Rain Man – 13th September 2018

Charlie Babbitt (Ed Speleers) is a highly abrasive wheeler-dealer who – apart from his girlfriend Susan (Elizabeth Carter) – appears to have no emotional connections. The news that his father has died sparks the merest flicker of remembrance – and this is only when he recalls how he left the familial house aged sixteen, never to return.

With his automotive business on the verge of collapse, Charlie could use a piece of the family fortune. But he’s staggered to learn that the three million dollars from his father’s estate has been left to Raymond (Mathew Horne) a brother he never knew he had. Raymond, an autistic savant, has led a highly sheltered life – Dr Bruener (Neil Roberts) doubts that he could ever function outside of the facility he has lived in since childhood.

Charlie decides that half of his brother’s fortune should rightfully be his, and he elects to take him to Los Angeles. Due to Raymond’s fear of flying this necessitates a road trip, which affects both brothers in different ways ….

The inaugural production from Bill Kenwright Ltd’s The Classic Screen To Stage Theatre Company, Rain Man is obviously going to draw comparisons with the 1988 film, but both Speelers and Horne make the parts their own.

Mathew Horne gives a stunning performance. Whether it’s when Raymond is reeling off at breakneck speed a list of impossible things he’s memorised (a chunk of the phone book, say) or simply deadpanning the briefest of lines, Horne is impossible to ignore.

Raymond might be the role with all the fireworks, but Charlie’s part is absolutely key and Speelers is so solid throughout. At times it’s a fairly thankless part – to begin with (basically throughout the whole first act) he’s monumentally unlikeable and incredibly foul-mouthed. The expletives fly thick and fast for a good half hour (I could hear the faint inhalation of breath from those around me when the first “fuck” was uttered).

But Speelers takes it on the chin and (even if you haven’t seen the film) it won’t be difficult to guess that over time Charlie begins to form a real bond with his brother. Their final scene together – the last scene of the play – generated a real “awww” moment from an audience who had seemed gripped all the way along.

Since Charlie is initially such a monster, it’s hard to fathom what a nice girl like Susan is doing with him. This mystery is never answered, but Elizabeth Carter is another who impresses. Regular visitors to the New might be familiar with her (between 2012 and 2017 she appeared in five productions – alternating between Dreamboats and Petticoats and Save The Last Dance For Me). No singing was required today, but there were some lovely dramatic touches (her fiery rage at Charlie, a tender dance and kiss with Raymond).

Indeed, none of the cast disappointed. Several – like Mairi Barclay and Adam Lilley – played multiple roles (Barclay was especially entertaining as Iris the Las Vegas hooker) whilst Neil Roberts, an actor with an impressive list of US TV credits, was gifted several strong scenes.

The staging was pretty simple throughout. The various different locations (motel and hotel rooms, a Las Vegas lobby, offices, etc) were suggested with a handful of props which were quickly wheeled off when the scene was over. But the simplicity of the set dressing did mean that the scene changes were quick and uneventful (which is always a plus).

It seems that standing ovations are a regular occurrence for Rain Man and so it proved once again today, as a substantial and satisfied audience rose to their feet to applaud the players. This is a strong production which is well worth catching, either during its short stay in Cardiff or elsewhere on tour.

This Is Elvis – 12th April 2018

Since 2018 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Comeback Special (one of the key moments in Elvis’ later career) This Is Elvis: Burbank and Vegas couldn’t be better timed.

The first half of the show concentrates in part on the ’68 Comeback Special. Although Fifties Elvis had carried all before him, Sixties Elvis found the going a good deal tougher. The British Invasion – spearheaded, of course, by the Beatles – dented his popularity but his decision (albeit made for him by his manager, Colonel Tom Parker) to step away from touring and instead concentrate on making a stream of films (some good, most indifferent) was the major problem.

