REVIEW: Katy Perry's Prismatic Tour

I'm deferring slightly from the normal topic on the blog today to have a natter about last night's visit to see the phenomenal Katy Perry at Glasgow's biggest music venue - The Hydro.

Excitement building, I made my way through the crowds of blue wigs, cat ears and glow sticks to find my level 3 seat (knowing full well when I bought the tickets it wasn't going to be the best view).  I was actually pleasantly surprised, it was by no means close to the stage but the Hydro is set out in a way that there isn't really a bad view and  is just the type of venue Glasgow needs - although they might want to look into ways on cutting down the bar queues, as waiting 10 minutes for a glass of wine ain't great!

I didn't see support act Icona Pop as I'm one of those people who have absolutely no patience so a lot of waiting around can turn me from a Jekyll to a Hyde, but the crowd seemed sufficiently hyped up so I assume they did not disappoint. After a brief DJ set the lights came down and the mother of all music concerts began. From the outset the Prismatic Tour is a treat for the senses- colourful, creative and crazy at times as Perry invites the audience into her prismatic world.

Kicking proceedings off with 'Roar', Katy covered all the songs you would expect to hear - from 'I Kissed a Girl' which she professed was an 'oldie but a goody' right up to newly released 'Birthday'. The show was split into 6 sections with Perry taking on a different persona in each, from an Egyptian princess arriving on stage via  mechanical horse to a cat elevated on a giant ball of yarn. Be prepared for the unexpected.

It's quite clear that beneath all the costumes and make up Katy is a normal, funny and genuine human being which really shone through during her acoustic set. There was a lot of opportunity to interact with the audience and her off the cuff chat was a hit.

Tridents, floating emojis and neon lycra are small parts of the unbelievably detailed staging that has gone into this tour. This is not just about the music, this is story telling and is something that I could experience again and again.

REVIEW: Wicked - UK Tour 2014

Last week Wicked flew into Glasgow for the first time to begin its sold out run with record breaking statistics. Over 53,000 tickets were sold and after seeing the show on opening night, it's clear why. 

For those of you who have been living under a rock and are unaware of the plot I'll give you a brief run-down. Wicked is the prequel to the much loved classic 'The Wizard of Oz'. The story centres around the two witches, G(a)linda and Elphaba, who at first glance could not be more different. They wind up sharing a room at Shiz University and strike up an unlikely bond - from there we are taken on a journey of love, heartbreak and everything in between. 

The casting for this tour could not be more on point. Nikki Davis Jones takes on the role of green girl Elphaba with ease. She brings a lot of spunk to the character and  belts out each song more impressively than the last. No Good Deed and the show's 11 o'clock number Defying Gravity were particularity notable. Emily Tierney excels playing the show's other female protagonist - G(a)linda. Humorous from the outset, Tierney really puts her own stamp on the coveted role and, with equally good vocals as her counterpart, these two woman make a killer team. Local boy George Ure gave a spirited performance as lovable munchkin Boq. Ure's portrayal really made you feel for his character and you could tell the audience was lapping up that Scottish accent. 

Touring productions are known for being scaled down but this was not the case with Wicked. Everything you would have expected to see from the West End set was present and correct which contributed to bringing the world of Oz alive. The costumes were almost like pieces of art, each one different with quirks that made you feel like you were in another time and place. 

I myself am no stranger to Oz, clocking up 8 London viewings, but being in my home town surrounded with excited newbies and repeat attenders alike was thirillifying, and I don't think I was alone in that thought. Although Wicked is sold out in Glasgow you can catch it on two other Scottish dates, all information can be found here. 

Review: Little Shop of Horrors

 

Little Shop of Horrors is a comedy rock musical set in the 1960s which tells the story of downtrodden Seymour who works as an assistant in Mr Mushnik's flower shop. The shop is situated on Skid Row, where the residents’ ambitions are as absent as the customers. In a last ditch attempt to drum up business Seymour displays a new exotic plant in the window and what follows is a moral journey to see just how far one man will go for fame, fortune and love.

Neil Thomas absolutely shines in the role of Seymour Krelborn. He has the likeability factor that makes you want him to succeed and are almost able to forgive him for his more questionable life choices.  Another stand out for me was Sabrina Carter's portrayal of vulnerable Audrey. Carter's cracking acting and vocals especially during 'Somewhere That's Green' really pulled at the heartstrings. Although the themes explored in Little Shop are dark, there are laughs throughout which come mostly from sadistic dentist Orin, played by Edward Reid.

The set designed by Pete Sneddon really makes the most of the space of the Websters Theatre - not too much going on but enough to keep the audiences attention. There were a couple of sound issues, but this was the opening night and it was nothing that could not be ironed out.

Little Shop is one of those cult musicals that has been around for years, and while the fashions may be dated the characters certainly aren’t. Grab your tickets for the remaining performances here:

Friday 2nd - Saturday 10th of May

Tickets £15

Cottiers Box Office - 0141-357-4000

www.cottiers.com

LITTLE SHOP INTERVIEW: Edward Reid

Rehearsals are in full swing for Insideout's Little Shop and with just a week until show time I caught up with the lovely Mr Edward Reid. Edward made a big splash when he appeared on Britain's Got Talent with his own unique spin on the classic nursery rhyme, and has been entertaining audiences ever since. His latest endeavour sees him playing controlling dentist Orin, read on to find out how the process is going -

Tell me about your character

I play Orin the sadistic dentist who dates Audrey. He's not very nice to her.

