Hello again! It’s great to be blogging again, if only for one show. Earlier this week I was able to nip down to the National Theatre to watch the stage adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s Nation. Here is what I thought.

A compelling look at identity and coming of age.

I hadn’t read Terry Pratchett’s novel, but walking around the foyer of the National Theatre I could sense it was the main event in the National’s Christmas season. Nation is an intriguing play looking at themes ranging from the coming of age, to colonialism and even the balance between science and faith.

Mau, played by a very refined Gary Carr, is one of the last surviving members of his society after a devastating wave wiped out the people of his island. At the same time, Ermintrude, who was on the way to seeing her father, a colonial administrator, is stranded on the same island after the storm. They both meet in what is a hectic opening as Ermintrude first attempts to kill Mau, before offering him an English cup of tea. She is accompanied by Milton the parrot, who is brilliantly played by Jason Thorpe with great timing and even better movements, very much akin to a real bird. He was entertaining throughout and a joy to watch.

Ermintrude decides to do away with her old life and start afresh in this new nation as Daphne, while Mau is elected chief. Mau’s journey to manhood and Daphne’s maturity teaches the remaining islanders about their own faith, the role of science, and life itself. These powerful themes are sometimes broken up however, by the introduction of a witch-doctor and Daphne’s old butler who has become chief of another society after killing the previous chief. Although interesting as subplots, I felt they may have taken away from the powerful aforementioned themes.

Overall, it’s very well staged. This is perhaps the first production I have seen where the director, Melly Still, is also the designer. It worked well, with splendid visual effects on the three screens depicting water, and imaginative and resourceful depictions of birds and the battered ship during the storm in the opening scene.

While the show is for ages 10+ and it may not be every adult’s cup of tea, it’s still a very enjoyable evening when you realise the interwoven themes, and one which I suspect would be fascinating for Terry Pratchett fans (who will revel in the free ‘guide to making a nation’ included in the programme) and audience members with similar interests.

Nation is playing at the National Olivier Theatre and is booking until 28 March 2010.

Winston Yap TheatreFix Guest Editor

It had been a long wait before I finally got to see Wicked. The first I had heard of the show was seeing Defying Gravity on the Royal Variety Performance a couple of years ago. The score captivated me then and it captivated me last night too.

Wicked tells of the events that took place before the story of the Wizard Of Oz and centres on Glinda the Good and Elphaba, who eventually becomes the Wicked Witch of the West. In this respect, the audience knows the eventual outcome, but what they do not know is how that outcome is reached. It is a fascinating look at how wickedness developed and why it may not all have been Elphaba’s fault.

The two leads had wonderfully contrasting voices. Alexia Khadime (Elphaba) filled the massive auditorium with very strong vocals and Dianne Pilkington was a fantastically cheeky Glinda who acted with amazing stage presence. Pilkington’s high notes were strong to say the least, although they may not be to everyone’s liking.

I really enjoyed the ensemble pieces. The set, costumes and sound were full of colour and a real spectacle to behold. I came out thinking I’d got more than I expected, and I’d gone in expecting a lot. I also thought it would make a really amazing blockbuster film, which would be great if not only to capture the magic for posterity.

The plot is more complicated than you might think, and while younger children may find it difficult to follow – and older people may find it difficult to believe – this just means that it is the perfect show for 16-26 year olds; old enough to follow it but still young enough to understand the imagination.

So…a show perfect for 16-26 year olds. That’d be us then!

Wicked is playing at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, booking until 30 October 2010.

Winston Yap
TheatreFix Guest Editor

On Tuesday I went to see Alan Cumming: I Bought A Blue Car Today. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. Here’s my feature.

I didn’t really know much about Alan Cumming, but I recognised his face and his name. After some Googling I established that his career had flirted with everything from Spy Kids to X-Men 2 and many others, some of which I’m unfortunately not old enough to know.

Cumming’s show drew similarities with the ‘An Audience With…’ programmes you might see on TV. It was a concert featuring a variety of songs which are peppered with anecdotes and stories about the 10 years he has spent in New York to date. Cumming had some fascinating stories – the culmination of which was becoming a US citizen in order to vote in the recent election, only to find that his paperwork hadn’t been completed until three days after Barack Obama had won!