This familiar story – Parker dominating Elvis – has been oft told, as has Elvis’ decision to turn his 1968 Christmas Special into something much more interesting than Parker had originally intended (the Colonel envisaged a nice, middle of the road show with plenty of Christmas tunes). Instead, Elvis went on a crash diet, squeezed himself into a tight leather costume and revisited many of his classic fifties hits. He also took the opportunity to cut a new song – If I Can Dream – which helped to re-establish his chart profile.

Some of this background is covered during the first act. The real story is no doubt somewhat more complex than the précised version we see here, but the main facts are teased out. Some dramatic licence is at play to begin with though – we’re told that Elvis is apprehensive about the live finale (in truth, all of the special was recorded in the summer of 1968, some six months before broadcast).

If there’s a problem with the Comeback Special section then it’s simply that it’s too short. There are some lovely moments (the Trouble/Guitar Man medley, for example) but other songs (Baby What You Want Me To Do) are somewhat truncated and therefore don’t really have an opportunity to establish themselves.

The first act also concentrates on matters away from the stage, as Elvis considers his next move. He wants more live dates and an end to his film contract and – finally – stands up to the Colonel and insists that he gets his way. But as we’ll see, his victory turns out to be rather pyrrhic – Elvis’ dream (to tour small, obscure venues playing his early hits) is overtaken by the Colonel’s desire to make the maximum amount of money by booking him into the swankiest venues at Las Vegas. So effectively, Elvis simply swapped one prison (the movie world) for another (gigs in Las Vegas which proved to be more of a grind as the years wore on).

These dramatic scenes work pretty well, but it does mean that the first half has a rather low key feel (although some interesting light is shone onto Elvis’ private life – especially his pill dependence and his fractured relationship with Priscilla). Mind you, low key isn’t a label you could put on the second half …..

Twelve months later, a nervous Elvis is on the threshold of making his live return at the International Hotel, Las Vegas. Could Elvis, who hadn’t performed on stage for seven years, once again conjour up the old magic? The answer was an emphatic yes and the second half of the show re-creates this barnstorming evening by featuring twenty classic songs.

One thing the world isn’t short of is Elvis impersonators, but Steve Michaels is in a different league. Canadian born Michaels has toured the world as Elvis, appearing onstage with the likes of DJ Fontana and Jerry Scheff (drummer and bassist for Elvis, respectively) as well as the King’s backing singers the Jordanaires and the Sweet Inspirations.

He really comes into his own during the second half, which solely concentrates on the Las Vegas Comeback. From the strains of Also Sprach Zarathustra (Elvis’ portentous introductory music) onwards, it’s simply a joy. Michaels clearly loves tackling these classic songs – highlights include In The Ghetto, If I Can Dream and a wonderfully hyperactive Suspicious Minds (by this the point the audience, already hyped up, roared their approval as Michaels heroically gyrated around the stage).

An American Trilogy is – on one level – pure corn, but on another (as seen here) it’s an incredibly moving song. It’s yet another highlight from a second half groaning with stand out moments. The end – when it comes – is rather abrupt (mirroring Elvis’ real life concerts). After Jailhouse Rock has concluded, Michaels (or rather Elvis – he doesn’t break character, not even when taking his final bow) soaks up the applause before swiftly exiting stage right. Seconds later, an announcer tells us that Elvis has left the building ….

Cons? As previously touched upon, the Comeback Special could have done with a little more time. The whole show is also incredibly loud – those who are hard of hearing will be delighted, but I have to confess that my ears were ringing afterwards. Turning the volume down just a little would have allowed the contributions of the skilled band to be appreciated just a little more – as it is, they sometimes tend to get drowned out by the wall of sound.

But these are only minor niggles. If you love Elvis, then you’ll love this. If you’re not too familiar with the King, then it’s the sort of production that very well might turn you into a fan. This Is Elvis is an excellent few hours of entertainment and comes highly recommended.

The Case of the Frightened Lady – 8th March 2018

The imposing country house of St Marks has been in the Lebanon family seemingly forever. They can trace their history back through the centuries, something which the imposing Lady Lebanon (Rula Lenska) takes enormous pride in. Her son (and heir to the estate) Lord Lebanon (Ben Nealon) doesn’t appear to share her commitment to maintaining the integrity of the family name though.

