Wolfboy @ Trafalgar Studio's

This is a very different musical and the subject matter is dark. The space at the Trafalgar Studio 2 suited the piece perfectly and added to the emotion and disturbing nature of the play/musical.

The musical is focused on two 17 year old boys who are in a psychiatric hospital, Bernie has tried to commit suicide for a second time by slitting his wrists and David believes that he has the powers of a wolf. They both have a dark and secret past, although Bernie on the outside appears to be the popular sporty school boy, whilst David has been hustling on the streets since he was 13. A friendship develops between these two boys and they eventually feel comfortable enough to share their problems with each other (something they will not do with the doctors).

The two young lads are played fantastically and with great sensitivity by the talented Paul Holowaty and Gregg Lowe. Paul as David is not the greatest singer but this is not really required for the wolfboy of the title. The singer is certainly good enough but I felt that he's ability to move from the confident and cocky know it all wolfboy to the vulnerable and scared boy inside was amazing. Greg as Bernie also showed great talent for such a young actor and again showed great sensitivity moving between the cocky and the vulnerable. His voice although not powerful was extremely pleasant and the harmonisation between himself and his brother Christian (Daniel Boys) was beautiful.

The other 2 characters in the musical the nurse Cherry and the brother Christian were played with style by Emma Rigby and Daniel Boys. Emma Rigby was making her debut on the west end stage and managed to add some humour into a musical that did require some light relief. I thought that her comic timing was very good but at times it was difficult to hear her clearly so if she wants to move on to bigger theatres will need to work on the projection of her voice.

Daniel Boys is the old hand of the musical and has the most fabulous voice. His voice is powerful but I thought that he balanced it just perfectly when singing with Gregg Lowe. He plays the caring and loving brother of Bernie but he again is hiding a secret. I think that he has very much helped this musical to reach a level that it deserves to be on the London stage. He's acting ability is now almost on a par with his singing.

The story unfolds well within the hour and a half duration as you begin to understand why each of the characters has arrived at the place that we find them. It most certainly is not a musical that suits everyone but if you're willing to be challenged then I'd recommend that this is a musical well worth seeing next time it is staged.

Mamma Mia - 22nd June 2010

I can't believe that it's 11 years since I last saw Mamma Mia!! Then it was a brand new musical, it's first week in the west end. We didn't know what to expect apart from a selection of Abba songs but I still remember leaving the theatre surrounded by a whole audience on an amazing high.

Mamma Mia is now a worldwide phenomenon, running in countless cities around the world and is there a household in the UK that doesn't own a copy of the DVD!! So would the production be as joyous now as it was back in 1999. The short answer is not quite. Linzi Hateley is one of the greats of the London theatre world and she lead a wonderful and talented cast through a production that showcases the amazing Abba songs. The show still has that wonderful feel good factor and anyone who doesn't emerge from the theatre in high spirits has serious problems. The only real difference between 1999 and now is that back in 1999 the show didn't know what it was and this just added to the charm.

The highlight of the show remains (at least for me) the performance of Does your mother know? This is performed fantastically by Harriet Thorpe and the sensational Alex Jessop.

If you are in London for only one night and don't know what show to see, stop dithering and book for Mamma Mia.... it truly is the happiest show in town!!

Daniel Boys at Wilton Music Hall - 17th June 2010

Daniel Boys is a great west end performer. The voice is pure and quite lovely. He has a personality that is warm, cheerful and natural. The WMH is a wonderful setting and Daniel came on to the stage to rapturous applause and began the set with title track from his CD "So Close". His voice seems very to come very easily and he seems very relaxed even though his great friend and musical director Doug White was missing from the band.

The set proceeded with further tracks from the CD and some other tracks that Daniel appears to have discovered on YouTube. The track "Runaway with me" is quite lovely and require great acting skills as well as the singing voice and this is pulled off with ease by Daniel.

In between the songs Daniel tells stories and chats to the audience with some ease but there is a shyness that comes across. He tends to ramble while telling the stories and quite a few times this resulted in something inappropriate being said. This is by no means a fault though and only adds to the whole charm of the evening.