Funnily enough, the title of his show comes from the citizenship test he had to take to become a US citizen, as he recalls that ‘I bought a blue car today’ was a sentence he had to write to prove his knowledge of the English language. Other stories included a funny encounter with Mika, a taxi driver and the paparazzi.

Songs in the programme included comedy numbers such as Victoria Wood’s Thinking of You, and Cabaret’s classic Mein Herr – taken from the show that made Cumming’s Tony Award-winning name on Broadway. He performed these songs with real stage presence and the wide-ranging programme showcased the versatility in not only his voice, but also his performance.

Lance Horne, his musical director, did a great job orchestrating the songs, with a particularly wonderful wind player. However the song Horne wrote with Cumming did leave me unconvinced of the merits of their collaboration. In all, it’s an entertaining night out, but Cumming’s career has been so varied that unless you’re a Cumming fan, you’ll probably need to do some Googling before you go.

Alan Cumming: I Bought A Blue Car Today is playing for a limited run at the Vaudeville Theatre until 6 September

Winston Yap
TheatreFix Guest Editor

A show I could see again and again. The best I have seen and probably will see for a very long time.

I’ve always been a huge fan of Billy Elliot The Musical. Indeed I distinctly remember the first time I found out about it back in 2005 when I saw a flyer in my Piano teacher’s house. I loved the original film and with Elton John on board composing and most of the original creative team working on the musical, I knew it would be a success. It took two long years and endless YouTubing before I finally got the opportunity to go and see it for the first time in December 2007.

This time round I went for TheatreFix and I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about it two years on. I’d been to loads of other shows since, but I always knew Billy had something special. I took my seat in the Grand Circle with a completely full house around me. It was during The Society of London Theatre’s Kids Week so it was especially busy with families.

In fact, I had no reason to be unsure of what I would think. It was simply electrifying from start to finish. I didn’t want it to end! There is a sense of realism which is unique in Billy Elliot The Musical, as you know the events of the miners’ strike had a profound impact on many communities in England. The solidarity of the miners in the first scene as they go out on strike is wonderfully contrasted with their sombre return to work by the end of the show.

For me, Billy Elliot The Musical is a complete package. You will laugh (a lot), cry (a lot) and feel totally inspired when you leave. It was a shame that there was a slight technical problem pausing the show for a few moments, but this didn’t affect my enjoyment at all. Joanna Riding played an excellent motherly Mrs Wilkinson with a voice perfect for musical theatre.

Don’t go to Billy expecting the set to become what you saw in the film, like some films-turned-musicals. It is modern, warts-and-all, and along with the talented ensemble cast captures the essence of the miners’ strike really well. John’s music shows huge versatility and those of you who enjoy or have experiences of conducting may well find yourself keeping the beat in your seat!

The highlights are probably Billy’s hugely exhilarating Angry Dance where he expresses his anger at not being allowed to dance and the hugely moving Electricity, where he explains how he feels when he is dancing, by doing just that, dancing!

Michael (Billy’s best friend) was played by Jake Pratt, who had superb timing in delivering his hugely funny lines. The song Expressing Yourself has gotten even funnier since I went to see it last time. The juxtaposition of Michael questioning Billy’s sexuality because of his dancing while fully dressed in his sister’s clothes is simply priceless.

Now for Billy. What an amazing talent to behold! Brad Wilson, who started in the role in January, has settled in to become a consummate actor, singer and dancer. He delivers Lee Hall’s words with due passion, Elton John’s songs with suitably innocent tones and Peter Darling’s faultless choreography with inch by inch perfection, notably in the dream Swan Lake ballet sequence with Billy’s older self.

It’s fairly widely known that the choreography for the different performers playing Billy alters slightly to accommodate each Billy’s strengths. It was hard to tell which type of dance was Brad Wilson’s strongest as all of his dancing was breathtaking – from the tap dancing of Expressing Yourself to the hugely expressive contemporary dancing of Angry Dance and of course the ballet of Electricity, Brad’s talents showed no bounds.

