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THE BARRICADE BOYS

Announce the First Line-Up of Guest Stars

Joining Their Acclaimed

CHRISTMAS CABARET AT THE OTHER PALACE

Samantha Barks, Camilla Kerslake, Alice Fearn, Nadim Naaman & Kieran Brown Confirmed with More Star Names to Follow

It’s (almost) the most wonderful time of the year!  Back by public demand, The Barricade Boys today announce the first confirmed line-up of special guest stars who will be joining them during their Christmas residency from 10-28 December at The Other Palace in London’s West End.

Samantha Barks will guest star on 17 December, Camilla Kerslake on 16 December, Alice Fearn on 23 December, Nadim Naaman on 27 December and Kieran Brown on 28 December matinee.  More star names will be announced shortly.

Samantha Barks rose to fame after coming in third in the BBC series I’d Do Anything in 2008. In 2012, she starred alongside Jonathan Bailey in the Disney Channel series Groove High and made her film debut as Éponine in the film version of the musical Les Misérables, going on to win the Empire Award for Best Female Newcomer.  She has since starred in the UK Tour of Oliver!, Josie Rourke’s production of City of Angels and most recently made her Broadway debut originating the role of Vivian in the stage musical Pretty Woman which played for a year at the Nederlander Theatre.

Camilla Kerslake is a classical crossover soprano who has toured with Andrea Bocelli, Il Divo and Russell Watson.  After becoming the first artist to sign to Gary Barlow’s record label Future Records, she released her debut album Camilla Kerslake in 2009, and was subsequently nominated for a Classical Brit Award.  She has played Cosette in Les Misérables, opposite Samantha Barks and Nick Jonas. 

Alice Fearn started her career in the Woman In White before joining the cast of Les Misérables, both in the West End. Credits since include Princess Aurora in Awaking Beauty (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough written and directed by Alan Ayckbourn), Annie Get Your Gun (Young Vic), Rapunzel in Into The Woods (Regents Park Open Air Theatre), Renee in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Nancy in Oliver! at the Watermill Theatre, Newbury. Most recently, Alice starred as Elphaba in the West End production of Wicked.

Nadim Naaman’s credits include Gibran in Broken Wings (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre); Charles Clarke in Titanic (Southwark Playhouse); Rolf in The Sound Of Music (London Palladium).

Kieran Brown has recently appeared in the 2019 Barricade Boys UK Tour.  His West End theatre credits include The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre), Wicked (Apollo Victoria Theatre) and Love Never Dies (Adelphi Theatre) and he appeared in The Les Misérables 25^th Anniversary Concert at the O2 Arena.

Following a critically acclaimed season in 2017, The Barricade Boys, will return to London for three weeks only, from Tuesday 10 to Saturday 28 December. 

Join The Barricade Boys around the Christmas tree, escape the winter chill and enjoy the very best of festive cheer. Featuring fabulous harmonies, incredible vocals, dashing good looks and stacks of charm, The Barricade Boys, showcase the UK’s finest male voices from the world’s longest running musical – Les Misérables.  After sell-out performances in London, a season on Broadway and a major 2019 UK Tour, The Barricade Boys have rightfully secured their place as the world’s leading musical theatre super group.

This glittering Christmas Cabaret will be packed with a stocking full of family favourites, including classics from ‘White Christmas’ to ‘Winter Wonderland’, ‘Let it Snow’ and ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’.  And Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without The Barricade Boys’ favourite crackers featuring songs from the musicals as well as some of the best pop, rock and swing numbers of all time.

The cast of the Christmas Cabaret are Simon Schofield (title role in Oliver! London Palladium, Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Sound of Music, Les Misérables), Dougie Carter (Les Misérables, Sunset Boulevard, La Cage aux Folles), Lee Honey Jones ((Les Misérables, The Book of Mormon, Mamma Mia!, Whistle Down The Wind) and George Tebbutt (Les Misérables, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). 

The Barricade Boys have played nearly every major role in musical theatre from The Phantom of The Opera, Wicked and Billy Elliot to Jersey Boys, The Sound Of Music and of course Les Misérables.

