Vanities: The Musical - Review

Trafalgar Studios, London


****


Music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum
Book by Jack Heifner
Directed and choreographed by Racky Plews

Lizzy Connolly, Ashleigh Gray and Lauren Samuels

With Racky Plews' production, and some 40 years after Jack Heifner's play premiered in New York, Vanities in its musical iteration finally crosses the Atlantic to make its London debut.

A three-handler, Kathy, Mary and Joanne are Texan women who we meet as teenage high school cheerleaders on the day of what was to be Kennedy's assassination. Over four acts the musical charts the trio through their college years, adulthood and divergent paths.

In part it's an everywoman story – about dreams that are aspired to, many of which remain unfulfilled as lives play out and compromises are made. And while male fallibility proves a consistent theme, David Kirshenbaum's lyrics explore and test the bonds of female friendship to the best that a man’s perspective can probably offer. Entertaining throughout, even if the story is heavy on the cheese it is the outstanding production values of this modestly staged piece that make it fizz. 

Ashleigh Gray, Lauren Samuels and Lizzy Connolly play the friends, each bringing a perfectly nuanced weight to their very different characters. As one might expect from such a talented line up the performances are flawless, with vocals and close harmonies that are delightful.

Some of the lines are caustically clever. As one of the friends remarks in her older years, she may be a woman who "doesn't know the joy of motherhood" but "does know the relief of abortion". Some of the wit is razor sharp, reminding one perhaps of Stephen Schwartz's song Popular, from Wicked, expanded into an entire show.

The design is classy too with Andrew Riley making clever use of the Studio's compact space. Richard Mawbey's wig work is similarly sensational and the footwear is fabulous. Not just killer dialogue, the killer heels are stunning! Hidden away offstage, Tamara Saringer's 5 piece band are equally sassy. 

Notwithstanding that the show was written by men, this production has a fabulously female feel to it throughout. With Plews’ pinpoint direction and choreography proving sensitive and perceptive throughout. Focussing on the detail, it is the minutest facial expressions that she coaxes from her actors that carry as much of the narrative as their enchanting vocals.

Only on for another couple of weeks, the story may be as tight as its slight, but an exquisite cast makes for an evening of rather gorgeous theatre.

Runs until 1st October

Photo credit: Pamela Raith

Muted

Ashleigh Gray

Muted, being staged in a concert performance in early February, looks like an interesting and exciting venture, with the gig being timed to mark its album’s launch.  

Penned by the double-hyphened partnership of Tim Prottey-Jones and Tori Allen-Martin from Sarah Henley’s book, Muted re-works the original musical After The Turn, a 2012 production that itself received much acclaim with Mark Shenton dubbing it “the British Rent”. 

Ashleigh Gray and Steven Webb will head the cast for the gig on 4th February and whilst the concert will be directed by up and coming Jamie Jackson, there is an eager anticipation for a fully staged production that is likely to include the creative input of Gary Lloyd. 

The pedigree of both cast and creatives is impressive. Lloyd is the vision behind the 5* transatlantic success Thriller Live, the Michael Jackson tribute show, whilst Gray is an established Elphaba in Wicked and Prottey-Jones was a finalist in ITV’s Superstar and is currently appearing in Kinky Boots. 

There is a Kickstarter appeal in place to help the project along – Head along to the Actors Church in Bedford Street, Thursday Feb 4th,  to hear how Muted has evolved.

Kickstarter details here

Andrew Lippa In Concert

St James Theatre, London

****

Carrie Hope Fletcher raises the roof as Andrew Lippa accompanies

A packed house at the St James Theatre saw Andrew Lippa's London debut. For two hours and accompanied by a stellar cast of the capital's musical theatre talent, the New York composer (actually a Yorkshireman by birth) presented a collection of his showtunes.

Lippa was quickly into a selection of songs from Big Fish that recently opened on Broadway. One of the show's finer compositions, I Don't Need A Roof, sung by a wife reflecting upon her near unconditional love for her dying husband, was given the most moving of interpretations by Jenna Russell. I reviewed Big Fish last month (link here) and commented then that it seemed unlikely to transfer to London and indeed it closes on Broadway in a few weeks. Up close however, the show's songs took on a beautiful resonance and seen in this more intimate setting, were a producer to consider a modestly sized off-West End or chamber production, it may well prove a hit.

Willemijn Verkaik was masterfully elegant throughout with Big Fish’s Time Stops, a duet with Lippa, proving to be another of the evening's tender highlights. Earlier, when Verkaik had sung the line "it's my turn to fly" from The Wild Party's number The Life Of The Party, there was the sweetest of ironic presciences, as she was performing with Lippa only 24 hours before making her debut as Wicked-London's Elphaba. 

The stunning turn of the night was Carrie Hope Fletcher and her take on Pulled from The Addams Family. Injecting humour, presence and a vocal impact even bigger than her amazing hair, the young performer very nearly took the St James’ roof off. Other highlights included Ashleigh Gray's Live Out Loud, whilst a duet of Lippa and Tam Mutu in This River Between Us proved to be a masterclass in calm professionalism in retrieving a song when both performers dry.

Lippa's patter throughout was witty and refreshingly self-deprecating as he referenced the number of his shows that have closed early over the years. His newly written You Are Here however, from I Am Harvey Milk, penned for a large male chorus and offered here as his solo, showed glimpses of what must be a truly inspiring number when sung by an ensemble.

