The West End Life

A week ago, my 17th trip to London since 2012 was finally happening – 10 months after booking three tickets to three different, new shows on the West End. And it may have easily been one of the best trips I ever made down there, with each show outdoing the one before, and to me, personally, maybe the three best Casts that are currently working in theatre on the West End.

But let’s take things one at a time.

1. “Come From Away” – Phoenix Theatre 11.12.2019

Thankfully for me, I didn’t read anything about the storyline beforehand – the shock/surprise was bigger that way, which I love about theatre. Originally, I was under the impression that this show was about refugees stuck on an island after escaping some terror or something; but after about 15mins in, I realized it was actually a story about the day when 38 planes on their way into U.S. territory were diverted to the town of Gander, Newfoundland, on 11th of September 2001 – the day two terrorists flew two planes into the World Trade Center.
It’s hard to find words to describe this show – despite the obvious difficult subject, Christopher Ashley has managed to turn it into something equally heartwarming, touching and entertaining. The Cast is amazing, considering each of them has to play at least 2 or 3 different characters during the one and a half hours on stage (without any interval), the songs are chosen perfectly for all scenes (especially “Screech In” got me smiling from ear to ear and bobbing my foot up and down), and which was the most wonderful thing to me is that you can see throughout the entire show that every member of the Ensemble deeply enjoys this show, that they’re in it with all their heart, and that they have nothing but fun bringing this great piece of theatre and music to the audience. The Standing Ovations going on for several minutes, even as only the band was on stage after the actors left it are practically speaking for itself. So do its 4 Olivier Award wins, by the way.

2. “& Juliet” – Shaftesbury Theatre 12.12.2019

Now this show I was something I had been going completely blind into – if you ignore the fact I knew all the songs beforehand, as it’s a Jukebox Musical where existing songs are brought to the stage in new ways, enwrought into the storyline. I anticipated seeing the best (for me, personally) male voice on the West End again, Oliver Tompsett (William Shakespeare), after knowing there were Backstreet Boys songs in it, where also dancing was required. Sadly, a cold bug had taken hold of him and also the female lead, Miriam Teak-Lee (Juliet), so I got to see Ivan de Freitas and Grace Mouat instead – WHAT A TREAT!
How to describe this show…well, basically, if you’re looking for the best and most entertaining night out on the West End – THIS IS DEFINITELY IT. The story is simple – what if Juliet never killed herself together with Romeo, but instead, decided to live and take her life and future into her own hands? And all this with the unmistakable soundtrack of the 90’s and 00’s  and also some recent radio tracks added to the mix (Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Katy Perry & Demi Lovato, to only name some of them).
What comes out of that is a show that has the audience in fits of laughter, in bouts of tears, and mostly, dancing in their seats (and on their feet at the last track, “Can’t Stop The Feeling”!). The stage set is also one of the best and most beautiful I personally have seen anywhere recently, with a lot of love for detail, and the message – or rather, messageS – of the story are powerful and some of the best any theatre show could have come up with, picking up current issues in our society. And the Cast, you ask? They’re phenomenal in every regard – singing, acting AND dancing. Seeing them on stage, simply doing their everyday job, you can’t help smiling when they smile, feel sad when their situation seems hopeless, and feel relieved when everything is sorted out for everybody in the end.
This show DEFINITELY deserves to stay on the West End for a long, long time.

3. “Dear Evan Hansen – Noel Coward Theatre 13.12.2019

This show…it was the one thing I had been looking forward to for about one and a half years, ever since I first listened to its Broadway Cast Recording and read the news that it would actually come to the West End. Along with “Hamilton”, that show is the one on the Broadway that it is near impossible to get tickets to – at least not the affordable kind of tickets. The anticipation for me therefor was HUGE in every regard…and boy, did that one not disappoint.
Where to begin…the story, maybe. It’s about a teenager with social anxiety who, with the help of a family friend, makes up a story of being friends with a schoolmate who commits suicide and in doing that, helps the grieving parents coping with their loss and changes things at his school and out in the Social Media world for the better, even if only for a short time.
There are not many words one could use to describe how PHENOMENAL every aspect of the show is, starting with the simple stage set, the small Cast (only 8 actors/roles) or the powerful message behind it. So I’m just going to talk about one single Cast member here, representative of maybe the BEST Cast the West End has to offer these days.

Sam Tutty.

This young man playing Evan Hansen is pure GOLD. The role of the anxiety-ridden teenager is so challenging, as it just has to be convincing even in the very last rows of the theatre, but Sam just does it as easily as he may eat his muesli in the morning. Never in my life have I witnessed something more convincing on a stage; you watch him do his thing, and you just can’t help BELIEVING it. Believing that off stage, Sam suffers the exact same anxieties that Evan does, even though that isn’t the case, of course. Every mimic and gesture, however small or big, is on point with him, and especially the movements of his hands is just out of this world. And his voice? Indescribably perfect. And funny enough, he sounds almost exactly like Ben Platt, who originated the role of Evan on Broadway.
The music that I’ve constantly listened to for over a year, was also giving me all the emotions that I had hoped and prayed for. I laughed, I cried, I had goosebumps, I was singing along silently to every line. What the band (that is positioned in the top left corner of the stage, so you can see them all throughout the show) did with their instruments and the tunes given to them is such a wonderful piece of music that it’s no surprise they got a ton of applause at the end, too. This entire show and its phenomenal Cast are just breathtaking, and like I said – maybe the BEST Cast that’s currently employed on the West End.

Three days, three shows – and every single one of them surpassed my expectations and proved once again why the West End and musical theatre in general have become such a huge part of my life in the past 7 years, and I am beyond grateful I had the opportunity to witness such a perfection and beautiful entertainment on 3 stages last week.

Until next time, London!

Hamilton – Victoria Palace Theatre – 30.12.2017

348 days.

That’s how long I had to wait to see this piece of Musical Theatre after actually managing to get tickets on January, 16th, 2017 during a priority booking period.

Although, to be honest, when I first heard of it and listened to some snippets of the songs, I wasn’t convinced at all. A Musical sung in rap? Why would someone do that? I also didn’t get all the fuzz of its “creator”, Lin-Manuel Miranda. But then, thanks to one of my best friends, Sarah from Chesterfield, who sent me the entire Broadway Cast Recording, I gave it another shot (pun intended! 😀 ) – and after about an hour, I was hooked. I listened to the songs on my MP3-Player every day from my way to work and back home, and quickly, it became one of my favourite albums of all time. And when a West End blogger on twitter announced one day that it would transfer to London from Broadway, my mind was quickly made up: I just HAD to see it for myself on stage.

348 days later, there I was, in my seat, excited, but still not actually realizing what I was about to witness in the refurbished Victoria Palace Theatre. And when the lights went off at exactly 7:30pm on Saturday, 30th of January, 2017, the atmosphere changed and captured me instantly. People already started clapping, before the usual announcement of switching phones of and not taking pictures was made by King George, saying it was “strictly prohibited in HIS show”. Then the show finally started and my view on theatre changed forever.

I have never witnessed such a mesmerized and electric audience as I did that night. The moment that Jamael Westman, who plays the eponymous hero, “Alexander Hamilton”, first opened his mouth with his first line, which is just his name, the entire audience erupted into a massive cheering and applause for the first of many, many times, and I instantly knew this would be an evening I’d never forget. After every number, and even in the middle of it (e.g. when Lafayette and Hamilton go “Immigrants, we get the job done!”), everybody in that theatre erupted into a loud cheer and applause that lasted for as long as when the next number had already started. Normally, I would be greatly annoyed by that, but in this case, it made the night even more magical.

