David Walliams’s odorous childrens novel is transformed into an entertaining family musical with a ‘scratch n sniff’ twist at the King’s Theatre this week.

 

Twelve year old Chloe is bullied at school and somewhat lonely.  Mr. Stink, a local well-mannered tramp, befriends her and accepts an invitation to live in her shed.  This is to the horror of Chloe’s snobbish mother who is campaigning to become a local MP!  A local newspaper gets hold of the story and soon Chloe’s mother is thrust into the limelight as the press mistakenly assume this as a move to eradicate homelessness on the part of the prospective parliamentary candidate.  But, as in all children’s stories, the truth has a habit of coming out when the grown-ups least expect it!

 

The show is heralded as a World Premier of the “scratch n sniff” musical.  The format is certainly a success for the intended audience of young families … although I’m sure it does borrow something from Opera North’s production of “Love for Three Oranges” in the early nineties (I’m sure none of the intended audience of 6 – 12 year olds had the pleasure of attending that production).  The six supplied smells in the Quentin Blake illustrated booklet were certainly revolting but were a little similar to each other.  This was the only disappointment, though, as other production qualities were very well executed.  Matt Brind’s original music, in particular, was excellent (as you would expect from the man behind Legally Blonde).

 

Performances from Peter Edbrook (as Mr Stink) and Lotte Gilmore (Chloe) were charming and engaging in equal measure.  The supporting cast who played several roles and also presented the puppet characters (including Mr. Stink’s dog, Duchess and Chloe’s perfect sister, Annabelle) were animated and entertaining throughout.

 

An enjoyable family treat!.

 

Listings Info:

 

Mr. Stink

Tuesday 12 – Saturday 16^th July

Tickets: £18

Box Office 08448 717 648 (Bkg fee)

www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow (bkg fee)

If you ask anyone who has seen Avenue Q what the show is about, you usually get told “it’s like Sesame Street for grown-ups!”. This is indeed a good description, but it sells this show short. Avenue Q has a decent plot and a very good (and funny) script. The musical numbers too are witty and at times moving. The music is catchy and hummable. All in all, everything you want in a musical – and then they add puppets!

 

Following the story of college graduate (and puppet) Princeton (one of two roles/puppets played by Adam Pettigrew) who has found himself on Avenue Q to find an apartment – having started at Avenue A and worked his way out to the cheaper neighbourhoods – Avenue Q is a story with lots of heart, but peppered with enough risqué humour to please a varied audience of musical die-hards and those of the Family Guy generation who can enjoy childish humour in adult territory (or vice versa).

 

Avenue Q could easily have gone down the “star name” casting route, but have luckily avoided that to bring back some previous cast members from the West End run of the show. Rachel Jerram has moved up into the leading role of Kate Monster and shows a real skill in comic timing and a powerful belt voice in the moving ballad of 'There's a Fine, Fine Line' and in the duet 'Fantasies Come True'. Her 'doubled' role of Lucy The Slut provided some great moments of humour and showed how versatile this young actress is (Jekyll & Hyde take note - this is how you perform two characters convincingly at the same time - studied voicework!)

 

Miss Jerram was not alone in showing this skill, in fact all principal puppeteers/performers were taking on (at least) two roles! Chris Thatcher as Nicky/Trekkie Monster/Bad Idea Bear showed the greatest variety of voices and if he’d slightly toned down the “mugging” facial expressions, could easily have stolen the show from Miss Jerram.

 

A special mention must go to Katherine Moraz who played Mrs T and one of the Bad Idea Bears. She provided the “second hand” to many of the two person puppets and her timing made the transitions for the principals seamless and gave an effortless look to what must be a fastpaced show both on and off the stage.

 

What really makes this show stand out is the great comedic script and the witty song lyrics, Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx really are the Noel Coward for the Facebook generation. With titles like “Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist”, “The Internet Is For Porn” and “Schadenfreude” (look it up – even the word in itself brings joy in its own unique way!) it also doesn’t shy away from controversy, but everything is dealt with in the best possible taste (except perhaps from the puppet sex – which leads to another witty song entitled “You Can Be As Loud As The Hell You Want (While Making Love)”).

 

Anna Louizos very clever set design combined with the sharp lighting from Howell Binkley make a simple single set transform from exterior to interior with ease, and a very ingenious lighting transformation into the Empire State building shows that even in the design, ingenuity outweighs flashy set-pieces and full stage transformations.

 

The biggest compliment that I can give this show is that having dragged my (rather reluctant and non-musical fan) partner to see this in London, they not only begged to come see this again with me, but have been telling all their friends to go to. So, in case word hasn’t already reached you that way, get your tickets sorted now and head down to Avenue Q for that great childhood feeling of laughing at things you know you shouldn’t!

 

Contains scenes which may be unsuitable for under 12s.

 

Performances:

 

Tue 28 Jun:       7.30pm

Wed 29 Jun:      2.30pm, 7.30pm

Thu 30 Jun:       7.30pm

Fri 1 Jul:           5.30pm, 8.30pm

Sat 2 Jul:          4pm, 7.30pm

 

Tickets: £12.50-£30.50

Box Office: 08448 717 648(bkg fee)         
Web: www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow

Marti Pellow deserves to be ‘sold out’ out as he ‘pops in’ to the Kings Theatre to present Jekyll and Hyde this week.

 

Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic story remains at the core of this contemporary musical.  The show is a predictably dark tale; very much in the mould of Sweeney Todd.  Brilliant Dr. Henry Jekyll researches the source of man’s dual nature – good versus evil.  He hopes to rid the world of the curse of evil.  But, when seeking backing for his research, his appeal is cruelly rejected by his hospital Board of Governors leaving him no option but to continue his research by experimenting upon himself.  However, his experiments only serve to unlock the evil side of his own personality which manifests itself in the form of Mr. Hyde.  Jekyll frantically researches an antidote for his potion against the backdrop of a vicious string of murders across London while his alter ego becomes more dominant over the body that they share.

 

Bill Kenwright’s new production was a vast improvement on the 2004 tour with a partial re-write, a new set put cleverly to use by director Martin Connor, fresh choreography from Bill Deamer, much reduced reliance on click track and a simpler, more effective, transformation between Jekyll and Hyde.  Marti Pellow’s accent didn’t move further south than Kelvinside, but this was not offensive (even to my Glaswegian ear).  More importantly, Mr. Pellow’s character had sincerity and duality as he leaned heavily on his outstanding past experience in The Witches of Eastwick to deliver a believable and, sometimes, frightening performance.

 

The beautiful score, featuring the songs “This Is The Moment”, “Someone Like You” and “In His Eyes” was lovingly and powerfully rendered by Marti Pellow and co-stars Sabrina Carter (Lucy) and Sarah Earnshaw (Emma).  Ms Carter’s star shone particularly brightly as her character’s tough outer layers were gradually peeled back to reveal a genuine vulnerability.  The talented support cast even managed to weave a little comedy into this sombre tale to deliver a rounded show with appeal to a wide audience.

 

Listings Info:

 

Jekyll & Hyde

Mon 13 – Sat 18 June

Mon – Sat eves 7.30pm

Wed & Sat mat 2.30pm

 

Tickets: £14 - £33

Box Office 08448 717 648 (Bkg fee)

www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow (bkg fee)

Abigail Jaye gives a legendary performance as Eva Peron in the musical, Evita, at the King’s Theatre this week.

 

It is easy to see why this musical has become one of the most loved and enduring successes of the Andrew Lloyd Webber / Tim Rice partnership.  With an appealing score carrying the real life narrative including musical favourites like High Flying Adored, Another Suitcase in Another Hall, On This Night of a Thousand Stars and, of course, Don’t Cry For Me Argentina the show lives long in the memory of the audience.  The drama, too, is hard hitting set against the backdrop of civil unrest, a military coup and the untimely death of Eva aged just 33.

