Sister Act – A Divine Musical Comedy **** Orchard Theatre, Dartford

I shouldn’t have been surprised at how good the score is for Sister Act as it’s from Alan Menken, who has brought us so many of the Disney classics such as The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. Not to mention a personal favourite – Little Shop of Horrors.

In case you’re unaware the plot concerns wannabe singer Deloris who, after witnessing her mobster (and generally no-good) boyfriend gun down someone is forced to turn to police protection. They in turn decide her safest bet is to disguise herself as a nun in a local convent. Once inside her love of music transforms both the choir of nuns and, more importantly, their lives.

Lesley Joseph stars as the Mother Superior. Her performance manages to combine some classic comedy with genuine emotion. She really is remarkable and completely commands the stage in a very special way. Whilst the score is packed with upbeat numbers, for me she was the highlight with the delightfully tender Here Within These Walls. If you know and love her from Birds of a Feather then you’re in for a treat to see her bringing the magic that makes her a genuine West End star.

Sandra Marvin as Deloris doesn’t let a moment go to waste as the failing and slightly deluded nightlub singer who has convinced herself her life is going to plan. Needless to say from a former Waitress, Hairspray and Chicago star, her vocals are amazing. Her comic timing is also spot on. Most importantly she is convincing in the journey from soul music to spiritual music for the soul, taking her choir of nuns with her.

Clive Rowe is one of our great theatre performers. His turn as the cop who saves Deloris is a delight. He’s got the voice and the moves and, again, brings emotional depth to a role that could easily slip by as a comic aside. He’s also got a special surprise for us in his big number which was great to see. Let’s just say it’s not often the costumes bring on a round of applause in the middle of a number!

Jeremy Secomb is Deloris’ no-good boyfriend in a no-good suit to match. He really comes into his own with the singing, combined with a delightful Jersey Boys pastiche from his henchmen.

This is unashamedly a feel good show with great pace and great tunes. But thanks in part to the lead performances it also has genuine heart and emotion.

Sister Act The Musical is at The Orchard Theatre, Dartford until Saturday 11 February then continues on tour.

Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show – Orchard Theatre, Dartford ****

Despite being originally conceived and produced in the early 1970s, The Rocky Horror Show looks, sounds and feels brand spanking new. And I choose my words carefully.

The plot concerns newly engaged Brad and Janet who arrive at Frank N Furter’s rather spooky house needing to make a phone call after their car breaks down. Once they’re in the house they meet the inmates in various ways – most famously in The Time Warp – before Frank N Furter himself arrives and announces he is about to bring his latest creation, Rocky, to life. With cross-dressing, all sorts of sexuality and much more, the show has a clear message about equality and inclusivity. But, as Kenny Everett’s Cupid Stunt said so memorably, it’s all done in the best possible taste – meaning with almost no taste at all! It’s not about the message and subtle is not what they’re going for. As creator Richard O’Brien admits, at heart it’s ‘a bit of fun.’

Philip Franks is experienced in the role of narrator. I saw him doing it back in 2019. His oily charm is perfect for the role and he’s clearly heard every possible talk-back line that audience members throw at him. Added to that he’s also worked in a few meta and topical jokes (a poem about a boy called Harry, example). It’s one of those performances that leaves little or no room to imagine anyone else in the role. He’s joined here by fellow alumni from 2019 including Stephen Webb as Frank N Furter and Kristian Lavercombe as Riff Raff. Both commit the full-on energy and excesses required to give the show life. Because, let’s face it, the plot is not the thing here. Neither do we become particularly emotionally invested in any of the characters. Like Frankenstein’s monster, what breathes life into this creation is pure energy.

The production design captures all the elements of classics of the horror film genre, from spooky entrance doors and corridors to weird science labs. And the whole set is wrapped in a giant swirl of celluloid film – appropriate not just because of the show’s homage to Hammer films, but also calling back to its early performances in disused cinemas. The lighting is a key ingredient here. Colourful and atmospheric, it also achieves a remarkable rocket launch effect. The latter is helped significantly by the sound design, which results in you feeling the show as well as hearing it. Praise too for the band. Perched high up at the back of the set they are the engine of the show, which is mostly sung through.

The Rocky Horror Show delivers great entertainment, polished production values and, still, an evening at the theatre unlike anything else you’ve ever experienced. It’s a remarkable thing. If you’ve never seen it, go with an open mind and just let it happen. It feels weird at first, but let it grow on you!

Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show is at the Orchard Theatre Dartford until Saturday 14 January and then continues on tour.

Sleeping Beauty – Marlowe theatre, Canterbury *****

The Marlowe has delivered that rare thing – a panto that’s great entertainment for adults and children alike.

With Marlowe stalwart Ben Roddy firmly in charge as Nurse Nellie, this is very much his show, despite the presence of West End star Carrie Hope Fletcher in her panto debut as wicked fairy Carrie-bosse. That’s not to belittle her presence. She delivers a fully rounded performance, packed with details and flashing with star power. And she seems to be having a ball. Roddy provides a powerhouse performance that ticks all the pano dame boxes, some of them several times over. There are jokes a-plenty (and not all of them re-hashed from previous years) and tremendous physical comedy. I was particularly pleased to see a full-on slapstick routine which provided much mess on stage and many laughs.

Jennie Dale is a feisty Fairy Moonbeam who gets some good lines and moments, which is not always the case for the good fairy. Our comedy host is Jangles, played by Max Fulham. A winning presence and a talented and original ventriloquist, he provides effective audience interaction and demonstrates experience beyond his youthful appearance.

The two romantic leads are Ore Oduba as Prince Michael, on a mission to save Ellie Kingdon’s Princess Aurora. These are always tough parts to make anything of in a panto, but Oduba gets star billing so he’s used a lot and acquits himself well in the comedy scenes with Roddy and Fulhamn. Ellie Kingdon as his princess gets some great song and dance numbers and has a super voice too.

This is a quality production with a tight script and charismatic performers. Definitely one of the best pantos I’ve scene and highly recommended.

Sleeping Beauty is at The Marlowe Theatre until 8 January 2023.

Deathdrop – back in the habit *** Orchard Theatre, Dartford

At points in Deathdrop – Back in the Habit it was clear some of the moments were aimed at an audience more familiar with RuPaul’s Drag Race than I. But to its credit these were few and far between and overall the feeling was one of warmth and inclusiveness, whatever your previous knowledge of either the Deathdrop franchise or the performers in it.

The show (I’m going with show, rather than play, which just feels a little too staid for this experience!) attempts to pull off that notoriously difficult combination of the comedy thriller. Usually the thrills succumb to the comedy or, occasionally, vice versa. Here, though, sometimes, they pull it off. The setting in Saint Bab’s nunnery is beautifully created with a convincing ecclesiastical vibe. Indeed, by having the set effectively playing it straight it allows more room for the comedy, whilst also providing the necessary dark corners for the thrills.

The stand-out performance for me was Louis Cyfer as Father Alfie Romeo, who has been sent by Rome to Saint Bab’s to discover what happened to one Father Spanky on a previous visit. Not all is as it should be at Saint Bab’s, with spooky corridors, zombies and the distant sound of children playing. Louis Cyfer delivered a performance which brought the character to life and allowed the comedy and thrills to flow naturally around them. It was in many ways a very generous performance, allowing others to show off and resisting, mostly, going for the easy laugh.

Decidedly in charge of proceedings was Mother Superior, played by Victoria Scone.With an on-stage presence which commands your attention, Mother Superior’s confidence and assurance helps the show through some otherwise weaker moments. River Medway as Sister Julie Andrews was suitably empathetic. Cheryl Hole was fine as Sister Mary Berry but lacked conviction for me, whilst Willam as Sis Titis clearly had some great one liner put downs, but these were too often lost in the delivery. I must also mention Corrina Buchan as (amongst other things) Inner Voice, who was very funny in a cleverly meta scene involving Father Alfie Romeo in a waking nightmare.