The stage itself was made up simple, but beautifully, with a setting that fits it perfectly, and the fact that the people behind the curtains and made-up walls are capable to do so many different things with it is fascinating. I especially loved the circular plate inside the middle of the stage that turns around a couple of time, making whatever scene is played even more effectively and with more meaning than it already does anyway (e.g. the beginning scene of “Satisfied”). There are not many special effects like in other shows, but the few ones that are there are perfectly well-placed, like spotlights lighting up in bright red to indicate gunshots. All in all, it all harmonizes even better than you’d expect it at the beginning of a show’s run somewhere.

And of course – the CAST. Although there are not really any words that’ll do any of them justice, there are a few things about some of them that have to be said:

Jamael Westman – “Alexander Hamilton”
It might have been the role I was most scared about, because, having basically not listened to anything else for months, the voice of Lin-Manuel Miranda has been branded inside my ear and brain so much, it was really hard to think that it wouldn’t be him on that stage now, and that caused me some concern as to whether I’d like it. So basically, it was do or die from the first moment he opens his mouth.
And boy, did he deliver! The thing about Jamael is, he doesn’t play Hamilton the way I imagine (and have seen in some videos) Lin playing it – he plays him less confident at the beginning, like some sort of shy schoolboy, which is, if I’m honest, the only RIGHT way to play him. Hamilton comes to the USA all alone, father gone, mother dead, and has no idea what life has in store for him in this New World. He dips his toes in at first, but then when it comes to “My Shot”, his first bigger part, where his rapping skills are important, he completely steps right into Lin-Manuel Miranda’s shoes and makes this role his own. Jamael does not try to be Lin, instead, he gives it his all, even makes some slight changes in intonation to prove to the audience that he is the rightful Hamilton. And though, of course, at this early stage of the West End show, he’s not perfect yet, he still is damn near perfect. Even his costume and all-over looks basically scream that he has earned this role, and that he deserves it. And from what I have seen that first time, the future has great things in store for Jamael, he’s going to be a star.

Sifiso Mazibuko – “Aaron Burr”
Fun fact: when he stepped on stage as soon as the show began with the song “Alexander Hamilton”, I noticed instantly that he wasn’t the main Burr, but the Standby, but just given his facial expressions, the way he carries himself, for me, he is perfect for that role. He has an amazing presence on stage, and he delivers his lines, all of his scenes, with such an air of authority that you’d expect for someone like Burr, a politician with a lot of influence. And on the other hand, when it comes to him singing “Dear Theodosia” or his famous but fatal duel against Hamilton, the audience gets to see another Burr, another Sifiso – a quieter one, a serious one, who also manages to hit the silent notes with such force as he does with the loud ones. The song “Non-Stop” has been my favourite one of the Broadway Cast Recording, because of the sound of Leslie Odom Jr.’s voice (the US Burr), the way he hits his notes in perfection, and Sifiso Mazibuko did a damn good job and making me love that last scene of Act 1 as much as I love the original song. And aside from the stage, he’s such a gentle, shy and humble man.

Cleve September – “John Laurens”/”Philip Hamilton”
Probably the guy I was most excited about, after being in touch with him on twitter for the past couple of months; and he definitely did fulfill my expectations and exceeded them even more.
First of all – that guy plays TWO main roles, one in Act 1, the other in Act 2, and he does it with so much passion and love for that role, which you see in every moment he does something on stage, even if it is just smiling in the background. He also looks so cute and shy, but when he comes out on stage, he belts his note as if his life depended on it, and boy, does he have a voice inside this tiny body! I also don’t know whether I should be more impressed or scared as to how versatile it is, as both of his roles are completely different from each other – one a man in war, the other a boy, wanting to be like his father. Needless to say, the rap music going on in this show was made for him, he’s in his element, and he draws the audience in the moment he sets foot on stage – and together with Tarinn Callender (“Hercules Mulligan”/James Madison”), they are the perfect match. They are dorky, they are bossy, they are MEN in their prime, and you can’t help but ride along on their wave of “easy-going-ness”. Oh, and off stage? Cutest and loveliest guy ever. He knows where he comes from, and he never takes for granted what he has achieved so far, but works hard to keep doing what he loves. A real inspiration.

Rachelle Ann Go – “Eliza Hamilton”
I knew Rachelle from a supporting role in “Miss Saigon” two years earlier, so I was excited to see her in the lead this time. Although she was the only one who did not draw me in a 100%, she sure as hell has an amazing voice that sounds near perfect, and I am sure that if “Hamilton” was an opera, she could also pull her part off as easily. Through the entire show, she has some sort of cold air around her, but whenever she was on stage with Jamael Westman, she turned into that small girl that is head over heels for this man and can’t believe she’s lucky enough to have him. Until, that is, her heart is being broken, and she turns into a betrayed wife, bitter with disappointment and loss. Despite its silent music, the way she delivers “Burn” in Act 2 is powerful, and Rachelle makes one feel as if it was you who’s in her situation. And over all of this, she still wears Eliza Hamilton as if she’s above everything; that no matter what is being thrown at her, she accepts it with pride and dignity.

Rachel John – “Angelica Schuyler”
That woman…WOW. I’ve now known her for over 5 years, or rather, her talent, and she still outdoes everything I’ve seen from her. Her Angelica Schuyler is so much different from her “Meat” in “We Will Rock You” a couple of years ago, but in a damn good way. The moment during “Schuyler Sisters” she first opened her mouth, I knew this was going to be good, and then “Satisfied” happened. It is one of my favourite songs on the album, but Rachel exceeded any expectations I had when I heard she would be playing that role, and I might even go so far as to say she is the one I like better than Renée Elise Goldsberry, who originated the role on Broadway, because she has so much more power and strength in her voice, and she also has such a confidence within her that is astounding. And her rap-part during “Satisfied” – I bow down. Rapping isn’t easy at the best of times, but in that tempo and style, Rachel is mindblowing. And right now, I don’t even know if there is anything that woman can’t do?

Michael Jibson – “King George”
Maybe the biggest shoes to fill in from Jonathan Groff, who originally played that role on Broadway, and maybe the one that the audience I sat in that evening loved the most. The moment his first tune, “You’ll Be Back”, came on, the audience erupted into applause and cheering, and rightly so. It’s fun to see how Michael “evolves” in his role during his three Solos, from a tight-up King who barely moves on stage, just screams at the audience and threatens them (all part of the role, obviously), into someone who, at the end of “I Know Him”, sits there, tapping his feet, grinning like a schoolboy on Christmas. Michael definitely had everybody in the room in the palm of his hands, and although, because he’s not American, he maybe can’t play a british King with VERY exaggerated mockery, the way Groff did on Broadway, Michael still manages to have the audience in tears of laughter with just his facial expressions or gestures. And maybe because of that exact reason, he understands better which way of mocking works best with a british audience, and his timing was flawless in every aspect. You know, when you hate and love a role at the same time, that the person playing it is a damn good actor, so hat’s off, Mr. Jibson.

Jason Pennycooke – “Marquis de Lafayette”/”Thomas Jefferson”
Next to Cleve September and Tarinn Callender, the 3rd person with 2 main roles in both Acts, and he might be my highlight of the show.
First of all, his Lafayette – what a hilarious and perfectly mocking french accent! I don’t like neither the french language nor french people (I experienced them to be arrogant at the most of times), so it was delightful to watch Jason on stage being in that role. He not only has the acting skills for it, but also an entire repertoire of facial expressions to prove it. More than once, the audience almost screamed with laughter, especially during his solo, “What’d I Miss” at the beginning of Act 2, where he’s playing Jefferson – definitely one of my favourite scenes of the entire show, where he not only proves he can sing, but also dance like a young God! What is also impressing is that although most scenes in Act 2 are difficult and serious, Jason always manages to lighten up the mood in the audience, with tiny gestures or facial expressions, without making fun of the importance of a scene. You know he’s not Hamilton’s best friend at some point, but you can’t help but love him for the person behind the role, who, off stage, is such a lovely person who appreciates each and everyone of the people who come to see him…I mean….look at that face!

