Review: Big Fish

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Big Fish.
Stage and screen star Kelsey Grammer is one of my favourite actors of all time. When it was announced that he would be making his London theatre debut this Autumn, I certain did not want to miss it so we booked our tickets far in advance. I was ecstatic to see Kelsey Grammer performing live onstage and was counting down the days until I saw Big Fish.

Big Fish follows the story of William Bloom, a young man who is facing the imminent death of his father, the travelling salesman Edward Bloom. As his father lies on his deathbed, William recalls their time together and comes to realise that he wasn’t the impulsive liar he believed he was, and develops an understanding of Edward’s exaggerations. I was extremely moved by the story that Big Fish told and by the end of the show I was an emotional wreck. I felt like I went on such a journey throughout the 2 and a half hours of the show; I was in tears by the end! I was so invested in the character's lives and I found myself really caring about them. The storyline that Big Fish follows is one that I imagine many can relate to and that it is why it is bound to have such an emotional impact on its audience. Having said that, Big Fish is also filled with many comedy moments, which is what makes the show an emotional roller-coaster. You'll be laughing one minute, and then crying the next! I recently read a review which called Big Fish's storyline 'contrived', however I found it to be both meaningful and heartfelt.

The musical score of Big Fish, composed by Andrew Lippa, is wonderful. There are some absolutely beautiful melodies and many memorable turns within the show. I adored all of the songs in Big Fish, however my personal highlights were 'Fight the Dragons', 'I Don't Need a Roof' and 'How It Ends'. I have downloaded the Original Broadway Cast Recoring of Big Fish and it has been great to re-live the show again through listening to the music.

Kelsey Grammer was perfect for the role of Edward Bloom. As Edward Bloom, Grammer captured the audience's hearts. The role of Edward Bloom requires quite a range of skills from the actor portraying him, which luckily Kelsey Grammer does have. Being such a fan of his work, it was thrilling to watch him live onstage! Sharing the role of Edward Bloom, was Jamie Muscato, who plays Edward in his earlier years. Jamie Muscato's performance was full of so much energy from beginning to end and he really brought the character to life. He has an exceptionally large stage presence and I would deem his performance as captivating. Matthew Seadon-Young portrayed Will Bloom, the son of Edward Bloom. I thought that Matthew Seadon-Young's performance contrasted very nicely with Kelsey Grammer's performance and this helped to make the conflict between the two characters (father and son) very understandable. Additionally, I thought that Matthew had a superb voice. Forbes Masson, who portrays Amos and Don was utterly hilarious and provided the audience with lots of comic relief. I saw Forbes Masson in The Ruling Class in the West End over 2 years ago, and seeing him perform again now, I believe that he is one of the most versatile actors I have seen on a London stage. The rest of the cast in Big Fish are also all phenomenal and there are no weak links among them.

I really like The Other Palace, where Big Fish is situated, however I personally believe that Big Fish would perhaps benefit from moving to a larger venue. Being in a larger venue would allow for the expansion of the set design, and that would be extremely helpful when carrying out certain aspects of the story. I hope that there could be a transfer to a larger West end venue at some point in the future, and if so, I would definitely return to see it.

The creative aspects that stood out were undoubtedly the direction and the choreography; neither of which could be faulted in the slightest. Both the direction and the choreography of Big Fish were excellent!

The featured star of Big Fish is, drum roll please... JAMIE MUSCATO!

Featured star was a tough battle between Kelsey Grammer and Jamie Muscato. Both actors gave equally deserving performances and it was an extremely difficult choice to make. However, I chose Jamie in the end due to his larger than life stage presence. Jamie Muscato was filled with energy throughout and gave an utterly mesmerizing performance. 

Now for my final verdict on Big Fish. I give Big Fish...

I understand why Big Fish may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I adored it. I was so moved by this story and I really felt that I had connected with several of the characters. I would love to see it again someday!

Think it should have got a higher rating? Agree with my rating? Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.

Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer