Review: Brexit the Musical

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Brexit the Musical.
A musical about Brexit, how could I refuse? I was a little surprised that a Brexit musical has  been made so quickly. As I've said before, I love both politics and drama, so combining the two thrills me! The show is currently playing at Waterloo East Theatre, which is an Off-West End venue. It's a nice small and cosy venue, which is needed for a show like this. The main thing I loved about this show is the actors' dedication and love of performing. It's the type of dedication and love of performing that is sometimes missed in certain West End shows. Off-West End shows may not have huge budgets, but what they lack in design, they certainly make up in dedication. The lyrics of the songs are really witty and clever, with highlights being 'When All About You There's Confusion', which perfectly displays Jeremy Corbyn's personality, and 'Boris/Putin Rap', which is an... interesting perception of a conversation between Boris Johnson and Vladimir Putin. Every single one of the songs was humorous and I would be interested to hear other music from the same composers. I hear that they had a show called 'Barack and the Beanstalk', which I imagine would've been interesting. All songs are excellently performed by a fantastic cast. The majority of impressions were done to perfection; there were times I was left wondering if that was the real Boris Johnson? ;) It seemed clear to me that the performers were having a great time onstage and that was so nice to see. The show perfectly sums up the mess of the referendum and this would be a good way to show foreigners, or indeed anyone who has no knowledge of Brexit. The show was the perfect way to spend my Sunday afternoon! Something that I wanted from the show was that I would've like for it to be more outrageous. A lot of it was quite polite, but I think it would've been a good idea to really go for it and make all of the politicians into laughing stocks (then again, the politicians don't need much help to that!). Two TV shows that Brexit the Musical could take note from are 'Newzoids' and 'Saturday Night Live', which have  hilarious political sketches. The musical features a cast of 6 actors, with all of them playing multiple roles. For the majority of the time, the role changes were noticeable, but there were instances where more could've been added so that there could be a clear difference between characters. The show is only 1 hour and there's so much of Brexit to cover that I think that perhaps an extra half an hour could be added to the show? I loved it so much and after the hour point I still wanted to see more of it!

The featured star of Brexit the Musical is, drum roll please... JAMES SANDERSON!

This was a  tough choice, as all cast members were so funny, but I have to give this to James as his Boris impression was extremely on-point and lifelike. He had everything: the accent, the mannerisms, the costume and even the look! He was the ultimate Boris!

Now for my final verdict on Brexit the Musical. I give Brexit the Musical...

I give this rating because, even though it was a tough choice between three and four stars, I had an absolute blast! It's a shame that the shows time at the Waterloo East Theatre is limited, but hopefully the show will be back soon!

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

Join me next time when I will be reviewing Half a Sixpence.

Thanks for reading.

Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

*WARNING* This review will contain spoilers. I will be doing my best to miss out major spoilers, such as the ending, but I will be talking about characters featured in the show and certain plot twists. It is very important to #KeepTheSecrets so if you have not read the book or seen the play, then think before reading this review. You have been warned.


Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
I have waited since last March to see this! This is the longest I have ever had to wait to see a show after booking tickets. Hamilton will soon break this record, as I booked tickets for that the other day and won't be going until next January! There is SO MUCH to say about the show, where do I even begin? I was absolutely blown away by the creativity of the show. The show has been fantastically put together. There is a lot of hype surrounding the play and to answer the question that is on everyone's lips, it does live up to this hype. I can definitely why it was made into a play, as opposed to a film, because I think it would've lost its magic on the big screen. It was a great idea to split the show into two halves as they were able to take time to introduce us to the characters and then be able to introduce many plot twists. One part would not be completely without the other. It all fits together like a puzzle. I'll start with the creative aspects of the show and then move onto the storyline. The set design was not as complex as I imagined it to be, however that did not weaken it whatsoever. With only few set pieces here and there changing it as able to change location many times; the set design worked very well for the show. I thought the lighting was excellent and it was definitely one of the highlights of the show. The lighting designer, Neil Austin, has done a spectacular job. Sadly, I was not a huge fan of the costume design. It felt very hit and miss, with some being great and some looking unprofessional. Two prime examples of this are Hermione and Ginny's costumes, which didn't seem right. The physical theatre aspect of the show surprised me, as I didn't expect this to be the type of show to use it, but to my surprise it worked well. All physical theatre parts were excellently choreographed and they were carried out by the cast perfectly. The illusions were amazing, especially when the wizards enter a telephone box and are able to disappear. I'm still not 100% sure how that was done. The video projections, used during time travel scenes, were great. The video projections have been nominated for a Whatsonstage Award and deservedly so! I thought that the storyline was very strong. A LOT happens, so the audience must stay thoroughly focused throughout. There was so much time travelling that it left me wondering how many alternate universes they'd created! The two parts overall are over 5 hours and you go with the characters on a major journey. So much happens and it is great to witness these characters for this amount of time. I preferred Part 2, as Part 1 took a little while to get going as that part has the job of getting the storyline going. There are some heartfelt moments throughout Part 2 that really touched me. The only major bad part about the storyline and the writing is that there were certain lines of dialogue which came across as a little bit cringey. The first that comes to mind is the conversation that takes place between Ron and Hermione in an alternate universe where they are not married. Onto a major aspect of the show... the cast! Sam Clemmett, as Albus Severus Potter, gets better and better as the show goes on. He is one of the two lead characters and  by the end of the play I understood the character's struggles, his motivations and why he made the choices he made. Anthony Boyle, as Scorpius Malfoy, was AMAZING! He gives one of the best performances, in a play, that  I have seen throughout the whole year. He steals the show from every single one of his co-stars, he outshines them all! Not enough praise can be given to his performance, it is a masterclass. The character of Delphi Diggory, played by Esther Smith, originally starts out as being really sweet and nice, but in Part 2 we find out she is the antagonist of the play. I really did not guess this whatsoever originally and that is because Esther played the role so well. Jamie Parker, as Harry Potter, certainly does the role justice. He displays that Harry has badly suffered and this is is achieved through impressive acting skills. It is clear, even to those who have not read the book, that Harry has seen many tragedies. Ginny Weasley, portrayed by Poppy Miller, uses her stage time well and she is exactly how I imagined an older version of Ginny to be. I've heard a little bit about the acting from the show from a forum I use, but I hadn't heard anything about Alex Price as Draco Malfoy, which surprises me because he was utter perfection in this role and was a real standout. Alex Price is stunning in this role. Paul Thornley was hilarious in the role of Ron Weasley. He was another cast member who really stood out and he provided some great moments of comic relief. I'm about to say something which I don't think will make me very popular, but I wasn't keen on Noma Dumezweni in the role of Hermione Granger. Perhaps I missed out on something, as she generally received praise. I just felt she came across on stage as very awkward and she doesn't seem quite right for the role. I didn't expect Severus Snape to be in the show, but there he was! The portrayal of him by Paul Bentall was amazing. He doesn't have a large amount of stage time, but Paul Bentall really put his mark on the character and I was raving about his performance after the show. Two other cast members who stood out were Chris Jarman as Hagrid and the Sorting Hat and Barry McCarthy as Amos Diggory and Albus Dumbledore. The only other negative thing I have to say about the show is that I was disappointed at the amount of latecomers that were let in. People are late, I understand that, however they should have either waited for a blackout point during the show or had a 15 minute cut off point. For the first 30 minutes there just seemed to be more and more latecomers with people having to get up during initial scenes. There are some people I have seen online that have referred to this show as a "theme park show". That is absolute rubbish! The show has a top story, with a talented cast and fantastic creative aspects. There is nothing more that I could wish for, for a show.

The featured star of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is, drum roll please... ANTHONY BOYLE!

There is a lot of praise about Anthony Boyle's performance and it still doesn't seem enough. At the end of the play, to me it felt like the show had revolved around Scorpius Malfoy and I think it is because the performance was so wonderful. I cannot imagine this being done by any other actor, Anthony is seriously amazing!

Now for my final verdict on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I give Harry Potter and the Cursed Child...

I give this rating because it was everything that I'd hoped it would be. The muggle's did well with this one! ;)

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

Join me next time when I will be reviewing Brexit the Musical.

Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer

P.S: A new record has been broken, that was my longest review of all time!

Review: Lazarus (London)