The Barricade Boys were devised and created in 2015 by Scott Garnham and Simon Schofield.

Listings Information:

★★★★★ “These guys are fantastic… DON’T miss this show!” – Alfie Boe

★★★★★ “Do you hear the people sing? Yes! With dashing good looks, incredible voices and outstanding musical magic!” – Elaine Paige, BBC Radio 2

THE BARRICADE BOYS CHRISTMAS CABARET

The Other Palace, 12 Palace St, London SW1E 5JA

To Book Tickets: www.TheOtherPalace.co.uk/BarricadeBoys

Box Office: 0207 087 7900

Tuesday 10 December – Saturday 28 December

Monday-Saturday at 20:00      

Saturday matinees on 14, 21 and 28 December at 14:00

Thursday matinee on 19 December at 14:00 and Tuesday matinee on 24 December at 14:00 

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford – until 23 November 2019

Reviewed by Antonia Hebbert

4****

Confession: I wasn’t 100 per cent looking forward to seeing this play about a 14-year-old girl who is gruesomely murdered, and then watches and comments as her family and friends struggle with their own lives afterwards. She knows and we know that the murderer lives next door, but she can only watch as the police fail to find the proof, the parents’ marriage is torn apart, and teenagers suffer – but then grow up, which she never can.

Amazingly, it’s enthralling. Or perhaps not completely amazingly, as it’s based on Alice Sebold’s hugely successul novel The Lovely Bones. It has been adapted for the theatre by Bryony Lavery, and the director is Melly Still. The stage is almost bare, except for a square marked out in chalk, but the entire backdrop is a mirror, so that all the action is reflected and seen from a different angle. This is an ingenious way of showing people overlapping in the different dimensions of life and afterlife, and to add to the layering, spotlit actors appear through the reflected layer. Linking the actual and the reflected is a spooky row of crooked, spiky corn plants, reminding us of the cornfield in which the murder took place. In this kind of space the acting doesn’t have to be completely literal, and at moments it feels more like a dance piece, performed with split-second precision.

Charlotte Beaumount is bright and engaging as the ever-young murdered Susie, Fanta Barrie is her sister Lindsey, and the tormented parents are played by Jack Sandle and Catrin Aaron. Nicholas Khan is a convincingly creepy killer Harvey, and Lynda Rooke is fun as a glamorous gran. Other members of the cast provide a fast-moving supporting crowd of friends, family, police and occasionally dogs. As with the book, you don’t exactly get a happy ending, but you do get a sense of renewal and rebuilding – the ‘lovely bones’ are a metaphor for the new strength that the family develops.

The Lowry, Salford – until Sunday 24 November 2019

Reviewed by Angharad Crabtree

4****

Circus 1903 gives a unique perspective of how it would have felt to watch an American circus over 100 years ago. This was done with the help of an amazing amalgamation of set, costumes, lighting, music and the raw talent of the performers. From the very beginning, the set and costumes made the audience feel fully immersed in the early 20th century, with the simplicity of the circus props somewhat juxtaposing the incredible acts that are being displayed. In addition, the clever use of dramatic lighting and music heightened the exciting anticipation of the audience. Both were used to cleverly reach a crescendo at just the appropriate times, which gave the audience direction in their applause and allowed the show to flow just as it would have in the real environment.

Despite the fantastic theatrical tools in play, the main treasure of this performance was the artists themselves. The ringmaster (David Williamson) seamlessly integrated humour into his navigation of the play, becoming part of the entertainment himself and providing extra delight with audience interaction. The most moving performance however, had to be the Flying Fredonis (Daria Shelest and Vadym Pankevych), who not only displayed immense talent and coordination, but paired their enchanting routine with beautiful choreography and a musical accompaniment to match. Similar demonstrations of incredible acrobatic skill were that of Natalia Leontieva (a hula hooping phenomenon), Les Incredibles (gravity-defying acrobat pair), The Remarkable Risleys (Fearless foot jugglers), Rokardy Rodriguez (strong man extraordinaire), the Sensational Sozonov (a pirouetting phenomenon) and The Daring Desafios (the energetic stuntmen).

