The Other Palace, London
What Is It? An original new musical about fighting for what is right. What Is It About? Set between old Hollywood of 1935 and an all girls Language and Deportment College in Paris, a young girl’s life gets turned upside when she writes a hit story that she unknowingly gives away to a Hollywood script writer who goes on to steal it.
We meet Freddy Larceny (Jeremy Secomb) as he takes us through frame by frame of his demise and shows us how he is a crook, all the while letting us know that none of it matters because he has a great “reputation”. In Paris, we meet Michelle Grant (Maddy Banks), a young and aspiring novelist, who is encouraged by her friends to submit her story to Variety.
Larceny steals her story, and passes it off as his own, Grant & Co read about it some months later, and her father helps her pursue a court case to bring Larceny to justice and get credit for her own work.
How Did It Make Me Feel? I love old Hollywood. The era is rich with happy endings, drama, fabulous dance numbers and great costumes. The writing father/daughter duo Alick Glass and Suzanne Glass really captures the feeling of the period. From the accents, to the language, to the costumes, the audience are whisked right back to the 1930s. This show has old Hollywood glam all the way through it. Despite the drama of plagiarism of man vs woman, this was still a feel-good show that had me smiling for most of it.
You love to hate Larceny, which a great testament to Secomb’s portrayal of him, and thanks to Banks strong acting choices, you truly feel for Grant when she thinks all hope is lost as someone has stolen all her “hopes and dreams’.
Where is it Playing? The Other Place, studio theatre, until 14th November 2019. Anything Else? The highlight of the show for me was Grant’s entourage. Her four friends are the heart, comedy, and entertainment of the show. Their harmonious vocals sound like a female barbershop quartet and their precise dance moves (courtesy of Tamsyn Salter) keep true to the period and is beautiful to watch.
The chorus of girls played by Lauren Ingram, Charlie Dennis, Ashleigh Cavanagh, and Eleanor Tollan are a great team all offering their own individuality that make for a exciting storyline no matter which actor you track throughout the show. They are sharp and direct with all their choices. Reputation is playing at The Other Palace until the 14th November 2019. If you like our reviews and want to support this blog feel free to buy any of us a virtual coffee here!