There are problems, though. The opening plot exposition is too long and, more importantly, doesn’t have enough laughs. It goes to great lengths in that opening to establish the set-up, but fails completely to set the tone. Once things got underway, the overall style felt a little vague, as though any idea that might get a laugh had been allowed into the script. The humour is decidedly Carry On Convent and, mostly, no more filthy than a Carry On film would be if they made it today. At some points it felt like it should be a musical, with the characters doing a Priscilla on us. But that didn’t happen. Curiously, though, near the end of Act One Sister Mary Julie Andrews gets to deliver a parody version of My Favourite Things. Having established by then that this isn’t a musical, this felt odd. On top of that, being the only number it had a lot of pressure on it. But it failed to provide a moment of spectacle and wasn’t a strong enough parody to be really funny – either musically or lyrically.

There’s a lot to like in the show. They have some good ideas and effective theatrical moments which bring surprise, scares and laughs. At the moment, though, it lacks cohesiveness. The storyline needs more momentum. With that, we might begin to care more about the fate of the sisters at Saint Bab’s. As it is, they’re fun to be with, have a great line in comedy names (I particularly liked Our Lady of Gaga!) and pick up the pace nicely in Act Two to provide a satisfying conclusion to proceedings. But there’s potential here for something better.

Waitress – Orchard Theatre, Dartford *****

I saw Waitress in its West End incarnation and I must say seeing it again it’s grown on me hugely since then. The songs don’t have that instant appeal of an Oilver! score, but they have depth and heart and emotional impact which really rewards a second visit.

Cheslea Halfpenny stars as Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of some happiness in her life. When a hot new doctor arrives in town, life gets complicated. With the support of her workmates Becky and Dawn, Jenna overcomes the challenges she faces and finds that laughter, love and friendship can provide the perfect recipe for happiness.

As Jenna, Chelsea Halfpenny is the emotional heart of the show. She deals with an abusive father, an abusive husband, and un-wanted pregnancy. It’s not an obviously showy part and has to remain serious and credible, leaving the humour to other characters, such as fellow waitresses at Joe’s Pie Cafe Becky (Wendy Mae Brown) and Dawn (Evelyn Hoskins) and Dr Pomatter (David Hunter). Halfpenny has terrific vocal range and power and we see the world through her eyes. When she opens up to us in ‘She Used to Be Mine’ the whole stage opens up too – with the narrow world of her home with the absusive Carl going widescreen in front of us.

The set is a joy in itself. With the band in place to one side, we see a beautiful yet desolate landscape through the windows of a classic American diner. It’s at once a homely and a lonely place. Clever use of flats and lighting brings the focus down from the wide open spaces into the most intimate of places.

There’s a great supporting cast. Wendy Mae Brown is suitably sassy as Becky, dealing with her own troubles at home with a sick husband. Evelyn Hoskins (an alumni of the second West End cast) is cute and funny as Dawn, an oddball character with no one else in her life until the arrival of Ogie, understudy Liam McHugh stepping in and stepping up in a comic triumph.

David Hunter is outstanding as Jenna’s love interest Dr Pomatter. His is an endearing and hilarious performance, full of great physical detail. He played the role in the original West End cast and his knowledge of what works for him and his character really shows.

The thankless role of Jenna’s no-good husband Earl goes convincingly to Tamlyn Henderson – another alumni from the West End cast. You may also not spot, as I initially didn’t, Michael Starke (you’ll know him best as Sinbad from Brookside) as diner owner Jo who also gets a delightful duet with Jenna.

Yet again this is a full-on West End musical right on the doorstep. High production values, slick stage management and to top it all, a clever and original score which results in an original and musical.

Waitress is at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford until Saturday 9 July 2022 and then continues on tour.