In addition, it was great to see some more traditional circus acts had not been forgotten, with the performances from Senayet Asefa Amare (an astonishing contortionist), Francois Borie (an incredibly high speed juggler) and last but not least, the amazing elephant puppeteers, who somehow managed to give the elephants personalities and provoke both empathy and adoration from the audience. This combination of wonders made an all-round excellent production for all the family to enjoy.

Theatre Royal, Nottingham – until 23 November 2019 then touring until 6th June 2020

Reviewed by Boo Wakefield

3***

In its 50th anniversary year, the Northern Ballet are touring with a new version of Cinderella. Originally choreographed by David Nixon in 2013 and a score composed by Philip Feeney, this interpretation is set in Imperial Russia and differs from the classic Cinderella story we all know.

It starts with a long scene during which a young Cinderella is celebrating her birthday with a picnic in the countryside. The young Prince is also there and although both shy, they are attracted to each other. Her father gives her a shawl which her two stepsisters then take from her. Tragically, her father is killed trying to retrieve it and her stepmother blames Cinderella even though her own daughters are mainly to blame.

The family move to Moscow and Cinderella’s stepmother no longer sees as a daughter and confines her to the kitchen a maid. The story continues with an older Cinderella visiting the local market, a welcomed relief from the drudgery of work in the kitchen as it is full of entertainers and a magician. Cinderella helps the magician when one of his tricks fails. The Prince also happens to be at the market but does not recognise the bedraggled maid as the girl he danced with at her party. On returning home, her stepmother reminds her again of her place in the house and a tearful Cinderella takes refuge by visiting the Crustal Lake to skate. The Prince happens to be there too along with the magician, and all are impressed by Cinderella’s ice dancing.

The ballroom scene is very long, perhaps too long, although the group dancing is superb but it lacks the urgency the story needs when the clock strikes 12. Indeed, you are hardly aware this has happened, and it is followed by a curious almost pantomime chase across the stage with a bizarre backdrop with “Cinders’ in red lights which did nothing but leave you confused. It carries on on this strange note with the Prince not recognising Cinderella when he comes to the house the next day with the shoe for the ladies of the house to try on. Distraught, she goes to the Crystal Lake where the Prince, filled with remorse at his behaviour, finally declares his love.

The dancing from all the cast was breath taking and faultless, but credit must go to Antoinette Brooks-Daw as Cinderella whose performance was flawless. Minju Kang was superb as the wicked stepmother with her staccato dance steps impressing her evil character with every move. Mlindi Kulashe was also very impressive in his joint roles of Cinderella’s father and then the magician which was slightly confusing.

Overall this a very entertaining ballet, beautifully danced but was let down by some of the scenery looking as if was borrowed from a pantomime.

The British Library and Trafalgar Theatre Productions

Present

PETER NICHOLS: A CELEBRATION

TRAFALGAR STUDIOS

27 NOVEMBER, 3.00PM

STARRING

ROGER ALLAM, NIGEL LINDSAY,

LAYO-CHRISTINA AKINLUDE, LAURENCE BELCHER, JAMES HARKNESS, FAITH OMOLE,

ELLIOTT ROSS & GRACE COURTNEY

It’s been announced today that the Game of Thrones and Endeavour actor Roger Allam will lead a host of star names in a tribute show to celebrate one of the greatest playwrights of our generation – Peter Nichols: A Celebration will take place at Trafalgar Studios on Wednesday 27^th November.

Roger Allam will be joined by an incredible line-up of actors from stage and screen, including Nigel Lindsay (Victoria), Layo-Christina Akinlude (The End Of The F***ing World), Laurence Belcher (X-Men: First Class), James Harkness (Star Wars – Rogue One), Faith Omole (Endeavour), Elliott Ross (Admissions) and Grace Courtney (Holby City).

They and others, under the direction of Peter Nichols‘ grandson George Nichols, will perform a series of extracts from his much loved television and stage plays including Promenade, The National Health, Forget-Me-Not-Lane and Poppy, as well as passages from his personal diaries and rare unproduced plays, kindly provided by The British Library.

George Nichols said: “I’m so proud to be working with this wonderful group of actors who are all helping us to celebrate my Grandfather’s work. It’s going to be a very special and emotional event.”

