The show runs for just under 90 minutes with a brief interval and had the attention of children throughout. Lots of audience response was called for and the children responded in droves. It is wonderful to look at the jam-packed London Palladium and think that the next generation of actors, composers and theatre folk might just have seen their first show. Brilliant!
Scooby-Doo Live! Musical Mysteries is coming to the London Palladium this month for its West End Premiere, and producers have announced the cast for the all new family musical. Scooby-Doo Live! Musical Mysteries has performed to sell-out audiences across North America, Europe, Mexico and the Middle East. The ghost-busting Mystery Inc. gang for the London Palladium features Charlie Bull (Elf the Musical, Legally Blonde the Musical, Singin in the Rain, Disney’s Cinderella film) as DAPHNE, Chris Warner Drake (Chicago, Ghost – Asia Tour, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) as FRED, Rebecca Withers (The Kissing Dance, Flight) as VELMA, Charlie Haskins (Macbeth – UK Tour, The Last Days of Mankind) as SHAGGY and Joe Goldie (Disneyland Paris) as the lovable SCOOBY-DOO. Completing the West End cast are John McManus (Top Hat, Sweeney Todd, Cats), Kate England (Rent, To Kill A Mockingbird), Matt Parsons … Read more
In the bout of the two Jewish musicals revues, I’d have to give it to Never Succeed on points, due to its more inventive staging and varied songlist. The Jewish Legends is a great vehicle for four very talented singers. However, the concept and script is muddled and bloated – as a famous Gentile once sang a little less conversation a little more action!
Christian James is a wonderful Pinocchio. He completely captures the sense of the character’s otherness and separation (being living wood) as well as a newcomer’s desire to explore and a child’s desire to rebel. The sequence where he learns about lying and his nose growing is genuinely delightful, as is the way he quickly shaves off his extra growth before Gepetto’s return. Bronagh Lagan has presided over an excellent production of an interesting and involving musical which provides a fresh, but refreshingly old-fashioned approach to the entertainment and stimulation of (especially) young minds. You leave wanting -desperately – to be able to bring youngsters to more theatre just like this.
The Verb, To Love is a curious and wonderful new musical currently playing at the Old Red Lion Theatre. It’s easy to be impressed by the show’s sole author, Andy Collyer. The plot is clearly taken somewhat from the man’s life, which is, on some level, impressive full stop. Few authors are comfortable “putting it all out there” so blatantly—especially when the story is his own relatively unsuccessful love life and the journey to discovering that one doesn’t need a boyfriend or partner to be validated as a human being. The score is extremely intelligent, with little nuggets of knowing humour for an audience well versed in musical theatre.