Anything Goes, Barbican Theatre, London ****

The nautical blues and whites of Anything Goes, along with sparkling costumes, music and dialogue, prove the perfect antidote to an ever more sombre world. The effect is heightened by its contrast to the all pervasive brown of its home at the Barbican Centre. It’s the second summer the SS America has set sail from here and key members of last year’s company are on board along with four new top-billing stars in the shape of Kerry Ellis, Denis Lawson, Simon Callow and Bonnie Langford (although Bonnie is off for the first full week of the run, returning from 5 July, with Anna McGarahan ably stepping in until then).

The story is almost pure froth, concerning the romantic misadventures of a mixed band of criminals, entertainers and socialites as they set sail for England from New York. It’s what Gilbert and Sullivan would have been writing if they’d been around in the 1930s, although it largely lacks their satirical edge. Cole Porter’s songs are just perfect and you’ll know most of them as they’ve become standards in their own right – something that’s easier to happen with musicals of this era where people burst into song in ways which don’t necessarily move the action or characters forward – they just stop the show for the pure joy if it!

Kerry Ellis as Reno Sweeney is stunning. She’s delivers a role packed with songs and huge dance numbers with apparently effortless ease. The title number ends the first act and has one of the longest sustained dance breaks you’ll ever see. She’s in the whole number, singing and dancing and looking like she’s having a ball. This love and enthusiasm pervades the whole company and reaches out into the audience. A word, too, about the ensemble dancers, particularly the men who do some energetic posing during Blow Gabriel Blow.

Our hero is Billy Crocker, hopelessly in love (as he sees it) with debutant Hope Harcourt. Samuel Edwards as Billy is a delight. Great singing voice, naive charm and smooth dance moves. But for me the real star of the show is Denis Lawson as gangster Moonface Martin (public enemy number 13 and struggling to get into the top 10). He’s an actor who clearly knows how to showcase his charm and humour and really does so to great comic effect.

As an avid cruiser I can vouch for the authentic atmosphere of the cabin sets, with their cosy lighting and elegant fittings. And to top it off we have a superb band in the pit which plays a significant part in injecting pace into the proceedings.

As an aside, the Barbican has lovely spacious seats with plenty of leg-room. But as an infrequent visitor I must say it’s not well sign-posted from the tube (in fact as far as I could see there is no reference anywhere to the Barbican ‘theatre’) and the walk along an underground dual carriageway to the venue was enough to put you off ever going again! Thank goodness the show itself couldn’t have been more of a contrast.

Sue in the Stalls attended courtesy of London Box Office:

https://www.londonboxoffice.co.uk/anything-goes-tickets

Review – Some Mothers Do ‘Av ‘Em, Orchard Theatre, Dartford ****

I must confess to approaching this with some trepidation. Even if you can rise to the challenge of taking something so well-suited to the small screen and making it work as a stage play, can you really do it without Michael Crawford’s central performance as Frank Spencer?

Fortunately the answer is a resounding yes, on both counts. Writer/director Guy Unsworth shows a sure touch with the material, crafting an impressively satisfying plot to explain the chaos whilst being true to the spirit of Raymond Allen’s original. He also adds an element of word play which I don’t recall being a feature of the TV show, but which suits proceedings admirably. He clearly loves the material and doesn’t do anything too clever to reinvent it or give it a post-modern twist. It remains set in the 1970s (that wallpaper! Well done designer Simon Higlett) but wears this lightly so you still feel you are watching something fresh and current (as it was when first broadcast) rather than a self consciously period piece.

Joe Pasquale has the dubious privilege of following in Michael Crawford’s footsteps. He turns out to be a brilliant choice. Having only previously seen him on television my concern was that his own comedy persona would be too much to allow Frank Spencer a look-in. But Pasquale has an innocent and naive quality. This not only suits the role, but brings it to new life in a way which honours the huge contribution of Crawford to the character’s creation while at the same time enabling you to put aside any memories of the original almost immediately he is on stage. He becomes our Frank Spencer and brings warmth and humanity to the role as well as many, many laughs.