All tickets are priced at £5 and are available to purchase from ATG Tickets and London Theatre Tickets.

With thanks to The British Library Collections Trust for supporting this event. The full  Archive and Oral History of Peter Nichols is accessible at The British Library for the public to view.

Peter Richard Nichols CBE, playwright, born 31 July 1927; died 7 September 2019, aged 92.

Peter Nichols: A Celebration

Wednesday 27^th November at 3pm

Trafalgar Studios 1

Box Office: 0844 871 7632

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/trafalgar-studios/

Cast announced for Hansel and Gretel
Chiswick Playhouse, 2 Bath Road, London W4 1LW
Wednesday 4thDecember 2019 – Saturday 4th January 2020

The magnificent cast has been announced for Chiswick Playhouse’s enchanting re-imagining of Hansel and Gretel. Leading the way into the magical forest is Pippa Conway (Oh, What A Lovely War!, Gulbenkian Theatre; Dracula, The Ballroom; Mary and Joseph, Southwark Playhouse) as Gretel alongside Joshua Oakes-Rogers (The Dead Room, BBC Four; Body and Sold, Park Theatre; Vespertilio, VAULT Festival) as Hansel.

Also joining the cast are Serena Flynn (Baubo: Goddess of Filth, Soho Theatre; Prune; Edinburgh Fringe) as Stepmother and Witch and Tomi Ogbaro (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre; Sweet Charity, Watermill Theatre; Seagulls, Octagon Theatre) as Father and Tony The Cockroach.

With a dazzling original soundtrack by composer Leon Parris (Bananaman The Musical, Enid Blyton’s The Famous Five, Stig of the Dump), this musical extravaganza will take audiences on an exciting adventure away from the realm of computer games and social media to a charming forest with a tap-dancing cockroach, lollipops and a candycane house. As Hansel and Gretel become lost among the silver trees, they find themselves in the snare of a witch with penchant for single-use plastic and a hankering for the only remaining sustainable food source: children.

Director Lucy Jane Atkinson comments, It’s a joy to work with such a multi-talented and playful cast of actors and singers to bring this new exciting piece to life. We are having a fantastic time in the rehearsal room and are hopefully creating something very special!

FINAL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR THE WORLD PREMIERE OF

L E O P O L D S T A D T

 A NEW PLAY BY TOM STOPPARD, DIRECTED BY PATRICK MARBER

Sonia Friedman Productions today (20 November 2019) announces final casting for the world premiere of Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt to be directed by Patrick Marber.

Now booking to 13 June 2020, Leopoldstadt begins previews at Wyndham’s Theatre on 25 January 2020 with opening night on 12 February 2020. 

Faye Castelow, Felicity Davidson, Avye Leventis and Sadie Shimmin join the previously announced adult cast – Sebastian Armesto, Jenna Augen, Rhys Bailey, Joe Coen, Mark Edel-Hunt, Clara Francis, Ilan Galkoff,Caroline Gruber, Sam Hoare, Natalie Law, Noof McEwan, Dorothea Myer-Bennett, Jake Neads, Aaron Neil, Alexander Newland, Yasmin Paige, Adrian Scarborough, Griffin Stevens, Ed Stoppard, Luke Thallon, Eleanor Wyld and Alexis Zegerman.

Jarlan Bogolubov, Ramsay Robertson and Joshua Schneider join the previouslyannounced children’s cast – Toby Cohen, Zachary Cohen, Olivia Festinger, Tamar Laniado, Maya Larholm, Daniel Lawson, Louis Levy, Libby Lewis, Jack Meredith, Chloe Raphael, Beatrice Rapstone and Montague Rapstone comprising three sets of five children.

Set designs are by Richard Hudson, with costume designs by Brigitte Reiffenstuel, lighting by Neil Austin, sound and original music by Adam Cork, and movement by EJ Boyle. Casting is by Amy Ball CDG,with children’s casting by Verity Naughton.