Obioma Ugoala – “George Washington”
Maybe the one role I did not actually know what to expect from, and one of which I was most impressed by. When Obioma came on stage, he WAS George Washington, even if I obviously didn’t know the guy personally. He carried with him such an air of sheer force and confidence on the verge of arrogance, just the way you think a leader should behave. And his voice…wow. It has an amazing power in it, and in “Guns And Ships”, it seems like he sings as if his life depends on it, which is fitting for the situation his character is in during that song. It sure isn’t easy to step in the shoes of Christopher Jackson, the Broadway Washington, but, just like Jamael Westman did with Hamilton, Obioma Ugoala made this role HIS role. He basically sets foot on stage, shouting “Here I am! I am the only President Washington that will now matter to you!” and you’re captured by his presence from beginning to end. “One Last Time” had a special place in my heart for a very long time now, and when the song finally came on, I couldn’t wait to hear the end of it, where Washington sings high and long notes…and I can only say my expectations were truly more than fulfilled, I might’ve even had some tears in the corners of my eyes. Obioma did that certain song more than justice.

So, all in all, what was “Hamilton” to me? Did it fulfill my expectations? Was it worth the wait? Was it worth its money?

Hell yes, it was, and so much more. I sat there, silently sang through every single song, with every single word, which, mostly, I know by heart now. I have never felt so electrified during a theatre performance since “Carrie” at the Southwark Playhouse in May 2015. I have never felt like I wanted to talk about what it was like with someone, but not finding any words to say. And this time, it was not even the songs, which are a huge part of a Musical, no. This time, it was the entire Cast who outdid themselves, and the atmosphere inside the audience that carried one along with it, like it or not. I have never experienced such a breathtaking audience in my life, and boy, did I like it. And I hope I get to go back for a 2nd time this summer.

“Hamilton – An American Musical” has well and truly arrived in the Londoner West End.

Chapeau.

Harry Potter And The Cursed Child – Palace Theatre – 09.04.2017

Well…I remember laughing at my best friend when she got ticket for this show in October 2015. I remember thinking “Seriously?”, like it would be totally out of sorts to get tickets for something one and a half year in advance.
Funny, that, as nowadays, each and every single show until May 2017 is completely sold out and the next batch of tickets is being released in 2 weeks for three more months (May 2018 – July 2018). And ever since I booked tickets for “Hamilton”, I now know NOT to laugh about booking ages in advance. Especially after I’ve seen this show last weekend.

But let me start.

I’ve never been a huge Potter-Fan. Sure, I read the books, and I thoroughly enjoyed them, and I also still think that Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson & Rupert Grint were the perfect choice for Harry, Hermione & Ron. But somehow, the movies never gripped me as tight as the books; I remember sitting through the last 200 pages of “Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows”, bawling my eyes out over the brilliance with what those last few pages have been written, with how much suspense and emotion they were put down to paper…and then sitting halfway through the “Deathly Hallows Part 2” movie, thinking: “What a load of crap, that end. Too rushed. Too very different from the heartbreaking suspense in the book. Did they even read it?” From that moment it was clear that I would never be a, as you call them, “Potterhead”.

But the play, it intrigued me, if only for the fact that information about it before it opened was scarce, and even when the previews started, it was all kept totally secret, people not being allowed to bring their phones or to say anything about it at all. It’s like being something forbidden, something you need to wait really long for to really deserve it. It seemed like the best-kept secret in the West End, and all this time, until last sunday, I didn’t really hear anything about it that could give something away and somewhat ruin my experience when I finally got to see both parts, thanks to my sister’s friend giving me her tickets as she couldn’t attend her planned weekend in London, so I could come all the way down to see it from Germany. (I LOVE her for that, btw).  So here goes the actual review.

First surprise when I got in: half of our Cast were Understudy – instead of Jamie Parker as Harry, we had Stuart Ramsay, our Hermione was Alexa Nicolas instead of Noma Dumezweni, and Scorpius Malfoy was played by James LeLacheur, not Anthony Boyle. At first, it was a small downer, as naturally, you’d hope for the complete first Cast; but, knowing the theatre business, you can’t always have that, and sometimes, the show you’re seeing turns out to be even better with the Understudies….and boy, THAT show was proof of HOW much better it was.

2nd surprise: the stage wasn’t covered up. On the contrary; after each interval, the scenery on stage changed and looked different. Especially the one after Part 1, or rather, when you come back in for the 1st Act of Part 2, was amazing. I’m always a friend of the darker sceneries, to be honest.

Now, the much praised effects. I knew that “Harry Potter And The Cursed Child” had some technical doings and standards that none other show on the West End had ever done before – which was probably the biggest reason why I was so intrigued: everybody talked about how they used new techniques, left the audience in awe with things you just can’t explain how they happened. And to be fair: I DON’T even want to know how they work, because to me, that takes away a bit of the magic, you know? But I also have to be fair when I say that I thought theere would be more effects in it than what I saw on stage. I do not want to diminish this amazing piece of theatre in any way, that is just my opinion; and I guess having such high expectations about those effects made me a bit biased. BUT the end of Part 1 ALONE made everything SO much worthwhile. Never did I have that kind of goosebumps sitting in my seat than in that moment when the end of Part 1 began and ended. I won’t say anything about it, but I BEG you, if you can, go and see it for yourself. It will be all you could hope for and more. I would pay an entire ticket simply to watch that part of the show over and over again. Stunning.

The music itself is not the same as in the movies – so if you go and see the show for that reason, too, be prepared to hear different music. Still, whenever it played, it smoothly fit the situation, and I loved how they used different scenes to fill the gaps, and even if pieces were used more than once, you don’t notice it, because the scenes always change and you’re so totally caught in the new ones that you just can’t be bothered to even think about it.

And now…the actors. WOW. There simply are not enough words to praise them enough, but I will try my best to write down what I thought and still think of them in a heap of awe, whenever I think back on sunday night. And you’ve been warned: those opinions are very biased and VERY objective, they’re solely mine and nobody has to agree, of course.

Alex Price (Draco Malfoy)

I have to admit, I’m a bit in love with him and his acting. His Draco is…just out of this world. The entire time as you sit there, watching him displaying one of the most breathtaking performances of emotion, wit, confusion, anger & even heartbreak, which is so unlike the Draco Malfoy everybody knows, you keep thinking: “God, Lucius Malfoy/Jason Isaacs, you damn genius”, only to realize that he is indeed Draco as a grown-up, NOT Lucius. I can’t praise him enough, really, because he was just perfectness in any way possible. There is no way he does not convince you that he means every single word that comes out of his mouth and every emotional despair he displays while on that stage. I also loved how the directors began the relationship between grown-up Draco and Ron Weasley right where the books and the movies left off: with digs, teasing and insulting by both sides, just like you would imagine them still to bicker after all those years. Especially towards the end, when Ron has an idea how to defeat (…), Draco’s/Alex’ reaction is beyond priceless, I still grin when I think about that scene, because it’s so somewhat adorably boyish and un-Draco-like. Or the scene where he utters a very dry “Mua. Ha. Ha.” towards Harry/Stuart and Stuart can’t help but desperately try to stop laughing. This constant switch between the serious, sometimes even desperate Draco and the one with the dry humor, trying to fit in with the others – to me, that comes very close to perfection.
Oh, and Alex as a person outside the theatre? Wonderful. So absolutely kind, patient and down to earth…you could see the pride in his eyes when you told him how he is so good he makes you forget WHO he actually is on stage – Draco or Lucius Malfoy -, and that Jason Isaacs himself (the guy who played Lucius Malfoy in the movies) saw the play and thought almost the same.
AND ALEX’ PERFUME…I am sorry, I know I’m a very creepy person now, but I can’t help it, I am absolutely obsessed with it. Ever since sunday, I can’t get it out of my head/nose and really want to find out its name so I can get it for a friend’s birthday, who I KNOW would love it.
So if you get the chance to see the show and Alex in it before Cast Change Day on May 21st, I advise you to go, because you’ll barely see anything more convincing that this man being a Malfoy.

