Review: Hansard

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Hansard.
It’s a summer’s morning in 1988 and Tory politician Robin Hesketh has returned home to the idyllic Cotswold house he shares with his wife of 30 years, Diana. But all is not as blissful as it seems. Diana has a stinking hangover, a fox is destroying the garden, and secrets are being dug up all over the place. As the day draws on, what starts as gentle ribbing and the familiar rhythms of marital scrapping quickly turns to blood-sport.

In regards to Hansard's story, I had mixed feelings. Whilst elements of the narrative are very interesting indeed, there are parts which felt a little repetitive. The play's strongest moments come in the final half hour, when Hansard begins to move away from the political disagreements of Robin and Diana, and instead focus on their own lives and the impact of their son's death. Although this part of the play was rather depressing, it had the desired effect of a heavy emotional impact. For the first time throughout the whole play, the audience begin to feel sympathetic towards these characters in response to the grief they have undergone as a result of losing their son. Such emotion was previously missing in the play, and I was therefore appreciative of the show's ending. In regards to the negative aspects of Hansard's story, the first hour of the show does feel rather monotonous. The show features a back-and-forth argument between the married couple, with their contrasting political views and personalities severely clashing. The argument did become somewhat tedious after a while, and it felt rather prolonged. In order to combat this, I feel that the introduction of a new character, or perhaps a change of setting, could have helped to make Hansard a little more interesting.

Hansard consists of only two characters, who in this instance are portrayed by Alex Jennings and Lindsay Duncan. Both performers are perfectly cast and were a true delight to watch. Whilst both characters are somewhat flawed people, the actors still succeed in gaining our sympathy for them. Alex Jennings, as Robin, was remarkable and convincingly embodied the persona of an uptight and pompous Conservative politician. In particular, Jennings shone in the final 15 minutes, whereby Robin begins to shed his cold personality and demonstrates emotion that we had not previously seen. Lindsay Duncan, as Diana, was equally as extraordinary. Duncan has a fantastic stage presence, and was highly engaging throughout. She gave both a believable and heartfelt performance.

Now for my final verdict on Hansard. I give Hansard...

Whilst the narrative of Hansard is not perfect, the two leading performances are unquestionably outstanding and more than make up for any of the play's shortcomings. 

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Thanks for reading!

-The Basic Theatre Reviewer

Review: The Elixir of Love

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of The Elixir of Love.
Originally set in the basque country of Northern Spain in the 1870’s, this new English version of The Elixir of Love transposes the action to the Italian immigrant community in the Welsh seaside town of Barry Island, in 1982. As the Falklands war gains momentum and Thatcherism ravages the UK, can lovelorn poet Nemorion win the affections of the charismatic Adina?

The cast of five featured in The Elixir of Love were well and truly outstanding in every sense of the word. They had wonderful chemistry with one another and played off each other very well. The interactions that took place between them were fantastic, and they really did work very well together. In addition to this, all five performers were naturally gifted singers. The cast had minimal musical support, due to the fact that their only backing is a lone pianist. This fact further highlights the strength of their abilities, as it demonstrates the power and control of their voices. I was in awe of their talents; the cast members of The Elixir of Love simply cannot be praised enough.

As the charismatic Adina starred Alys Roberts, who was excellent. Roberts had what was, arguably, the most vocally demanding role within the show, and yet she made it look effortless. Her voice is beyond exceptional and could unquestionably fill a West End auditorium. David Powton, as the lovesick Nicky, was also remarkable, which was largely as a result of his brilliant characterisation. I felt that Powton was particularly good at showing Nicky's growing confidence as the show went on in a way that seemed genuine and believable. Themba Mvula, as Brandon, was equally as marvellous, and engaged with the audience very well. Caroline Taylor, as Gina, was also good, giving an all-round solid performance. It was, however, Matthew Kellett as Dulcamara who stole the show with his scene-stealing solo number in Act One. I found Kellett's solo to be the overall highlight of the show, which was largely as a result of his precise comedic timing and larger than life stage presence.

The story of The Elixir of Love is fairly simple and rather predictable at times, but still fun and enjoyable nevertheless. There is a lot of humour to be found within the story, somewhat reminiscent of works by Gilbert and Sullivan. Act One, in particular, was absolutely hilarious and had many audience members laughing in hysterics. The character of Dulcamara, the sleazy conman, was particularly well written and provided comedy throughout.

