RICHMOND, BRIGHTON, BATH AND MALVERN

Casting is announced for the UK tour of Two Cigarettes in the Dark, a brand new play by Stephen Wyatt, directed by Alan Strachan, designed by Simon Higlett and produced by Jonathan Church Theatre Productions and Cambridge Arts Theatre.

As previously announced Dame Penelope Keith (renowned for her many acclaimed roles on stage and television including iconic sitcoms The Good Life and To The Manor Born) will play Isabel.  She will be joined by Liza Goddard (whose extensive credits include numerous plays by Alan Ayckbourn, most recently the UK tour of Relatively Speaking, and TV classics such as Bergerac and Doctor Who) as Gwen. Michael Lumsden (who plays regular character Alistair Lloyd in Radio 4’s The Archers and is currently on stage performing in While the Sun Shines at The Orange Tree Theatre) will play Matt.  Natasha Magigi (whose stage credits include Pericles, Twelfth Night and The Comedy of Errors for The Globe, Don Quixote for the RSC and The County Wife for Chichester Festival Theatre) will play Winsome. Timothy Watson (known for his long running role as Rob Titchener in Radio 4’s The Archers and recent stage credits such as the UK tour of The Winslow Boy, Shadowlands at Chichester Festival Theatre and Beaux’ Stratagem at National Theatre) will play Luke. The company also includes Juliet Garricks (who makes her professional stage debut with the production) and Hilary Tones (who was most recently on stage in C’est La Vie….Sarah Bernhardt And Me at The Playground Theatre and A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian at Hull Truck).

Bright, witty, and fiercely independent, Isabel is not ready to let go just yet. 

In a series of encounters with an old friend and her two sons, by turns funny, startling and poignant, home truths are exchanged, and her past begins to emerge.  As Isabel confronts her own hidden regrets and family secrets, we learn what hides below the surface of this proud mother, wife, and friend. Finally, Isabel is able to make peace with her life and say goodbye.

This bittersweet comedy will tour next year to Chichester Festival Theatre (17 – 26 February), Cambridge Arts Theatre (3 March – 12 March), Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford (14 – 19 March), New Theatre, Cardiff (22 – 26 March), Richmond Theatre (28 March – 2 April), Theatre Royal Brighton (4 – 9 April), Theatre Royal Bath (19 – 23 April) and Malvern Theatres (25 – 30 April).  Press Night will be on Friday 4 March at Cambridge Arts Theatre. 

Two Cigarettes in the Dark is written by Stephen Wyatt, directed by Alan Strachan and designed by Simon Higlett.  The lighting designer is Jason Taylor, sound design is by Gregory Clarke and casting is by Helena Palmer CDG.

NEW PRODUCTION OF

GREASE

TO OPEN AT DOMINION THEATRE

PREVIEWS FROM 3 MAY 2022

TICKETS NOW ON SALE

Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey’s iconic musical GREASE will return to the Dominion Theatre in London’s West End, with new staging and choreography, opening on Tuesday 10 May 2022, with previews from Tuesday 3 May 2022.

GREASE is directed by Nikolai Foster and choreographed by Arlene Phillips. Casting is to be announced.

Colin Ingram, lead producer said: “This is the first new production of Grease in the West End for 29 years, so we are excited to be bringing this grittier version to the Dominion Theatre. All the familiar songs from the film are included, plus some of the songs and script from the very first production which will be new to audiences. Directed by the brilliant Nikolai Foster and choreographed by the legendary Arlene Phillips, they have done an incredible job of reimagining one of the most popular musicals of all time, to make it feel fresh, entertaining and celebratory – something we all need right now.”

GREASE originally opened in Chicago in 1971, followed by a move to Broadway in 1972, where it received seven Tony Award nominations, including one for Best Musical. During the show’s eight-year run at the time, little known actors including Peter Gallagher, Patrick Swayze and John Travolta all appeared in the production, with Richard Gere understudying many roles before going on to star as Danny Zuko in the 1973 London premiere. GREASE was first performed at the Dominion Theatre in 1993 before transferring to the Cambridge Theatre in 1996. It returned to the West End, opening at the Piccadilly Theatre in 2007.

