My Theatre Roundup Questions

I found this little game from someone's blog and thought it might be fun to try it. First, I have to list the last 10 things I saw at the theatre in order and then there will be a series of questions regarding different stuff.. OK Here we go!

The last 10 things I saw at the theatre in order:
1. Joseph [UK Tour] at the Leeds Grand
2. Billy Elliot: The Musical at the Victoria Palace
3. The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's
4. Monty Python's Spamalot [UK Tour] at York Grand Opera House
5. The Rocky Horror Show [UK Tour] at the Leeds Grand
6. Chess [UK Tour] at the Lowry
7. Oklahoma! [UK Tour] at Manchester Opera House
8. Evita [UK Tour] at the Lowry
9. Legally Blonde: The Musical at the Savoy
10. Blood Brothers at the Phoenix

Who was the best performer in number one?
Probably Keith Jack as the title role of Joseph, still can't compare with other Josephs I've heard or seen such as Donny Osmond, Lee Mead or Jason Donovan.

Why did you go to see number two?
It was my London getaway and I had never seen Billy Elliot so I paid a visit to see what all the hype was about. It turned out to be a great afternoon.

Can you remember a line/lyric from number three that you liked?
Are you kidding? I can remember the whole libretto of Phantom! My most favourite bit was "Seal my fate tonight, I hate to have to cut the fun short, but the joke's wearing thin, let the audience in, let my opera begin".

What would you give number four out of ten?
I like Spamalot but this production couldn't live up to my expectation so maybe a 6 out of 10.

Was there someone hot in number five?
Someone hot in Rocky Horror Show?? There were muscular guy running around in speedo and a transvestite!

What was number six about?
How do you summarise Chess? It's about a love triangle between an American chess player, his second and a Russian chess player during the World Chess Championship in Merano and Bangkok amidst the political background of the Cold War. Not a good storyline for a musical, eh? But it turns out to be a pretty impressive production.

Who was your favourite actor in number seven?
No one! I hated the show! But the best one would have to be Vas Constanti as Ali Hakim, such a hilarious performance.

What was your favourite bit in number eight?
You Must Love Me scene. Moving!

Would you see number nine again?
Anytime! Legally Blonde's a blast!

What was the worst thing about number ten?
The accent!

Which was best?
This is hard to choose. I love Phantom and I think it's a classic. Chess was really inventive and impressive. Legally Blonde was also a great show to see this season!

Which was worst?
Oklahoma! hands down. The production was amateur and the music was boring.

Did any make you cry?
Yep! I cried during "Letter Scene" in Billy Ellliot and "You Must Love Me" in Evita. Too bad Phantom and Blood Brothers couldn't move me. Oklahoma! made me cry because it was bad and I paid for a programme and souvenir brochure that look exactly the same.

Did any make you laugh?
Spamalot, Rocky Horror and Legally Blonde were all hilarious

Which roles would you like to play in any of them?
I would love to play "Dad" in Billy Elliot, "Narrator" in Blood Brothers, "King Arthur" in Spamalot, and if my vocal range allows me, Phantom (from Phantom, duh?) and Emmett (from Legally Blonde)!

Which one did you have best seats for?
I'm not sure. I think it's Phantom. I got centre stall, 3rd row from the front and the chandelier crash went past my head. Love that!

Thanks for reading, now you do one!

Review: Joseph in Leeds

Musical: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Venue: Grand Theatre, Leeds
Date: Wed 23rd March 2011
Cast: Keith Jack (Joseph), Jennifer Potts (Narrator), Henry Metcalfe (Jacob/Potiphar) and Adam Jarrell (Pharaoh)
Rating: ***

Joseph is arguably one of the most popular musicals in the Western culture and tonight it has proved that it still captures the hearts of the British people, young and old, no matter how long it has been. Joseph is the first musical written by Andrew Lloyd Webber (of Phantom of the Opera) and marks the first collaboration between Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, who, together, went on to write Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita. The story is based on the tale of Joseph, the dream interpreter, in the Bible and his rise to be Pharaoh's Number Two.

I have seen a few productions of Joseph, my first was in 2003 with the late Stephen Gateley (of Boyzone) at the New London Theatre and I also saw a production by Thai performers. Tonight it is Keith Jack, runner-up from Any Dream Will Do reality show, who (finally) takes on the role of Joseph, having taken over from his fellow finalist, Craig Chalmers. It is obvious right from the beginning that Keith's voice was not in top form tonight but he still managed through the show very well and still delivered a fairly good "Close Every Door". Too bad he didn't try to hit the high notes at the end. I can't say that he has become my favourite Joseph but he has grown and improved a lot from his "Any Dream Will Do" days and sure to have a bright career in store for him. However, there were some part of his acting that could still be improved to make the performance more believable.