Vienna in 1900 was the most vibrant city in Europe, humming with artistic and intellectual excitement and a genius for enjoying life. A tenth of the population were Jews. A generation earlier they had been granted full civil rights by the Emperor, Franz Josef. Consequently, hundreds of thousands fled from the Pale and the pogroms in the East and many found sanctuary in the crowded tenements of the old Jewish quarter, Leopoldstadt.

Tom Stoppard’s new play, directed by Patrick Marber, is an intimate drama with an epic sweep; the story of a family who made good. “My grandfather wore a caftan,” says Hermann, a factory owner, “my father went to the opera in a top hat, and I have the singers to dinner.”  It was not to last. Over the next fifty years this family, like millions of others, was to re-discover what it meant to be Jewish in the first half of the 20th century. Leopoldstadt is a passionate drama of love, endurance and loss. It is Stoppard’s most humane and heart-breaking play.

Leopoldstadt, the sixth collaboration between SFP and Tom Stoppard, reunites Stoppard, Marber and Friedman who last collaborated on Travesties in 2017.

Leopoldstadt is co-produced with Gavin Kalin Productions, Scott Rudin, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Scott M. Delman/Patrick Gracey in association with Rupert Gavin, 1001 Nights Productions, Nica Burns, Burnt Umber Productions, Bradford W. Edgerton, Eilene Davidson Productions, Richard Winkler.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Theatre:                           Wyndham’s Theatre, Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0DA

Dates:                              25 January – 13 June 2020

Press Night:                       12 February 2020 at 7pm

Box Office:                         0844 482 5151

Performances:                    Monday – Saturday at 7.30pm, Thursdays (from 20 February) and Saturdays at 2.30pm

                                      Tuesday 17 March 2020 at 7.30pm Captioned Performance

Tuesday 24 March 2020 at 7.30pm Audio Described Performance

Website:                           leopoldstadtplay.com

Twitter:                           @LeopoldstadtLDN

Facebook:                         @LeopoldstadtLDN

Instagram:                        @LeopoldstadtLDN   

NEW CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR FAME THE MUSICAL

TROUBADOUR WEMBLEY PARK THEATRE

New casting is announced for the extended run of the critically acclaimed 30^th Anniversary production of Fame the Musical playing for a strictly limited season at the newly opened Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, located in the heart of North West London’s new cultural neighbourhood from 23 Dec – 26 Jan.

Cast members Keith Jack, Hayley Johnston, Molly McGuire, Jamal Crawford, Louisa Beadel, Simon Anthony,  Alexander Zane, Katie Warsop, Duncan Smith, Spencer Lee Osborne, Courtney George, Tom Mussell, Ryan Kayode, Lauren Crooks,  Daisy Edwards, Jay Le Marrec will remain with the company in their current roles.

New cast include Kira Malou (Iris Kelly), Josie Benson (Miss Sherman) Georgia Tapp (Carmen Diaz) Joshua Steel (Joe Vegas) Rebecca French and Eddie Myles (Ensemble).

Based on the 1980 phenomenal pop culture film, Fame – The Musical is the international smash-hit sensation following the lives of students at New York’s High School For The Performing Arts as they navigate their way through the highs and lows, the romances and the heartbreaks and the ultimate elation of life. This bittersweet but uplifting triumph of a show explores the issues that confront many young people today: prejudice, identity, pride, literacy, sexuality, substance abuse and perseverance.

Fame the Musical is presented by Selladoor Productions (Footloose, Avenue Q, Little Shop of Horrors and Flashdance –  The Musical) with Gavin Kalin Productions, Dan Looney & Adam Paulden, Stephen McGill Productions and Jason Haigh-Ellery in association with BrightLights Productions and Big Dreamer Productions.

Fame is Directed and Choregraphed by Nick Winston with Design by Morgan Large, Lighting design by Prema Mehta and Sound Design by Ben Harrison. Mark Crossland is Musical Supervisor.

Featuring the Oscar-winning title song and a cast of outstanding dancers, singers, musicians and rappers as they transform from star struck pupils to superstars. Fame – The Musical will indeed live forever.

Tickets are on sale now at www.troubadourtheatres.com. – 0844 815 4865 or visit www.fameuktour.co.uk  for more information. 