When a brutal murder is committed during a riotous party at the house, the police – in the shape of Chief Superintendent Tanner (Gray O’Brien) and Detective Sergeant Totti (Charlie Clements) – find no shortage of clues or suspects. Just about everybody, including the servants, appear to be acting very suspiciously ….

Founded in 2006 by Bill Kenwright Limited, The Agatha Christie Theatre Company ran for ten very successful years up until 2015. The formula each year was the same – pick a Christie play, people it with actors familiar from television across the decades and tour up and down the country. When this licence came to an end, BKL created The Classic Thriller Theatre Company, which has continued in very much the same vein.

In 2016 they tackled Rehearsal for Murder (penned by Levinson and Link, creators of Columbo) and in 2017 it was Ruth Rendell’s A Judgement in Stone. 2018 finds them unearthing a real oldie – Edgar Wallace’s The Case of the Frightened Lady. He’s probably not read very often today, but Wallace’s name still endures (thanks, in part, to the string of B movies made in the early sixties).

The Case of the Frightened Lady is undeniably a little creaky, but as the play wore on I began to warm to it. There’s just one set (a fairly bare hall) and there’s an awful lot of rushing off, stage left and stage right, from characters who then rush back on, only for them to rush off again. This is a little distracting to begin with.

As ever with this sort of production, a very decent cast has been assembled. Gray O’ Brien as Tanner has to carry a lot of the exposition (as does Charlie Clements, playing his faithful number two, Totti) whilst there were three actors – Denis Lill, Rula Lenska and Philip Lowrie – I was especially looking forward to seeing.

Goodness knows how many times I’ve had the pleasure of watching Denis Lill at the New during the years, but he never disappoints. His character, Dr Amersham, is a thoroughly bad lot – a blackmailer and a lecher, for starters – who has some sort of hold over Lady Lebanon. Lill’s great value whenever he’s on stage and it’s just a pity he wasn’t on for longer.

Charlie Clements, Gray O’Brien and Denis Lill

Rula Lenska plays the icy matriarch terribly well, although it’s fair to say that it’s not the most rewarding character in the piece (Lady Lebanon is rather one note). Philip Lowrie, as the faithful retainer Kelver, had several nice speeches (and as a fan of the 1960’s run of Coronation Street it did my heart good to see Dennis Tanner in person!)

But this a play that boasts a very strong ensemble. April Pearson caught the eye in a series of very attractive frocks as Isla Crane, a distant relation of the family who finds herself manoeuvred (very much against her will) into a potential marriage with Lord Lebanon. Pearson has some good material to work with in the first act (she plays vulnerable very well) but sadly had less to do after the interval.

Glenn Carter’s hair might have been anachronistically long for a 1930’s servant (I daresay he wasn’t prepared to cut it off) but tied back into a slight ponytail (again, probably not a common sight at the time) it didn’t look too bad. As the mysterious servant Gilder (paid to keep a watching brief over Lord Lebanon) he – like a number of others – was forever casting knowing looks as he went about his business (as did Callum Coates as Brook, who – like Carter – plays a rather strange servant).

Rosie Thomson as the man-eating servant Mrs Tilling and Owen Oldroyd as her jealous husband both also acquitted themselves well. And Ben Nealon, who has appeared in scores of these plays, was his usual impeccable self. He often tends to play similar characters, but I guess that’s a testament to how good he is in a particular sort of role.

I see that there have been a few sniffy reviews during the play’s run, but it seems that the packed audience today (and indeed myself) found little to complain about. If you want a good, old-fashioned whodunit with plenty of suspects, several bodies and some cracking performances, then The Case of the Frightened Lady is for you.

The Sound of Music – 15th February 2018

Austria, 1938. Maria (Katie Shearman) is keen to devote her life to God, but God’s representative on Earth isn’t quite so certain. So the formidable but kindly Mother Abbess (Megan Llewellyn) decides that Maria should spend the summer as the governess of the Von Trapp children.

