REVIEW: West Side Story, Bishopsgate Institute ✭✭✭✭✭
Julian Eaves reviews West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim at the Bishopsgate Institute.
Leonard Bernstein
REVIEW: On The Town, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre ✭✭✭✭✭
On The Town is a show where everything is the star, from Leonard Bernstein’s rich orchestral and melodic score to Drew McOnie’s breathtaking choreography
Top 100 Greatest Musicals Poll – Number 6 – West Side Story
West Side Story with book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by a then-aspiring young lyricist (although he wanted to write both music and lyrics) Stephen Sondheim is one of the truly great musicals of all time. In taking Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and transposing its story to the gang culture and conflicts of 1950’s New York, its composers created a musical which is as timeless as its source material. Originally directed and choreographed by the legendary Jerome Robbins, West Side Story opened on Broadway in 1957 where it ran for 732 performances. Surprisingly, when you look back the show only won two Tony Awards in 1958 for Choreography and Scenic Design. The big winner that year was The Music Man! There is little doubt that the popularity of West Side Story grew as a result of the movie adaptation made in 1961 which was co-directed by … Read more
REVIEW: Wonderful Town, Ye Olde Rose and Crowne Pub Theatre ✭✭✭✭
This is very New York. A constant hurly-burly of influences and crossed paths, with the players packed into the smallest space possible
REVIEW: On The Town, Lyric Theatre ✭✭✭✭✭
The dancing has a style, a language of its own and, certainly as choreographed by Bergasse, is more articulate than pages of dialogue. The steps are tricky, pulsing with purpose and bursting with energy and style. Very balletic, but with that jazzy Broadway edge which is just thrilling to watch especially where, as here, the cast is perfectly drilled, perfectly in sync and perfectly dazzling.
REVIEW: Candide, Menier Chocolate Factory, ✭✭✭✭✭
This genius production ought not be missed. Sell body parts to see it and to revel in its ecstasy
REVIEW: West Side Story, Currently On Tour ✭✭
It was impossible not to feel anything but sympathy for this cast and nothing but irritation bordering on contempt for the “creatives” who think this is the way to present West Side Story to non-London UK audiences.