Wales Millennium Centre – 17 November 2019

Reviewed by Rhys Payne

4.5****

Having attended the previous Novello Orchestra concert at the Wales Millennium Centre which was titled Night at the Musicals, I already had extremely high expectations for Movie Mixtape: Songs from the Silver Screen but the extraordinarily talented performers and players managed to surpass the already high standard.

Like itʼs predecessor Movie Mixtape was a cabaret-style show which had performers come up and sing some songs based on a theme. They were accomplices by the incredibly Novello Orchestra and strangely the audience were encouraged to sing-a-long to the songs which did become difficult for some of the bigger musical numbers but people in the audience joined nonetheless. It was a fun-filled evening with many songs from movies I personally have seen and many I have not. Even the songs and movies I had not heard before, I enjoyed so much that I have now started a new list of film that I have to watch as the songs from them are so good. The show could be seen as a celebration of the music of movies and the lights, audience participation and energy helped add to the celebratory vibe of the show and also made the show even more enjoyable to watch.

The actual orchestra themselves were incredible as always. What’s great about these show in the three-part series is that the orchestra is situated on stage and so are visible to the audience at all time which I believe is fantastic as the orchestras in shows often go unnoticed and under-appreciated. There was a wide selection of mega-mixes and fanatic songs which truly showcased the Novello’s talent and craftsmanship. My personal favourite was the Ghostbusters theme tune being played to open the show. This show was both fun, nostalgic and iconic which encompasses the entire concept of the whole show so this was a very clever inclusion especially as it opened the whole concert.

I honestly have no words that can describe my feelings towards Lucie Jones during this concert. I was over the moon when it was announced that she would be singing at this event as I have been an avid fan for quite some time and was already aware of her vocal abilities prior to the concert but she knocked everyoneʼs socks off. SHE WAS OUT OF THIS WORLD! She did a powerful rendition of Sky-fall which rivalled even the original sang by Adele, she sang Let it Go from Frozen which was 1000% better than the likes of the Demi Levato cover and I would even personally say it was better than the original Idina Menzel. She sang the most moving rendition of Moon River that I have ever heard and her final solo of I Will Always Love You from The Bodyguard was worth the price of the tickets in its own. Normally when my overview of songs are brief itʼs because there isnʼt a lot to say but in this case, I am actually lost for words (which is the worse thing a reviewer can be) but Lucie Jones is a phenomenon all while being a likeable and friendly personality. If you arenʼt already you need to keep an eye on Lucie as she is destined for incredible things.

Also on this card was H from Steps. I lost a bit of the hype as being slightly too young to be a fully-fledged Steps fan but I still enjoyed the
songs he sang. He started with Tragedy from Saturday Night Fever which was gloriously fun and had even the conductor dancing which was fun to see. He had so much energy and stage presence although at the time he was giving off defiant childrenʼs entertainer vibes this wasnʼt really a problem. His crowning moments came in his duets. Falling Slowly from Once was an extremely moving and emotional duet, with fellow performer Staffan Hughes, that had me in tears throughout. It was a strong and powerful song that Ian “H” Watkins sang after delivering a heart filled message of love and acceptance. His other duet of I’ve had the Time of my Life from Dirty Dancing with Lucie Jones was incredible and displayed the chemistry between these two performers beautifully. However, there was no lift at the end of the song that I was personally hoping for but it was amazing nonetheless.

Stefan Hughes was a special guest for this evening and delivered some beautiful vocals. His cover of King of the Swingers from Jungle Book was incredible although he did seem visibly awkward during dance breaks etc and it was clear that he was first and foremost a singer and used his skills to deliverer many wonderful songs from the silver screen. This production brought in a co-host which was different from the last concert. In the previous one, David Mahoney conducted and also was the compere whereas in this show Connie Fisher helped introduce many of the acts. I personally did not enjoy this co-hosting as it at times looked chaotic and also Connie delivered her sections very formally which gave me award nomination vibes rather than cabaret performance but this is all up to personal preference.

My only qualm with this show was that the finale number which combined all the performers and a local choir was somewhat disappointing. All the other performances in this night were so spectacular and This is Me from The Greatest Showman fell a bit flat. Donʼt get me wrong it was still a really great number but I donʼt believe it reached the heights that the other songs in this show did.