Simon Beck stepping in on piano as needed, with Hannah Ashenden's subtly elegant cello work gave a neat finish to an event that again demonstrated classy management from producers Stuart Matthew Price and James Yeoburn.

George Dyer At The Pheasantry

The Pheasantry, London

***


This review was first published in The Public Reviews

With a handful of professional colleagues together with a sprinkling of 3rd year students from Mountview combining to form his troupe of vocalists, George Dyer played to a packed out Pheasantry, in an evening of cabaret that comprised mainly lesser known numbers from the musical theatre canon. The show was produced by Speckulation, a company who encouragingly are as committed to supporting young and emerging talent as they are to showcasing the giants of the West End and Broadway.

In a mis-judged choice, Dyer handed the opening number, Arlen and Harburg’s Down With Love to a student who initially struggled with a confident delivery. The song is tough and bears a proud history of having been mastered by both Garland and Streisand in their pomp, so it was perhaps unfair of Dyer/Speckulation to hand such an icebreaker to a novice, performing in front of what was always going to be a critical and discerning (albeit warmly supportive) audience.

Ashleigh Gray was next up with a quirky number, Greta and her consummate professionalism and experience provided a re-assuring note of quality to the night’s singing. Gray gave several further songs through the set, including a simply spine-tingling Not A Day Goes By and quite why this woman has not commanded major recent London roles is a puzzle as she has a voice and presence that is amongst the finest of her generation.

As the show warmed up, so did the student contribution with Maggie Lynne singing an exquisitely delicate Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye prior to Rebecca Brierley’s I’ll Be Here from the chamber musical Ordinary Days, a song of desperate poignancy and sadness but also hope. The number demanded immense and precise acting throughout and Brierley captured the fragility of the melody perfectly. Another Mountview treat was Bronté Barbé’s act 2 opener, Los Penguinos, a novel song about penguins, that included their squawking. Impressively, Barbé got the guttural comedy and the swift reversion to lyrics, spot on. Act 2 got even better with Frances Mayli McCann’s Raven, this talented young professional again delivering a vocal performance of perfection to match that of Dyer at his piano.

And George Dyer evidently is an exceptionally cool, handsome and (to use the modern parlance) sickeningly talented young musician who deservedly commands the respect of his actors and students alike. With Stuart Ness on bass and Sam Edwards on drums, the musical content of the evening was faultless. Perhaps though, this skilled MD is still too young to merit hosting a cabaret night of his own. Some of his patter was witty and revealing, but too much of his dialog centered upon childish jokes and a much repeated curiosity about the Jewish provenance of musical compositions. Appearing in London right now is Lorna Luft, Judy Garland’s younger daughter. Whilst Luft’s voice is (only close to) wonderful and not quite pitch-perfect, her anecdotes are sublime and one could listen to her tales all night. Today’s younger performers would do well to pitch up and learn from Luft that a sparkling cabaret is more than just songs sung superbly. However gifted the star of the show may be, their audience expects to be respected rather than patronised and their repartee should sparkle as much as the songs and music.

The Journey Home - Mark Evans - CD Review

****

The Journey Home is Mark Evans’ debut English album and features songs that are of importance and significance to this already established star of the West End.

The album is beautifully arranged and produced, and the underlying message of the songs selected suggest a young man, who whilst clearly at ease with his name being up in lights in major London shows, is also grounded and humble enough to respect his native Welsh origins and culture.

The album’s title is drawn from the Bombay Dreams number that Evans performs. A R Rahman’s melody, that starts off hauntingly before evolving into an explosion of harmonies is the one song that comes closest to displaying the extent of the range, versatility, and above all power of Evan’s voice. The lyrics, whilst not perhaps Don Black’s best, do nonetheless translate well across the globe. Where they were once originally written to reflect the colourful complexities of the Sub-Continent, with Evans modern delivery they just as effectively suggest a young Welshman returning to his birthplace.

Evans includes two versions of the song Brand New You from Jason Robert Brown’s 13. One of the recordings is fully backed with singers and full jazz funk band sound, the other is simply Evans solo with acoustic backing. The comparison and contrast is delightful, and with the composer shortly to direct the show’s West End debut, the inclusion of this song is also a delightful coincidence. It is also a brave choice of song, given that whilst Brown penned it for a young-teen voice, Evans performs it with credibility and passion.

Two of the recordings see Evans duet with accomplished friends . With Ashleigh Gray he delivers an upbeat rendering of Alive, and touchingly, with Siobhan Dillon, with whom he currently co-stars in Ghost, a delicate performance of Unchained Melody that evokes in its tenderness the professional closeness and respect that these two individuals have clearly developed for each other.

The album above all is a delightful selection of songs that are important to Evans, and confirms him as a leading talent of his generation. Predominantly the choice of songs is a reflective selection and if there is one observation, it is the album could perhaps have been made a little more exciting with an inclusion of one or two songs that would have allowed the singer to vocally swoop and soar. The album’s geographical heritage suggests a nod to John Owen Jones who is some years Evans’s senior and represents possibly a pinnacle of musical theatre achievement. The voice of Mark Evans however suggests that he too is already a fine tenor, and that the Welsh contribution to leading West End performances is in safe hands.

@jaybeegee63




This review was originally written for The Public Reviews