Review: Tonight From the West End, The Caird Hall, Dundee

One of my biggest gripes when a tour is announced is that it never normally ventures north of the border, which is why I was delighted when Tonight From the West End was announced to exclusively tour in 3 major Scottish cities. And from the moment the line up was announced I was sold!

The show is billed as 'the hottest ticket in town' and promised singing, acting and dancing - a bold statement but one that was executed well. A 200 strong community choir, a 20 piece live band and Scotland's own Soul Nation appeared alongside headline acts Kerry Ellis, Christina Bianco and Adam Garcia.

Garcia had the audience won over when he first stepped on stage wearing a kilt. His charming banter and appealing voice ensured this continued for the rest of the night. Christina Bianco is a unique talent who possesses a genuine likeability factor. She's known for her diva impressions and showcases the many voices she has perfected, but also shows how powerful how own voice is particularly during 'I Know Him So Well'.

Deep into Act II and we are taken on a whistle stop tour of Wicked, performed by the choir members on stage, opening with No One Mourns the Wicked and ending with For Good. It was only fitting that Ellis (the first British Elphaba) returned to the stage to deliver Wicked's 11 o'clock number - Defying Gravity. I have seen this song performed more times than I would like to share but Kerry really makes it her own and mesmerised the room to the point you could have heard a pin drop.

The show's finale was dedicated to the popular West End show- Mamma Mia. The audience were invited to get on their feet, and that they did. It was the perfect way to end the night.

It's clear that a lot of time and energy went into facilitating this show and It's great to see production companies recognising a gap in the market and bringing quality shows like this one to Scotland.

FaBi DaBi Dolls

For many theatre goers (myself included) it's not enough to just see shows, we get our fix in-between  by  downloading cast recordings, having show chats on Twitter with like minded people and buying an obscene amount of merch. Once in a while a merch product has that 'je ne sais quoi' and that's where FaBi DaBi Dolls comes in. 

FaBi DaBi Dolls is a company run by Scottish artists & couple Thomas Birrell & Chris Farrell. They specialise in custom toys and collectibles and I'm a little bit obsessed with their Etsy store. After a few 'subtle' hints to my nearest and dearest this little green treat arrived on my door step last week and I could not be happier with it. 

If you didn't know I'm a huge Wicked fan, and although my days of day seating the AV at ridiculous o'clock are over, the show still holds a special place in my heart. The doll that was chosen for me was Elphaba in her 'Shiz' outfit and I'm blown away by the quality and detail of this product. Her glasses, pleated hair and briefcase are all present and correct and the professional finish is the icing on the cake. 

The company is based close to where I live and it's nice to see someone so local filling a gap in the market and producing such unique and exciting products. There are a number of options to choose from on the website or if you're after something in particular this can be custom made. Prices start from around the £15 mark which I think is a bargain! 

If you're interested in finding out more about FaBi DaBi Dolls, check out the Etsy shop or give them a follow on Twitter.

Review - Bossnappers, CCA, Glasgow

The premise of Tom Brogan’s Bossnappers might not seem like an obvious choice for a comedy play - four long-standing biscuit factory workers facing the threat of redundancy and the fear of the unknown - but due to a quick and witty script and six talented performers, it works.  Staged in the quirky CCA as part of the Glasgow International Comedy Festival, the play captures the spirit of true Glaswegian determination in the face of adversity.  

Janis Marshall Reilly and Jamie Lee McPherson made a heart warming duo as work besties Meg and Rose whose main priority - supporting their families - really endeared them to the audience. Skiver Gwen’s Snapchat obsession kept the show current and Louise Henderson’s comic timing playing her was spot on, especially impressive when you consider this was Henderson’s acting debut. Ros McCue and Nicola Clark were responsible for a lot of the hilarity playing ditzy cleaner Alice and glamorous Helen who both had secrets up their sleeves that were revealed as the plot unravelled. The cast was rounded off with the villain of the piece, gaffer Les who just can’t seem to get out of his father's shadow. Props to John Winchester for being a believable baddy while still showing a vulnerable side.

It’s refreshing to watch a predominantly female cast play strong and ballsy characters, a challenging feat for most writers including Brogan himself who admits in his blog on the festival’s website that woman have been underrepresented in his plays. It’s clear to see he has overcome this and created a relatable and hilarious group of women without allowing them to become caricatures.

Bossnappers runs until 24/03/15 at the CCA, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. Tickets can be purchased via the website - http://www.glasgowcomedyfestival.com/shows/1081.

Review: Broadway in the Bar, Arta, Glasgow

Broadway in the Bar has firmly positioned itself as one of Glasgow's unique entertainment shows. Sure there are a lot of shows produced in a similar vein, but none executed as well as this. If you're unfamiliar with the concept of BITB, you take a first class cast filled with local talent, add a mix of show tunes and throw in a glass of fizz for good measure.

The cast is ever-changing which keeps things fresh and Sunday's cast did not disappoint. Alison Cleland would be just as entertaining stepping onto a comedy stage as she is when singing. Her off-the-cuff banter between songs created a relaxed and informal atmosphere for the night. Joanne McGuinness and Edward Reid added to the humorous element with their song choices while still delivering strong vocal performances. Recent musical theatre graduate Jennifer Neil shared with the audience that this was her first professional job, and judging  by her impressive performance, it certainly won't be her last.