Keith Jack (as Joseph) during Go, Go, Go Joseph!

Jennifer Potts is the narrator and she sounded very much like Janet Metz from the Canadian recording. She was lovely and sung her part well but I wish to see more interaction between the narrator and the other characters in the story. Henry Metcalfe plays the dual role of Jacob and Potiphar as well as takes on the responsibility of a choreographer/associate director. He was good in his parts though frankly there wasn't a lot.

Henry Metcalfe (as Jacob) during Jacob and Sons

Adam Jerrell was a weak Pharaoh for me. His impersonation could have been better and he had some really big shoes to fill comparing to the previous Pharaohs. The brothers were very good as an ensemble but when it comes to solo numbers, the soloists didn't seem to be strong enough vocally to hold the songs on their own. I also need to mention the children's choir who were very good and charming.

The overall production was very similar to the one I've seen in London if a bit scaled down for the touring company. Running at 90 minutes, Joseph is a fairly short show but I see the producer's attempt to lengthen the show from long overture to having the children reprises the songs during entr'acte and the extra-long megamix. I missed how Joseph would fly on to the stage for his opening numbers. The sheep during Jacob and Sons were just simply adorable and the lighting was quite good. I noticed some changes in the lyrics for this production which didn't do much for me. I also noticed that they had included in the programme the song "King of My Heart" which was added to the 2007 London version but they ended up not performing it. (which I'm glad because it would have slowed the show down)

The Brothers in One More Angel in Heaven

Now here comes the bit that I like less... I feel that the show's pace was a bit strange, at times they seemed to rush through the songs and at times, things were moving really slowly. Most of my friends seemed not to be able to catch the storyline and understand what was going on. And many of the numbers that was supposed to be funny wasn't as funny as they should have been, namely how they made fun of the French accent in "Those Canaan Days" and the (not-so) energetic "Benjamin Calypso". On the opposite, they were boring, while some of the jokes that they did weren't really funny. I also disliked the ridiculous "Phantom" mask worn during Grovel scene.

Overall, it was still a really good night out for me and my friends. The megamix at the end was very entertaining if a bit long (the actual show ended at 9.30 but the megamix went on until about 9.45) and you definitely leave the theatre humming "Any Dream Will Do" for its many many reprises :) I would still recommend this to anyone who loves musical and appreciate a heart-warming feel-good musical.

Joseph will run at Leeds Grand Theatre until 27th March 2011. Catch it while you can.

The Finale "Give Me My Coloured Coat"

UK Tour Cast Recording featuring Craig Chalmers on sale at the kiosk
which I got as a souvenir along with the programme and the brochure

Me and Keith Jack at stage door

Review: Billy Elliot: The Musical

Musical: Billy Elliot: The Musical
Venue: Victoria Palace Theatre, London, UK
Date: Saturday 5th March at 14:30
Cast: Josh Baker (Billy), Genevieve Lemon (Mrs. Wilkinson), Martin Marquez (Dad), Diane Langton (Grandma), Tom Lorcan (Tony), Connor Kelly (Michael), Francesca Mango (Debbie), Kay Milbourn (Dead Mum)
Rating: *****

Review: This week I've been to Leeds Grand Theatre for a ballet performance of Cleopatra which made me think twice about going to ballets. Ironically, in the same week, I was seeing a musical about BALLET!! Billy Elliot, based on 2000 film of the same name about a boy who wants to be a ballet dancer, has been playing in London since 2005 and I'm really happy that I finally get to see it. It was such an enjoyable and memorable afternoon for me. Though the show has its ups and downs, overall, it was a very good production, no doubt it has won Best New Musical from both Olivier Award and Tony Award.

As I am Thai, my main issue with the show is the Newcastle accent and some of the detailed story behind it, especially the ones that have to do with the strike. I didn't get some of the jokes either. But with the way the show is set up, you could still follow the main storyline quite easily. I particularly like the stage design for this show, how it is very simple but effective. Billy's bedroom, however, reminds me of the Pride Rock in The Lion King.

Billy exploded his anger into 'Angry Dance' at the End of Act One

Many of the dance scenes were really good, notably the Angry Dance at the end of Act One and the Dream Ballet where Billy danced the Swan Lake with his older self. Having seen the show on Tony Awards and bootleg videos *ahem* , I also noticed quite some different between the Broadway and West End versions of the show.

Billy and his older self in a Dream Ballet of Swan Lake

The music by Elton John was a mixed bag here. There were some really strong and beautiful songs like 'Solidarity', 'Once We Were Kings' and 'He Could Be a Star'. 'The Letter Song' had me (and many of the audience members around me) totally in tears. It was very moving and had me thinking about my mom a lot. Then, there were numbers that I couldn't care less like 'Shine', 'Grandma Song' and 'Born to Boogie'. I didn't like them when I listened to them on the cast recording, seeing them visually didn't seem to help much.