Stuart Ramsay (Harry Potter – Understudy)

Stuart. Wow. Turns out this was his last show as Harry, and boy, was he a convincing piece of theatre. You buy into his struggle as a father of three, especially regarding his relationship with Albus, as if it’s a real family tragic right there, not some play on a stage, because his talent is a real pleasure to watch. The second he set foot on stage, forgotten was my thought what a pity it was I would now never get to see Jamie Parker being Harry, because Stuart definitely owned that stage. I still remember vividvdly how his gestures and mimics looked like he was in a real life situation, now some staged conversation with his acting colleagues. Especially his interaction with Sam Clemmett as Albus was a dream to watch…it was like standing in their living room, feeling awkward to witness a fight between father and son – in a very pleasing and heartwarming way, if that makes sense. It definitely looked like Stuart and Sam shared a real father/son bond there.
Moreover, one of my favourite things was when Draco/Alex came up to him in one scene, talking about how soon, Harry’s office at the ministry of magic might be Draco’s, ending with a VERY dry “Mua.Ha.Ha.”, and Stuart first starting to grin and then trying very unsuccessfully to hide and stifle a laugh. I loved it, and so did everyone else in the audience, gauging from their reaction.
And adding to that, Stuart is such a sweetheart; kind, humble and appreciating in any way possible. My friend and I even chatted to him about how he stayed in Germany (Hamburg) for 6 months a couple of years back, doing “Oh What A Night” at the Opererrenhaus, then “Foley” and other stuff. He also still manages a few german words, which endeared us even more to him.
I wish him all the best for whatever the future has now in store for him after Cast Change, and that he will come even further than he has already come so far – he deserves it so much.

Paul Thornley (Ron Weasley)

Close your eyes and picture the one and only person capable of pulling off being Ron Weasley on stage. Open your eyes again and look at Paul Thornley’s face. You’re welcome.
You always wondered how Ron was displayed perfectly, regarding his character in the books and the movies? Take Paul Thornley and you don’t need anything or anybody else. If I ever would have to think about how I wanted Ron to be on stage, I would not be able to stop swooning over Paul…not that I can since sunday night, anyways. There are not enough words to tell how magically perfect is, just like I always pictured him in my head. Adding to that his constant bickering with Draco Malfoy aka Alex Price and you have the stage “enemies” of your dreams. It feels difficult and somewhat wrong to try to find the right words here to do him real justice for the flawless job he does on the stage of that play, really, because it’s all in those tiny little things he pulls off on stage. Like his grinning whenever he’s faced the fact he owns a joke shop while his wife is the head of the magical ministry, the way he lightens up the stage when he steps foot on it, because you just know that whatever will come out of his mouth will be so…RON, so RUPERT GRINT. The way he lets his character being transformed back into his teenager self whenever he’s greeted by Draco Malfoy, how he is able to hop between that and his grown-up self, the family father, the caring, loving partner and friend who would do everything for his loved ones…it’s like seeing one of your favourite book/movie character being brought to life right in front of you. I keep repeating myself, so I am sorry, but unless you ever get or got to see it with your own eyes, you probably can’t grasp why I am so in a loss for words.
Apart from that, he’s one of the nicest and most calm West End Actors I ever got the chance to say Hi to. If you never got to watch him being a Weasley, you definitely miss out on something big there.

Nicola Alexis (Hermione – Understudy)

In my opinion, Nicola as Hermione is SUCH a better fit than Noma, who just looks so much older than her counterparts Harry & Ron (Jamie Parker & Paul Thornley). Her acting was beyond convincing, and I couldn’t have imagined or wished for a better 1st Hermione if I did. Especially the bossing around of Draco and the air of authority around her is wonderful to watch. I think it’s fair to say that the way the directors have written the role of Hermione, it’s the closest it could get to the actual Hermione as she was in the books and the movies, fierce and not accepting any bulls*** around her. Considering Nicola’s sweet face and her kind character off stage, it’s hard to believe that this lovely woman is playing the minister of magic on stage every now and then!

James LeLacheur (Scorpius Malfoy – Understudy)

James…words can’t express him in this role. Like…picture perfection when trying to tranform an amiable character from a book into an actual person on stage, and there you have James.
I fell in love with Scorpius when reading the book, in the instant he first shows up on the Hogwarts Express, and I fell in love with James’ way of displaying him on stage. It’s an absolute pleasure and honour to watch him doing his thing, being silly, desperate, sad, angry and happy. You forget there is an actual person underneath that peroxide blonde hair and costume, because his acting pulls you right into the world of magical wizardry. He makes watching the Play even more worthwhile, and he definitely was my highlight next to Alex Price, with whom he does not have as many interactions as with, say Sam Clemmett as Albus Potter (naturally), but any of the few of them are quite intense and make you heart ache all over for Scorpius; struggling with all the rumors surrounding his family and him, the resentment from everybody, wishing for a Happy End between him and his hard-hearted father. And especially his dorky, weird side was one of my favourite things on stage that night, because he makes everybody in the audience feel like they are him: a dorky teenager trying to fit in, not making too much of a fuss about himself. At least that’s how I saw it.
And outside the theatre, it’s safe to say that James is the exact same kind of person that you left up on that stage at curtain call – and in just the same adorable, lovely kind of way that you just can’t help liking him. I know he’s leaving after Cast Change, which, in my opinion, is THE biggest loss that show can have, because I honestly somewhat doubt even the principal Cast (Anthony Boyle) would be able to “whoo” me the way James did.

Sam Clemmett (Albus Potter)

(Firstly, I sadly didn’t get to say Hi to him; the moment he came out the theatre, he was already gone and when he went back inside and passed me again, I was somewhere else with my thoughts. Bummer.)
Sam Clemmett…what can you say about this young man to do his massive talent any justice? I am beyond happy I got to see his Albus as my first one, because his expression and gestures were absolutely phenomenal, there is no other word for it. When you see him strut over that stage, standing in his “bedroom”, face-off with his father Harry (Stuart Ramsay), and you just…BELIEVE the emotions shooting out of his mouth and eyes. He makes you want to storm onto the stage and hug him, tell him how you understand him and his struggles, how he is not as alone in this world as he believes with being the son of the legendary “Boy Who Lived”. And you also feel the wish to slap him whenever he screams at Harry, when he tells him he wishes his father was dead. There are so many conflicting emotions, and Sam takes you on his journey, juggling between those emotions, never really letting you take a deep enough breath before another mayhem starts. I have rarely seen such a young man/actor having such a tremendous talent when it comes to facial expressions, gestures and emotions. I know Sam may still be young, but he definitely has a bright future ahead of him.

Poppy Miller (Ginny Potter)

Poppy was one of the biggest changes for me; I still remember Bonnie Wright from the movies, the beautiful, shy, redhead who had to fight her way through childhood against 6 brothers. And I absolutely adored the way the writers have created “Stage-Ginny”! Barely have I seen such a fierce and strong character who makes even the strongest, most serious men (aka Draco Malfoy/Alex Price) almost weep and crawl back into themselves. Poppy gives the audience the kind of Bonnie I think a lot of women can identify with, independent, stubborn even, and at the same time, a loving mother and wife who puts her family and loved ones first – and being very convincing at it.

