Personally I think this show at present has a central unsolvable dilemma, It's strongest point is also it's weakest; the Warsaw Ghetto setting.
If this show had just been called Masada and they has just presented that story (as the composer originally intended) then I think it would be easily dismissed as a rather dated but occasionally stirring show, once again trailing in the evaporated slipstream of 80's Brit mega musicals ala GWTW, The Far Pavilions (take your own pick..). But by adding the Warsaw Ghetto setting it suddenly gives the show more weight and an emotional wallop that frankly it does little to deserve.
People have said the show doesn't have a star performer and they're wrong, (and it's not Peter Polycarpou who despite a magnificent performance is not a star (he has his own catch 22 dilemma; You can tell he can't believe he's giving such a great performance in such a poorly received show but equally knows that he would have never got the role if the show had been better to begin with - let's call it the James Barbour Dilemma?)
Nope the real star of Imagine This is the Holocaust. Who at every performance is helping to turn an incoherent mess into a powerful emotional experience for many members of the audience. So take a bow 6 million dead before we go and buy an Imagine This t-shirt to wipe away our tears that have misted the view of the show's many faults.
Unfortunately the star turn Holocaust does tend to have a bit of marmite effect on critics and more importantly at the box office, especially during a recession.
The rest of my thoughts I'll express as incoherently as they appear on stage...
Why is there no real character development in the show within the show or within the show?
Why does the Warsaw Ghetto have a revolve and a chorus of pole performers (who obviously were left over in Drury Lane from the Lord of the Rings get-out)
For that matter why is the show within the show written as an 80's Les Masada - these are the actors in the year 2008 telling the story of actors in the 40's telling the story of jews in Roman time... Where does the 80's fit in that?
Can somebody tell Simon Gleeson that singing loud, long and full of emotion during an emotional climax can be very effective - done just because you can is frankly the vocal equivalent of fret-wank)
Speaking of which anyone else surprised that David Burt isn't in this?
Why when the writer inevitably decided 'Err Holocaust, sounds a bit depressing this is going to need some humour' did he decide to pull down his Bumper Book of Borscht Belt Gags..
I'll try and post some more incoherent thoughts later
"I tend to think if god wanted us to believe in him, he'd exist" Linda Smith
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