Review: Up the Bunty

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Up the Bunty.
Remember the ‘Soaparetta’s’, the weekly musical soap opera that dominated British TV in the late 1970s with their saucy jokes and catchy tunes?  Neither does anyone else, but that won’t stop tyrannical producer Harry Hepworth from blundering ahead with a hastily put together theatre reunion in sunny Southend funded by an anonymous backer.  With a cast made up of past their prime, egocentric thespians and a one hit wonder, Harry needs a secret weapon to attract an audience – Bunty the Beaver.

Up the Bunty is a comedy, predominantly featuring a combination of both slapstick and dark comedy. The show's humour is quite particular, and may not appeal to everyone. Whilst some jokes are stronger than others, Up the Bunty does have a fair amount of rather amusing moments throughout. The show advertises itself as featuring comedy similar to that of the 'Carry On' film franchise, and as a result Up the Bunty is perfect for anyone with this certain taste in comedy. The show's story was interesting to watch unfold, and the numerous plot twists were certainly enough to keep the audience engaged. A lot happens throughout the course of the show, and there are very few dull moments. My only critique for the show's writing is that I feel Up the Bunty could have perhaps benefited from being 15-20 minutes shorter. The show currently stands at 1 hour and 30 minutes, and it is possible that trimming the running time a little bit may prove beneficial. In order to break up certain scenes, the show makes use of video projections of comedy skits and interviews are shown. I personally could not really see the need for the video projections, and did not feel that it added a great deal to the play. As a result, removing, or shortening, the video projections could potentially help to reduce the play's running time.

Overall, the cast of Up the Bunty are rather talented. Each portrayal is exceedingly hyperbolic, but this worked well when considering the exaggerated nature of the play. All of the six cast members put their all into the performances, giving maximum amounts of energy throughout. Additionally, they all seemed to really be enjoying themselves onstage, which in turn made them a true delight to watch. A special mention must be given to Lucie Neale, who portrayed Antigone 'Go-Go' Jones. Neale was extremely well-suited to the role, and was very believable. Jess Nesling, as Pamela Maitland, was also a particular highlight of Up the Bunty. Nesling was excellent, and convincingly pulled off a variety of different accents. In addition to this, both Neale and Nesling had excellent singing voices.

Now for my final verdict on Up the Bunty. I give Up the Bunty...

Whilst Up the Bunty did have some elements which were perhaps not needed, there are still a number of hilarious moments, aided by an energetic and talented cast of skilled performers.

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 Basic Theatre Reviewer

Review: Dear Evan Hansen

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Dear Evan Hansen.
Throughout his life, teenager Evan Hansen has felt invisible: his school friends, the girl he loves, and his own family look straight through him. Having struggled to make friends, his therapist suggests Evan writes a daily letter to himself focussing on what will be good about that day, but some days he simply runs out of hope for his future. I first saw Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway in 2018 and found it to be utterly spellbinding, so I was intrigued to see as to whether the new West End production would live up to expectations.

Dear Evan Hansen's story is a fascinating exploration into mental illness, youth suicide, the impact of grief, the influence that social media has on today's society, as well as a dozen other topical themes. The show's book, written by Steven Levenson, provides a fascinating commentary on these issues, tackling such matters in an absorbing yet lifelike way. The show follows an extremely compelling story, and this is quite evident by the fact that it seems to have resonated with so many theatregoers. The characters of Dear Evan Hansen are excellently written, with each and every one being highly three-dimensional. Each character is flawed in their own way, making it far easier for audience members to connect with these personas. Dear Evan Hansen's story is also interesting to examine from an ethical point of view. As previously mentioned, all of the characters have one flaw or another, and they all make mistakes. Therefore, especially in the case of the titular character, it is intriguing to assess as to whether the character's actions are right or not. Different people will have differing viewpoints on the morals of Dear Evan Hansen, and that's what makes this show so unique. It is also important to give credit to the writers for its creativity and inventiveness. Dear Evan Hansen is an entirely original story, not based off of any other source material. In an era whereby a large portion of musicals are based off of movies, this show definitely deserves a lot of praise for its originality.

The musical score of Dear Evan Hansen is written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and it is absolutely remarkable. Each song in the show is exceedingly catchy, and they will likely remain with you weeks after watching the show; both the music and lyrics are extremely memorable. Additionally, the lyrics are beautifully written and will likely touch many audience members. This element is particularly prominent in certain songs, such as 'Waving Through a Window' and 'You Will Be Found'. Songs such as these really resonate with audience members and have important messages behind them, all the while having an extremely catchy tune. The songs also prove beneficial at advancing the plot, demonstrating the strength of Dear Evan Hansen's musical score.

At the performance that I attended, alternate Marcus Harman portrayed the role of Evan Hansen and he was excellent. Harman is a brilliant actor, and really nails Evan's characterisation down to a tee. He faultlessly executes all of Evan's traits, including the character's awkward fidgeting and quivering voice. In addition to his acting, Harman also has a superb singing voice. This was evident during the climax of 'Words Fail', which he performed with perfection. Dear Evan Hansen marks Harman's professional stage debut, and it is clear that he has a bright future ahead. A special mention must be given to Lucy Anderson as Zoe Murphy, who was also incredible. Anderson's voice is utterly beyond belief, and her renditions of 'Requiem' and 'Only Us' were outstanding. She also acted the role well, and had brilliant chemistry with Marcus Harman. Similar to Harman, this show marks Anderson's West End debut. Lauren Ward, as Cynthia Murphy, was equally as phenomenal. Ward puts so much emotion into her portrayal, and it certainly pays off. She displays so much raw emotion from beginning to end, making her highly believable as a grieving Mother. Ward's performance is undoubtedly one of the show's highlights, and her interpretation of the character is the best I have seen at this point in time.

Now for my final verdict on Dear Evan Hansen. I give Dear Evan Hansen...

Dear Evan Hansen is an astonishing show unlike no other. It has a fascinating story with an absolutely enthralling musical score, as well as an outstanding cast of talented performers.

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 Basic Theatre Reviewer