I think director Stephen Daldry probably feels an attachment to Billy Elliot The Musical that few other directors have to their shows. Through his involvement in the ‘Billy Elliot School’, which trains future Billy Elliots, he nurtures and adds to the talents of those entering the school which will undoubtedly leave a lasting legacy for anyone who has had the privilege of attending. His direction is visionary, with the genius juxtaposition of the miners and police venting their anger through a ballet class during the song Solidarity. Some in the audience may take offence from some of the language used in the show as it is, at times, strong, especially for young children. For me, it was utterly necessary. Without it, the show would simply not feel real or gritty enough.

I truly believe Billy Elliot is among the best musicals around. It’s a show that I didn’t want to end, will never grow tired of and would love to see again and again. I hope it becomes the long-running West End musical it deserves to be.

Billy Elliot is playing at the Victoria Palace Theatre, booking until 3 April 2010.

Winston Yap
TheatreFix Guest Editor

A production of epic proportions with a timeless soundtrack and masterful plot.

The Theatre Royal Drury Lane is one of the largest theatres in the West End and it’s no mean feat to fill it eight performances a week. This is, however, what Oliver! has been doing since it opened at the start of the year. I managed to get really great discounted seats from the theatre in the stalls. It wasn’t a massive discount, but it’s useful to remember that if you can’t manage to find tickets at the tkts booth or other approved outlets, trying at the theatre may not be a bad call.

Audience members are rewarded with a true spectacle. The cast is simply huge! The opening number, Food Glorious Food, brings the gloomy workhouse to life with nearly 50 children on stage. To be able to direct and choreograph so many actors, both children and adults (and Bullseye the dog!), is a testament to the tenacity of director Rupert Goold and seasoned choreographer Matthew Bourne. The Olivier! set is also one of the most comprehensive and detailed designs I’ve seen. Everything is so well thought out to ensure that the scenes flow with unmatched ease. Fagin’s den was particularly pleasing on the eye, with cleverly crafted nooks and crannies for each of his gang, and the movement in the set during those all important chase scenes added to the spectacle of Victorian London.

Fagin himself wasn’t bad either. This time it was Omid Djalili, as Rowan Atkinson had finished his run a few weeks ago. From what I’ve read, Atkinson was a tough act to follow, but Djalili gave an assured performance. His subtle comedic references to the world we live in today did entertain many in the audience, however I felt it took away from the wonderful staging and acting, which up to that point had transported the audience to Victorian London. But, for the many families in the audience, it was good fun – almost like panto. Djalili was able to befriend the audience in a way that Lionel Bart would have wanted, as his Fagin wasn’t as bad as the original character in Charles Dickens’s novel Oliver Twist.

Then there was the question of Jodie Prenger. Had she lived up to the I’d do Anything hype? The short answer is she certainly did. Her acting was superb and the audience couldn’t help but feel sympathy for Nancy as she sang As Long As He Needs Me. It really felt as if Prenger meant every word, and that’s the star quality you just don’t get enough of nowadays. I was lucky enough to meet Jodie at the end and she’s really down to earth, taking pictures and signing autographs for everyone who was waiting. It showed that she didn’t take her fame for granted and was very grateful for the people that voted for her during I’d do Anything.

What makes the show, however, are the children. Oliver, played this time by Francesco Piacentini-Smith, had an extraordinary voice and was able to project his plight right to the back of the stalls and up to the very top of the balcony. Callum Henderson played a brilliantly cheeky Artful Dodger, always trying to steal the show.

Oliver! is a massive production with star quality throughout the cast and toe-tappingly good tunes. The only drawback was certain members of the audience – but more on this later in one of the discussions. Make sure you catch this spectacle while you still can!

Oliver! is booking until 27 February 2010 at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

Winston Yap
TheatreFix Guest Editor

Fantastically Abnormal and a wonderful introduction to American Theatre

There really is nothing normal about the new Broadway musical Next To Normal. This bold production manages to evoke just about every emotion from the audience as it opens up the effect that mental illness has on ordinary families to audience members who are unlikely to have such experience.