Esther Smith (Delphi Diggory)

(1st picture courtesy of the official twitter of @esthervonsmith!)
Esther…Delphi. Jesus Christ. I am not going to say a lot so as to not give out any spoilers in case you plan on seeing the Play and haven’t read the book/script yet, only that much: the border between love and hate with this character is SO thin it’s barely existent.
The moment Esther/Delphi shows up on stage, she just captivates you with her bouncy, funny character. And even when the Play moves along, turning right onto the “Uh-Oh” lane to doom, you can’t help but admiring the way Esther does her thing on stage. The way she uses words and expressions, her intonations, her interactions with Albus & Scorpius (in this case, Sam & James)…it gave me chills and the creeps at the same time. I was sheer blown away by such a diversive talent in that young woman and really wished I would’ve had the chance to tell her so in person, if I wouldn’t have been so preoccupied and crap with recognizing some faces. So whatever you do, I advise you to catch her as Delphi as long as you can, she’s out of this world!

So…”Harry Potter And The Curse Child” at the Palace Theatre, London. One of the biggest and most amazing surprises I ever had the honour to witness on a stage, with an extraordinary cast that has a variety of phenomenal talents and wonderful personalities off stage, a technical standard that so far is not achieved anywhere else on the West End yet, and a storyline that has so much more potential than what some people give it credit for.

I will definitely try everything to get another ticket when the next batch is being released soon, to hopefully be swept off my feet again, even by not the same amazing Cast I had this first time.

THANK YOU, Alex, Stuart, Paul, Nicola, James, Poppy, Esther, Sam and everyone else. You made this a very special theatre experience for me. And whatever you’re going to do next, I’m wishing you all the best in the world, from the bottom of my heart.

Carrie – Southwark Playhouse 16.05.15

A – for me – long anticipated piece of musical theatre. And, as one of the biggest Stephen King fans I ever came across, a must-see. I loved the book, and the movie is one of the scariest I can remember. So right from the beginning, it had a lot of expectations to fulfil for me. From the day it opened, the reviews I saw were raving about the show, had nothing but praise for it’s display, it’s actors, it’s songs…safe to say I was beyond excited.

The moment I came into the room where the stage was, the atmosphere had instantly captured me completely.

It was a very small, intimate room with not much seating, and the stage was set right in the middle, with no barriers anywhere – you could stumble and would be slap bang the center of attention. The surroundings were perfectly chosen: creepy sounds, like the whistling of the wind, creaking doors and whatnot surrounded the audience while they waited for the show to start. What was clear right from the start for me that due to the proximity to the stage and the play, it would be very easy for the ones close to the first two rows to really feel with everyone on stage, to feel even more captured and personally involved.

The show itself…what can I say that hasn’t already been said enough? It was brilliant. Absolutely mindblowingly, breathtakingly brilliant. What Gary Lloyd and his team have done out of the book and the movie left me absolutely speechless. The choice of songs that have been created – beautiful. “In”, right the first song at the opening of the show – it has such an immense power inside, the vocals carry you along with them, and their message tells you about teenagers with the fear of an unknown future. “Carrie”, the title song which has vocals that leave you in complete awe – power and heart in one song, all displayed by one of the most stunning voices.  “Once You See” & “Dreamer In Disguise”, two very short but deeply touching ballads who bring out the best in the two singer’s vocals. “Eve Was Weak”, a song that starts slowly and soon turns into a religious and “brutal” piece of music that doesn’t leave you even afterwards because it gets easily stuck in your head. “Unsuspecting Hearts”, which, for me, is one of the most powerful and beautiful ballads ever written for and sung in a musical – not only because of it’s message behind it, but mostly because of the person singing it, giving it not only a voice, but their heart, their everything. These songs, even the more scary ones, all in their own way blow life into the play like nothing else could, except for the actors, of course. They give the characters a voice even if there’s nothing to say. Which brings us to the biggest subject: THE ACTORS.

There’s no doubt that actors make a show/play their own by their acting and singing. There is the stage set, the music, the costumes, but when it comes to it, a show is nothing with its actors. And to be honest, Gary Lloyd did a hell of a job choosing THE perfect Cast for “Carrie”:

Evelyn Hoskins (Carrie White):
What can you say about her without feeling you haven’t said enough? That girl IS Carrie. It’s like she was born to play this role. When news got out who had gotten the role, it was clear that she would have massive shoes to fill – what with Sissy Spacek being Carrie for most people when they heard the name of the book/movie. But the shoes Evelyn has now put on are – in my unpopular opinion – way bigger than anyone could’ve filled them. She outdid herself, completely. Her talent is breathtaking, and her “Carrie” solo was something out of this world. She can hold notes like no one else, and in each of them, no matter how deep or high she has to go, the audience can hear her heart pouring out; everyone around feels that she gives that role and song her absolute everything. Her display of that scared, insecure, bullied young girl who turns into an uncontrolled killing machine was something that was much anticipated by me. If you have read the book as much as I did, you have a certain attitude towards her, and to be honest, I never had such a big compassion for Carrie while reading the story. There was always something that sort of repelled me, as if Stephen King didn’t want his readers to like Carrie. And even with Sissy Spacek I had my difficulties. But seeing Evelyn being Carrie – the instant she stepped foot on stage, head bowed, arms crossed over her books in front of her chest – I felt a rush of sympathy for that poor young girl. There was even some slight comedic talent in that otherwise very serious and sad role, like when Tommy Ross asks Carrie out. Evelyn Hoskins manages to draw the audience even more into all that High School life thing than she already did with just…being there. Her eyes may not be as scary as Sissy Spaceks, but there is a hell of a lot more depth in them.

Sarah McNicholas (Sue Snell):
Sue definitely is a character who one can have a very dichotomous opinion about. On the one hand, she takes part in all the bullying of Carrie in the beginning, but very soon, you realize who hard she fights with her better judgement inside. Sarah McNicholas did that in a way that left me in complete awe. You take one look at her and you know she’s not like all the other teenage girls; she’s a sensitive, caring and loving young woman who just hasn’t found her place in life yet, who desperately wants to fit in where it’s right to. Her solo, “Once You See” , that she sings right after she tries to talk to Carrie and is harshly pushed away, is truly emotional, and the vocals Sarah shows the audience are nothing but beautiful, because there is no doubt that she puts all her heart in what she does on that stage. She’s torn inside and with her performance, she lets every last audience member feel that inner conflict, makes everybody suddenly feel sorry for her – at least that was what was going on inside of me. I wanted to rush onto the stage and hug her, tell her she doesn’t need someone like Chris Hargensen to find the right place in life. The most intense thing about Sarah and her display of Sue was without a doubt her last scene with Evelyn/Carrie. For minutes, she cradles her, crying and sobbing, while the music starts playing again and the rest of the Cast sings the last song. If nothing else, that is definitely the one thing drawing the viewer in, letting them feel as if all of this was real, as if the entire show was more than just that – show.

