Leeds Grand Theatre. 21 – 25 March 2017
Rarely do you see a show so fabulous that you have no idea where to start with your review, but the opening night of La Cage Aux Folles, in Leeds Grand Theatre last night, was one of those rare treats.
Bill Kenwright’s inspired revival of Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein’s musical, starring Adrian Zmed as Georges and John Partridge his lover Albin is completely over the top opulence and glamour and it’s glorious.
Set in St. Tropez on the French Riviera at a small club run by Georges who invites his audiences to “Open their eyes” and witness the notorious Les Cagelles. This is no ordinary kickline and La Cage aux Folles is no ordinary nightclub. The Cagelles are beautiful men dressed as beautiful women.
The star attraction at La Cage is Abin’s alter-ego Zsa Zsa. Albin and Georges have been in a relationship for many years and have raised Georges’ son Jean-Michel (Dougie Carter) from birth. The result of a one night stand with Chorus Girl Sybil. Jean-Michel is engaged to Anne Dindon (Alexandra Robinson) whose father M. Dindon (Paul F. Monaghan) is the head of a political party that wants to close down all gay nightclubs. When Anne’s parents want to meet Jean Michel’s parents before giving the couple permission to wed, things get chaotic. Jean- Michel wants his mother Sybil to be there even though he was raised by Albin. He feels Albin’s flamboyant style and personality will not bode well with Anne’s parents. Thus begins the charade of making Albin more masculine in the person of Uncle Al, making the house over the club more “presentable” and even cleaning up the over the top maid Francis’ ( Jon de Ville who has the longest legs ever) act. With Mde Jacqueline (showbiz legend Marti Webb) saving the day. This set up and what happens after is one of the many reasons this show succeeds.
The chief glory of this show, however, is Partridge’s rhinestoned Albin. Strutting his stuff in bespangled frocks and marabou feathers, doing passing impressions of Piaf and Dietrich. He conveys the genuine shock discovering he is to be excluded from the impending marriage. He takes on the role of drag queen extraordinaire – interacting with the audience in an almost a pantomime way, shooting withering glances and put downs at unsuspecting audience members and ad-libbing beautifully for added delight. But the brilliance of Partridge’s performance is in the heartbreaking rendition of I am What I am. The pain and hurt is captured beautifully in one emotionally raw song and it totally deserved the standing ovation at the end of the first act.
Adrain Zmed as George dominates the stage and furnishes his role with at least some sense of fun. Zmed’s acting is quite wonderful throughout and his “Look Over There” in Act 2 is another favorite song in the show
At its heart, La Cage aux Folles, is a fairy tale, a sweet, corny story that asks us to take people (the good-hearted ones, anyway) at their own valuation. Try to see it their way, the show suggests; squint hard, and life will appear, for a second, beautiful. The old-fashioned, feel-good musical (which it most definitely is) has always demanded such leaps of faith from its audience. Martin Connors direction coaxes a parallel between the willful make-believe happening onstage and our willingness to subscribe to it. The show’s very plot, we come to realize, is the triumph of musical-theater logic over reality.
With a stunning set and wonderful costumes by Gary McCann, marvellous choreography by Bill Deamer and Kylie Anne Cruikshanks, this show is a divine campfest – for there can never be too much glitter, feathers and sparkle.
In Leeds until Saturday 25 March and on tour around the UK – this is a show not to be missed – and I for one can not wait to see this show again and again