They number seven and have proven to be something of a handful in the past. More than one governess has run screaming from Captain Von Trapp’s palatial house, vowing never to return. And if the children are problematic, then Von Trapp himself (a lonely and isolated man following the death of his wife) also requires delicate handling.

But the open-hearted Maria proves to be what they all need. Someone with the spirit of music deep within them ….

An evergreen classic musical, debuting in 1959, it’s easy to see why The Sound of Music still endures today. It may be sentimental (although who doesn’t love a love story?) but it also has a darker side as the optimism of the first act gives way in the second to the bleak reality of life under the Nazi jackboot.

This afternoon Katie Shearman was understudying for the absent Lucy O’Byrne. I don’t know how often Katie has played the role, but it certainly wasn’t a case of second best. She was simply perfect as Maria – a mixture of vulnerability and steel (vulnerable when reflecting on her forbidden love for Von Trapp and pleasantly steely when confronting him for the first time about the martinet way he speaks to his children). From the iconic title song, through to My Favourite Things, Do-Re-Mi and The Lonely Goatherd (amongst others), she was spot on each time.

Neil McDermott makes for a suitably imposing and husky Von Trapp. One of many sentimental moments occurs when the power of Maria is enough all by itself to make him sing again (something he hasn’t done since the death of his wife). I know that my buttons are being pushed, but it’s still a lump in the throat moment.

The Sound of Music comes packed with familiar standards, one after another. Shearman’s My Favourite Things is an early highlight whilst Megan Llewellyn raises the Abbey roof (and closes the first act with a bang) with a barnstorming Climb Every Mountain. No wonder that she received such a rousing reception at the curtain call.

You also can’t go wrong with a gaggle of cute children and The Sound of Music has them in spades (one of three rotating troops of six who provide plenty of awww moments as well as some proper acting and singing).

With Katie Shearman (who normally plays Liesl, eldest of the Von Trapp children) moving up to play Maria, that meant that Holly Willock stepped up to tackle Liesl. As with Shearman, it was an incredibly assured performance (again, I don’t know how many times she’s played the role, but she didn’t put a foot wrong)

Willock has several key moments early on with Jordan Olivier’s lovelorn Rolf. But his dewy-eyed passion for Liesel gives way later to a harder edged pragmatism as he – and pretty much everybody else in the village – swiftly adjusts to life under the Nazis. The fact that Von Trapp can’t means that a question mark hangs over him, his children and his new wife Maria.

A definite highlight of the first act is the duet and dance between Willock and Oliver (Sixteen Going on Seventeen). Simply delightful.

Howard Samuels offers a spot of light relief as Max, an unabashed freeloader and friend of Von Trapp – but one who has a good heart deep down. Kara Lane also catches the eye as Elsa Schrader – at one time seemingly destined to become the new Baroness Von Trapp (before Maria appears that is).

The ensemble cast is one of the strongest I can remember for any production, with quality throughout. Zoe Ann Bown and Lucy Miller as Sisters Margaretta and Berthe mix musical dexterity with comic moments whilst Jon De Ville and Pippa Winslow as Franz and Frau Schmidt (Von Trapp’s servants) are rock solid. Franz’s Nazi salute in the second act is a brief, but chilling, moment.

The roars of approval at the curtain call made it clear that this afternoon’s audience were highly satisfied and so was I. Led by a spellbinding performance from Katie Shearman this was a real treat. An old warhorse it may be, but The Sound of Music still has the power to spellbind an audience for nearly two and a half hours. A classy production.

Cilla – The Musical. 1st November 2017

Although Cilla – The Musical, adapted by Jeff Pope from his own television screenplay, is at heart a feelgood story, it’s fair to say that occasionally that heart is rather black.

“I could be a real cow you know” was the comment made by Cilla to Pope when he was drafting the original television screenplay.  That Cilla was prepared to block the showbiz ambitions of her then-boyfriend Bobby (their later marriage only ended after his death in 1999) shows her to be a rather self-centered madam (it drew a few coos of disapproval from the packed audience).