 

Bill Kenwright’s production, as we would expect, brings the story to the audience with authority and a high presentation standard.  The set, by Glasgow trained designer, Matthew Wright, brought an extra dimension to the performance with a flexible system of balconies, pillars and sweeping staircases which effectively represented interior and exterior scenes.  Choreography from Bill Deamer firmly placed the story in Latin America and added energy to several scenes.

 

Performances were solid throughout but the spotlight must rightly remain on Abigail Jaye as Eva.  Her voice was simply astonishing with power and control utilised to great effect; raising hairs on the back of the neck more than once.  She effectively balanced the (sometimes cold) ambition of Eva with her passion for the people to ensure that the audience were ready to shed a tear upon her death.

 

Listings details

EVITA

King’s Theatre, Glasgow

6 – 11 June 2011

Tickets £17 - £36

Box Office: 08448 717 620

 

The Sound Of Music, currently playing at Glasgow's King's Theatre and starring Jason Donovan and Verity Rushworth, is a must-see musical!

Verity Rushworth is Maria Rainer, the disobedient but comical and well-meaning nun who is sent to be governess to the seven children of Captain Von Trapp (Jason Donovan). She makes more of a difference than she could have imagined in the household; which until she arrived, was run under the strict naval command of the Captain. There is comedy, romance and fear in this fabulous musical set under the backdrop of the Nazi occupation of Austria.

We all know the iconic Roger and Hammerstein songs in this production, and the cast sings the likes of 'Climb Every Mountain' and 'The Lonely Goatheard' perfectly. The operatic voice of  Marillyn Hill Smith as Mother Abbess is particularly impressive.

Verity Rushworth adds some extra comedy and youthfulness to the role of Maria, not seen in Julie Andrew's famous performance; and it works very well.

The set is extensive and opulent; reflecting the luxury of the Von Trapp residence, and the religious artifacts and imagery in the abbey.

This is an excellent production that more than lives up to expectations. 

 

A triumphant return for The Imperial Ice Stars as the bring a restaged version of their acclaimed production of Swan Lake On Ice back to Glasgow.

 

After being astounded by this company and this show the last time it appeared, I was excited enough to be back watching a beautiful interpretation of the story combined with thrilling and daring ice dancing. However to discover that the show had even more elements added was indeed a bonus - and a sign that this is a production company never to rest on its laurels.

 

Olga Sharutenko (a previous professional on TV's Dancing on Ice) was again breathtaking in the leading role of Odette showing a grace and elegance in her performance, inlcluding a short piece of ballet pointe work (on ice!!). Taking the decision to split the White Swan/Black Swan role to two performers works extremely well in this context giving a whole new dynamic to the story. Olena Pyatash gave Odile a great dignity and showed off her award winning skills both on the ice and in the amazing lifts. A particular highlight of the production is the touching pas des trois between both leading ladies above and The Prince, danced by Andrei Penkin. The moment where both ladies are lifted from the ice (see picture above from previous production) is the combination of skill and storytelling at its best.

 

Vadim Yarkov provides the sinister presence of Count Von Rothbart with speed and agility that gives the fight sequence between himself and The Prince a real sense of danger. Ruslan Novoseltsev provides a lot of the humour as the Prince’s aide, Benno. His rapport with the audience and his spectacular tricks made him a stand out – something which must be difficult in a cast of this calibre.

 

The ensemble also provide many of the heartstopping moments too. The spectacular lifts, leaps and throws on a performance space nearly a quarter of the size of the Olympic ice rinks these stars trained on, are genuinely breathtaking. The two stumbles (well it is very slippy out there!) that occurred during this performance only prove that these daring effects are indeed challenging, even for professionals of these standards.

 

Tony Mercer as Artistic Director and Choreographer has another success on his hands, and I will definitely get my skates on to buy tickets next time The Imperial Ice Stars roll into town.

 

Performances:

 

Tue 19 Apr:     7.30pm

Wed 20 Apr:    2.30pm, 7.30pm

Thu 21 Apr:     2.30pm, 7.30pm

Fri 22 Apr:       7.30pm

Sat 23 Apr:      2.30pm, 7.30pm

 

Box Office: 08448 717 647(bkg fee)   web: www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow

 

After over 30 years since its last major revival, The Hard Man shows that it still holds a lot of relevance to its Glasgow audience.

