This week comes with a small development in relation to my online theatre-going. I recently purchased an online subscription for BroadwayHD, which is an on-demand digital streaming media for theatrical productions. BroadwayHD has a wide array of phenomenal shows within its collection, so if you too find yourself missing theatre, then this may be something to look into. I have still continued to watch the free theatre made available online as well though, and consequently remain spoilt for choice.
Falsettos
"Falsettos is the story of a large, eccentric, and dysfunctional -- but loving -- Jewish family in New York at the end of the 1970s. Initially, Marvin seems blessed with the perfect family. He has a caring wife, Trina and a young son, Jason. Nevertheless, the family is soon broken apart, when the homosexual Marvin leaves Trina for a man called Whizzer."
Falsettos has a really interesting story to it, featuring a very clever concept and fascinating characters. The family dynamic portrayed is Falsettos is intriguing, and I really found myself sympathising with each and every character as the show went on. The musical score, by William Finn, won a Tony Award when the musical first premiered in 1992 and it is easy to see why. The show is entirely sung-through, meaning that it relies on the music and lyrics alone to convey the story; something which is done very well. I particularly admired the song 'What Would I Do?', which proved to be very touching. In the leading role of Marvin starred Christian Borle, who was utterly captivating to watch. Despite the fact that Marvin makes a number of bad decisions throughout the course of the show, Borle made it very easy for the audience to ultimately sympathise with him and understand his way of thinking. A special mention must also be given to Stephanie J. Block, who portrayed Trina. Block was incredible in her performance, and her rendition of 'I'm Breaking Down' was an undeniable highlight.
Falsettos can be watched on BroadwayHD here (please note that a subscription is needed in order to view): https://www.broadwayhd.com/movies/AW2GubDEpx3F9_4AqewY?display=poster.
Pippin
"Vaudeville, magic, comedy, romance – life is an adventure and Pippin has it all. A soul-searching exploration of one man’s journey to find himself, his place and purpose in life, Pippin is a musical about an ordinary man on an extraordinary journey."
I had previously seen an Off-West End production of Pippin two years ago at the Southwark Playhouse, and thoroughly enjoyed it. This particular production available on video however is a filmed version of the original, dating back to 1981. It was quite something to watch a theatrical production from so long ago, and certainly proved to be an unusual experience. The most striking aspect of Pippin is arguably its musical score, written by the extraordinarily talented Stephen Schwartz. It is filled with a dozen catchy tunes, and I listen to the cast album on a regular basis. Among my favourites are 'Corner of the Sky', 'Simple Joys' and 'Morning Glow'. Praise must also be awarded to the choreography, which was the work of Bob Fosse. Fosse's work is truly iconic, and was a joy to watch.
Pippin can be watched on BroadwayHD here (please note that a subscription is needed in order to view): https://www.broadwayhd.com/movies/AXDwGLqhDUy8ML9nzRxy?display=poster.
Sea Wall
"Sea Wall is a short play about a man named Alex who speaks of his wife, visiting his father in the south of France, and his daughter, peppered with musings about religion and beliefs."
Sea Wall consists of a 30 minute monologue, performed in its entirety by Andrew Scott without the assistance of any other performer. The monologue, written by Simon Stephens is intriguing, and keeps the audience engaged from beginning to end. It's a very well written piece of theatre, and is evidently very moving. Stephens wrote the play for Andrew Scott, who was unsurprisingly perfect for the role of Alex. Scott was remarkable, and held my attention throughout. He proved to be very engaging, and gave an enthralling performance. Scott is unquestionably a very gifted actor, and I hope one day to see him perform live.
Sea Wall can be watched on YouTube for free until 25th May here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j01kVmBoJW0.
No comments:
Post a Comment