Elsewhere though, Kara Lily Haworth is the more familiar perky and bubbly Cilla that we know and love.  Selected from hundreds of potential applicants via a series of open auditions to play Cilla, she dominates the stage from her first appearance.  Equally adept at singing and acting, she’s nothing less than a revelation.  Surely a star is born.

She’s matched all the way by Carl Au as Bobby, Cilla’s ever-faithful right-hand man.  Although initially his ambition exceeds his ability, it quickly becomes clear that his devotion knows no bounds (not even the religious disapproval expressed by his off-stage father can dissuade him from pursuing her).  Although Cilla – The Musical is primarily the story of Cilla’s rise to fame, the love story between Cilla and Bobby is featured heavily with both Kara Lily Haworth and Carl Au hitting all the dramatic beats.

Another key part of the story is the relationship between Cilla and her manager, Brian Epstein.  Epstein was a starmaker in Liverpool for several years – first the Beatles, then Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy J Kramer and Cilla herself, amongst others.  But when all the stars, except the Beatles, began to fade, Epstein (by then locked into a descending cycle of abusive relationships and drug dependence) began to cut an increasingly forlorn figure.  Whilst this isn’t Epstein’s play, Andrew Lancel has a decent share of the narrative and skilfully manages to bring to life the flawed, tortured, but also encouraging and amusing Epstein.  Having enjoyed Lancel’s performances at the New several times during the last few years (Twelve Angry Men, Judgement In Stone) it’s a pleasure to see him again in another strong role.

Paul Broughton and Pauline Fleming, as Cilla’s father and mother, are on hand to provide a spot of comic relief whenever Cilla, Bobby or Brian are being put through the wringer.  As you may expect, chirpy Liverpudlian humour is very much to the fore when they’re on stage – something which the audience appreciated enormously.

The soundtrack draws its net wider than just Cilla.  In act one we’re largely based in the Cavern, where the likes of The Big Three (Some Other Guy), The Beatles (Twist and Shout, Roll Over Beethoven, You Really Got a Hold on Me) and Gerry & The Pacemakers (I Like It) keep things ticking along nicely.  This sort of music sounds best live, so it’s a nice touch that The Big Three (hailed as one of the best live bands of the Mersey Beat era) feature.

But it’s the Beatles who obviously catch the eye.  Bonus points for including a Paul (Joshua Gannon) who’s left handed and a John (Michael Hawkins) who has something of the original’s ironic drawl.  George (Alex Harford) and Ringo (Bill Caple) are no slouches either, and I would have been quite happy to hear more from them.

As for Cilla, all of her signature songs (Anyone Who Had A Heart, You’re My World, Alfie, Step Inside Love) are included alongside some less familiar, but equally good, material.  Kara Lily Haworth’s sheer vocal power is on display at various points during the show – although this is partly because the sound mix occasionally produces such a wall of sound that a lesser performer would have been drowned out.  Maybe over time a better balance can be struck at the mixing desk – a little less volume would have worked for me.

Running until Saturday in Cardiff and then continuing its tour up and down the country, Cilla is not only a fine tribute to Ms Black and to the relationship between Cilla and Bobby, it’s also a love letter to the music of the sixties.  A wonderful production which is well worth catching.

Cabaret – 19th October 2017

Having staggered through the rain sodden streets of Cardiff to the welcoming sight of the New Theatre, this was the message that greeted me.

And hereby hangs a tale.  The 2017 Cabaret tour has just recently kicked off, and last week in Malvern there were some unhappy people at the Wednesday matinee after the theatre announced that Will Young was indisposed and therefore wouldn’t be appearing.  But the plot thickened after Will posted this on Twitter.

I presume he did yesterday’s matinee (I’ve certainly not heard anything to the contrary) so the question is whether his absence today was his contractual show off or whether he was genuinely indisposed. If he is going to be missing one show per week for the rest of the tour then that’s going to leave some annoyed people up and down the country.