Greg Miller-Burns (Tommy Ross):
Star of the football team, most popular guy in High School, gorgeous, intelligent – practically the dream guy of any girl in school. And here’s the biggest difference for me: Greg made Tommy seem way more human than how he was in the book or the movie. Right from the beginning, when his classmates tease Carrie after school, he goes up to her and gives her a sort of pep talk (“Hey, don’t listen to those clowns. They’re just messing around.”) And without a doubt – you buy it. You buy it that Greg is absolutely serious about that, that he truly believes that all of the teasing and bullying is just the joke of immature High School pupils. He has dreams, is a talented poem writer and so atypical to how you’d imagine him, and, to be honest, how I remembered Tommy to be. Greg makes the audience feel like they could trust him with whatever is heavy on their heart; and whenever Evelyn and him are on stage together, you feel the tension coming from Evelyn – she wants to believe as much as the next person that not everybody is bad, that there is hope somewhere, and that Greg/Tommy provides this hope. The way he and Sarah/Sue play together is very warm and heartfelt, a more than convincing relationship. You almost think that at the end of the show, they’ll leave the stage together, hands intertwined. His short solo, “Dreamer In Disguise”, just gives a hint of what he can do with his voice, the vocals he is capable of. They say actions speak louder than words, and in that special case, his vocals in this song and the look in his eyes whenever he talks to Sue or Carrie scream of warmth and love for the ones close to him and the ones who can’t defend himself. In my opinion, the audience can’t help but absolutely adore him like the High School Boy he plays.

Gabriella Williamson (Chris Hargensen):
Talking abouz intensity – WOW. Maybe the (for me) most anticipated role beside Carrie. You read the book – you hate her. You watch the movie – she absolutely makes your blood boil. You watch the play – you want to skin her alive (in a good way, I promise). Gabriella is probably THE new big star the West End has brought upon. I don’t even know where to start. Her enunciation and intonation are – BY FAR – the best ones I have heard in a very long time, maybe ever. The mocking undercurrent whenever she faces her teacher, Miss Gardner, or talks badly about Carrie behind her back (or to her face, for that matter) is exactly how most people would imagine a a very spoiled little brat who is used to get everything she wants to talk. And the evil within, that the character Chris has never hidden – holy mother, it’s like Gabriella has sucked it up with mother’s milk to prepare herself for that role for her entire life. I have never seen someone on stage who has such comprehensive aura, who is able to draw someone in in an instant, with nothing but a roll of her eyes or a change in intonation, who has such an intensity in everything she says or does. The scene just before the girls are pushed to apologize to Carrie for their mockery in the shower the day before is the best perfect for that: Miss Gardner gives them an ultimatum, and when Chris realizes that her best friend, Sue, isn’t being drawn in by her anymore, she loses it (“Why are you taking her side?” – “Well well, aren’t you getting to be the Joan of Arc around here…oh, wait, remind me: who was that in there, pitching with the rest of us?” – “Oh  God, you’re sorry! Oh, Little Miss Perfect is sorry!” Only to break out into a short childish chant to try and seem superior) – probably one of the most intense moments this play had managed  to built up. And it takes a hell of a lot talent to display such a horrible character as Chris Hargensen in such a convincing way that you sit there and can’t help but admire her, want to be like her, despite her terrible nature. The casting director did an amazing job with chosing the Cast for all the roles, but that one – if I could, I’d give him an Oscar for that. Right along with Gabriella.

Jodie Jacobs (Miss Gardner):
Knowing Jodie from an earlier production, it was a very exciting thing to see her in something so asbolutely different from the 80’s Hippie she played in “Rock Of Ages”. And yes, she totally blew me away. As I already mentioned, I know the book, it’s one of my favourites. And just a few days back, I started reading it once again, and I realized how different Jodie’s Miss Gardner was from the one in the book (who had a different name, too). But it wasn’t a bad thing; in fact, it was the best thing that could’ve happened. The Miss Gardner in the book is pretty rough and harsh and not really someone you could feel any sympathy for. In fact, you want to shove her off the same cliffs that you’d shove Chris Hargensen down. But Jodie gave Miss Gardner warmth, heart and life. If you know Jodie, you know how much that role means to her, and there is not a doubt in the world that it’s the truth; she puts all her heart and emotions in every single scene, word and note. Her song with Evelyn Hoskins/Carrie, “Unsuspecting Hearts” – I have absolutely no words for that. She kills that song, her vocals are flawless, and together with Evelyn, you get the feeling they sing together for years instead for just a few weeks. And despite the overall horror theme of the play, it gives you an emotional heartbreak because Jodie’s display of Miss Gardner makes you feel like you’re Carrie, like you’re the one in desperate need of a friend, of love and appreciation. And she makes you feel sorry for her, because you want to help her help Carrie; you wish for her to be a real person, someone who really exists out there and who is there for all the weak and bullied and lonely people/teenager out there. If there ever has been a mother figure out there, it’s Miss Gardner in that play. And the fact that if you know the book, she’s not totally supposed to be that sort of very heartfelt woman makes it even more convincing and touching as it already is. So much that I can say: a gym teacher made me cry my heart out and I am very happy about that.

Dex Lee (Billy Nolan):
From the books, I had the impression and the imagination of Billy that he is crazy. Not just crazy, but absolutely insane. You just HAVE to be insane if you go and slaughter an innocent pig just because you want to pull a bad prank on one of your classmates, right? What Dex did was giving Billy a bit more human side; a teenager who’s just got too much testosterone, who has no clear view of his future and only cares about the next party. Dex also gave Billy a comedic side, like, when he topples over in his chair in a very serious moment. He doesn’t make the audience as scared as you might expect from knowing the movie, or especially the book, but despite his nature, there’s something about him that fits perfectly to Billy. And at the end, his jokes, puns and comedic timing even leaves a tiny spot open for you to actually sort of like him.

Kim Criswell (Margaret White):
The crazy, religious mother of Carrie, who raised her child far away from what most people would call “normal”. Kim Criswell is a goddess as Carrie’s mother. The evil within that she shows the moment Carrie opens up to her about her first period, the change from the kind, loving mother into the murderous God-worshipping lady – definitely one of the scariest changes and things such an intimate play can offer its audience. Her vocals are not from this world, and her songs – “Evening Prayers”, “And Eve Was Weak” and “I Remember How Those Boys Could Dance” are so similar and at the same time so absolutely different; Kim gives the audience every facet of her talent, no vocal sound like the next one, and she’s as convincing with her display of the role as anybody could ever be.

The rest of the Cast – Molly McGuire as Norma, Bobbie Little as Frieda, Emily McGougan as Helen, Eddie Myles as Freddy, Olly Dobson as Dale “Stokes”  & Patrick Sullivan as George – each and every single one of them were absolutely breathtaking. Considering that for most of them, “Carrie” is their first professional role in Musical Theatre or Theatre at all, it’s one of the most impressive things. I think Gary Lloyd and his team were very blessed when they found this bunch for their production; young, energetic and positive young people with their dreams all in front of them, and they get such an amazing chance to prove how mindblowingly talented every single one of them is. It fills my heart with warmth and love to still see and read all the raving reviews about the show and its Cast.

Hearing that most of the performances, and especially the last few ones, were completely sold out, just confirms what I, personally, thought and still think of the show: it’s one of the best pieces of Musical Theatre that the West End has brought upon in a long time, with songs that get stuck in your head instantly, and a story, set and Cast that just don’t let you go even weeks after you’ve seen it.

THAT’S what Musical Theatre and Plays are made for. For this kind of unforgettable experience.

THANK YOU, Carrie.

Any Way The Wind Blows…

May 31st, 2014. The day an era of 12 years at the Dominion Theatre ends, and after that day, neither Tottenham Court Rd. nor London itself will ever be the same.

I have been thinking long about whether I should do this post. I don’t want to sound like my life is ending now that my favourite show of all times is sadly closing. I don’t want to tell anybody out there that it has majorly changed my life or changed it at all, for that matter, because that would be a lie. It’s just going to be my personal way of saying Goodbye to something that means a hell of a lot to me.

I remember the first time ever that I watched the show. It was January, 13th, 2008. Cologne, Germany. Originally, I only went to see this show because I got 2 tickets for a former friend’s birthday 10 days before. She had spoken about it months earlier, and although I always had some kind of soft spot for some of the Queen songs, I never gave it much thought or even planned to go and see it, mainly because at that time, I had nothing to do with musical theatre at all. I was 22 years old, and I couldn’t think of anything more boring than paying to watch people dancing and singing on a stage.

