In his blog today, Mark Shenton talks about actors and actresses becoming famous on the back of musical theatre. The "Wicked factor", as he calls it has led to the success of stars such as Shoshana Bean who was in town last night for her concert debut. Marks blog entry can be seen here.
I agree with much of what Mark has said and have gone even further with my reasons why these people are becoming famous on the back of big shows. I think it is a good thing that they are finally getting the recognition they deserve for their talent, but think that it's a shame that smaller shows which don't have the big teenage following that some shows have, go under the radar and maybe even end up closing early - Spring Awakening comes to mind as one such recent show. I'm sure that the majority of the actors who were in that show will go onto bigger and better things, but I feel it was a shame it closed early because I thought that the cast were exceptional!
Wednesday 18 August 2010
Thursday 12 August 2010
42nd Street and Pygmalion
Sorry for not posting a blog in a while! I've been rather busy completing my PGCE but hopefully I shall be updating my blog a bit more regularly over the next few weeks and months!
Just wanted to quickly mention that I've been down the Chichester this summer and had the chance to see their two biggest shows of the season - the epic, toe-tapping musical extravaganza that is 42nd street, and the play which My Fair Lady is based on - Pygmalian.
42nd street first open on Broadway in 1980, and ran for nearly 3500 performances. The West End version began the high profile career of Catherine Zeta Jones. The basic story is of a small town girl who wants to audition for a Broadway show. After being told she is too late to audition, Peggy Sawyer goes off with some of the other chorus girls and shows them her skills. Eventually she is cast in the show.
The show is laden with big Broadway hits which you will instantly recognise - Were in the Money and 42nd street being the two most well known. The beginning of the Chichester revival is as clever, and as memorable as the initial Broadway run where the curtain rose slightly to reveal a row of legs tap dancing in time to the music!
The leads are all good, with Kathryn Evans, as prima donna, Dorothy Brock showing why she is one of the best current leading ladies of the stage. There is not a weak performance in the whole show, despeite it being early in previews. The choreography is simply breathtaking - I wish I could dance like that! This is one musical that is possibly more famous for its dance than its music! The costumes are also superb - this is one of the best musicals - if not the best muscial I've seen in Chichester! Sweeney Todd next year has a lot to live up to! 8.5/10
This is in contrast to the slightly disappointing Pygmalian. Maybe it was because the show is so well known that caused me to be so disappointed. It was all there in the advertising! George Bernards Shaws most prolific play, starring Rupert Everrett, Susie Blake and Honeysuckle Weeks in the best regional theatre in the country. I was expecting this to be out of this world!
Doubts started to arise in my mind with the start of the first interval, barely 45 minutes in. The production up until then was good - the acting was decent, the costumes good, and it was suprisingly funny! The set wasn't that exciting but that was my only majoy complaint. Then another interval started barely 15 minutes after the start of the show after the last interval. It wasn't enough time to get lost in the words of Bernard Shaw or to forget that the actors weren't acting. Rupert Everrett was good in the role, however he was probably the weakest link in the show. Occasionally forgetting lines, and perhaps appearing too young for the role meant that he wasn't quite as believable as the other characters. On the whole, the story of East End bum being turned into upper class beauty was good, but that was all. When expectatations were so high, it was always going to be difficult to exceed them, however I just felt disapointed. It could have been so much better. 6/10
I will try and post again soon! Thanks for reading! If you know of any good theatre blogs out there please post them on my comments box or email me it so I can have a good read! x x
Just wanted to quickly mention that I've been down the Chichester this summer and had the chance to see their two biggest shows of the season - the epic, toe-tapping musical extravaganza that is 42nd street, and the play which My Fair Lady is based on - Pygmalian.
42nd street first open on Broadway in 1980, and ran for nearly 3500 performances. The West End version began the high profile career of Catherine Zeta Jones. The basic story is of a small town girl who wants to audition for a Broadway show. After being told she is too late to audition, Peggy Sawyer goes off with some of the other chorus girls and shows them her skills. Eventually she is cast in the show.
The show is laden with big Broadway hits which you will instantly recognise - Were in the Money and 42nd street being the two most well known. The beginning of the Chichester revival is as clever, and as memorable as the initial Broadway run where the curtain rose slightly to reveal a row of legs tap dancing in time to the music!
The leads are all good, with Kathryn Evans, as prima donna, Dorothy Brock showing why she is one of the best current leading ladies of the stage. There is not a weak performance in the whole show, despeite it being early in previews. The choreography is simply breathtaking - I wish I could dance like that! This is one musical that is possibly more famous for its dance than its music! The costumes are also superb - this is one of the best musicals - if not the best muscial I've seen in Chichester! Sweeney Todd next year has a lot to live up to! 8.5/10
This is in contrast to the slightly disappointing Pygmalian. Maybe it was because the show is so well known that caused me to be so disappointed. It was all there in the advertising! George Bernards Shaws most prolific play, starring Rupert Everrett, Susie Blake and Honeysuckle Weeks in the best regional theatre in the country. I was expecting this to be out of this world!
Doubts started to arise in my mind with the start of the first interval, barely 45 minutes in. The production up until then was good - the acting was decent, the costumes good, and it was suprisingly funny! The set wasn't that exciting but that was my only majoy complaint. Then another interval started barely 15 minutes after the start of the show after the last interval. It wasn't enough time to get lost in the words of Bernard Shaw or to forget that the actors weren't acting. Rupert Everrett was good in the role, however he was probably the weakest link in the show. Occasionally forgetting lines, and perhaps appearing too young for the role meant that he wasn't quite as believable as the other characters. On the whole, the story of East End bum being turned into upper class beauty was good, but that was all. When expectatations were so high, it was always going to be difficult to exceed them, however I just felt disapointed. It could have been so much better. 6/10
I will try and post again soon! Thanks for reading! If you know of any good theatre blogs out there please post them on my comments box or email me it so I can have a good read! x x
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