The songs ranged from well known show tunes such as 'As Long As He Needs Me' from Oliver and Wicked's 'The Wizard and I', ending with some anthemic power ballads which are guaranteed to have the crowd up on their feet (or in some cases their chair!).

The show is not tied to one venue and for Sunday's performance we had the beautiful backdrop of Arta in Glasgow's Merchant City. Whilst aesthetically pleasing, Arta comes with some structural pillars that can cause some viewing issues but if you arrive early enough this shouldn't pose a problem.

For more information on this show check out Inside Out Productions' Facebook page here.

Theatre Review: The Last Five Years - Govanhill Baths, Glasgow

There's no better way to write a musical about love and heartbreak than drawing from your own experiences, which is exactly what Jason Robert Brown did with The Last Five Years.  Set in New York the story follows the half decade relationship of aspiring writer Jamie Wellerstein (Sam Willison) and struggling actress Cathy Hiatt (Imogen Parry) from start to end.  The show's unique selling point is in its story telling, as Jamie's songs track the relationship from when the couple first meet right up until he leaves whereas Cathy's songs tell the story in reverse.  

Parry and Willison deal with the demands of this two character musical with ease, and although they only share a few scenes on stage together they are completely believable as a couple. From the first scene Parry in particular pulls on every heart string as she throws the audience into the emotional deep end with her expressive vocals. Marc Mackinnon's slick direction ensures one scene flows swiftly to the next, leaving little to no time for reflection which heightens impact when the show ends. Musical director Paul Slevin was solely responsible for orchestrating the full show, a feat that he pulled off with gusto.

Mad Props are known for their high standard productions and fresh show choices, and The Last Five Years is another success to add to their list. 

For more information about Mad Props, check out their website : http://www.madpropstheatre.com/

Panto Review: Aladdin, Websters Theatre, Glasgow

 

It's that time of the year again and the production company that brought you ‘The Pure Amazing Wizard of Oz’ are back with this year’s offering, Aladdin.  Down in Poor Panto Partick Aladdin has fallen for the emperor’s daughter, Princess Jasmine. The only problem is, he’s skint! When a long lost Auntie appears on his doorstep promising him fame and fortune, he journeys to the place of leaky roofs and sticky carpets (The Garage on Sauchiehall Street) in a bid to win the love of his life.  

Playing the man of the hour was Steven Alexander who is best known for appearing on TV show ‘The Voice’ and was able to show his off by belting out tunes from One Direction, Beyoncé and more. Natalie Toyne played this year’s baddie Abanazaress and she absolutely nailed it. Funny, scary and a little camp at times she had the audience in stitches with her facial expressions and witty one liners. For me the star of the night came in the form of the show’s dame, Widow Twankee (Neil Thomas). He had great stage presence and really built up a rapport with the audience which gave the show a personal touch.

In typical Insideout fashion a couple of tweaks were made to set the story apart from others. Both the Genie and the Slave of the Ring were Sesame Street style puppets and instead of a flying carpet there was a flying broomstick (which came with a few Wicked references much to my delight). The writing had a great balance of obvious humour for the kids and innuendos for the adults and made a lot of references to pop culture, including a sly nod to the indy ref.

Pantos are known for being full of family fun, which this production definitely achieves. It’s not the flashiest show in town but it doesn’t pretend to be either – tickets are available and can be snapped up here: http://www.cottiers.com/locations/cottiers-kelvinbridge/

Written by me for Backstage Pass

Theatre Review: Saturday Night Fever- Theatre Royal, Glasgow

This festive season, Saturday Night Fever is taking over Glasgow’s newly refurbished Theatre Royal. Based on the popular film of the same name, the show tracks the story of Tony Manero, a 19 year old Brooklyn boy who has a passion for dance and dreams of more to life than his dead end job in a dead end town. In a bid to escape his religious mother and redundant father, he teams up with fellow go getter Stephanie and enters a dance contest that is set to change his life for good.

Danny Bayne makes a great Tony Manero and commands the stage from his first strut. Bayne can act and sing, but his main selling point in the show is his dancing and he has no trouble mastering every move from Andrew Wright’s fast and fun choreography. His female counterpart, Naomi Slights, is equally impressive and her vocals in particular stood out amongst the rest. They were both joined on stage by a multi-purpose cast who played their own instruments which brought a unique new dimension to the production.

There were however more than a few sound issues, and the dark and gritty plot seemed to get lost from scene to scene which made it difficult to become invested in the characters or their struggles.

The Bee Gees hits the audience know and love are present and enjoyed but instead of carbon copies the tracks are given a makeover and performed to suit the current mood of the plot.  Although the story has the potential to be gripping and emotive there really wasn’t enough to sink your teeth into and it leaves the audience underwhelmed. 

Saturday Night Fever is at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow until 3^rd January 2015. For details and tickets visit http://www.atgtickets.com/shows/saturday-night-fever/theatre-royal-glasgow/

** Written by me for Backstage Pass