Safe to say that this birthday gift was the best idea I had ever had.

The moment the show started at the Musical Dome, I was sucked inside. “Innuendo” has always had a very special meaning to me since that day, because whenever I hear it, goosebumps are everything I’m made of. I remember when “Radio GaGa” started a few minutes later, and I thought: “I love this shit.” And I do until this day forward. I don’t even know or remember the Cast we had back then, but I know they had a huge impact on the fact I fell in love with this show from the get go (although I was as far away as you could be on your first ever musical from knowing what a “Stage Door” was or that you could actually meet the actors after the show).

Years passed by where I completely forgot about it. My life went on, friends came, friends left. Then I met a certain person online, Kim, who today is one of my best friends. We became friends over the fact that we were both crazy “Supernatural” fans (nothing crazy about that anymore) and went to the same Convention hosting actors of the show in 2011. But what I only discovered later was that Kim was the biggest musical theatre fan I had ever met. I always saw her pictures of shows, “Cats”, “Tarzan”, “Rocky Horror Show”…and I have no idea how it happened, she somehow drew me completely into that musical theatre thing, made me fall head over heels for “Tarzan” (which is until today still one of the best things that could have happened to theatre land), and before I even knew it, I was sitting in Seat C 29 of the Stalls at the Dominion Theatre in London on September, 20th, 2012, on my first ever London trip.

The only thing I regret about that night? That I did not have any device on me to record the show. Yes, I know it’s prohibited, but if I had known back then what I knew today, I would’ve done anything to keep it recorded for eternity. Because that show simply knocked me off my feet. I had both understudies for Galileo & Scaramouche (which I didn’t know until I actually thumbed through the programme), Scott Monello & Emma Hatton. And up to this day, these two will always have a very special place in my heart. I fell head over heels for Scott’s adorable display of Galileo, for his vocals and his small dancing parts, and more than once after the show I thought how it could be that he was “only” the understudy? He was absolutely breathtaking. So was Emma; she sang the roof off the theatre with her insane vocals. Her hight notes gave me goosebumps, and having had the honour and luck to see her perfom one more time exactly one year later, I was more than happy to see and hear how everything in her voice had improved even more. Plus, her Scaramouche was one of the most adorable things I had ever seen on a stage (and note, that was only my 2nd ever musical at that point in my life). That I had also the honour to see Rachel John as Meat that night will probably always be one of the biggest highlights of my life. That woman has a voice that is out of this world, and she was the first and only person until last year who actually made me cry the instant she started singing “(No-One But You) Only The Good Die Young”.

After that 1st visit, I was not only totally in love with London (coming from someone who always despised the british accent and never cared about anything british at all, I guess that’s saying something), but also helplessly with musical theatre, and it was just natural that I was back at the Dominion only 3 months later. This time, I would be seeing the new Cast doing their thing, forwardmost, Oliver Tompsett as Galileo. I had seen him in the role of Drew Boley in “Rock Of Ages” three months before, and back then, I he knocked me so hard off my feet with his talent that I was beyond happy to see him in my favoure show. And what can I say? He did definitely not disappoint me. He was, and still is up to this day, the most talented person I ever had the pleasure and honour to watch. His vocals, his talent, his acting skills, yes, even his silly little dancing steps during the show, were and are completely out of this world, and I don’t even know of one second that he didn’t give me chills all over my body. I had high hopes and expectations about him as Galileo, since I knew what he was capable of if you let him do his thing on a stage, but what I saw that night was beyond said expectations. The moment I saw him performing “I Want To Break Free” and through every song he performed that night, I knew he was exactly where he belonged. There is one word in Germany for someone on a stage who enjoys every second of it, who is practically overflowing with vitality, gratitude and happiness, all displayed by the biggest grin on their faces during an entire show: limelight hog. And that is what hit me the moment Oliver stepped foot on that Dominion stage, and that special feeling never left me whenever I came back to see him four more times; it was a gift from God he was chosen to play Galileo Figaro.
Rachael Wooding, who played Scaramouche – wow. I have barely seen any woman (apart from Emma Hatton three months earlier who had such a positive energy inside her little body and such mindblowing vocals than her. Plus, her interaction with Oliver was amazing, they seemed like they had done this job together for years instead of months! The chemistry between them was the one thing I will always remember the most about all my Dominion shows, because not only between Galileo and Scaramouche it’s a very important thing, but between all the other characters, too.

Months passed until I went back to the Dominion, but instead, I was part of two crazy months in May/June 2013, when the german Cast of “We Will Rock You” were on tour close to my hometown, in a city called Essen. I have talked about it in certain posts on here, and the fact that I spent a hell of a lot money for 7 shows in 8 weeks says a lot about how much I fell even more in love with the show than I already had. The Cast was the best thing I had ever witnessed on a german stage, and the time I spent watching the show and hanging out at the Stage Door was definitely one of the best times of my life. I made wonderful friends during the tour, including two Cast members, and it was all thanks to them that the show grew even bigger in my admiration than it already had. Even though a few songs were sung in german (which was weird after 5 years and recently having seen the West End Cast two times), I couldn’t help but sing, cheer and clap along with them. Some people say that different versions of the same show might be having different impacts on the fans, and I’ve heard a couple of times that a german Cast can never achieve or do what a West End or Broadway Cast is capable of. But here’s me saying: THEY CAN. And hell, HOW they can. The german Cast has shown me that no matter in what part of the world “We Will Rock You” is performed and no matter how much scepsis you will feel towards it at first, the songs and the feelings you have throughout it will never be different. They will always suck you in, because it’s the show itself that will always provide its inexplicable magic.

The thing that impressed me the most was the Cast Change day at the Dominion on October, 5th, 2013. It was a very emotional day, as it was the last performance of Scott Monello, Emma Hatton, Rachel John & Wayne Robinson (who played Brit), but also because it was the day that Brian May came up in the middle of the stage during “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Safe to say that together with the entire Cast smashing the song and his breathtaking guitar solo he totally blew the roof off the Dominion. It is, up to this day, the most amazing show of that Cast that I have seen, because everyone was on fire and giving it 200% of their talent.

I am gutted to no end to see this wonderful and amazing show leave the West End, because theatre is losing one of its biggest and best pieces today, but although I couldn’t see it more than 6 times, I am beyond grateful for these few times, and each and every one of the shows I was part of I will always cherish deep down in my heart. I am also grateful for every single actor of the Cast that ever took their time to come out and chat with the fans, with me, who were always so patient, kind, funny, caring, and never got tired of us showing up on their doorstep to tell them how amazing they are, or asking for photos or autographs. This goes especially out to the following people that I have met over the past one and a half years and that grew to my heart so much that I will always try and support them in whatever they’ll be doing: Scott Monello, Oliver Tompsett, Katie Paine, Rachael Wooding, Rachel John & Emma Hatton.

Thank You, “We Will Rock You”, for the past one and a half years, for every single amazing show, for every laughter, for every tear I shed, for every beautiful moment at the Stage Door, for all the goosebumps you got me, simply for all the beautiful memories that you brought me and that I will keep in that special place in my heart forever. You will all be massively missed, and it is more than wrong and sad you have to go, but one thing I know for sure: you’ll be going out with a bang, because that’s what you deserve.

THANK YOU.

 

Playing Our Part – The West End Sings For Target Ovarian Cancer – Cadogan Hall 18.05.2014

This was something I hadn’t originally planned to do when I was down in London for the weekend. But then my friend Sigal told me about it, and on very short notice, I decided to accompany her and my other friend, Noor, after all. And yes, I am beyond glad I did.