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Lazarus.
I first saw this show in New York (some of you reading this may have even read that review) on December 27th 2015(where did the time go?), so with a London transfer I decided to go again as there was so much to take in the first time and I enjoyed it way more second time round. I had been listening to the cast album for just over two months prior to seeing the show in London, so I already felt like I knew the music off by heart. I wasn't sure in which order the songs came and I was always excited when I heard the first few beats, as I would then be able to tell which one it was. I absolutely adore the music and since going back to the show I have listened to the album 7 times! The music is extremely haunting, there's just something so special about it and I'm not sure what exactly. There was a lot to the show I feel I missed last time, but I now fully understand all of the story and all of the characters. I was even close to tears this time! Knowing that Bowie knew he was going to die when helping to create the show, adds a lot to certain story elements. The show is unbelievably creative and is actually the most creative show I have seen since Hamilton (keep in mind, not the best show since Hamilton, just the most creative). There is truly nothing like Lazarus and that is what makes it so special! The cast are phenomenal and what a treat to be able to see the majority of the leads once again. They each bring so much to the show. Michael C. Hall as Newton is incomparable. He stays on stage for almost all of an hour and 50 minutes (plus he is onstage for around 20 minutes at the beginning of the show) and  even when he doesn't speak or is just in the background, he is constantly 'acting'. Through physicality, facial features, it is a masterclass of a performance. His performance just blew me away. His vocals as well, everything about his portrayal of Newton is amazing. His rendition of the song 'Where Are We Now?' is astounding. Sophia Ann Caruso as "Girl" has a voice like no other. Her performance of 'Life On Mars?' gives a true WOW-factor. It is a highlight of the show. As I said in my review of the show in New York, she has a very bright future ahead of her. Michael Esper gives a truly terrifying performance as Valentine and conveys the character very well indeed. We aren't told of Valentine's past, but you can see it all in his eyes. Amy Lennox as Elly is a new addition to the cast, but you wouldn't be able to tell this as she fits in so perfectly. I understood the character of Elly a lot better this time and I genuinely felt a lot sympathy for the character. The stage projections are extraordinary and very impressive. Not many shows use stage projections such as these, but it works so well. The lighting design is also great. It was wonderful to see the orchestra live onstage, it added a lot to the effect of the music. This was also helped by a good sound design. I cannot say enough good things about this show. Wow. Endless Wows. I wasn't as keen on it when I went the first time in New York, but fully understanding it I realise now what genius art work this is. I really want to go back a third time!

The featured star of Lazarus is, drum roll please... MICHAEL C. HALL!

I don't think this show would be the same at all without him. He gives an inspired performance that is magical. Michael C. Hall is actual stage magic. There is no other way to describe him!

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

I give this rating because now that I understand the meaning and the purpose of the show, I have bumped it up from 4 to 5 stars. Given how I now know the clever purpose and meanings behind the show, it'd be criminal to give it anything below 5 stars!

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

Join me next time when I will be reviewing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer

Review: Dirty Dancing

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Dirty Dancing.
I had not seen the film of Dirty Dancing (long before my time!), but wanted to add more musicals to the marathon so went see it on New Years Eve. Before you ask, yes, I did have the time of my life. It was the perfect way to celebrate the end of 2016 ( which has been a great year for me). I absolutely adored the storyline! I can see why so many people love the film, it has loveable characters to root for and the story keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. I could not tell what would happen next, the show manages to keep the audience on their toes, whilst still having the time of their lives (these jokes are too easy to make). I'm very curious to watch the movie now and to see how it compares to the show. From what I've heard, the show is extremely accurate and is basically the movie onstage. The choreography is excellent and the show features the best dancing I have seen since On Your Feet in New York. They have many glorious dancers in the cast! Cast members who stood out were Katie Hartland as Frances 'Baby' Houseman, Lewis Griffiths as Johnny Castle, Carlie Milner as Penny Johnson and Michael Kent as Billy Kostecki. I know that the show has been on tour so I expected the set to be minimal, but I was really surprised. The set was fantastic with a large attention to detail. It was a revolving set, which I always love! The orchestra were onstage and were integrated into the show (they were supposed to be the local band at the hotel where the show takes place), which I thought was such a great idea. It always adds to the excitement when you can see the orchestra onstage. The show isn't really a musical, I suppose it could be considered a play with songs, but the live music was great and I've even bought the album of the last stage production of Dirty Dancing (this production hasn't released an album). The final number was fantastically staged and it seemed that the cast were having the time of their lives (OK, I'll stop with those jokes now!). It's a shame that the show was playing in the West End for such a short amount of time, but hopefully it'll be back next Christmas! My only critique for the show is the sound design. Maybe there was a fault, but there were a few songs that sounded a little distorted, specifically the pre-recorded ones. Perhaps this could've been avoided by having all songs done live?

The featured star of Dirty Dancing is, drum roll please... KATIE HARTLAND!

Katie is a star! Far ahead of all the other performers, she gave the strongest acting in the show and was a superb dancer too. I was rooting for her character, Baby, throughout the entire show and this was thanks to Katie's convincing performance of Baby. She was remarkable!

Now for my final verdict on Dirty Dancing. I give Dirty Dancing...