Our cast was very strong. Genevieve Lemon and Martin Marquez were our Mrs. Wilkinson and Dad respectively and they were both amazing in their roles. I really like how Dad just broke into tears when he sang 'He Could Be a Star' in the second act and his reaction at the Royal Ballet was hilarious.



Solidarity (with David Alvarez as Billy)



Our Billy was Josh Baker and he just started a week ago. He wasn't even published in our programme yet, they need to insert an extra paper showing his bio. But he was excellent in the role, especially for someone who has just started. His singing and acting was quite good but his dancing, though very good already, could have been stronger especially in Billy's big number "Electricity'. It was excellent but it still lacked that certain spark that would make the audience jumped to their feet. But maybe I just had too much exposition of the number from seeing the other Billys before on televisions (e.g. Liam Mower, David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, etc.) so I had such a high expectation of the boy. But I'm sure that with his talent, he is certain to have a good long career ahead of him. 

The show ends with a finale dance number with all cast members in tutus. That, frankly, is the only part where I wasn't sure that I liked. I know that they were just trying to be funny but it feels like it was making fun of ballets while the whole musical was actually focusing on "not making fun" of someone's dreams and ambitions. But that's just my thought on the finale. I gave them a standing ovation at the end anyhow. :)

Finale with the Tutus... I don't think so...

Overall, it was a great afternoon for me and I can now understand all the hype behind it. I'm not sure if it can beat my all-time favourites like Les Miz or Jersey Boys but I would recommend this show to anyone who loves musicals and good talents. Beware! The show contains really strong language so you might wanna think twice before taking your kids.

Post Note: there were a part in the show where Billy, at his audition for the Royal Ballet, pulled out his "cassette tape" containing the songs for his audition. And the first thing that I heard behind me was a little girl asking her mom... "What is that?"... Gosh, are we really that old? 

What's wrong with Understudies??

Yesterday I came across a rant tweet by West End performer, Gina Beck, whom I saw as part of the company of Direct from the West End. She complained about members of the audience who were upset from seeing understudies in musicals. As a theatregoer myself, I understand the feeling that sometimes you were disappointed not to see the leading stars you were hoping to see but it is the nature of the theatre and most of the times, I was amazed by actually how good those understudies were. It is not about just one or two leading stars but theatre is about the combination of everyone, both on and off-stage, who put the show together to create an unique one-night (or matinee) experience for the audience.

I remember my first visit to Phantom of the Opera in the West End many many years ago and we got Wendy Ferguson as our Carlotta understudy and I totally loved her performance. I went back a few days later and we had the real Carlotta who, frankly, wasn't as good as Wendy and I am so glad to see Wendy where she is today. A couple of months ago, I went to see Blood Brothers and Niki Evans was out and we got Viviene Carlyle as our Mrs. Johnstone and she was bloody good, really good! Recently, I went to "Direct from the West End" concert which was performed by members of the West End company, most of them are from the current Les Mis cast, and I think there were all very good and talented. I would pay to see Jeff Nicholson or Killian Donnelly as Javert or Valjean anytime! So, if you can't take the fact that understudies are as good a performance as any real leading stars, then just stick with movies and television dramas where you are sure to be seeing your favourite "stars" in action. 

This is what bothers me because from Thailand, where I come from, musicals are becoming increasingly popular but it was still about star power. Without stars, the musicals won't sell. Understudies were named in the programme but they never get to perform. I can imagine if Thai audience goes to a musical and the leading stars, even one of them, weren't on, there will be a big cue asking for refunds! I wish we all could come to love and understand the theatre the way it really is, for its talent and not star power or stunt casting.

Here's a copy of the tweet by Gina Beck:

On Saturday 5th March 2011, @gina_beck said:

I'm angered by a recent series of letters to @thestage complaining about seeing understudies in musicals.. Let me give you a little synopsis: Paul Hanson was "disappointed and frustrated" not to see the big stars in Wicked one matinee despite the show not being sold on 'names': "If this had been a Saturday night performance, would the show have gone ahead with so many understudies?(five)" he asks. John French goes on to imply that young West End stars have no stamina as on the same night that three principles were absent from Love Never Dies " round the corner at the Garrick Theatre where all of the main actors were over 60, they were all present".. no offence but I don't think the actors in the farce "When We Are Married" really need the same stamina and vocal health required for such roles as Ramin's in LND or Rachel Tucker's in Wicked. Paul Younger goes on to say "how would you feel if you bought a Wembley ticket for a Take That reunion show, only to discover a tribute band on stage?" which is not the same thing at all. A musical is hardly ever just a vehicle for a big star to present themselves to an audience, it's a group of actors working together to tell a story. I can empathise that it's disappointing if your favourite stars are absent when you've paid to see them and perhaps if producers are going to sell a show on a 'name' there is a case for having a refund clause, but it seems highly insulting to the rest of the company working so hard to say you felt 'cheated' and that your night was 'ruined' After all, do these writers not realise that stars such as Lee Mead, Ramin Karimloo and John Owen Jones were all understudies once and the very people Paul Hanson would have been "extremely disappointed" to see. rant over!

