St. James Theatre Studio, London – 5th-30th August 2015. Reviewed by Claire Roderick
I cannot stop smiling!
This revue celebrating female stars of Broadway and Hollywood is a master class in musical comedy. Ria Jones and Ceri Dupree are wonderful performers in their own right, but together they reach whole new levels of brilliance. Between them they have 60 years of experience – and boy does it show. From their first knowing glances, they had the audience in the palm of their hands. Dupree would raise his eyebrows here and wait for the laughs – but the innuendo is never smutty. This is a show that I could happily watch with my friends or my mother. The audience were joining in with the singing, jumping up to applaud and generally having the time of their lives.
The intimate club setting is perfect as every eyelash flutter and lip curl can be seen and appreciated. Dupree’s masterful physical comedy had us in gales of laughter before he even opened his mouth, and Jones is a natural comedienne.
The structure of the show is simple but effective: after the sibling banter begins with a rip roaring rendition of “Sisters” we are introduced to a parade of superstars. Jones and Dupree take the stage alternately, allowing plenty of time for Dupree to be transformed into his next icon. In the second half this had us wiping away tears of laughter as Dupree left the stage, only to be immediately moved to tears by his sister’s Edith Piaf.
Dupree performs songs as Carol Channing, Bette Davis, Mae West, Marlene Dietrich, Eartha Kitt, Danny LaRue – and Louis Armstrong – don’t ask! This is a man at the top of his game – the gloriously OTT costumes, the facial expressions, physical gestures and vocal talent all create hysterical madness.
Ria Jones has one of the best and most versatile voices in the business. This is highlighted by one section where she discusses Broadway actresses who didn’t make it to Hollywood and sings excerpts from a plethora of shows. In just two lines she can portray the emotion of a whole song and capture the essence of that singer. In the second half of the show she lets rip with some heart stopping numbers. On a night when the audience was roaring their appreciation, she gave us a moment of silence – nobody breathed until the final notes had died away. Simply spellbinding.
The musical director, Edward Court, and musician Sally Peerless are a joy to watch on stage. Jones and Dupree are generous performers and give them plenty of comedy opportunities. Director Sarah-Louise Young, Dupree and Jones have created a show that manages to defy expectations. After a high camp and highly emotional double helping of Mama Rose, we were stealing ourselves for a high octane finale where Jones and Dupree raise the roof. But this finale isn’t about Ria and Ceri – it is a final celebration of the fabulous ladies of stage and screen – touching, reverent and uplifting.
Mis-Leading Ladies is a fantastic night of glamour, glitter and giggles. If your partner doesn’t like musical theatre, drag them along anyway. After seeing this show, they’ll be rushing home to download “Hello Dolly”!