I’d done my research. On a family holiday to New York, I was determined to see a Broadway show, and one unique to Broadway at that. So I sat in England, about a week before we set off searching for the latest Broadway shows. So many of them were playing in both Broadway and the West End, but the tiny clip of Just Another Day from Next To Normal on the internet was enough to persuade me. These really were the early days of the musical and it didn’t even have a proper website.

The show tells the story of Diana (played by a brilliantly versatile Alice Ripley), who has bipolar disorder. It is this central theme that forms the basis of the story as audiences are taken on a roller-coaster tour of the trials and tribulations the rest of the family experience as a result of her illness. It was only the first show after the press night, but the buzz of the first night was still radiating furiously from the cast’s performance.

The plot is one of discovery, and I’m naturally reluctant to say too much about what is discovered. However, what I will say is that the twists were enough to provoke visible and vocal reactions from the audience as they gasped in amazement or whispered ‘Oh no!’ in fear. There really are twists that you simply cannot predict and the dramatic timing is excellent. The lady sitting next to me was spot on when she observed in the interval that the thing that made this musical so unique was that there was no bad character to lay blame at. The illness was simply taking over Diana’s life and there was no-one the doctors or her family could react to.

Tom Kitt’s score didn’t particularly grab me while I was watching it, but there are some great songs in there, and the soundtrack really has grown on me since I bought it. It’s a ‘rock musical’ and this allows some of the characters (most notably Gabe, Diana’s son played by Aaron Tveit) to show off their wondrous vocals. Tveit was exceptional as the mysterious son and was able to draw in the audience to both love him and hate him. I’m Alive is a great number and I’m sure has become one of my most listened to songs on my iPod. However, the score started to get cumbersome in the second half and some scenes were unnecessarily sung, where dialogue may have been more dramatically effective.

As productions go, it’s not one that has blown the budget for staging or for massive ensemble casts, but more than anything, this show is about the plot, and an all-singing-all-dancing production would simply not have been appropriate. Director Michael Grief (Rent) has sensitively crafted the production so that it successfully pushes the audience’s feelings to where he wants them to be. Some of these emotions really aren’t comfortable, but are utterly necessary in making the production work.

In all, Next to Normal is an unconventional, feel-everything musical with a score that will grow on you, performances that will astound you and a plot that will simply blow you away. Having seen Spring Awakening in London not long before, I’d say it is for these reasons that I think Next to Normal is superior – and a wonderful introduction to American theatre too.

Next to Normal is playing at the Booth Theatre, NY.

Winston Yap
TheatreFix Guest Editor

It’s an increasingly common scenario; a developing country holding its first elections to show the world progress and change. International observers are called in to watch the process take place without any real influence in the way these young democracies grow. However, there are problems, many of which are portrayed in Matt Charman’s new play The Observer.

The play follows Fiona Russell, a passionate and sometimes frantic deputy director of the international observer mission. It soon becomes clear that Fiona, played by Anne Chancellor (Harry from Spooks’s old boss), is in fact running the show, while her boss happily swans around enjoying all the hospitality that is thrown his way by the incumbent President.

The first hurdle is the writing of the preliminary report into the first-round voting. In a somewhat heated and exaggerated exchange between Fiona and her researchers, the fine line between showing real democratic progress and overlooking the ‘minor’ discrepancies is portrayed. Although journalists such as Declan, played by a convincing Lloyd Hutchinson, care not about the intricacies of the report, rather the bottom line of whether or not the election can be reported as ‘free and fair’.

When it becomes clear that the more moderate opposition is gaining ground on the President despite the President intimidating voters, Fiona realises that she could influence the outcome of the election by increasing electoral registration in certain areas of the country before the second round of voting. Here lies her dilemma – at what point does making observations become getting involved in the whole process?