I have to admit, when I checked the website for this concert in the beautiful Cadogan Hall, I barely knew any of the actors that were supposed to be on that stage; only a few names had I heard before or seen on a stage myself – Simon Bailey, Siubhan Harrison, Geronimo Rauch, Killian Donnelly & Nadim Naaman,- but apart from them, none of the other names (Olivia Brereton, Gillian Budd, Wendy Ferguson, Celia Graham, Christopher Howell, Laura Pitt-Pulford, Jeremy Secomb, Shona White & Chris Holland) rang any bell. It was a good thing, of course, because therefor, I had nothing to expect, and couldn’t be disappointed, if that would’ve happened.

When the concert started, Nadim made a small speech about the reason for the concert, the cause, and it was really bringing me to tears to hear him talking about his own experiences with this horrible illness in his family. He soon let the music speak for itself, and already the first number, “Bridge Over Troubled Water”, sung by Christopher Howell and the other guys, was simply breathtaking. It seemed to me that they had never done anything else than singing with each other, and it was beautiful. There were quite a lot songs that I had never heard of, but there were also a few that at least I had heard by accident without knowing where they were from, or songs I had heard in a theatre myself. My favourite of all songs was probably “(No-One But You) Only The Good Die Young”, sung by the beautiful Siubhan Harrison. I admit, it was far too early for me to hear that song again, as just the night before, I had experienced this song in my last ever “We Will Rock You” show, but it’s safe to say that Siubhan killed the song. It was one of the most wonderful things I have ever heard, and each and every single note she sang was beyond flawless. Since I had last seen her in “From Here To Eternity” back in September 2013, she has definitely improved her voice even more.

Another favourite that night was probably “You Ain’t Never Had A Friend Like Me”, sung by Christopher Howell. I had no idea who he was before the concert, he didn’t look familiar or anything, but boy, I adored him. When the song started, something about it rang a bell inside my head, but it was just at the last few seconds of it that I realized it was the song from “Aladdin”, that the Genie sings! Chris did so unbelievably well, his facial expressions, his movements, his little dances, it was amazing, and I could actually picture him in the role of the Genie, in case “Aladdin” will ever make it to the West End (and safe to say that if he does, I will so go and see him in it!).

Another highlight forme also was the performance of Simon Bailey & Celia Graham singing “All I Ask Of You” from “Phantom Of The Opera” (which he later, at the Stage Door, told us, wasn’t even planned to be happening, but oh my, am I glad it did!). I have never seen the show myself, only the movie (mostly because I am not really sure I’d like it, as it’s not my kind of show, and wouldn’t want to waste my money on it), but of course I knew the song. I always thought it was a beautiful one when I heard it in in the movie, but seeing it on stage, with two actors with absolutely breathtaking voices who had formerly even been on the show in the West End themselves…just wow. They blew me away, and I almost pictured them together on the stage of the Her Majesty’s Theatre. Just wow, and something I will forever cherish in my memory of that night.

The most touching thing for me apart from the forementioned was when Shona White & Gillian Budd sang “For Good” from “Wicked” together. Now, I have booked a ticket to see that show for the first time in July, and originally, I had planned to not listen to any of the songs, just to not expect too much or being disappointed beforehand. Before the song started, I read in the actor’s biography in the programme that Shona had been in “Wicked” once herself, so seeing her being part of this song was extra-special to her. When I heard both of them singing with each other, I was deeply touched. Gillian looked at Shona as if they were on a real musical stage, and from where I was sat, I could see that her eyes were shining – she had tears in them. Just as Shona, who was completely into tears when they had finished the song – she was sitting in her chair, touching her eyes, wiping under them over and over because she couldn’t stop crying, and I was close to throw some handkerchiefs up to her. Their performance was breathtaking, and the vocals both of them had – just WOW. They showed everyone in that room their massive talent, and thanks to them, I am now really excited for my very first “Wicked” show.

Everyone on that stage was so damn talented, I can’t even describe it. Wendy Ferguson, who currently playes Madame Thenardier in “Les Misérables”, has the biggest and best Opera Voice I ever had the pleasure to listen to during “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from “Carousel”, and of course she got an extra applause from the audience, just as Killian Donnelly after singing “”Fix You” by Coldplay (I totally despise Coldplay and any of their songs, especially this one, but he did very very well, much better than Chris Martin).

Final conclusion is that I am really really glad I had decided to join my lovely friends Sigal & Noor that night. Not only because of the beautiful and stunning voices on stage, but also because it was all for a great cause, and knowing that me buying my ticket and the programme helped that cause is the most beautiful thing ever. Plus, the fact that I finally met the gorgeous young man that is Simon Bailey (who apologized to me for missing out on “I Can’t Sing” on my birthday) made it all even more worth it.

Greed, the sad conqueror of the West End

The latest news that happened to be confirmed two days ago and, as a result of this, the – at first – sad reactions to it and now, angry fans and supporters of “We Will Rock You” in London made me want to state my own opinion on things. Because, let’s be honest here: that show closing is just another brick in the West End theatre wall that is kicked out. And slowly, that brick is thinning out more and more.

Fact is: over the past year, more than one or two shows on the West End will have closed by the end of May, each with huge, supportive fanbases, left with the thought: “Why?”

For example: “From Here To Eternity”. That show started at the Shaftesbury Theatre on September, 22nd, 2013. It’s closing on March, 29th, 2014. Only 6 months of running. I have seen that show for myself once, and I think it was utterly beautiful and has/had huge potential. The actors are amazing, and the story itself is just catching the audience. Yet, after only such a short time, it’s going to leave the West End already, with no sign that it’s ever coming back so far.

Second example: “Rock Of Ages”. Now, I know I might be a bit subjective here, as a massive fan of that show and Cast myself, but if you know the show, if you know the people that worked hard on that stage every day, if you’ve seen the massive support and love that each and every single fan has shown them…it’s unfathomable that on November, 2nd, 2013, it closed for good after 2 years of a successful run.

And the newest victim of the West End ticket price policy: “We Will Rock You”. Again, I might be a bit subjective here, but…well, that show was my 1st ever musical in 2008, and the 1st show I have ever seen on the West End in 2012. I have gone through one closing in June 2013 already, of the german production, and I just have a really deep bond with it, with both productions. I’m not gonna tell anybody that it changed my life, that it made me who I am today, because that’s absolute bullshit. But it has that special place inside of my heart that I just can’t explain, and seeing it close once again is just bugging me. Twelve absolutely successful years at the Dominion, and after all, that show follows in the footsteps of so many shows before.

Why is that?

I have talked to a couple of people/friends, and everyone agrees: the ticket prices that nowadays are out there are insane, and sometimes, more than unfair. For the producers, it seems, the money is way more important than pleasing a lot of people who come to see their shows, which is just a huge shame and pretty sad. Theatre is supposed to make people enjoy music and acting, to have a good time, to forget their worries for 3 hours. But now, with all the amazing shows closing due to not enough tickets being sold – as a result of partly ridiculous price ranges, – it’s like daylight robbery, like the producers do the exact opposite of what they are (in my opinion) supposed to do: making people who come see their productions happy.

It’s wonderful if new shows are opening and having such a huge success at the beginning – like “The Commitments” or now “I Can’t Sing”, – but to be honest: I hate getting attached to a new show, like I did with “Rock Of Ages”. With everything seeming to go south on the West End, great productions leaving way too soon, this uncertainty of how long you’re actually able to enjoy a show/cast, is seriously exhausting.

Maybe the producers should stop thinking with their heads deep down in their wallet and instead, focusing on their supposed “life goal”. I am sure – and I am not the only one, – that if ticket prices would actually be more humane, they’d all get way more visitors and bigger audiences. Because greed never got anybody anywhere.