Felix's London Reviews (Noc & Dec)

[ruthiefan_felix]

Posted: 12/3/10 at 12:19am

10th NOV
KRAPP'S LAST TRAPP
DUCHESS THEATRE
Went to this play as a school trip. What a short play it is. How unfortunate I had no idea how quiet and still this play is... going in with an empty stomach = worst decision in my life! This is an excellent production of a wonderful play. And it is always a delight to watch Michael Gambon onstage. I actually thought he might be abit crazy himself in real life, but once he came out for the curtain call, all his gestures and looks and how his eyes were all different. What a change! Sadly it's closed now.

23rd NOV
PASSION
DONMAR WAREHOUSE
How do I put this? I really regret seeing it this late and not able to see this production again. This might be THE perfection production of Passion. No words can describe how much I loved this production. The design was incredible and Jamie Lloyd got the musical absolutely spot on. The cast were great as well, absolutely believable and totally heartbreaking. I wish it could have transferred or extended somehow.

24th NOV & 1st DEC
FABRICATION: Affabulazione
THE PRINT ROOM
Fabrication is the first production opening Lucy Bailey's new theatre venue The Print Room at Notting Hill Gate (quite near Finborough Theatre). This Italian-translated play explores the obsessive nature of a father and his insecurity of manhood towards his son, eventually killing him and going mad. The twisted and troubled father played brilliantly by Jasper Britton and the doomed son by Max Bennett. This production is excellent, a great cast of 7, simple set with simple lighting worked very well in this intimate theatre that can only sit 80 audience. The play discusses quite a lot of interesting questions and within all the darkness and tension gives us abit of comic relief by giving us a conversation between Sophocles and the father. The Print Room is a great little venue, a very warm intimate space which only gave an even more cozy feeling with the snowy weather outside. Having seen it twice now, it is absolutely worth checking out. Closing on 4th Dec.



16th NOV & 25th NOV
END OF THE RAINBOW
TRAFALGAR STUDIOS (STUDIO 1)
Went to watch this show because a friend who saw the show before it transferred highly recommended me to watch it and second time because the ticket was free. I had no expectations because I thought Tracie Bennett was only ALRIGHT as Velma in Hairspray when everyone hyped about how they LOVED her. But oh no... she totally won me over here! I don't think anyone can play or capture Judy Garland better Than Tracie. She is not a caricature of Judy Garland, she is absolutely believable. If you close your eyes, one can be easily fooled to think that Garland herself was singing! This musical about the last few months of Judy Garland's life is so tragic even with the jokes Judy makes if almost often uncuts itself with irony. Ending the musical with 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow', the saddest most heartbreaking rendition of the song had me in floods of tears. Once the lights went back up for curtain call, everyone and I mean EVERYONE gave a standing ovation without hesitation. Tracie, I think she'll win an Olivier for it!



26th NOV
LES PARENTS TERRIBLES
TRAFALGAR STUDIO (STUDIO 2)
Les Parents Terribles, I saw it the day after I saw End of the Rainbow. It started out as a great contrast, opening with a hilarious opening scene, but as the play goes on, it only ends as a tragedy. The play discusses the obsessive nature of a mother Yvonne and his all-too-needy son Michael. Michael falls in love with a girl. His father realizes the girl who is marrying his son is also the girl he had an affair with. A farce comedy ending on a very dark note, simply delicious for my taste. Frances Barber was absolutely divine as Yvonne. She carrys this Norma Desmond essence of her, so over-the-top, absolutely over-dramatic with such elegance, craziness combined and a touch of insecurity underneath. Trafalgar Studios is having 2 diva performances playing in both studio 1 and studio 2!!! I have never been to Studio 2 before but it is such an intimate space and I love it. You can almost feel the mess & madness through the intimacy of the stage & the audience. Another excellent production, people should go check it out!



1st DEC
LOVE NEVER DIES
ADELPHI THEATRE
My friend got this free ticket because she is a member of a theatre group so I went along. Great seats, middle of the stalls, perfect view. I know there has been changes and from I've read and heard, the structure of the show has certainly improved. But oh god, this show is with so many flaws. I'm not the world's biggest Andrew Lloyd Webber fan but going into his shows, you're guaranteed to have a good tune and a great song coming out of the theatre. Even with Woman in White, there are quite a few tunes I loved and hum along. Love Never Dies, apart from the first song, is absolutely tuneless. The only other song I can remember is 'Bathing Beauty', staged like the less pretty twin sister of 'Show Off' from Drowsy Chaperone. 'Til I Hear You Sing' has been reused over too many times throughout the show. If the song itself has a voice & mind of its own it probably would've told you it felt raped.
There are too many useless and totally over-dramatized gestures or moments in the show, sustained by some lush & epic orchestrations that the dialogue/lyrics/plot cannot live up to. When you think the music were not great, the lyrics absolutely kills you. At some point, Phantom tells Christine that he can give her 'the stuff' she wants? Or something like that... 'stuff'? Really? I expected much better from Glen Slater after his great lyrics from Sister Act. The new ending of Raoul returning and handing over Gustave to Phantom I thought was horrible. There are redeeming factors of the show, the set and the cast. The set and costumes were much better than I thought, usual Bob Crowley, amazing designs. The cast especially Ramin & Sierra... speechless. Magnificent voices that I think I can hear over and over, and over again. I tried to like the show so much and give it a chance but I feel with the quality of the story and music witnessed onstage, I almost wanted to ask for my money back (and my ticket was free!). If this is the best this show can be improved, I think it should close and let some other good musicals come into the West End. I cannot help but think what a great house this is for Next To Normal... just a thought!

3rd DEC
BEAUTY & THE BEAST
COTTESLOE, NATIONAL THEATRE
A delightful kids' play on this classic fairy tale. It comes as abit short and often the focus too much on the 'outside' world of the Emcee fairies. I really hoped they had focused more on the actual tale which had so much offer. The design is excellent. The set and costumes and those paper puppet projections, just too beautiful! A great way to start my Christmas :)

***drawing coming soon***

4th DEC
CART MACABRE
OLD VIC TUNNELS

***review coming soon***

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