This leads to a fascinating scene at the country’s Electoral Commission showing local election chiefs’ suspicions towards Fiona that she is trying to patronise them with her own post-colonial arrogance. They accuse her of trying to impose a ‘flatpack democracy’ on their country which simply cannot work. Intriguing sub-plots about the relationship between Fiona and her translator Daniel, played by an engaging Chuk Iwuji, add to the sense of realism portrayed in this play and the consequences of Fiona’s actions are successfully honed through to the end.

Overall direction (Richard Eyre) and design (Rob Howell) are polished, although some scenes suffer from trying to show too many emotions in one go. The subject matter is captivating, and given the constant trickle (and occasional bursts) of news from Zimbabwe, audiences will feel they can relate to what is really happening on the ground in such countries. Audiences may also come out feeling that they take their right to vote for granted. The Observer is no Last King of Scotland, but it would certainly make a successful Saturday night TV drama. Failing that, it could spark huge voter turn out at the next election. Or maybe not.

The Observer is currently booking at the National Cottesloe Theatre until 3 September.

Winston Yap
TheatreFix Guest Editor

A gem of a musical that will cheer up practically anyone.

Avenue Q

Avenue Q really is a show for everyone…well almost everyone! It’s the second time I’ve seen it; the first time being in 2007 when the show was still in the Noël Coward theatre just down the road from its new home. When I saw it then, it was literally side-splittingly funny, and I remember the distinct feeling of cramp in my cheek muscles from the endless laughter I had endured that night.

Two years on, having listened to the soundtrack several times and, of course, seen the show once before, Avenue Q remains one of the funniest and most accessible shows in the West End. Although, as with any comedy, seeing things a second time round doesn’t have the same effect, fond memories of my first visit were definitely recalled.

The show’s plot is arguably fairly ordinary, however, the way it is told is extraordinary to say the least. Some characters are normal actors, while others are muppet-style puppets attached to their actors. This works extremely well and it is a testament to the talents of the cast that as an audience member you can almost convincingly make out facial expressions on the puppets faces from the way they are talking and moving!

What amazed me even more was the way Daniel Boys and Julie Atherton (two of the actors in the show) were able to play more than one puppet character; sometimes in the same scene and talking to each other! Imagine having one character in one hand, with its own personality and voice, and another in the other hand talking really quickly to each other. It seemed impossible to me, but both actors gave seamless performances.

Princeton, the main character in the show, arrives in the neighbourhood of Avenue Q having finished his English degree, in an attempt to find his ‘purpose’ in life. There he meets Kate Monster, a single teaching assistant with higher ambitions. Other characters on the street include the child star turned handyman Gary Coleman (played by Edward Baruwa, who nearly stole the show), closeted gay banker Rod, his roommate Nicky, fiancés Brian and Christmas Eve (played by a masterful Joanna Ampil) and porn-addict Trekkie Monster.

So the main pretence is for Princeton to find his ‘purpose’. But along the journey songs such as ‘Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist’ and ‘Schadenfreude’ (enjoying the misfortune of others) allow the audience to look within themselves and make light of what may normally be frowned upon. Trekkie Monster even sings a tribute song to porn and there is even highly entertaining onstage puppet sex! Lopez and Marks’s music is spot on throughout and you’ll find yourself humming the catchy songs for days on end. The show concludes on a moral note, encouraging the audience to help others as a way of helping themselves.

Staging and design are perfect for this show, with the simple set allowing scenes to change unusually quickly making the humour relentless! I’m glad audiences voted with their feet when Avenue Q was announced to be closing last year, as the surge in bookings gave the show a new lease of life it fully deserves here in London. In all, I can’t think of a better show for first time theatregoers our age. Just think twice before bringing your grandparents!

Avenue Q is booking until 19 December 2009 at the Gielgud Theatre.

Winston Yap
TheatreFix Guest Editor

A play that’s like music to the ears. Simply incredible.

Jude Law

I’d done a little googling before I went to the theatre, as I knew that is the best thing to do when you’re going to see Shakespeare, to make sure you don’t loose track of what is going on. There was a real buzz at the theatre which you just don’t get at some productions. I was sat right at the top in the balcony, but I didn’t mind as I’d paid just £10 for a show which was completely sold out. It’s true that for much of the production I could only see the foreheads of the actors, but that really didn’t matter because when Shakespeare is done well, it’s done really well!