The 1978 film adaptation starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John is the fourth highest-grossing live action musical of all time. The musical features beloved songs, including Summer Nights, Greased Lightnin’, Hopelessly Devoted To You and You’re The One That I Want.

GREASE has designs by Colin Richmond, orchestrations and musical supervision by Sarah Travis, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Tom Marshall and Richard Brooker and casting by David Grindrod CDG.

This production of GREASE is produced by Colin Ingram for InTheatre Productions, Donovan Mannato, Playing Field, Gavin Kalin, and Curve.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Dominion Theatre

268-269 Tottenham Court Road

London

W1T 7AQ

Performances: Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm, Thursday* & Saturday at 2.30pm

*no Thursday matinee on 5 May or 5 June 2022

Tickets from: £15

Box Office: 0345 200 7982

Website: www.greasemusical.co.uk

Facebook: @GreaseWestEnd

Twitter: @GreaseWestEnd

Instagram: @GreaseWestEnd

Tik Tok: @GreaseWestEnd

THE LOWRY, SALFORD – UNTIL 20 NOVEMBER 2021

REVIEWED BY ANGELOS SPANTIDEAS

3***

Dial M for Murder is an interesting story of mystery with a twist of comedy with only a few characters and a story that does not fall far off the standard crime and love script that has been repurposed for screen and stage. The idea is simple, jealous husband plots the murder of his cheating wife but fate and a cunning inspector have other plans. The whole story takes place on a very well designed and detailed stage that could be taken straight out of a magazine for interior design, with every inch of the stage being taken advantage of to create the illusion of a real home.

The performance of the four actors is on point, the husband, Tony Wendice (played by Tom Chambers) is shown as crazy, most times over the top, which makes sense since the character decides that the punishment for adultery, is premeditated murder. The love affair of Margot Wendice (played by Diana Vickers) and Max Halliday (played by Michael Salami) is full of passion and the two have extraordinary chemistry on stage, both feeling very comfortable showing affection and being around each other. Christopher Harper plays two roles, for the first half Captain Lesgate and for the second Inspector Hubbard, with his transition between the two roles being so smooth that the audience needs a minute before they realise it is actually the same person behind both characters.

As a whole, the story is an interesting attempt at partnering thriller with comedy, and it is entertaining throughout. However, every key plot twist of events seems to be happening too easily which takes the realism out of the experience and in the end leaves the audience feeling like something was missing. For example from the wife being choked to death to her regaining her senses and stabbing the killer with a pair of scissors within seconds there is a lack of evidence in that leap of action. Similar points of excess simplification were Captain Lesgate accepting to murder the wife, the wife’s trial outcome, and even why would she be allowed to leave the prison before her death penalty.

Overall, Dial M for Murder is a light play, with many bits of comedy that bring laughter to the theatre and a cast that does a very good job at bringing the characters and their distinctive personalities to life, that ultimately succeeds at making the audience lay back and enjoy a whimsical show.

 Studio at New Wimbledon Theatre – until 19^th November 2021

Reviewed by Carly Burlinge  

4**** 

Skin In the Game presents itself as a show where the not-so-distant future has arrived and climate despair is on them all. The world needs to be saved and who better to do it than a game show host Danny (Craig Talbot). Danny has designs of power and leadership and professes that what he is doing, is for the greater good of the people. Everything is being destroyed and “all the people have is smiles, hugs and amazing tv” – game shows brought to you by the one and only Danny. He cares, he’s available and wants to rebuild the country by saving the islands. However, Elizabeth (Kristin Duffy) sees him for what he really is and wants to protect the people and bring him down, although things take a turn for the worse and she finds herself captured by a bumblebee and a troll. Will she be able to save the world and proceed on her mission of bringing Danny down?  

All of the cast gave a stand out performance. Craig Talbot lit up the room as the charismatic games show host with a twinkle in his eye. This was well balanced against the passionate performance from Kristin Duffy as the strong politically minded Elizabeth who is convinced, he is up too no good! 

There was good quick transition of different characters with simple costume changes making it quick and effective. The show was also very entertaining at times and had the whole audience laughing. 

Skin in the Game is a strange, dark play, a thought-provoking show of a not-so-distant dystopian future, that is philosophical and ideological which makes us look at ourselves and our surroundings of today.