How do you prepare for this role?

Laughing a lot. I watched YouTube clips of people falling and of cats falling off TV sets etc. We do have a fascination with people in pain. My character takes it to an extreme level though. As the song in Avenue Q explains it's Schadenfreude. I also watched old clips of Elvis.

Have you ever had an 'Orin style' dental visit? 

Oh my goodness yes. I have nearly fainted in the dentist chair. I don't believe in pain. Luckily my dentist now is amazing.

What would you do if you had a plant similar to Audrey II? 

Stay away from it and sell it to the highest bidder. Let them have the hassle of finding fresh blood.

What character in the show do you identify with the most? 

Them all in some way. I do love Seymour though. My heart goes out to him. Desperate to give love and desperate to get it.

What do you think makes this cast different? 

I have worked with most of them so I know what they are like as performers. They are amazing. I'm not sure what makes them different? I think all performers can be different if given the right direction and encouragement.

Is there a particular quote or scene that stands out as a favourite for you ?

I have deliberately not watched the film or listened to the CD as I want to experience it first hand from this amazing cast so all I know are Orin's scenes. I am really looking forward to laughing in every scene I am in. 

What's your favourite song from the show and why ? 

Again I like them all but I guess Somewhere That's Green. I remember Ellen Green sing it on Hey Mr Producer and loved her innocence and vulnerability.

What are some of the challenges in staging a piece like this? 

I am not even going to start thinking about that. That stresses me out. I'll just focus on the performance.

Thanks to Edward for taking time out to answer my questions.

Little Shop of Horrors 
1st - 10th of May 2014
Tickets are £15 
Book by calling the Cottiers box office - 0141 357 4000 
or online by clicking here

LITTLE SHOP INTERVIEW: Neil Thomas

With just weeks to go before Little Shop of Horrors opens in Glasgow's Webster Theatre I caught up with a couple of the cast members to have a chat about the show. First up was Neil Thomas who is currently preparing to take on the role of Seymour:-

Tell me about your character:

Seymour Krelborn is poor and down on his luck.  He's kind, caring and works hard. He lives on Skid Row, and works in Mushnik's Florists alongside Mr Mushnik and the pretty Audrey. A little clumsy, and more than a little geeky, Seymour has feelings for Audrey, but can't pluck up the courage to tell her. But Seymour has discovered a brand new breed of plant, similar in appearance to a Venus flytrap, which he names Audrey II in honour of the subject of his affections.  Could this new plant be about to change Seymour's luck forever.....?

What drew you to the part?

It has genuinely always been my ambition to get a chance to play Seymour Krelborn.  I told Paul Harper-Swan (producer and director of this production of Little Shop of Horrors) about how much I loved this part, and this show, the very first time I ever met him.  This show is absolutely one of my favourites, and has been since I saw the fantastic movie version of it when I was younger. The music, the atmosphere and the characters really drew me in. I love Seymour's story and the journey he goes on throughout the show.  I also feel like I can easily relate to Seymour's geekiness!

How do you prepare for the role of Seymour? 

I think the important thing with playing Seymour is that, although he is of course a bit geeky and down on his luck, he's a really decent guy, and he should be "real" too.  It would be wrong to send him up, or have him prat falling and making a mess of everything.  He's not supposed to be a silly slapstick pantomime character, he needs the audience to really care about him and sympathise with him.  The audience should also believe in his feelings for Audrey and the whirlwind journey he goes on after discovering this exciting new plant, Audrey II.  I'm excited to get started on rehearsals and find out how to balance all these aspects of Seymour's character.  It'll be hard work, but great fun!

The show has been around for a long time now, what do you think makes it so popular? 

Undoubtedly it's the quality of the material.  The music by Alan Menken, and the lyrics and book by Howard Ashman, are some of the best I think musical theatre has ever produced.  There's a timeless appeal to the show, and it doesn't feel dated as it deliberately evokes that classic feel of the B-movie era.  The show is based on the 1960 non-musical film of the same name, and the ideas and characters are unique and unforgettable.  Another thing that I think helps, is that the 1986 film of this musical version is fantastically made, and so well cast.  It introduces so many people to the musical, who may then go and see a stage production of it.  The nice thing is that there are some differences between the stage version and the film version of the musical, so if you've only seen the movie before - you're in for a few surprises....!

What's your favourite song from the show and why? 

This is a really hard one to answer, as I can honestly say I feel this show has some of the best songs I've ever heard in a musical.  But, if I had to pick one, I'd go for "Feed Me (Git It)", the song from Act I sung by Seymour and Audrey II.  How can you not completely fall in love with a rock and roll duet performed by a florist's assistant and massive, hungry, soul-singing plant!

What do you hope audiences take away from the show? 

I really hope audiences have a great time, and come away totally satisfied and singing all the songs.  This material is some of the strongest the world of musical theatre has ever produced, in my opinion.  So I hope the audience have a fantastic night out and feel that we have done the show justice.  We will all work really hard to make sure they do!

Big thanks to Neil for taking some time out to answer my questions,

Little Shop of Horrors 
1st - 10th of May 2014
Tickets are £15 
Book by calling the Cottiers box office - 0141 357 4000 
or online by clicking here