Here We Are - Review

National Theatre, London

***

Music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Book by David Ives

Directed by Joe Mantello

The cast of Here We Are

It is a rare show indeed that combines a generous dose of magical creativity with the tedium of disappointing over-ambition, but so it is with Here We Are that’s recently arrived at the National Theatre from New York under the continued helming of Joe Mantello.

The musical, Stephen Sondheim’s final composition, is a nod to the movies of Luis Buñuel - well, two movies in particular, Exterminating Angel and The Discreet Charm Of The Bourgeoisie - with the show’s first act proving an incisively scorching satire on the shallow platitudes of the privileged middle-class, themed around a group of friends seeking, and serially failing, to find a restaurant for brunch.

Sondheim is at his best when he mocks society’s pretentious, pompous shallowness and the range of his melodies blended with the brutal wit of his lyrics are just sensational. By way of example, when one of the friends orders a coffee, the waiter, who we learn has no coffee nor indeed much else on the menu, parries the request with this sensational retort:

We do expect a little latte later,

But we haven’t got a lotta latte now.

The structure, rhyme and alliterate assonance of those lines is just brilliant. Every new writer of musicals should be made to study Sondheim to recognise the discipline and structure that goes in to crafting a good song. That the two leading musical roles (atop a starry cast) that drive the first-half’s wicked satire are played by the incomparable Tracie Bennett along with Denis O’Hare only adds to the outstanding entertainment on display.

But then it’s the interval and then it’s act two which sees the group of friends caught in the horror of being trapped under a spell from which they cannot escape. The most horrific consequence of this spell however is that it leads to the majority of the act being song-free, and when one considers that it is Sondheim's song writing sparkle that gives the show what zest it has, to deny the actors the oxygen of Sondheim's flair leads to a stifling of the show as it rapidly loses momentum, becoming a flaccid and boring interpretation of Buñuel’s brilliant original.

David Zinn’s ingenious set may well be stunning, equally Natasha Katz’s lighting, but neither are enough to rescue this flaccid hour-long dirge, with the second half proving to be little more than a self-indulgence by book-writer David Ives who, stripped of Sondheim's support, clearly lacks the creative nous to effectively translate an already brilliant movie into entertaining theatre. 

Producers take note : If this show were to be chopped at the interval it would make for a short, stunning tribute to the genius that was Stephen Sondheim.

Runs until 28th June

Photo credit: Marc Brenner

Pasek and Paul - Live at the London Hippodrome

Hippodrome, London

****

Justin Paul and Benj Pasek

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, a wunderkind brace who are the current creative young darlings of Broadway were in London for just one night. Unknown on this side of the pond outside of the musical theatre bubble, they nonetheless packed out the Hippodrome’s Matcham Room and attracted some of London’s top talent to join them in a late-evening showcase presented by Nathan Amzi.

An uber-talented pair, Pasek’s keyboard skills are exquisite and in performance the two dovetail together in perfectly synchronised harmony. They recently enjoyed Tony nominated Broadway success with their seasonal offering A Christmas Story, preceding that with the off-Broadway musical Dogfight helmed by Wicked director Joe Mantello. The cast recording of Dogfight has already been reviewed here and its fair to say that it reflects a carefully crafted tale, including action, tragedy and passion in equal measure. Based upon an unlikely and complicated love that emerges from a cruel prank played by a troop of US Marines before they ship out to war, the show’s lyrics demonstrate a perception and wisdom that belies Pasek and Paul’s youth. On stage in London, the Dogfight selection included the impressive First Date / Last Night along with the painfully poignant Pretty Funny, the latter sung by London’s Elphaba in waiting, Willemijn Verkaik. Amongst their achievements, as television songwriters the two men contributed Caught In A Storm to the TV series Smash. This song, also performed by Verkaik was a disappointment, sung by a voice that was too old and too polished for the number’s underlying mediocrity and not helped by Verkaik’s casual and untidy appearance that was at odds with the venue's glamour.

And thereby hangs the paradox of Pasek and Paul. Some of what they write is inspired and even if their patter went on too long, their refreshingly self-deprecating style along with a handful of numbers that Tom Lehrer would be proud of, served to remind us quite how razor-sharp their perceptive wits are. Yet the ballad With You Everywhere That You Are whilst having noble intentions and written as a memory of loved ones lost, came across as soppy and shallow, lacking the honesty of emotion with which Scott Alan easily seems to infuse his songs. Performing live, this pair who have been hailed as the next Rogers and Hammerstein bear a scary resemblance to Ant and Dec The Musical.

Yet their strengths undoubtedly outweigh their weaknesses and by some measure. Oliver Tompsett gave a beautiful version of Do You Remember, reminding us all why he is such an acclaimed performer, though perhaps the star turn of the night was Lauren Varnham whose take on the Pasek and Paul’s Perfect from their Edges song cycle, was a spine tingling moment. Clad in a simply elegant black dress, Varnham who had impressively dashed from performing From Here To Eternity looked as good as she sounded. The night closed on a standing ovation. Pasek and Paul may be inconsistent, but when they’re on their game they’re genius. 

Wicked

Apollo Victoria, London

****

Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz

Book by Winnie Holzman

Directed by  Joe Mantello

Louise Dearman

There is never a bad time to return to Oz and so it was a pleasure to be invited back to the Apollo Victoria for a final glimpse of the cast under Gina Beck and Louise Dearman, as their take on Schwartz's mega-musical draws to a close.

A feature of London's West End since 2006 and with the show still a Broadway hit, Wicked continues to be a tale, that if you are familiar with L Frank Baum's story of Dorothy, will amuse you with its wit and if you have no background knowledge whatsoever, still works as a charming tale of rivalries overcome and friendships formed amidst conflict and adversity. 

Wicked can be viewed as a very simple magical piece about friendship and trust. However there is also Elphaba's rejection by society from the moment she is born and the consequences that such contempt can spawn. Louise Dearman's take on Elphaba, the misunderstood emerald green girl destined to become the Wicked Witch of the West is almost faultless. Hers is a complex character, good and innocent at the outset and only seeking affection. Shunned because of her skin colour (an allegory for our own racist world) she learns to hate only because hatred is what the world has shown her. Dearman's mezzo-soprano performance is breathtaking and 'Defying Gravity', the show's spectacular act one closing number and 'No Good Deed' continue to raise the roof at the Apollo. Dearman is unique in the show's global history as the only actress to have played both Elphaba and her opposite, Glinda. 

As Elphaba's antagonist, the elfin Gina Beck is everything that the saccharine-sweet soprano Glinda should be. Nominally the Good Witch, she flips effortlessly from being wise, warm and motherly to care free and witty with her early number 'Popular' cleverly showing how innocent yet still manipulatively scheming the so called good witch can be.

Whilst the two leading ladies give a formidable double act, other notable performances on the night came from Stuart Ramsay whose understudying of The Wizard, despite being much younger than most actors who play the role, gave a surprisingly genuine warmth and Sam Lupton's Boq was also a refreshingly endearing turn. The role of Fiyero was also an understudied performance, this time by Jason Winter who disappointingly lacked impact and presence for such a pivotal supporting responsibility.

Even on a return visit, Susan Hilferty and Eugene Lee's designs remain breathtaking with the Wizzamania sequence in particular leaving the audience grinning. No gimmicks, just a combination of story, characters, music and costume all coming together to create perfect musical theatre.

Elphaba's ambition and determination define the show as a feel good musical and as act two ends, again free of gimmicks, Schwartz's For Good remains one of the greatest celebrations of friendship in the canon. The song's lyrics might groan just a bit, but the two-part harmonies alone define its magic.

Now booking well into 2014 and with Willemijn Verkaik soon to take over as Elphaba, Wicked remains an innovative celebration of good triumphant over evil staged with wit, flair and some of the best showtunes of recent years.


To book tickets for Wicked, click here