 

It would be easy to enter into a debate about this production – Does it glamorise the gangsters? Is it morally right that the author of this play benefits financially from the stories of his victims? Does it highlight important issues about knife crime and gang culture that still affects people today? – but that would not allow sufficient column inches to give credit to the discussion of the production itself.

 

Phillip Breen has used a very clever combination of high drama, mixed with music hall comedy to keep the audience aware that although they are seeing autobiographical stories, they are still experiencing a theatrical production. The use of live percussionist Chris Wallace to underscore the dialogue gives a filmic feel to the heightened emotions, and makes the pauses and silences more important and poignant than ever. The delivery of the dialogue is in capable hands too – Alex Ferns gives an outstanding performance in the lead role of Johnnie Byrne. Although the only actor in this production who plays one character throughout, the multi-faceted role allows him the chance to show many dynamics of physical theatre alongside the full array of emotions required to demonstrate the “Gentle Terror” of a man who can commit such vicious brutality but also charm so many.

 

Paul Morrow and Stewart Porter are the epitome of variety, playing a number of characters covering comedy and tragedy. Their versatility as actors shines through in this production when switching between characters with only the briefest of breaths between appearances. A special mention must also go to Cara Kelly – creating so many convincingly different characters shows why she has become such hot property in Scottish Theatre in the last few years.

 

With interesting production touches such as the strikingly simple but effective set by Max Jones and the slow-motion fight choreography by Renny Krupinski which was then set to music (Too Young by Nat King Cole – reminding us that these were young boys getting involved in violence) as well as the breaking of the 4^th wall by many of the characters, this play has a lot of significance as a production before even touching on the subject within. But with recent events like the abuse at Guantanamo Bay, current campaigns to prevent knife crime and domestic violence and other themes within the play still showing relevance to someone like me who wasn’t even born when it was written, highlights exactly why theatre stands the test of time. The Hard Man may have many detractors, but the strength of the writing and the quality of the production and the performances within are what has convinced this reviewer to make it my stand out production of 2011.

 

Performances:

Tue 12 Apr:     7.30pm

Wed 13 Apr:    2.30pm, 7.30pm

Thu 14 Apr:     7.30pm

Fri 15 Apr:       7.30pm

Sat 16 Apr:      2.30pm, 7.30pm

 

Tickets: £11-£24.00

Box Office: 08448 717 648(bkg fee)   web: www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow

 

For the first time ever, comedy legend and the most senile member of Monty Python will be bringing his "An Evening with the Legendary John Cleese” tour to the UK. Best known for his idiosyncratic turns in Monty Python's Flying Circus and Fawlty Towers, John Cleese will bring his unique comedic perspective to Glasgow audiences for three nights only: Mon 6 – Wed 8 June.

 

Cleese has achieved a lot in his career which started as a sketch writer for BBC Radio’s Dick Emery Show and then The Frost Report. After this stardom beckoned, and Monty Python was created with Cleese co-writing and starring in four series and three films.

 

He went on to achieve further great success as the neurotic hotel manager Basil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers, which he co-wrote with his then wife Connie Booth. After huge UK success John went on to crack the USA with A Fish Called Wanda (which he wrote and starred in with Jamie Lee Curtis). The late 1990s saw the unstoppable Mr Cleese appear in the James Bond movie The World is not Enough and later Die Another Day. From writing to starring in plays, musicals, theatrical and comedy productions, to films and sitcoms, Cleese has done it all, and now it’s time for him to tell you about his jam-packed life.

 

Cleese says: "It is an evening of well honed anecdotes, psychoanalytical tit-bits, details of recent surgical procedures, and unprovoked attacks on former colleagues, especially Michael Palin".