For me, I wasn’t too disappointed – as I didn’t book the show purely on the basis of his appearance – but for his fans it’s not an ideal situation. Hopefully Bill Kenwright Ltd will shed some light on this soon (a pity they haven’t already).

But however Will Young performs in the role of the Emcee, it’s hard to imagine that he could have played it much better than Jordan Livesey, who was able to dominate proceedings right from his first appearance.  Highlights include his bed song with a couple of the Kit Kat girls (as well as an ever increasing posse of others – including most improbably, a giraffe!).  In the second half, the Money Song is another showstopper – a light-hearted interlude in what otherwise becomes an increasingly dark tale.

Louise Redknapp can sing.  And act.  She may have been a pop starlet, but that’s no guarantee of being able to hold a tune live on stage.  But she can, and her solo spots – Maybe This Time and Cabaret – are both memorable.  Some early reviews seemed less impressed with her – so either I’m easier to please or she’s beginning to gain in confidence.  I certainly found little to complain about – Redknapp plays the role of the tough-yet-vunerable Sally Bowles to perfection.

Louise Redknapp

Young and Redknapp might hog the credits on the poster, but Cabaret is an ensemble piece, with many excellent performances lower down the bill.   The familiar face of Susan Penhaligon (a regular in BKL productions during recent years) acts and sings with aplomb as Fraulein Schneider.  Charles Hagerty has the slightly thankless role of Clifford Bradshaw (the bisexual American writer who falls in love with Sally) but still manages to make something of it – and like the rest of the cast he can also hold a note well.

Charles Hagerty

Linal Haft, as the Jewish greengrocer Herr Schultz, adds moments of pathos to the story – more evident in the second half as the increasing dominance of the Nazis comes to cast a shadow over what has largely been, up until then, a display of carefree decadence and excess.

Basienka Blake is a delightfully blowsy Fraulein Kost (a woman with a seemingly insatiable appetite for young sailors) whilst Nicholas Tizzard, as Ernst Ludwig, plays a key role in the narrative.  The audience is invited to view the friendly Herr Ludwig in a different light once his affiliation to the Nazi party is revealed.  It’s an obvious touch – the dichotomy between an apparently affable person and the beliefs they espouse – but this revelation still carries a powerful emotional punch (especially the disdain he shows towards the friendly and inoffensive Herr Schultz – whose only “crime” is his Jewish blood).

Charles Hagerty, Linal Haft, Susan Penhaligon, Louise Redknapp

Maria Garrett, Sophie Hirst, Luke Jackson, Katrina Kleve, Liam Marcellino, Alicia Mencia, Jack Mitchell, Hannah Nicholas, Helen Siveter and Matthew Wesley are called upon to be much more than just eye-candy (although they do fulfil this function most agreeably, it has to be said) since they are responsible for much of the – literal – heavy-lifting in the production. Objects such as ladders, beds and stepladders are wheeled around the stage (sometimes at speed) whilst this group of talented young performers are also required to perform some intricate moves during the more choreography-intense numbers of the show (which they did excellently, with no obvious slip-ups).

There’s a fair amount of raunch during the show, with a brief flash of male full-frontal nudity and a few bare breasts (otherwise it’s stockings, suspenders and simulated sex ahoy).  Several tightly performed musical numbers with the aforementioned stockings in the first act help to break the ice and win the audience’s goodwill.

The show is considerably enhanced by the very decent group of musicians, who, rather than being positioned in the orchestra pit, were instead behind the set – sometimes seen, sometimes hidden (depending on whether the action was based in the Kit Kat Club or not). The quality sound they delivered belied their small number – and the sound mix was just about perfect too. Too often an indifferent mix can ensure that the singers are drowned out – but not here.

Cabaret‘s final moment is staged quite simply, but it’s still bone-chilling and provides a haunting conclusion to a solid production. This tour of Cabaret looks like it’s selling very well (all performances in Cardiff were sold out prior to the first performance) but if you can get a ticket then I’d strongly recommend you do so.