Review: Bandstand

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Bandstand.
After seeing a few clips of Bandstand on both the internet and on TV, I had a read of the synopsis to see if it was a show I would be interested in. It sounded like the type of show I would like, so on my second day in New York I headed to the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre and got some rush seats. I am pleased to say that Bandstand certainly lived up to my expectations and I had a brilliant time! Set in the smoke filled, swing fueled night clubs of 1945, Bandstand brings the against-all-odds story of singer/songwriter Donny Novitski and his band of mismatched fellow WWII veterans to the stage. The story is extremely moving and it truly helps people to understand what a difficult time veterans can have when they return from fighting for their country. Bandstand has given me a deep appreciation for what our veterans have done and we must never forget all that they do, and have done, for us. I believe that Bandstand has the power to inspire others and encourage people to follow their dreams, despite what may have occurred in the past. The story is accompanied by a wonderful big band score, featuring many memorable tunes composed by Richard Oberacker and Robert Taylor. Every single cast member from this show gives an incredible performance, with stand-outs being Laura Osnes as Julia Trojan, Corey Cott as Donny Novitski, Beth Leavel as June Adams, Joe Carroll as Johnny Simpson, Brandon J. Ellis as Davy Zlatic, James Nathan Hopkins as Jimmy Campbell, Geoff Packard as Wayne Wright and Joey Pero as Nick Radel. The cast play their own instruments, which makes Bandstand a great showcase for the cast's talents. All great actors, all great singers and all great dancers! The Tony Award winning choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler is thrilling. I have seen Andy Blankenbuehler's work in both Hamilton and Cats and I am becoming a bigger and bigger fan of his. His movement based choreography is fantastically done, he is one of the best choreographers on both the West End and Broadway at this moment in time. The lighting, costume and set design were all very noteworthy too. They all suit the era that Bandstand is set in extremely well. Sadly, Bandstand posted closing notice the other day which is a real shame as I think this is an outstanding show, but as the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end. I hope that Bandstand will have a life beyond Broadway; fingers crossed for a West End transfer!

The featured star of Bandstand is, drum roll please... LAURA OSNES!

For Bandstand, the option of featured star was between Corey Cott and Laura Osnes, who are both equally talented. At the end of act one, I would have most likely chosen Corey, however by the end of the show Laura's performance left a really big impression on me so I decided to choose her. Laura was perfectly cast in the role of Julia. Her acting and singing was utter perfection, it was a mesmerising performance.

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

Bandstand is a definitive four star in my eyes. It is a high quality show and I would definitely recommend that people see it before it closes on September 17th.

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

Review: War Paint

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of War Paint.
The first thing to grab my attention from this show was the stunning performance that Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole gave at the Tony Awards, back in June this year. Despite the Tony Awards ceremony not being as great as usual, War Paint gave a phenomenal performance and left me really wanting to see the show. After just a few hours in New York, I made my way over to the Nederlander Theatre, where I was able to get some well priced rush tickets. War Paint is an extremely sophisticated and classy production and has the feeling of an old classic, despite it being a new show. The force behind the show and what puts it above other shows on Broadway right now are the phenomenal performances of Patti LuPone as Helena Rubinstein and Christine Ebersole as Elizabeth Arden. They give wonderful characterisations that truly help the audience understand every thought and feeling of their characters. When Patti and Christine are united they are unsurpassed! They make the perfect team, that I doubt many people would be able to match. Adding to their terrific performances are John Dossett as Tommy Lewis and Douglas Sills as Harry Fleming. They also give faultless performances and are a great addition to the show. Despite both characters making poor decisions, I could still understand their thought process, which was due to the superb performances given. The rest of the cast are all also excellent; the show features many stunning actors, singers and dancers. The storyline of War Paint follows the two women responsible for make-up becoming so popular and it is absolutely fascinating. Against all odds, these two women changed the world for better or worse, whilst competing with each other to become the best in the business. Every song from the show is brilliant and I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to the cast album. War Paint has a large amount of memorable tunes; I would be very surprised to hear if someone had disliked the score. I have personally found 'Face to Face' a moving and memorable song; it's been in my head ever since I saw the show a week and a half ago. The set, lighting and costume design were all done to the best extent possible and were extremely impressive. In my eyes, this show is perfect in all aspects. The cast is great, the music is great, the storyline is great and the design is great. All round, it's a terrific show!

The featured star of War Paint is, drum roll please... PATTI LUPONE!

Patti and Christine's performances are practically equal and it was really hard to choose a favourite. However, having to choose only one, I had to go with Patti. Patti LuPone is someone I have heard so much about. Before seeing War Paint, I had most likely heard or read her name over 100 times! I was really struck by her performance, she translated Helena very well to the audience. I felt that I could understand all of what Helena had gone through and all of her motivation to do what she does. In addition to this, I was extremely impressed at Patti's ability to sing with a Polish accent. 

Now for my final verdict on War Paint. I give War Paint...

This decision was easy for me. A 4 star is a standard good show which I give high recommendation to; War Paint fits this category perfectly!

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

Important Notice: A Change To My "Star Rating System"

Hey readers!

It's rare for me to post anything other than a review on this blog, but I just wanted to let all of you know that I have had a recent change of heart towards my "star rating system" which will impact my reviews and the types of ratings I give.

In the past, I would give a show 1-5 stars (having said that, I've never given a show 1 star). I plan to keep that the same, however I will be changing the method in which I choose how many stars a show deserves. Prior to this post...

• A 5 star would be something that stunned be beyond words
• A 4 star would be any show I thought to be good
• A 3 star would be a show I wasn't a fan of
• A 2 star would be a show I despised
• A 1 star would have to be something I would walk out of (but that's never happened)

There were a few flaws with this system, with one being that the 4 star rating covered far too many shows. 4 covers anything from "good" to "great, and in most cases they were very far apart and something it just didn't seem right for shows I enjoyed much more than others to get the same rating. And therefore, here is my new system of rating...

• A 5 star is a show that is exceptional and flawless. Something that is very, very special
• A 4 star is your standard good show, which I would give high recommendation to
• A 3 star is something which is a little less than a 4 star due to one or two flaws, but still good
• A 2 star is a flawed production which I feel could do with much improvement 
• A 1 star is a show I did not like in the slightest and regretted seeing

I think this new star system will work well, and I hope all of you approve it. If anybody has any further comment on it, please feel free to either leave a comment below or send me a message on Twitter (@TheReviewer23). This change is just in time for the beginning of my reviews of American shows, which will include reviews from New York, Washington D.C. and Chicago! 

That's all for now!

-The Reviewer

Review: Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story.
I first saw Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story over 6 years ago, which I have a distinct memory of as it was the day before my Birthday. I really enjoyed the show 6 years ago and I am happy to say that I have come away with the same thought after seeing it second time around. I'd actually forgotten large portions of the show, so it was nice to refresh my memory. There are many things that I love about this musical, but the main one is that I personally feel that when you see Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story, a good time is guaranteed! The show is able to achieve getting the whole audience up on their feet dancing at the end of the show, which is an extremely hard task to achieve. It's the type of show with a high level of 'feel-good factor' and will be enjoyable for all ages regardless if you are familiar with the music. A leading cause of the show being so fun is the use of audience interaction. There are a few points throughout the show where the actors require audience interaction, such as seeing which section of the audience are able to cheer the loudest. It was a really nice addition and kept the audience on their toes throughout. The songs are phenomenal; it's truly amazing to think that Buddy Holy wrote such a large amount of songs in such a small amount of time. My favourite songs from the show were 'Johnny B. Goode' and 'La Bamba' (even though La Bamba wasn't performed by Buddy). The music is excellently performed by an absolutely amazing cast. All cast members are multi-talented and they all excelled in their roles. There are some phenomenal musicians amongst them! I found the storyline to be really interesting, and even found parts of it to be somewhat inspiring. Rock 'n' roll was ahead of its time, but Buddy followed his heart and continued to create the music that he loved playing. Despite the odds being against him, he achieved this and created a successful career out of this. The set, lighting and costumes were all designed very well and had no apparent faults. If I had to pick a criticism of the show, I would say that, whilst the book is mostly well written , it could do with some fixing in certain places. In really life, Buddy Holly died in a tragic plane crash age only 22, which had a big impact on the music world. This was an extremely big event, but I felt that the show glossed over it a little too much. I was really eager to see what the aftermath would have been, but none of it is shown. Having said that, I understand why it isn't featured, as they try and maintain a good vibe within the show. Another small critique I have is that there were a few sound issues, but that wasn't a major issue.

The featured star of Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story is, drum roll please... GLEN JOSEPH

Glen is incredible in the role of Buddy; he nailed literally every aspect of the role. He acted the part really well, he was an amazing singer and was phenomenal at playing the guitar. Glen was the perfect choice to play Buddy, his performance was utter perfection!

Now for my final verdict on Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story. I give Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story...

Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story didn't quite achieve my 5 star rating, but it was very close. It's a show filled with lots of fun and I would recommend it to anyone of any age looking for a fun afternoon/night out.

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

Review: Jane Eyre

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Jane Eyre.
My Mum was really eager to see Jane Eyre, as it was a book she has studied at school and had really enjoyed. I knew little about both the show and the original book, but had high hopes from what had been described to me. Luckily, this was indeed an excellent choice. It's a really unique and quirky production and its creativity is something which is quite rare. Part of this quirkiness is that Jane Eyre relies heavily on physical theatre, something which I'm not always a fan of, but it worked well here. The story follows an orphan, who despite facing horrific cruelty by her adopted family and by her teachers at school, overcomes what everyone thought of her and becomes a governess. The show follows a large portion of Jane Eyre's life and by the end of the show you feel like you have been on a journey. It's a very inspiring tale and one I found to be extremely moving. The cast are extraordinary and cannot be faulted in anyway. With the exclusion of two cast members, they all played multiple roles. Multi-roleing can become difficult, but I thought they did a terrific job at differentiating characters. Each and every cast members showed good characterisations and a large variety of talent. Jane Eyre features music, which I thought was a really nice addition. It was especially good that the decision was made to have a live band onstage, as opposed to just using pre-recorded music. In addition to this, the shows singer Melanie Marshall had an absolutely phenomenal voice! Lighting, costume and sound design were all brilliant, I have no complaints in any of those aspects. The set design didn't particularly wow me, but it was still able to serve its purpose well. My only criticism for the show is that it is slightly too long (three hours). Without a doubt, this production could have easily been shortened by at least half an hour. Due to the length of the show my concentration wavered a little, which was a shame. There are some who like long plays, but I personally feel they should be kept to a maximum of 2 and a half hours (I'm fine with musicals being a bit longer).

The featured star of Jane Eyre is, drum roll please... NADIA CLIFFORD!

Nadia gives an absolutely outstanding performance as Jane Eyre! I'm not 100% sure if this correct, but I can't actually remember Nadia leaving the stage at any point throughout the entire show. It's incredible that she would have the stamina to do this demanding role for three hours (especially as this was a two show day). 

Now for my final verdict on Jane Eyre. I give Jane Eyre...

This rating was easy for me to give. It's not quite a 5 star, but it's miles above a 3 star! 

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

Review: An Octoroon

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of An Octoroon.
Having not been to the Orange Tree Theatre in a long time and having a free Saturday afternoon, An Octoroon seemed like the perfect show to go and see at the weekend. It was also a lot better than having to venture into London (which takes around 45 minutes). Sadly though, An Octoroon was not the show for me. Honestly, it seemed that the show lacked consistency. There were certain parts of the show that were a little all over the place. An Octoroon left me somewhat baffled and even four days after seeing it, I am struggling to understand certain parts of it. It took me over half an hour to realise what was going on onstage. It's described as being a 'play, within a play, within a play', which is an interesting concept but not one that I felt worked particularly well. The playwright of the adaption has merged himself and his life, the original playwright of Octoroon's life and the play itself.  From what I could gather, the original play itself didn't really did much editing, and therefore I am not really sure as to why so many different elements were added in. As the old saying goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Luckily, that's all I have to say about the negatives of the show, let's move onto positives! The best thing about An Octoroon was its phenomenal cast. They all delivered extremely good performances in what were very demanding roles. They all showed a vast variety of talents; including some amazing American accents (I seriously believed they were all actually American). The majority of the technical aspects were good, with lighting, costume and sound design all being impressive. The storyline (the original storyline, that is, not the added parts) was actually really interesting and was able to educate me further on the issues of slavery in America. The use of white face and black face makeup was extremely unique; it's something I've never seen done before. If the parts that were added in (the two playwright's) were taken out, I would definitely see this production again. This production ticks a lot of the right boxes, but sadly it still manages to miss the mark.

The featured star of An Octoroon is, drum roll please... VIVIAN OPARAH!

It took me ages to make this decision, so in the end I decided to go through each cast member and give them a rating out of ten. The actors with the highest ratings (9/10) were Ken Nwosu, Vivian Oparah and Celeste Dodwell. From there, I just had to go with gut instinct. Vivan Oparah gave a phenomenal performance. She was immensely funny, and yet was also very good at the more serious parts of her role. It's amazing to think this is her theatre debut!

Now for my final verdict on An Octoroon. I give An Octoroon...

An Octoroon was far from the best show I have ever seen, but I cannot deny that it does have a fair amount of redeeming qualities, which is why I award An Octoroon three stars.

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

Review: Don Juan in Soho

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Don Juan in Soho.
We had originally booked to see this back in Easter, but had to exchange tickets due to my America trip during that week, so I ended up seeing it last weekend. I had heard very mixed opinions about it and from what I had heard it seemed like it was a 'love it or hate it' type show. Fortunately, I was one of those that loved it and the show really appealed to my sense of humour. The aspect of the show that makes it really special is David Tennant's performance of Don Juan. To say he is amazing would be an understatement; this is the role he was born to play. As much as I love him onscreen, I actually thought it was better to see him live. He absolutely nailed everything about the part. He was great at the comedic parts, he was great at the more serious parts and adding to that, he had hilarious facial expressions. David Tennant's performance is worth the ticket price alone! I don't think I would have enjoyed the show as much, if it didn't have him in. At David's side was Adrian Scarborough as Stan, Don Juan's trusted servant. Adrian also gave a remarkable performance and holds his own alongside David Tennant. He had very good comic timing and was perfectly cast. The remainder of the cast cannot be faulted either. The writing is extremely clever and witty; I was laughing throughout! I had seen another play which had been written by Patrick Marber called Three Days in the Country, and as good as that was, I really think the writer is truly in his element here. All the production aspects cannot be faulted, with the lighting, costume, set and sound design all being excellent. To my surprise, Don Juan in Soho features several modern dance numbers, which added to the craziness of the show and fitted in nicely. It's a really well made production and has been carefully thought out. Now for my criticisms (luckily, there's only a few). A lot of crazy and exciting things happened in act one, but act two felt a little flat. I was really excited in the intermission as to what would happen next, but act two just appeared as being non-eventful and rushed. The ending happened extremely quickly. I think it would have been a good idea to stretch out the ending a little more. My only other critique is that, during the play the character of Stan speaks to the audience and I wasn't sure that this was carried out too well. It was a nice idea, but if I had been directing it, I would have organised for the light to purely be on Stan during his asides. That's a nitpick though, and doesn't really affect the show as a whole.

The featured star of Don Juan in Soho is, drum roll please... DAVID TENANT!

I don't see how there could be any way to fault this performance. David Tenant's portrayal of Don Juan is perfect in every way! I would love to see David Tennant onstage again, as he is pure magic when seen live.

Now for my final verdict on Don Juan in Soho. I give Don Juan in Soho...

Don Juan in Soho is only playing for another 5 days, but luckily there are tickets that are still available, so if you think this would be your kind of show, don't delay in getting tickets! 

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