Overall I would rate this production 4 and a half stars out of 5 and would recommend everyone to keep an eye out for there next event which will be announced soon!

Wales Millennium Centre – until 23 November 2019

Reviewed by Rhys Payne

4****

If I was reviewing Nativity the movie then I could easily be accused of having a biased as one of my close friends had a starring role in the film. But this is Nativity the Musical which landed at the Wales Millennium Centre and will stay there until the 23rd of November.

For the most part, the musical is simply the film put into the stage. The producers of the show wanted to keep the story and the essence of the show as familiar to the audience as possible. The story revolves around a group of school kids who put on the most spectacular nativity that you have ever seen which leads to hilarious and heartfelt consequences. As it is set around Christmas the show evokes a festive feeling from the audience which is only exaggerated on stage and allows it to be accessible to all ages. It kept its fun-filled nature while also at, some points, moving the audience to tears. One scene that was particularly mirrored from the original is the rock opera adaptation of the King Herod story, done by a rival school. This is a famously strange and uncomfortable watch for the audience in the film and created exactly the same emotions during this stage adaptation.

What was really interesting about the musical version specifically is that it had been carefully constructed and layered so that the show had something for all ages. There were euphemisms, references to current affairs (Brexit specifically), references to historic events and heartfelt and emotional scenes that young audience members may just gloss over. This is a genius way to engage every single person in the audience while preventing the older viewers to feel dragged to a childrenʼs show. A key part of this production was the movement/choreography during the musical numbers. The official choreographers (including Andrew Wright and Rebecca Louise) were able to create dancers that were accessible to all the cast (including the children) as well as it being relevant and reflected the school they were from etc. This was a very clever concept that allowed the show to be very easy to follow and watch so the team should be praised for this accordingly.

At times the show did cross the line of musical production to pantomime especially in the later parts of the show (which isnʼt necessarily a bad thing) it led to some audience participation which involved using their phones to ‘illuminate the stageʼ when the power was cut. This is something that I personally have never seen before and helps makes this show even more fun and unique. The closing numbers of the show were bright, colourful and vibrant which, in my opinion, is the perfect way to send this fun-filled show and made the audience leave with a massive smile on their face and the feeling of Christmas in their hearts.

Obviously, the focal point of the nativity is the children who play the role of the students at St Bernadetteʼs Catholic school. They have to be talented performers, hilariously funny and also have the ahh factor which all the kids in this production did in abundance. Most importantly every child appeared to enjoy being on stage which made the show even more enjoyable to watch. Each child showed tremendous talent and I can’t wait to see where they all end up in the future.

Mr Poppy in this production was played by Scott Paige. This is the lovable, over-excitable teaching assistant who wants to put on the nativity spectacular but is met with a lot of resistance. Scott played this role with a camp and over the top personality that just worked effortlessly with the character from the cheesy quotes (often based on his t-shirts) to the flamboyant dancing and mannerism, he was able to balance this with the softer more innocent side of the character who sucked all the sympathy from the audience with ease. This was a relatable and incredible portrayal of the character for which Scott showcased his acting abilities. Mr Poppy was one of the highlights in the show and delivered many of the comedic moments/jokes.

Two minor roles that I found particularly interesting were Angel Gabrielʼs mum and the rival school’s teacher. Mr Shakespeare, played by Charles Brunton, gave a very exaggerated portrayal of the jealous teacher which led to his performance in the aforementioned King Herod rock opera. His mannerisms and physicalisation drew an obvious comparison to a Squidward from Sponge-Bob Squarepants which actually works perfectly for this role. The Angels mum (who isnʼt named in the programme) was amazing during the number titled ‘good newsʼ where she dueted with her son. She was an incredible singer and dancer and really helped to elevate that number to the level it needed to be at.

Overall this is an incredibly fun, family-friendly and festive show that is an effective homage to the film. I would encourage everyone to watch this production as it will have you dancing in the way home and get you into the Christmas spirit (whether you want to or not!) I would rate this show 4 out of 5 stars.