Now for my final verdict on The Elixir of Love. I give The Elixir of Love...

The Elixir of Love was a complete and utter joy to watch. The cast were astonishing, and I hope to see them perform again within the near future.

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Thanks for reading!

-The Basic Theatre Reviewer

Review: Voices From Across The World

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Voices From Across The World.
Voices From Across The World' is a showcase of 2 brand new British musicals written by composer and lyricist Tim Thomas. Both shows attempt to tackle a number of important social and environmental issues, such as materialism, pollution, greedy tourism and climate change.

The aspect of Voices From Across The World which really stood out was the show's stellar cast. The actors within the show had an infectious energy which really translated well. It was clear from beginning to end how much the cast were enjoying themselves, which was a true and utter delight to see. Each and every performer put maximum levels of passion and enthusiasm into their performances, and it certainly paid off. The most striking thing about their performances, however, were how many of them had remarkable voices. There were several outstanding singers among the cast, and there were a number of excellent solo-numbers.

In regards to those who stood out, Suzie Aries was a definite highlight. Aires is gifted with a wonderful stage presence, and she was perfectly cast as Miranda. The way in which she presented the caring nature and warm personality of Miranda was very believable, making it easy to connect with the character. Chameli Meir was also outstanding, which was largely as a result of her convincing portrayal of Ganchimaya in the second act. She successfully demonstrated Ganchimaya's innocence, creating a solid characterisation in the process. Meir also had a stunning singing voice, which was evident throughout all of her solos. Last, and certainly not least, Tom Dickerson, as the Narrator, was also exceptional. Whilst the Narrator spends a fair portion of the show on the sidelines, Dickerson really comes into his element in Act Two, when he portrays the money-loving and cold-hearted Captain; a role that he excelled at.

As previously mentioned, Voices From Across The World tells two different stories. The first is a tale of London's homeless community and how they live their everyday lives called 'Ship in a Bottle'. Whilst the story was a little simplistic, it was full of heart and had a good message at its core. I would argue that it was a mostly accurate depiction of life on the streets, and it was nice to see the different bonds that were formed by the homeless community. The second story called 'Tahiti' sees a young couple venture onto a remote island, whereby they learn to live and communicate with their animal counterparts. Whilst the message of the story is well-intentioned, and starts off very strong, it does begin to lose focus a little as it nears its end and was perhaps a little too abstract. Having said that, it was still very well acted, and the actors very successfully portrayed the animals featured in the piece.

Now for my final verdict on Voices From Across The World. I give Voices From Across The World...

I was thoroughly impressed by the performances in Voices From Across The World. There were a handful of truly exceptional performers in this piece, and I am sure many of them have bright futures.

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Thanks for reading!

-The Basic Theatre Reviewer

Review: The Son

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of The Son.
As a family breaks down, a son begins to unravel. Nicolas is skipping school, lying to his family, hiding strange objects under his mattress. Is this typical teenager behaviour or a warning sign of hopelessness?

The Son is a fascinating and very life-like presentation of adolescent mental health, very clearly showing the way depression can affect juveniles and the people around them. Playwright Florian Zeller represents all of the feelings and thoughts surrounding the topic rather convincingly, and by doing so has created an exceedingly moving, yet heartbreaking, piece of theatre. The show examines the way that we should treat mental health, and how we can best help those who suffer from an illness such as depression. He makes a point of arguing we should not belittle or play down such matters as unimportant, due to the long-lasting consequences that this may have. It should be noted that Zeller had a particular talent for manipulating audience emotion. At certain points of the play the stage will be filled with joy and bliss, only to once again resolve in misery moments later. The Son really plays with our emotions throughout, and this aspect is particularly prominent during the show's conclusion. The characters within the play are also really interesting, and I particularly enjoyed the father-son dynamic between Pierre and Nicolas. Whilst not always entirely effective in his methods, Pierre is always well-intentioned when it comes to his son, and this is evident throughout.