Unsworth’s script also gives other characters more room to breath. Sarah Earnshaw is effortlessly Betty, ever supportive of her exasperating husband, and shows us how their marriage works. And Susie Blake (pictured) as her mother gets to show off shamelessly throughout with a richly comic and crowd pleasing performance. The three innocents who experience the Spencer mayhem are Moray Treadwell as the bank manager who almost gets cajoled into funding Frank’s latest venture, James Paterson as the family priest Father O’Hara and Ben Watson as a BBC cameraman and police constable. They wisely play it straight for the most part. Like the many serious actors who sparred with Spencer in the original TV show, the only thing to do it is behave as you would if you actually encountered a character like him in real life.

On top of all this there is the physical comedy and chaos. It’s not unlike The Play That Goes Wrong in some ways, although here the physical elements are just part of the comedy mix and don’t dominate.

Some Mother’s Do ‘Av ‘Em is at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford until Saturday 11 June 2022 and then continues on tour.

Review – Pantoland at the London Palladium ****

The Palladium panto was re-established as a Christmas tradition in 2016. Since then the few remaining elements of plot or character have been gradually removed each year so we’re now left with a kind variety show. This is not a criticism. Clearly the producers have realised that they will get best value from the likes of Julian Clary by giving them as much time as possible to do what they’re best at, without burdening them (and us) with mundane things like a story.

This year we are treated for the first time to the star being an international icon – Donny Osmond. No time is wasted in getting him on stage as he opens the show. There’s no doubt there is something quite magical about being in the beloved and world famous Palladium and hearing the name Donny Osmond announced as the curtains open to reveal the man himself.

The rest of the cast is comprised of what has become in effect the Palladium Panto Repertory Company. Gary Wilmot is the dame and his patter song naming all London’s tube stations (yes – including the new ones on the Elizabeth line) is spectacular. You feel you are witnessing something really special as well as amazing. Nigel Havers is the butt of jokes about his age and not really having a part in the show. Ventriloquist Paul Zerdin is a class act who delivers not only some great laughs but also a range of impressive set pieces including a brilliant moment when his puppet Sam is left in the hands (literally) of Donny Osmond. Cue carefully rehearsed mistakes and corpsing with resultant crowd pleasing hilarity.

Song and dance numbers are left in the more than capable hands of Sophie Issacs and Jac Yarrow, with support from the famous Tiller Girls.

There is, of course, one more person to mention. Julian Clary can, and does, turn the most apparently innocent phrases into complete filth. For example, “I’ve never done Aladdin” and “Put your hand up (pause). In the air!” In the most extravagant costumes he parades about the stage picking on either members of the audience or the cast with waspish remarks and put-downs which in turn bring the house down.

The cast appear to be having a really good time. In less skilled hands this could leave the audience feeling left out of the joke. Not here. The casual mayhem and supposed mistakes only work because this is a slick and hugely professional show that knows exactly what it’s doing and mines every comic opportunity to maximum effect through deft technique and spot-on timing.

My review is missing the fifth star only because, as a Palladium panto fan, I have seen most of this before. Don’t get me wrong, I love the company and wouldn’t want to lose any of them. But the addition of Donny Osmond created the opening for some fresh content and more of this would be welcome. Who knows which international superstar will be joining in the fun next year?

Pantoland is at the London Palladium until 9 January 2022.

Review – Ploutos, an Aristophanic comedy ****

Ploutos is the Greek god of wealth. In the play he is personified as a blind man. Our hero, a farmer called Chremylos, and his servant stumble upon him and, after a little light bullying, take him home. Wealth is blind so he can’t discriminate between the deserving and undeserving. But our farmer has other ideas and a visit to a shrine sees Wealth’s sight restored. This occasions a visit from the god of poverty, who advises against Wealth and in favour of learning from hardship. Nevertheless, the miraculous restoration of Wealth’s sight results in a transformation amongst all those visiting the farmer, with good people rewarded and others ridiculed.