Review: Northern Ballet's Cleopatra

Review: Cleopatra [Northern Ballet]
Venue: Grand Theatre, Leeds
Date: Wednesday 2nd March 2011 at 19:30
Rating: **1/2
Cast: Martha Leebolt (Cleopatra), Kenneth Tindall (Wadjet/Snake), Giuliano Contadini (Ptolemy), Javier Torres (Julius Caesar), Tobias Batley (Mark Antony), Hannah Bateman (Octavia), Hironao Takahashi (Octavian), Pippa Moore (Charmian) and Antoinette Brooks-Daw (Iras)

This was quite a last-minute decision for me. Since I was home alone with nothing to do (well, there was something to do but I didn't want to do it), I went to the Leeds Grand Theatre website to see what was on. And this week they were showing Northern Ballet's World Premiere of Cleopatra. With some consideration, I finally decided to go and here is my thought on the production.

I was sitting in the Upper Circle, centre aisle, third row back so I had quite a good view of the stage, if a little bit far. I have to admit that I have never been a ballet fan and that might result in my liking of the show. I know that there would be no dialogue in the show so I quickly familiarized myself with the synopsis in the programme. And boy, was I right to do so? If I hadn't read the synopsis beforehand, I probably wouldn't have any clue what was going on!! I think that's the downpoint of ballet and especially this one where there were so much story and you can't say it out. Everything is communicated through dance but dance can't communicate everything.. But ballet lovers might say different things so I will end that issue there.

Talking about the dancers, I think they were great and very talented, especially Martha Leebolt who plays Cleopatra. She really has the grace and power of the role. Another dancer who really stood out for me was Kenneth Tindall as Wadjet, AKA The Snake, who presided over most events in the show as if he was a narrator if this were a musical. I also need to mention Tobias Batley who portrayed Mark Antony very well. However, I feel that the guys who played Ptolemy and Julius Caesar was not as good as the other leading players.

Cleopatra and Wadjet during their opening scene in Act One
(Martha Leebolt and Kenneth Tindall)

Cleopatra and Mark Antony
(Martha Leebolt and Tobias Batley)

As for the production, the sets and costumes were very simple which was OK, I guess. I didn't quite get the "projection design". Most of the time, from where I sat, I couldn't see what was projected on the screen. If I hadn't read from somewhere that they would be using projection as part of the set design, I wouldn't have noticed it. The choreography by David Nixon (who also directed the show) was quite so-so to me. There were really nice and clever moments like when Cleopatra gave birth to Caesarion (Julius Caesar's son) and the orgy scene of Mark Antony and the ensemble. But apart from that, there wasn't much of a "wow factor" for me in this production.

I was really looking forward to hearing the score of this ballet since it was written by Claude-Michel Schonberg of Les Miserables and Miss Saigon. But again, it was very mediocre and no musical theme stood out to me here. Definitely can't compare with his previous works.

To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure whether I enjoyed the show or not. The first act was really slow and I actually heard snore from member of the audience near me. I, myself, was feeling drowsy as well. I have to admit though that the second act was A LOT better and the dance itself was a lot more interesting to look at but I think when we were near the end, I was feeling drowsy again.

Well, there was my thought on it. It's not that I didn't like the show but I guess that ballet is really not my thing so my recommendation is if you're into musicals, you might need to think twice before going to see it (I would just stick to musicals to be honest) but I don't know whether from a ballet expert's point of view, how would they feel about the show?

Cleopatra will be playing in Leeds until tomorrow night, then it will tour to Edinburgh, Hull, Sheffield, Cardiff, Milton Keynes, Belfast, London, Nottingham, Woking and Norwich. Northern Ballet's upcoming production this year also includes Giselle (Leeds), Hamlet (Leeds, Sheffield), The Nutcracker (Aylesbury, Canterbury, Bradford, Newcastle, Manchester) and Beauty & The Beast (Leeds). For more information, please visit http://www.northernballet.com/

Cleopatra, Ptolemy and the Ensemble
(Martha Leebolt and Giuliano Contadini)