The Uk premiere of Victor / Victoria at the Bridewell Theatre -

[Kevruislip]

Posted: 1/20/04 at 6:34am

Like many others, I wanted to enjoy this, being a big fan of the film and having enjoyed the DVD of the Broadway show. I agree that the advertising suggesting that this was THE BROADWAY PRODUCTION was misleading. Both the film and Broadway show had something in common-Class. Both centred on the story and the comedy within it which verged on slapstick at points however in the Bridewell production many of the funniest comic moments have been lost, replaced by weak new songs or out of date camp humour. The attempt to keep all the action within the nightclub fails to convey the story (surely the first priority for a director) and I think anyone not familiar with the original story would be confused at points. The actor playing toddy whilst possessing a good voice was so OTT he verged on the embarrassing-Toddy should be an ageing old star with a hint of class. Ria Jones has great charisma however her voice only came through fully when using the microphone on Jazz Hot and could anyone spot the difference between her Victor and her Victoria? For me the star of the show was Stewart Alexander as Squash. A fine, restrained performance which served only to point out the amateurism on display from most of the other cast members. The traverse staging does not work particularly when un-miked actors are singing to the other half of the audience. Surely if you are staging a show which includes set piece song and dance stage numbers a traditional Stage would have suited better? I felt myself cringing at many points and waiting for the thing to end so I could escape. The Director and Producers obviously bit off more than they could chew taking on this production. Sure its on a small budget but it could have been so much better. Stick to the original script, leave out the new numbers, use a traditional staging, Mike up the actors, and choose the best actors from your auditions not the weak unprofessional majority on display here. Save your £16 and buy the Broadway show DVD instead.