I give this rating because the show has a storyline that I loved and dazzling dancing. Due to the sound design and a few other issues, it doesn't get my top mark, but I still adored it and I recommend it to the people of Germany, where the show will be heading  next.

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

Join me next time when I will be reviewing Lazarus.

Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer

Review: The Screwtape Letters

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of The Screwtape Letters.
Originally, I wasn't too sure whether to go and see The Screwtape Letters. On the one hand, I was fascinated with the concept of the play after reading the synopsis. On the other hand, I wasn't too keen on the idea of travelling all the way to North London. I decided to keep it off my schedule and just keep it as a back-up. When booking for shows, one of them (Rent) was completely sold out. I decided to bite the bullet with the journey and went to see this production. I had very mixed thoughts about the play. The acting and creative aspects were wonderful, but there really isn't much to the play. I'll start with my negative thoughts and then finish with my positive thoughts, so that we can end the review on a high note! I am not convinced that this piece works as a stage adaption. I have not read the book by C.S. Lewis, but it is very apparent to me that there is little to make a whole stage play of. The show consists of the character Screwtape, one of the Devil's agents, writing letters to his nephew, whilst his assistant (who doesn't speak) writes it all down. The play does not tell us the nephew's response, which I think would have worked much better in this instance. Perhaps if the show had been only an hour this would've worked better, but and hour and a half of just letters grew a little tiresome. The play does very well on creative aspects, but it is let down structure wise. My only other critique is that I found certain parts difficult to follow, specifically the ending. Those who I'd recommend The Screwtape Letters for, are for those that are fans of the book, as for these people they would be able to understand everything and wouldn't worry about structure flaws. If you have plans to see it, I would advise reading the book first. Now onto the positives! I thought that Max McLean's portrayal of Screwtape was exceptional! He has an extremely hard task of keeping the audience engaged for such a long time, but he does a wonderful job. The play is an hour and a half, but thanks to his portrayal it didn't feel quite as long as it was. He truly embodies Screwtape from beginning to end, it's amazing that he had that much energy! His performance is the sole reason  why the show wasn't too bad and I would even go as far to say that a performance like that is worth the ticket price alone. Karen Eleanor Wight doesn't speak as Toadpipe, but manages to convey a character through physicality and noise. The fact she was able to convey a character without words shows me that Karen is a wonderful performer. I cannot say a bad word about these two actors. The set was simple, and yet extremely effective, with skulls on the back wall. The lighting and costume design are also perfect, in specifics, Toadpipe's costume was fantastic. With the set, lighting and costumes combined, it was able to perfectly display Hell.

The featured star of The Screwtape Letters is, drum roll please... MAX MCLEAN!

Max's performance was profoundly extraordinary. With his acting, he is even able to make the boring parts of the show interesting. I have read that Max has been doing the role since 2006 and this definitely comes across.

Now for my final verdict on The Screwtape Letters. I give The Screwtape Letters...

I give this rating because the show really does not have enough material and I'm not convinced that an adaption of the book works, the show however makes up for it with wonderful creativeness and the two leads are phenomenal. I really struggled with choosing between three and four stars here, but in the end decided to go with three. If I used half stars, this would be one of the times I would use it.

Think it should gave got a higher rating? Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.

Join me next time when I will be reviewing Dirty Dancing.

Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer

Review: This House

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of This House.
I was absolutely thrilled to be seeing This House, as it combined two things I  love, theatre and politics. I hope to someday work in either of these two fields, so seeing a play like this was wonderful. This House's strongest aspect is it's unmissable cast. They are a truly first-rate cast. The show has some weaker moments in terms of writing, but the cast were always able to carry it through. They really conveyed as to what politicians were like back in the 70's, and to be completely honest it doesn't seem like our politicians have changed that much. The way Conservative politicians are and the way Labour politicians are is portrayed extremely well. Stereotypical Conservatives are portrayed as being snobby and selfish and stereotypical Labour politicians are portrayed as being loud and foul mouthed. There was a clear divide between the two types of politicians, and once again, things haven't really changed. Cast members who stood out were (in alphabetical order); Phil Daniels as Bob Mellish, Kevin Doyle as Michael Cocks, Lauren O'Neil as Ann Taylor, Nathaniel Parker as Jack Weatherill, Steffan Rhodri as Walter Harrison and Malcom Sinclair as Humphrey Atkins. I cannot applaud this cast enough! I thought the set was very cleverly designed, it looked extremely accurate to the actual House of Commons (although being a little smaller). The costume and lighting design also greatly helped add to the effect of the show. I had not known about the minority government in the 70's, so it was excellent to be educated on this subject. I had wondered before why a majority is needed in the House of Commons, but this play has clearly highlighted certain issues for me and has expanded my politics knowledge. It has even deepened my love for politics a bit more. I did more research about the minority government and the vote of no confidence after the play and from what I read it sounds like the play was very true to life. The best part of the show is the last half an hour. In the last half an hour, the play builds up tension, has some really touching moments and has a very dramatic ending. This is when the play really shines. I wouldn't recommend this play to anyone who doesn't know nor cares about politics. I took my Mum to the show and she doesn't even vote, so as much as she loved the acting, she didn't understand the parliamentary system. For people like my Mum, who accompany friends or family but don't know much about politics, perhaps a 3 minutes video at the beginning of the play may have helped? I think this would have opened up the play to a wider audience. I felt that there were parts of the show which were weakly written, such as the beginning 20 minutes, where I wasn't sure who was who and what was going on. As I mentioned earlier though, the acting was able to carry the show through the weaker parts. The only other critique for the show I have is a nitpick, but I wasn't overly keen on the singing in the show. It just felt a little unnecessary, but this is not a major concern at all.