In the titular role, Laurie Kynaston as Nicolas was absolutely perfect. He portrayed Nicolas's anxiety and depression authentically, giving a stellar performance in the process. There are moments whereby Knaston displayed glimmers of happiness, therefore creating a fascinating juxtaposition with the character's low points. It seemed that Kynaston was really able to connect with the character, which helped to make Nicolas all the more believable. John Light, as troubled father Pierre, was also outstanding. Light really captured the inner struggles that Pierre underwent throughout the course of the play, with the character trying to find the perfect balance between being a loving yet stern father. Both Amanda Abbington, as Anne, and Amaka Okafor, as Sofia, were also excellent, giving both believable and heartfelt performances.

The Son is the third play that I have seen written by Florian Zeller, and I strongly believe that this should be considered among his strongest works. Zeller has a clear talent for conveying character emotion and gaining empathy from his audience, which is quite evident in The Son. I am excited to see his future works.

Now for my final verdict on The Son. I give The Son...

The Son was superbly written and starred an extraordinarily talented cast; I would be hard pushed to find any relevant faults with the show.

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Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer

Review: Ian McKellen on Stage

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Ian McKellen on Stage.
To celebrate his 80th Birthday, Sir Ian McKellen is bringing his one-man show, Shakespeare, Tolkien, Others and You to the West End's Harold Pinter Theatre following on an extensive tour of London and the UK visiting venues far and wide that have had a part to play in the actor's legendary career. Taking to the stage with stories and anecdotes from his illustrious career both on stage and screen, McKellen performance reprises extracts from his most-renowned performances, which include Shakespeare's Lear and Tolkien's Gandalf from Lord of the Rings, while engaging with audience members to help craft the show.

Veteran actor Ian McKellen is well and truly a national treasure. His contributions to theatre, as well as the big screen, are undeniable and his talents are like no other. This one-man show takes the audience on a fascinating journey spanning the entirety of McKellen's life, and tells us of his backstory, his love for the theatre and how he was able to achieve success, in what many view as a highly competitive industry. He also speaks of his most famous roles, including the infamous wizard Gandalf from the critically-acclaimed 'Lord of the Rings' film trilogy. McKellen's life story is fascinating, and certainly made for interesting viewing.

McKellen has an exceedingly engaging persona, which proves vital for this one-man show. The whole experience feels very personal, due to McKellen's ability to connect with the audience. He has impeccable comedic timing, and is a master of all acting styles. During the show, he clearly demonstrates the extent of his talents, flawlessly delivering extracts from novels, poems, scenes from The Lord of the Rings and several Shakespearean monologues. If this wasn't enough already, he also performs a song from 'Cats the Musical', of which he will be starring in the movie adaptation this Winter.

My only slight criticism for this production was that I felt the first act was significantly stronger than the second. Whilst the first half consisted of a range of different works, the second half was solely focused on Shakespeare. I feel that diversifying act two may have benefitted the production, but it was still thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless.

Overall, Ian McKellen on Stage is a wonderful experience. McKellen is one of the greatest entertainers of the past century, and this one-man show serves as a clear testament to that statement. He is truly a marvel.

Now for my final verdict on Ian McKellen on Stage. I give Ian McKellen on Stage...

This was a wonderful experience, and I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to see it live.

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Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer

Review: Only Fools and Horses

Hey readers!

It's time for my review of Only Fools and Horses. 

Only Fools and Horses the Musical is based on the 1980s British television sitcom of the same name, and adapts the most popular moments from the series for the stage. It follows two brothers from London's rough Peckham estate as they wheel and deal through a number of dodgy deals searching for the big score that'll soon make them millionaires. Whilst many theatregoers will go to watch Only Fools and Horses the Musical in order to gain feelings of nostalgia, I had not seen the television show prior to watching the play. As a consequence of this, I was experiencing these stories and characters for the very first time. 

Only Fools and Horses is not a particularly deep or thought-provoking experience, but instead places its focus on audience nostalgia and light-hearted fun. On the whole, I would personally argue that the show does achieve its primary objectives. The vast majority of those attending appeared to be thoroughly enjoying themselves, proving that this musical does succeed in entertaining its audience. Whilst I myself, as previously mentioned, had not watched the television show, I can imagine that this musical would be true Heaven for die-hard fans. This production is crammed with endless references and in-jokes which only true Only Fools and Horses devotees would fully appreciate. The downside to this, however, is that it does put other theatregoers who may have only seen the occasional episode at a rather large disadvantage. Unfortunately, if you are unfamiliar with such references, then there may be, as I discovered first-hand, a fair amount of confusion.