There were incredible performances all round. Jude Law was simply flawless. It made the audience realise that despite all the celebrity hype surrounding many celebrities who perform in the West End, at the end of all that lies real raw talent which we often forget was what made them so famous in the first place. He was utterly convincing as the angry, yet calculated Prince of Denmark trying to avenge the death of his father. The superb changes in mood were complimented by perfect delivery of his lines. Playing Hamlet is supposed to be a high point in every actor’s career, and Law definitely played Hamlet as if it was his highest yet.

I’ve been to some Shakespeare productions before, but nothing compares to this. Hamlet was performed so well that even at the points where I lost concentration, I could just shut my eyes and simply listen to the language. It was almost like music. Music that was played with care and attention, and with true passion and belief. Despite being at nearly the highest point in the auditorium possible, I could hear every word from every cast member, which is a testament to the talents of the entire company.

Aside from the Jude Law hype, there were astounding performances from Kevin R McNally (from the Pirates Of The Caribbean movies) who played Hamlet’s guilty uncle, and Penelope Wilton was a suitably frenetic Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother. The staging was clever and effective. The cast wore modern clothes, but the bare stone walls of the Danish castle made the auditorium feel suitably cold and the audience closer to the action.

The whole production blew me away and I found a new respect for Shakespeare. Never before had I seen a Shakespeare play that was so believable or filled with so much emotion. It was gripping drama throughout and thoroughly enjoyable. The audience’s reaction at the end was electric; and deservedly so.

My night was topped off with a wonderful experience – going to the stage door at the end. Many audience members decided to wait at the stage door, pretty much all for Jude Law. We weren’t disappointed either! The lights dimmed and a man came out in a tuxedo and announced Jude’s entrance a few minutes before he arrived. When he did arrive, he was a true gentleman taking the time to thank people for coming, sign endless autographs and have pictures taken. I was lucky enough to get my programme signed and some pictures, though not with him.

So, it’s a shame Hamlet won’t be playing longer, but the next time it’s on with a good theatre company, make sure you go and see it. I’ll leave you with a bit of interesting trivia I found about Hamlet: Did you know The Lion King was (very loosely) based on it?!

Hamlet will finish on 22 August 2009 at Wyndham’s Theatre and will go on to play on Broadway in September 2009.

Winston Yap
TheatreFix Guest Editor

Katori Hall’s new play sparks the curiosity of the audience about what might have happened the night before Martin Luther King’s death.

Martin Luther King’s death made him legendary to people all around the world campaigning for civil rights. The Mountaintop explores the night before his assassination, and throws up an intriguing, yet unlikely, situation. Nevertheless, audiences may feel compelled to believe that what happens in the play could have happened in reality.

The play takes place in room 306 of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis on 3 April 1968, the night before Dr King’s assassination. There is relentless rain and King arrives at his room having just delivered his now infamous ‘The Mountaintop’ speech. A routine call to room service for coffee marks the start of an encounter with a mysterious maid, Camae.

It turns out she is on the first day of her job and when the true nature of her work is revealed, the audience are shocked, although realise the signs were there. Both characters learn about one another and, more importantly, the audience learn about King. He drinks, has holes in his socks and flirts with the maid. He’s even insecure about his moustache. David Harewood’s portrayal of King reveals a human side of a man who did superhuman deeds (and his voice emulates King well too). Lorraine Burroughs’ motel maid successfully manages to weave fact and fiction.

The Mountaintop provides a compelling journey for the audience as they empathise with King despite the inevitability of it all. James Dacre’s production works well, with imaginative lighting from Emma Chapman. As a musical man, The Mountaintop hasn’t fully converted me to plays, partly because there’s no action outside the motel room, but it’s a fascinating play worth seeing while you can.

The Mountaintop is playing at Trafalgar studios for a limited run until 5 September

Winston Yap
TheatreFix Guest Editor