 

Ends/

 

LISTINGS

 

An Evening with the legendary John Cleese

Theatre Royal, Glasgow
Mon 6 – Wed 8 June @ 7.30pm

Tickets: £21 - £33.50

Box Office: 08448 717 647 (bkg fee)

www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow (bkg fee)

Much-loved musical Chess is currently on it's UK tour across the country.
The story is fundamentally about relationships; with the backdrop of a chess tournament and political to-ing and fro-ing. 
An American Freddie Trumper (James Fox) and a Russian Anatoly Sergievsky (Daniel Koek) are competing in the World Chess Championships in Italy; when Trumper's aide and lover Florence Vassy (Shona White) falls for his rival Sergievsky, and begins a relationship with him. Sergievsky is however married, and the production follows his relationship with Vassy and his wife as he continues to fight to keep his World Champion title in Bangkok.
Florence Vassy is very much the focus of the story, and it is her emotions and actions that drive the narrative and keep the audience engrossed.
This production of Chess, directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood, is very much surrealist in its staging. It does seem very odd at times, and it is difficult for an audience to put as much importance in the outcome of a chess game as the story asks. It is very much the performance of Shona White however, that keeps this production's feet firmly in the human realm, and allows the audience to connect with the material.
Her performance of 'Nobody's On Nobody's Side' is outstanding. Her voice has a delicious warm tone, and its clarity and power rivals that of Elaine Paige. 
This production has a lot of sexual simulations and imagery. The male chess players gyratting  in bottomless chaps and horse's tails are not for the faint-hearted!
This show is definitely worth a visit. Watching Shona White in action is worth the ticket price alone.

Tues 5- Sat 9 April 2011
Tues - Sat eves 7.30pm
Wed & Sat mats 2.30pm
Tickets: £12 - £33.50 
Box Office: 08448 717 648 (bkg fee)
www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow (bkg fee)
 

The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

The Ramshorn Theatre, Glasgow (24 March-2 April 2011)

 

Strathclyde Theatre Group have joined forces with Radio Theatre Group to produce a (very) rarely performed dramatisation of Douglas Adams’s original radio plays.

 

You must know about Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, right?  The books topped best sellers lists back when books were popular, a BBC TV series followed in the 80s and Disney launched the big budget movie version in 2005 starring Martin Freeman.  But at the heart of all of these, often word for priceless word, are the original 1978 radio play scripts.

 

This production, from a collaboration of Strathclyde Theatre Group and Radio Theatre Group, sets the action in a radio recording studio that also has a sense of “spaceship bridge” about it. Live action sound effects are performed in plain view with skilful and effective sound and lighting design from Bruce Downie and Ursula McCue.  Do you think you could make a plate and a fork sound like an airlock opening in preparation to blast our heroes into space?  No problem for this company!  Direction from Susan C. Triesman and Bruce Downie utilised the space and effects well producing some vivid images and hilarious comic moments.  The cast flipped effortlessly from Douglas Adams’s creations to actors in a radio play adding more hilarity to the episodic ‘cliff hangers’ written into the original scripts.

 

Performances varied somewhat in the quality and consistency of accents, but characters remained resolutely in place throughout – particularly difficult in such an intimate venue.  Several cast members played diverse characters throughout the series to quite hilarious effect.  Paul Kozinski is a case in point; principally playing Marvin the Paranoid Android (“Life, … don’t talk to me about life”) but also delivering excellent character portrayals of Vogon Jeltz, Number 2 and Benjy Mouse (among others).  Principal players Barry Ward (as Arthur Dent), Euan Cuthbertson (as Ford Prefect) and Karen Barke (as the Narrator / Book) were impeccable throughout.  Bizarrely, seeing the face of the Book really adds to the performance despite the fact that the Book is a book and not a character!

 

This is a great fun production as part of the Magners Glasgow International Comedy Festival.  Not quite the answer to life, the universe and everything … but very close for any sci-fi comedy fans out there!

 

Listings information:

 

The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

By Douglas Adams

The Ramshorn Theatre, 98 Ingram Street, Glasgow

24 March - 2 April 2011

0141 552 3489

Tickets £4 - £10 (www.ticketsoup.com)