The ballads follow one after the other, I Hope You Dance, They don't make glass slippers and Annie's Song are all beautifully sung (he wasn't known as Ballad Boys for nothing). The guest performer the unbelievably talented Julie Atherton performs the charming and witty Taylor, the latte boy with her usual perfect comic timing. Daniel then returns to the stage and they perform As long as you're mine from Wicked.

The evening finishes with two more tracks from his CD, the Michael Buble song Everything which although not better than the original, certainly holds it own. The set finishes with the beautiful and haunting Lullaby, with just the voice and piano. This is a man with great talent and will hopefully over the next few years will become a household name well at least within the west end!

The Fantasticks - Duchess Theatre

The stage consists of a black diamond shaped platform with a black box on it, to both sides are a row of seats. The audience who are sitting in these seats are shown to them just before the production starts.

Then on to the stage is Hadley Fraser (The Narrator) who introduces the rest of "The Players" and sings "Try to Remember" which turns out to be the only decent song in the whole show. The show has been running off-broadway for 50 years and the tweeness of this musical is best suited to the American's tastes.

The basic premise of the story is that two fathers have built a wall between their garden and created a fake feud in order to make their children "The Boy" and "The Girl" fall in love. The great shame is that we had such a great and talented cast for such a second rate show. Clive Rowe and David Burt are two greats of the West End stage but I felt were wasted in this production, in particular Clive Rowe's beautiful voice was not allowed to shine with the naff songs he had to sing. Lorna Want and Luke Brady were very good as the boy and girl. Luke Brady had a pleasant singing voice.

Paul Hunter and Edward Petherbridge as "The Man Who Dies" and "THe Old Actor" added some light relief to the evening and both had wonderful comic timing.

The show felt like it was over at the interval and although the second half added some darkness to the otherwise twee and light first half, the production as a whole really didn't seem to work. It's not a surprise that this musical only lasted a few weeks and has already closed down.

Wilton's Music Hall

I decided to take a walk at lunch today to find Thursday's venue "Wilton's Music Hall". From the outside it look's like a derelict building but once you get through the door... well actually in a way it still looks a little like a derelict building but one of extreme beauty. It has the most amazing character, your eyes move from room to room, from wall to wall. You want to touch the old stone and brick work. I know just can't wait to see Daniel Boy's perform there on Thursday evening. It's going to be a truly magical evening.

Welcome to London Theatre Review

Hi and welcome to my own London Theatre Review Blog! I love the London / West End Theatre and spend many evenings each year at one London theatre or another. Oh and I realise that there are many fantastic local theatres, it's just that London & the West End are easy for me as I work in London.

The theatre trips that I've had so far this year are as follows:

• Cat of a hot tin roof
• Cirque du Soleil
• Avenue Q
• Megan Mullally at Vaudeville
• Serenading Louis
• Waiting for Godot
• The little dog laughed
• Debbie Reynolds
• Danny Boys at Pizza on the Park
• Priscilla
• Hair
• Enron
• Julie Atherton at The Delfont Bar

I may post some blogs about these past show at some point in the future. I also tend to re-visit shows, I've seen Avenue Q at 3 different theatres, seen Priscilla & Hair twice already. I will book up to see Priscilla again in order to see Ben Richards as Mitzy. I already have tickets to see Hair again at the end of the month as it's such a fabulous production.

I will start with my official theatre reviews this week with The Fantasticks and Daniel Boys at Wilton Music Hall (Wednesday & Thursday respectively). It's a privilege to have seen so many great actors & singers on the west end stage and I'm looking forward to years and decades more of seeing these talented individuals. To see the young talent become old pro's and the next new crop of talented youngster start their careers.

I'm also hoping that my writing will improve and that I'll be able to provide reviews that will assist people in making a decision what to see next in London. I really hope that I have some followers soon and that my blogs are informative and entertaining!! Happy reading!!