This production takes different elements of the most popular stories from the TV show and combines them into one sole narrative. Whilst I did find the show's story to be enjoyable, I felt at times that an entirely new and original story featuring these characters may have been better suited for the stage. For example, hit West End play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child takes the much beloved characters from the book series, but tells an entirely new story in continuation of their character-arcs. I did feel that Only Fools and Horses could have potentially benefitted from carrying out something in this manner in order retain maximum creativity and inventiveness. 

The highlight of Only Fools and Horses was, undoubtedly, its stellar cast. Each performance was truly outstanding and could not be faulted in any which way. At the performance I was attending, the leading character of Del Boy was played by Chris Bennett, who was understudying. The role of Del Boy is an exceedingly demanding role, rarely ever leaving the stage, but Bennett was well and truly exceptional. By his side were Ryan Hutton as Rodney and Andy Mace as Grandad, both of which were phenomenal. Both Hutton and Mace had excellent comedic timing and created extraordinary characterisations. I have also heard that both actors were very accurate accent-wise in relation to the original characters. A special mention must also be awarded to Oscar Conlon-Morrey, who portrayed the dating agent and various other roles. Conlon-Morrey was a real stand-out and absolutely nailed each of his roles; he thoughtfully distinguished between each character both carefully and cleverly.

The scenic design, by Liz Ashcroft, was also remarkable. The set was filled with immense detail, and felt very realistic. The scenery is accompanied by a back-drop of screen projections, which have been designed by Tim Blazdell. The screen projections were equally commendable, and complimented the set nicely. 

Now for my final verdict on Only Fools and Horses. I give Only Fools and Horses...

Whilst Only Fools and Horses is by no means perfect, it is still thoroughly enjoyable. It is very much a crowd-pleaser, and I am sure it will continue to have a very successful run in London's West End.

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Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer

Review: 9 to 5

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of 9 to 5.

Featuring a number of Dolly Parton's greatest hits, the musical is the story of three employees – Violet, Doralee and Judy – who work under their difficult boss Franklin Hart, Jr. at Consolidated Industries. When it’s revealed Judy doesn’t have any work experience, the others take her under their wing and give her a few tips about surviving in an office environment.

9 to 5 is, undoubtedly, a lot of fun and certainly takes its audience on a wild journey. Whilst at first the show seems to be a simple story about three ordinary office workers who dislike their domineering boss, 9 to 5 later takes a very dramatic turn when suddenly the three women decide enough is enough and go to desperate measures to banish their misogynistic employer. The different twists and turns that the story takes is very amusing, and as the show went on, I became intrigued to find out how it would end. The show has a real feel-good factor, which in turn means audience members will likely leave the theatre overjoyed, and ultimately, that is a very important quality for any show. At the heart of this musical are its messages of feminism and gender equality, as well as sexual harassment in the workplace. Whilst the show is well-intentioned in its attempt to tackle these issues, I did find that these elements of the story could be somewhat corny at times. There was a lack of subtly to the way such topics were handled, which is likely as to why the show's efforts to deal with such matters came across in this way. Despite holding these feelings, I still throughly enjoyed 9 to 5 and found it hard to be averse. 

This production has three leads, and those are Caroline Sheen as Violet Newstead, Natalie McQueen as Doralee Rhodes and Amber Davies as Judy Bernly. Sheen, McQueen and Davies were all phenomenal, and had remarkable chemistry with one another, creating a life-like and believable friendship onstage. All three women had excellent voices, and each had a brilliant stage presence; all of the leading performances mentioned were well and truly flawless. Brian Conley, as Franklin Hart Jr., also gave an outstanding portrayal. Conley played the 'comedic villain' role well, and had the audience in stitches throughout. Whilst all of the cast were marvellous, it was in fact stage veteran Bonnie Langford, in the role of Roz Keith, that stole the show. Langford is a gifted stage performer, and never falters in any performance that she carries out. She was utterly hilarious in this particular role, and gave a show-stopping rendition of 'Hart to Heart'. 

In regards to creativity, the choreography, by Lisa Stevens, is more than deserving of a special mention. The dance routines were exceedingly up-beat and fuelled by an energetic ensemble. They were a true delight to watch.

Now for my final verdict on 9 to 5. I give 9 to 5...

Whilst certain elements of the story were a little corny, I still found 9 to 5 utterly delightful and throughly enjoyed it from beginning to end.

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