The featured star of This House is, drum roll please... MALCOM SINCLAIR!

Choosing featured star was extremely difficult. I made a shortlist of 4 of the actors and honestly, it would've been easier to pick straws. After much thought and consideration, I decided to choose Malcom for featured star. He was consistent throughout and gave a truly convincing portrayal as Humphrey Atkins. Furthermore, he played what a stereotypical Conservative politician acts like. He was missed whenever he was offstage and I am very glad he was cast in this role.

Now for my final verdict on This House. I give This House...

I give this rating because the show has an extremely strong cast and great creative aspects, and this makes up for the weaker parts of writing.

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

Join me next time when I will be reviewing The Screwtape Letters.

Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer

Review: Million Dollar Quartet

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Million Dollar Quartet.
When making plans for the Christmas and New Year theatre marathon, I wasn't sure whether to add this one in. I eventually decided to go with it, because an extra musical can never hurt. This show was so much fun, I had a blast! It's the kind of show where you leave the theatre walking on air. For the last 15 minutes of the show everyone is up on their feet, singing and dancing. The atmosphere in the theatre was electric. Million Dollar Quartet showcases a stunning group of performers, consisting of Martin Kemp as Sam Phillips, Ross William Wild as Elvis Presley, Matthew Wycliffe as Carl Perkins, Robbie Durham as Jonny Cash, Martin Kaye as Jerry Lee Lewis and Katie Ray as Dyanne. They can act, they can sing and they can play instruments, there's nothing this cast can't do! They made absolute magic onstage and there were no weak links. They all really connected with their character and seemed to be very natural onstage. I cannot speak highly enough of this cast, they are outstanding! The music was long before my time (I only recognised five of the songs), but this was a great introduction into all the old rock and roll music. My favourites were 'Blue Suede Shoes' and 'Fever', which were both excellently performed. The fact that the instruments were played live onstage added a lot to the excitement, it's so great to have a cast that are so multi-talented. The sound design was flawless, the chairs were vibrating from the sound which was another factor that helped to add to the rock and roll. The costumes and lighting were also perfect, I cannot fault either of these in any way. I thought the Royal Festival Hall was the ideal theatre for this show. I know that it'll be visiting smaller venues on its tour (which begins in February), so it'll be interesting to find out how different the show is, considering the Royal Festival Hall has a capacity of 2,900. The advantage to having a smaller theatre is that it would be more suitable for the set, which looked rather small on the large stage. A smaller audience will have to be extra loud to compensate! The only negative aspect of the show is that the storyline is a little weak, however a show such as this doesn't really need to have a strong storyline as it's more like attending a live concert. As nice as a more detailed story would be, the show was so much fun that I didn't worry about this too much.

The featured star of Million Dollar Quartet is, drum roll please... MARTIN KAYE!

Martin Kaye was awesome in the role of Jerry Lee Lewis. For me, Martin stole the entire show. His acting and singing is superb and his piano playing is out of this world. He even played the piano with his feet! I've never seen someone so talented on the piano, he is a delight to watch.

Now for my final verdict on Million Dollar Quartet. I give Million Dollar Quartet...

I give this rating because, even though the show didn't have the strongest storyline, it gives the audience the time of their lives and has an unmissable cast! If it is coming to a theatre near you and if you love a fun time out then I highly recommend this.

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

Join me next time when I will be reviewing This House.

Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer