Review: Ordinary Days

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Ordinary Days.
Visiting Off-West End venues is a rarity for me, as when I go in to Central London I usually only visit the West End. However, I was kindly offered a press ticke
t to see Ordinary Days at the Bridewell Theatre, and I decided to accept. Having not been to an Off-West End theatre since March, this was a really fun experience. This production of Ordinary Days is an absolute gem; it left me with feelings of astonishment. This show is the perfect example of what fantastic shows can be found Off-West End.

The cast performing in this production were four of the most talented people I have seen in a while. Each performance was both highly memorable and more than noteworthy. Inti Conde, as Jason, gave an astounding performance. From beginning to end, he displayed such raw emotion. In addition to this, he had a tremendous voice. Kate Gledhill's performance of Deb showed us a very wide range of skills, excelling in both the comedic and more serious parts of the show. Glen Jordan's portrayal of Warren was absolutely hilarious; he had flawless comic timing and delivered every line perfectly. Furthermore, he had a lovely voice. Louisa Roberts, who performed in the role of Claire, had the most wonderful voice. Her performance of the song "I'll Be Here" was phenomenal. She was also a mesmerising actress. This was an absolutely fabulous cast, who were a pleasure to watch throughout the whole performance. All four of them had impeccable comic timing, marvellous acting and singing, and very accurate American accents. They all have the potential to have great careers.

 

Both the music and lyrics are extremely well written and I loved every single song. I have already started listening to the original cast recording and the more I listen to it, the more and more I like it. It would be great to hear the score performed by a large orchestra, as I imagine that it would sound beautiful. Having said that, the score still sounds wonderful when being performed solely by a pianist, and the pianist that is performing at this production is terrific.

Ordinary Days tells three different stories (four, if you hold the belief that the stories of Jason and Claire were separate), and each of them were so much fun to follow. Warren's story follows his life working as a cat-sitter for a jailed artist, Deb's story follows her life at university and Jason and Claire's story follows their decision to move in together. Despite all living in the big city of New York, they all cross paths more than once. The different storylines all displayed messages of friendship, love and hope. I felt so transported to their world and really connected with every single character.

The set was small and minimal, however it worked very effectively for the show. After having some time to reflect on the show, the set actually seems quite symbolic. The small set portrays the large city of New York, however, as the characters seem to find out, New York is not as big as it originally seems.

This was such a fantastic production, I was so glad I was able to see it. It's a shame that the production was limited to a 4 day run, as it is clear how much effort has gone in to it. However, I was glad to see that the theatre was absolutely packed, and therefore quite a large amount of people have been able to see it, which is great.

The featured star of Ordinary Days is, drum roll please... KATE GLEDHILL!

This decision took a whole 10 minutes to decide upon. In my eyes, all the cast members were equally amazing and there did not seem to be one that stood out above the others. I even thought about scrapping "featured star" for this review, however I'm a stickler for keeping the same format. I finally chose Kate for featured star. Deb is an extremely hard role to do, it requires a very wide range of skill from the actress who plays the role, as the character has both very funny and serious moments. Kate excelled in all those areas, she was perfect!

Now for my final verdict on Ordinary Days. I give Ordinary Days...

The decision to give Ordinary Days 4 stars was easy; there was no way I would give this production anything below that. I loved it!

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: Driving Miss Daisy

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Driving Miss Daisy.
My Mum had seen the film of Driving Miss Daisy many years ago and had a memory of really enjoying it, so she suggested visiting the play on its UK Tour at Richmond Theatre, where it had stopped off for a week. My knowledge of the show was fairly limited, however before seeing it I was able to search a brief synopsis of the play.

Driving Miss Daisy follows Daisy Werthan, an elderly Jewish widow living in Atlanta, who is determined to maintain her independence. However, when she crashes her car, her son, Boolie, arranges for her to have a chauffeur, an African-American driver named Hoke Colburn. Daisy and Hoke's relationship gets off to a rocky start, but they gradually form a close friendship over the years, one that transcends racial prejudices and social conventions. For the most part, the play is a comedy, however that doesn't stop the show covering sensitive issues. Driving Miss Daisy deals with issues of anti-simetism, racism, dementia, along with many others. All of these issues are excellently portrayed and are handled very well. The storyline of Driving Miss Daisy was extremely touching, and the final scene of the play even moved me to tears, which is something that rarely happens nowadays. In addition to this, Driving Miss Daisy was in fact a true story, and that gives the play a lot more significance, as it gives an insight to what life was like for certain people in that time period. The writing of Driving Miss Daisy is superb and has a great deal of depth to it.

All three cast members were phenomenal! Siân Phillips' portrayal of Daisy Werthan was captivating, moving and flawless. Driving Miss Daisy follows a period of 25 years, and thanks to Siân's wonderful acting, the change and progression of the character is quite clear. Derek Griffiths' performance of Hoak Colburn was amazing; it was impossible not to like the character. The role of Hoak demands a lot of versatility, and fortunately this is something that Derek is able to pull off. Despite not having as large a role as his co-stars, Teddy Kempner as Boolie Werthan gave a memorable, noteworthy and all round fantastic performance. All three actors kept the show alive from beginning to end. It was their performances that kept my attention from beginning to end. It was a joy to watch such experienced actors.

It is not often that I notice direction within a show, however it was clear that this production of Driving Miss Daisy was in the hands of a very good director. Richard Beecham has done wonders for this production and his work was very noticeable. The lighting and costume design were also very good, and complimented the show well.

The featured star of Driving Miss Daisy is, drum roll please... SIÂN PHILLIPS!

This was an incredibly hard decision, as all three actors were sublime. I turned to my Mum for advice on this decision, as I found it too hard to choose. I began the play disliking the character of Daisy, however as the play went on I couldn't help but adore her. This was due to Siân's phenomenal acting, who very clearly shows the progression of the character throughout 25 years. 

Now for my final verdict on Driving Miss Daisy. I give Driving Miss Daisy...

This decision was easy for me; I had no doubt in my mind that this would be anything below a 4 star. I throughly enjoyed every moment of the show and I wish the production the best of luck for the rest of the tour.

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: Wait Until Dark

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Wait Until Dark.
With the beginning of the school year and the end of the Summer holidays looming, I decided to have one last theatre trip to see Wait Until Dark on its opening night at Richmond Theatre. I had not read any reviews of the show, nor had I heard any opinions, so I was very unsure as to what I should expect.

What makes this production of Wait Until Dark special and unique, is its casting of blind actress Karina Jones, in the role of Susy, a character who is also blind. Throughout its many theatrical productions, a blind actress has surprisingly never played the character of Susy. The casting directors decided to break this tradition and opted for a blind actress to play the lead role. I applaud the casting directors for this decision; it may have been risky but it has certainly paid off. Karina Jones stated in an interview, which can be found in the programme, that "producers and directors should give disabled roles to disabled actors". Karina has my full support with this statement and I agree with every part of what she has said. Unlike any actress who is not blind, Karina is able to fully connect with the character and I get the sense that she is truly able to relate with 'Susy'. Karine fully embodies the role and I was able to understand every thought and feeling of the character.

The cast of Wait Until Dark also includes Jack Ellis as Mike, Graeme Brookes as Croker, Tim Treloar as Roat, Oliver Mellor as Sam, Shannon Rewcroft as Gloria and Tom Mccarran as a Policeman. They all had absolutely wonderful characterisations and I would say that all of those performances are very noteworthy.

Frederick Knott's writing is fantastic. It's extremely captivating and he does a highly convincing job of building up tension throughout the play. I had originally believed that there would be no serious threat to the main character (Susy) and that she would be victorious. However, as the play went on, these thoughts disappeared. I doubted every thought I once had. Wait Until Dark is full of surprises, twists and turns, I was on the edge of my seat throughout. A particular highlight of the brilliant writing was the final scene, which left me scared to go to sleep that night. It is terrifying and the audience are left with no clue as to which characters will be left alive.

The set design of a basement flat in Notting Hill was great, due to the fact that it was thoroughly detailed. It worked perfectly and aided the show well. The lighting design was superb, with the stand-out "lighting moment" being the final scene. The lighting design plays an extremely major role in the final scene, and helps a lot with building tension and suspense.

Wait Until Dark is visiting 11 other venues until December, so if Wait Until Dark is playing in a venue which is near where you are located, it is well worth seeing for a great night out!

The featured star of Wait Until Dark is, drum roll please... KARINA JONES!

It's astonishing to think that a blind actress has not been cast in this role before, but I am so glad that this has now been changed. I could definitely tell that Karina has a personal connection with the character of Susy, and this is what makes her performance phenomenal. Karina can most likely understand all of the problems that Susy faces on a daily basis, and therefore it was fantastic to see a performance that was so true to life.

Now for my final verdict on Wait Until Dark. I give Wait Until Dark...

During act one, I was verging on giving the show three stars. However in act two the show really picks up and on the whole this production deserves 4 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: Jesus Christ Superstar

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Jesus Christ Superstar.
I was really eager to see Jesus Christ Superstar during its initial run at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in 2016, however to my disappointment the show had quickly sold out. When an announcement was made declaring that the show would be returning, I immediately got tickets. I had seen the show two years ago at Wimbledon Theatre, where it had made a stop during its UK Tour. That production was set in the actual time period that Jesus Christ had lived in, however the Regent's Park production reimagined the show to have it take place in the modern era. It was very interesting to see the differences, and whilst I do prefer the show being performed in the actual time period the musical is set it, I still enjoyed seeing a different director's take on the show.

The score of Jesus Christ Superstar is legendary. I think that Andrew Lloyd Webber is an absolutely brilliant composer; I adore all of his music. It would be a very hard decision, but I would ultimately say that the score of Jesus Christ Superstar is my favourite Lloyd Webber score. Each song is highly memorable and there are some truly wonderful songs. My chosen highlights from the score are "Damned For All Time", "Gethsemane" and "Judas' Death". The lyrics, written by Tim Rice, are extremely clever and have a lot of depth within them. Performing the music was a phenomenal orchestra. The orchestra were in a compartment above the stage, viewable by all audience members. It was great to be able to see the orchestra in plain-view, and my attention occasionally came off the main stage in order to take a look at what the orchestra were doing at certain moments during the show. A particular stand-out from the orchestra was the guitarist, who was exceptionally talented.

It took me a while to warm to Declan Bennett's portrayal of Jesus, however he really comes into his element when singing "Gethsemane" and after that moment he got better and better, to the point where his performance was perfection. Co-starring with Declan as Jesus, was Olivier Award nominee Tyrone Huntley as Judas. Judas is an extremely difficult role to play, and there are many different types of voices I have heard sing the role. There are some who choose to sing it with little control over their voice, to the point where they are practically screaming. There are some who choose to sing it by straining their voice, but with control and no screaming. I don't know how he has done it, but Tyrone has found the perfect way to sing as Judas. His voice is incredible; he has very good control of it and has an extremely wide range. This is a Judas like no other. Tyrone has an extremely large stage presence, and whenever he entered the stage I was always captivated by what he was doing. I really hope they make a cast album of this production, as it would be wonderful to have Declan and Tryone's voices in the show preserved. Other cast members who stood out were David Thaxton as Pilate, Phillip Browne as Caiaphas and Peter Caulfield as Herod.

The set design is very minimal, with the show being a concert staging. The set design did not particularly stun me, however I think it would be fair to say that it served its purpose. The lighting design had received an Oliver Award nomination, and I had seen pictures of it where it looked great, however because I was at the matinee the lighting design was minimal due to there being natural light in the theatre. It was a shame that I was unable to see the full effect of the lighting design, but it was definitely not a major concern. Whilst I understand what the costume designer was attempting to do when creating the costumes for this production, I was sadly left very disappointed. The costumes came across as being fairly bland and not really to my liking. Having said that though, unexpectedly I thought King Herod's costume was marvellous. I'm sad to say that I also felt the choreography was a little bland too. It's serviceable, however it left me a little unimpressed. Despite my negative thoughts on those aspects, I thought that the sound design was great. Every note played by all instruments could be easily heard, and each word said by any actor could also be easily heard.

Whilst it did take me a while to get into the show at first, I was extremely impressed with act two, which was full of stunning moments which I am sure to remember. I was very happy to see Tyrone as Judas, and I hope he will continue to do the role, as he is truly an amazing Judas.

The featured star of Jesus Christ Superstar is, drum roll please... TYRONE HUNTLEY!

I cannot praise this performance enough. It's a real shame that Tryone was competing with Andy Karl for the Oliver Award, as Andy Karl is very hard to beat, but hopefully Tyrone's year will come soon!

Now for my final verdict on Jesus Christ Superstar. I give Jesus Christ Superstar...

The music and a great deal of the performances were excellent and would be enough for a four star, however I have chosen three stars due to feeling a little bit let down by the costume design and choreography. There are rumours that this production will head to the West End soon, and if so it would be very interesting to see how they would deal with a different venue. I'll be keeping a close eye to see what happens next with this production!

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: Half a Sixpence

Hey readers!

It's time for my review of Half a Sixpence.
Earlier this year, I visited Half a Sixpence with an American friend who was eager to see the show. Those who read my review of the show in February will know that I absolutely loved it and raved about every aspect. After hearing my thoughts on the show, my Mum was really disappointed that she had missed out on it, as it seemed to be her type of show. The show announced closing notice a few months ago, so time was against my Mum's quest to visit Half a Sixpence. Fortunately though, with just weeks to spare before the show closed, she was able to go on her Birthday. I was thrilled to get the chance to see it a second time, and it was just as brilliant the second time as it was the first time. The aspect of Half a Sixpence which has stunned me both times are the production numbers. Half a Sixpence contains multiple large production numbers, which consists of brilliant songs assisted with a large amount of choreography, an enormous amount of energy from the cast and in one instance, a use of props as instruments. The production numbers which truly blew me away were "Pick Out a Simple Tune" and "Flash Bang Wallop", they were like nothing else and are an absolute delight to see. Large production numbers such as the ones in Half a Sixpence can be a rare sight in the West End, so this is evidence that Half a Sixpence is a very special show. Andrew Wright is a magnificent choreographer. With every song in the show featuring this amazing choreography, his work is very consistent. I am still extremely bitter that Half a Sixpence was not nominated for "Best Choreography" at the Olivier Awards. Instead of nominating Half a Sixpence for its phenomenal choreography, the Oliver Award committee chose to nominate Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a play which features a small amount of modern movement. The Cured Child is my favourite play of all time, but it did not really deserve to be nominated over Half a Sixpence for best choreography. As I'm sure you can tell, that decision absolutely shocked me. On the positive side of things, Half a Sixpence rightfully won the WhatsOnStage Award for Best Choreography, which proves that the majority of theatregoers disagreed with the Oliver Award committee. The score of Half a Sixpence is wonderful, I never tire of listening to the cast album. If I had to choose three favourites, my personal highlights of the score would be "If The Rain's Got to Fall", "The One Who's Run Away" and "Pick Out a Simple Tune". Completely coincidentally, at both performances of the show I have seen, Charlie Stemp has been absent from the show and Sam O'Rourke has been understudying in the role of Arthur Kipps. I was amazed by Sam's performance the first time I saw it, and I even nominated him for Best Understudy for the Basic Theatre Awards earlier this year. When I saw the show in February, it was his fifth or sixth performance in the role. I had no idea that when I saw the show again I would be seeing his last performance as Arthur Kipps. It was great to see how he has progressed in the role. He is an outstanding actor, singer and dancer; a triple threat! Ian Bartholomew is excellent as Chitterlow. I've now seen him onstage three times (once in Mrs. Henderson Presents and twice in Half a Sixpence) and he is flawless throughout every performance. Portraying Ann Pornick was Devon Elise-Johnson, who has an absolutely beautiful voice, as evidenced in the song "Long Ago". I was also struck by the fact that she is a brilliant dancer, something which I did not notice last time. When I saw the show in February, Emma Williams, who portrays Helen Walsingham, was absent from the show, so it was great to finally see her in the role that gained her a WhatsOnStage Award. Emma is so natural when she is onstage, she throughly transforms into any role that she plays and that is a wonderful quality for any actor or actress to have. She is a true star and it'll be really interesting to see what show she goes into next. I would also like to give special mentions to Alex Hope, as Sid Pornick, and Samantha Hull, who was understudying as Flo, who were both superb. The orchestrations, lighting, set and costumes are all tremendous as well. It's so sad that the show is closing, as it deserves to run and run. Sadly a lot of my favourite shows seem to be closing in September (The Great Comet, Bandstand and Groundhog Day), but i suppose all good things must come to an end. I urge everyone to go and see Half a Sixpence before it closes on September 2nd. I have my fingers crossed that Half a Sixpence will appear on a UK tour someday!

The featured star of Half a Sixpence is, drum roll please... SAM O'ROURKE!

Sam gives one of the best performances for any understudy I have ever seen. He gives it his all when he's onstage and always seems to be full of energy, in what must be a very demanding role. Sam is more than good enough to play the role of Arthur full time, and perhaps if the show were to ever make a return, he would hopefully be able to do so.

Now for my final verdict on Half a Sixpence. I give Half a Sixpence...

This was a very hard choice between 4 and 5 stars, but in the end I decided to go with 4 stars. As I said, it is a real shame that this has to close, but let's hope it won't be the last we hear of Half a Sixpence!

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: Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 was at the very top of my "theatre wish-list" throughout my America trip and there was nothing I wanted to see more than this show. I had made plans to see the show on my final night in America, however the show was involved in a controversy within that time, and there were certain people saying that the show might close before I could see it. I was really concerned, as I desperately wanted to watch it. I was over the moon when I found out that the show would still be playing beyond August 13th, but was still sad to hear the show would be closing soon after that date. I went into the show with high expectations, which can sometimes be a bad thing as in most cases the show does not live up to what you had predicted. I am over the moon to say that The Great Comet was everything I wanted, and more! Entering the Imperial Theatre was like going back in time. The outside area of the theatre (the entrance and where merchandise is sold) was designed like the Moscow streets, with several posters regarding Moscow up on the walls. Then I entered the actual theatre... my, oh my! The creative team behind The Great Comet have completely redesigned the theatre to make the whole room (including the audience seats) look like a Russian club. It was like nothing I had ever seen before, it took me quite a long time to digest all of it. I was so struck by the creativity of the set; it more than deserves the Tony Award for best set design! I was sitting on a "stage seat" so all the action of the show was going on around me. I have never been to a show like this. It was an immersive and wonderful experience which I will never forget. Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 takes 60 pages from War and Peace and turns it into a stand-alone story, full of humour and heartbreak. I was really touched by the story told by the show and was close to tears by the end of it. The music has a wide variety of genres, but is best described as an "electro-pop operatic" score. To put this type of music to a novel like War and Peace sounds insane, but boy is it good! It took me a while to pick my favourites, but having listened to the cast album over three times now, my highlights would be "Prologue" and "Dust and Ashes". The lyrics are truly beautiful and meaningful, whilst the music is wonderfully composed. Both the music and lyrics (along with the book) have been written by Dave Malloy, so I will be keeping an eye out for another Malloy musical. Denée Benton had a wonderful voice and was the perfect Natasha! Natasha goes on a long journey throughout the show and Denée is stunning for every moment of it. Scott Stangland was an incredible Pierre! I really invested my feelings into the character of Pierre and truly felt so much sympathy and hope for the character. His performance of "Dust and Ashes" was mesmerising. I have heard audio recordings of fellow Pierre's singing the song, however none of them seem to be as good as Scott was. Lucas Steele, who gained a Tony nomination for his portrayal of Anatole, had a voice like I had never heard before. His voice goes so high; it is absolutely insane! His mannerisms and facial expressions were brilliant and he gave a very memorable performance. Britain Ashford, in the role of Sonya, has a voice different to her fellow cast members, with a voice that actually sounded a little 'country and western'. I liked this as it made her stand out from the rest of the cast, and not to mention the fact that her voice is beautiful. Her solo of "Sonya Alone" is a real stunner! The whole cast are stunning, and cast members that deserve a mention are: Amber Gray as Hélène, Grace McLean as Marya, Nick Choksi as Fedya, Nicholas Belton as Andrey and Old Prince Bolkonsky, Courtney Bassett as Mary and last but not least, Paul Pinto as Balaga. It is no wonder that the show won best lighting design; the lighting design of The Great Comet is terrific, especially during the song "The Duel" which features strobe lighting. The costumes were also great and helped to add to the effect of Russia in 1812. The orchestrations are also superb, as is the sound design. I could go on all night praising this show, but I'll stop there. To see something so fresh and innovative is so much fun. I'm absolutely devastated that The Great Comet is closing and I really hope that it comes to England, as I can't imagine not seeing the show again!

The featured star of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 is, drum roll please... SCOTT STANGLAND!

I read an opinion of the show online from someone who had seen every Pierre who had ever done the role, and they stated that Scott was the best Pierre that had ever played the role. If that is the case, then I am so glad I got to see Scott. He is such an amazing Pierre and I am really happy that he got the chance to perform the role for a full week on Broadway. Anyone who saw Scott's portrayal of Pierre was very lucky!

Now for my final verdict on Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812. I give Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812...

I had no doubt in my mind that this deserved 5 stars. The Great Comet is only playing until September 3rd and I implore everyone to see it before it closes its doors for the last time.

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

Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer

Review: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Broadway)

Hey readers! 

It's time for my review of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
I had seen Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in London's West End four times (and loved it), so I wasn't so sure whether I should see the Broadway production, as I had heard mixed opinions surrounding the show. However, there are only a limited amount of shows that play on Broadway on a Monday, so I decided to give the Broadway production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory a try. Whilst, as predicted, it wasn't as good as when it was in the West End, it's still a great show and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The show has had many changes, however the storyline, which I consider to be a classic, is still the same: Willy Wonka, world famous inventor of the Everlasting Gobstopper, has just made an astonishing announcement. His marvelous—and mysterious—factory is opening its gates…to a lucky few. That includes young Charlie Bucket, whose life definitely needs sweetening. He and four other golden ticket winners will embark on a mesmerizing, life-changing journey through Wonka's world of pure imagination. Get ready for chocolate waterfalls, exquisitely nutty squirrels and the great glass elevator, all to be revealed by Wonka's army of curious Oompa-Loompas. I love the storyline of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and I never tire of it. Despite this being my fifth time sitting through the story, it was as exciting and fresh as always. The book of the show (written dialogue and backbone of the show) had some very significant changes to it, to the point where some people say it has been completely re-written form the London production, but luckily I didn't feel that the book changes didn't affect the show too much. As long as it's the same old story, it'll always be good. Exactly half of the songs from the original London production have been kept in the show and whilst I was disappointed that some of my favourite songs have been removed, I still think the score is terrific. My favourite additions to the score were "When Willy Met Oompa" and "The View From Here". "When Willy Met Oompa" was so strange and wacky, but I adored it! It had me in stitches. "The View From Here" has taken the place of the song "Pure Imagination" and I'm quite happy with that change, as I think that "The View From Here" is a beautiful song and excellently performed. The removals I was unhappy with were "Almost Nearly Perfect", "The Amazing Tale of Mr. Willy Wonka" and "Simply Second Nature". The biggest loss out of those was "Simply Second Nature" as I really relate to that song and I usually find it to be a large highlight of the show. Christian Borle was the perfect choice for Willy Wonka and he truly does the role justice. Christian's Wonka is bonkers and I loved it! Performing as Charlie Bucket at the performance I visited was Jake Ryan Flynn, who was brilliant. I would even say that he was better than the majority of Charlie actors I have seen in the past. He is extremely talented and has a bright future ahead! Other cast members that stood out were John Rubinstein as Grandpa Joe, Emily Padgett as Mrs. Bucket, Ben Crawford as Mr. Salt, Michael Wartella as Mike Teavee, Emma Pfaeffle as Veruca Salt, Trista Dollison as Violet Beauregarde and F. Michael Haynie as Augustus Gloop. I've read online that there a large number of people that take issue with adults being in child roles, however I personally did not have an issue with this and was able to easily suspend disbelief. I assume this was because the adult actors that were playing the children were so good. The costume and lighting design were both great and definitely deserve a mention. Now for the main reason this production is not as good as it was when it was in London... the set design. When taking the show to Broadway, they had a fresh new start to try and make the show even better than it was in England, but the set design lets it down. In London, the sets are gigantic. They would probably be my choice for the best set design in any show I have ever seen. However, the Broadway sets were extremely downscaled, to the point where there was just no comparison. I understand the stage is much smaller, but more effort could have been put into it. My only other fault for this production of Charlie is that I wasn't a big fan of the ending. For the London production, the show had quite a nice ending, with Charlie bringing his family to the factory for the first time, followed by Willy Wonka appearing one last time, by himself, to say goodbye to his glorious factory. None of that happens here and the show ends a little abruptly. Nevertheless, I still really enjoyed myself at this show!

The featured star of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is, drum roll please... CHRISTIAN BORLE!

I had seen Christian in Something Rotten as William Shakespeare three times, and all three times he was amazing. I remember being really excited for him to play Willy Wonka, as I knew it was a role he would be great at. He certainly was great; the casting directors made a very wise decision. He's a stunning actor, a stunning singer, has great comic timing and even looks the part!

Now for my final verdict of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I give Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is quite close to a four star, but I have chosen three stars on the grounds that the set design was a little weak. However, it's still a fabulous show and provides a lot of fun!

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