This new production by Thiasos theatre company in a new translation by David Wiles is bouncy, energetic and huge fun. The stylised costumes and make up are a real treat, adding humour and a touch of warmth to the characters. And how wonderful to be in a theatre again and hear the band tuning up! Yes, we have real live musicians (many of whom double up as members of the large cast of characters) playing delightful ‘Greek’ music from musical director Manuel Jimenez. For those of us denied our annual pilgrimage to a Greek island this summer, this added another layer of wistful enjoyment to the piece. On top of that there are musical numbers and even some Greek dancing (although no broken plates!).

The performances are big and bold like the costumes and make up. Our narrator is Chremylos’s servant Carion, played by Salv Scarpa. He has an appealing stage presence and brilliant clarity and power in his voice, immediately getting us into the play. Like all the other performers, he uses movement a great deal. This keeps the whole thing feeling alive, vibrant and intimate, despite the cast having to keep back further from the audience than they otherwise might have. Oengus Mac Namara plays both Wealth and Poverty which great gravitas, which Charles Sobryy as Chremylos plays against delightfully, reminiscent of Percy’s relationship with Blackadder.

This large company has made a serious investment in this play and the quality and love they have for the material shines through in the performance. How they make it work financially for a small, socially distanced audience I don’t know, but thanks go to The Space for making this happen and for looking after us so well.

Ploutos is at The Space until Saturday 3rd October, after which you can catch it in Poland!

 

 

Review – Goldilocks and the Three Bears *****

The re-established tradition of a pantomime at the London Palladium goes from strength to strength with this fourth outing. Julian Clary is firmly in his element in the role of ring master at a circus which, for reasons I can’t remember but don’t really matter anyway, needs to secure the services of the three bears to provide a show-stopping act and save the circus from being taken over by the evil ringmaster, Paul O’Grady. Although on the night I saw it that role was admirably understudied by Christopher Howell who goes up in my estimation because his CV says he was in two of my favourite recent musicals – Betty Blue Eyes and Made in Dagenham.

The Barnum-esque setting gives legitimacy to a device often used on panto whereby various speciality acts get shoe-horned into the plot. With a circus as the set this technique is made easy. This is how we can legitimately end up with the truly spectacular motor cycle stunt work of Peter Pavlov and his team, who I last saw in Cirque Berserk.

The official story of Goldilocks and the three bears is largely dispensed with in the course of a single musical number. You could legitimately argue that this show has become so far removed from its origins that it’s not really a panto at all. It has become its own genre, in which the plot of whichever panto is largely irrelevant. What does remain, though, are some of the key panto ingredients. Notably the ‘tell him that’ routine, in which an increasingly complicated and potentially rude tongue twister is passed back and forth by a go-between.

The Palladium panto is also establishing its own traditions. Every year Nigel Havers is fighting for his right to be in the show at the cost of his dignity, a part he plays to absolute perfection. He’s like the guest star on a Morecambe and Wise show. And Gary Wilmot has an impressive line in patter songs. Last year it was one which included the names of every tube station. This year, a medley of snatches (sometimes just a single word) from numerous musical theatre standards. Outstanding.

Whilst it lovely to see the great Janine Duvitski, she is a little under used as mummy bear. Matt Baker is a revelation as Joey the clown, not only displaying a range of great circus skills but also having a warm and confident stage presence. Paul Zerdin’s vent act remains the benchmark for such things, the real brilliance being in the puppetry skills his uses to give expression to his characters.

Rising above it all, complete with outrageous double entendres, is Julian Clary. His costume budget alone must be more than that of most entire pantos, although he faces strong competition from the circus-style set which as glitzy and colourful as you could wish. His laid back style belies the skill he has in landing a line or a glance with devastating aplomb. As ever he comments on proceedings from outside the show, with waspish asides about contracts, the CVs of other cast members and getting his cab home. He is totally in his element and it is difficult to imagine a Palladium panto without him.