This is a smart and thoughtful interpretation of South Pacific that takes carefully considered approach to some of the problems in the scenario without fully absolving the characters for their behaviour and choices. Managing to balance the sparkle of the big set-pieces and the not so charming effects of military occupation with some serious emotional clout that will leave you wrung through at the end, this sets the standard against which future productions will be judged. With a UK tour running until November, Bali Ha’i is calling you, don’t resist.
NEWS: Chichester’s South Pacific transfers to Manchester & London ahead of UK tour
This summer’s Chichester Festival Theatre smash hit production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific will transfer to London’s Sadler’s Wells in the new year.
NEWS: Chichester’s 60th-anniversary festival includes new plays by Kate Mosse, Alecky Blythe & Stephen Beresford
Chichester Theatre has announced details for the first productions of its 60th-anniversary festival season. The full 2022 Festival season will be unveiled in February.
‘In itself a celebration’: SOUTH PACIFIC – Chichester Festival Theatre ★★★★★
Almost the most magnificent part of Daniel Evans’ production of South Pacific is that it’s happening at all: despite the distanced glimmer of blue paper masks, Chichester affirms that big musical theatre is back with almost insane defiance:
‘Utterly joyous & joyful’: SOUTH PACIFIC – Chichester Festival Theatre
While it is sadly premature to say that the theatre is fully back from its enforced hibernation of the last 15 months that put paid entirely to last summer’s Chichester Festival Theatre season, it was a (socially distanced) delight to welcome back of my favourite regional theatres with the opening, at last, of its production of South Pacific originally planned for last year.
‘Every artist gave a powerhouse performance’: MONDAY NIGHT AT THE APOLLO – Apollo Theatre ★★★★
Created by Wild Mountain Productions and presented by Greg Barnett, a spectacular line-up was brought to the stage of the Apollo to take us through a night of vocal gymnastics, diversity, humour and just a bunch of fun in the first instalment of Monday Night at the Apollo.
Mark Shenton’s weekly chart of forthcoming theatrical comings & goings has some new entries
This weekly column keeps track of the shows that are coming back, or are newly being announced, as theatres prepare to re-open from next month onwards. It will be updated weekly until such time as it becomes a reality, and from then on will provide a weekly update to that week’s openings and future ones.
Returning & new productions heading for the West End & beyond post-lockdown: Are you up to date?
Meanwhile, I want to start keeping track of the shows that are coming back, or are newly being announced, in a new feature here that will be updated weekly until such time as it becomes a reality, and from then on will provide a weekly update to that week’s openings and future ones.
‘Full of wit, humour & reminiscence’: A MARVELLOUS PARTY (Online review)
A Marvellous Party, commissioned by the Noël Coward Foundation, ostensibly marks the centenary of Coward’s first appearance on stage and has been produced to raise funds for actors on both sides of the Atlantic who are struggling with the effects of the pandemic.
NEWS: Sherlock creators Steven Moffat & Mark Gatiss collaborate in Chichester Festival Season packed with world premieres
World premieres in Chichester Festival Theatre’s Festival 2020 include first plays by Steven Moffat and Kate Mosse and new work by Suhayla El-Bushra and Christopher Shinn.
‘Trademark van Hove is a good & bad thing’: ALL ABOUT EVE – West End ★★★★
Ivo van Hove’s production and stage adaptation of the film All About Eve is trademark van Hove and that is a good and bad thing.
‘There are moments of greatness in amongst the gimmicks’: ALL ABOUT EVE – West End ★★★
Love London Love Culture’s Kirsty Herrington paid a visit to the Noel Coward Theatre to see Ivo van Hove’s production of All About Eve, based on the Oscar-winning film.
‘The kind of emotional intensity that remains rare’: ALL ABOUT EVE – West End
Ivo van Hove’s take on All About Eve ticks all my boxes at the Noël Coward Theatre, great work from Gillian Anderson, Lily James and a stellar Monica Dolan.
‘Something quite different’: ALL ABOUT EVE – West End
This All About Eve is something quite different, same story deliberately new frame with staging that pushes at the boundaries of theatre and film.
NEWS: Stanley Townsend & Ian Drysdale join All About Eve line-up as further casting announced
Further casting has been announced for the world premiere of Ivo van Hove’s stage production of the 1950 Twentieth Century Fox film All About Eve.
‘Beautifully moving concert’: SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM – Royal Festival Hall ★★★★
I left the Royal Festival Hall, after seeing Sondheim On Sondheim, in awe of the performers, in love with Sondheim’s music and connected to him as a person.
NEWS: Live at Zedel announces new 2018 winter/spring season
Live At Zédel, Soho’s unique live entertainment concept at Crazy Coqs, announces its new 2018 winter/spring season produced in partnership with Fane Productions.
THE TREATMENT – Almeida Theatre
The Treatment has often been ignored, perhaps on account of its large cast, or because of its large scale. Now that the Almeida Theatre has decided to stage this story of how art cannibalises life we have the chance to judge its relevance some 25 years after its premiere.
NEWS: Julian Ovenden & Indira Varma join cast of Crimp’s The Treatment
The Almeida Theatre today announced the full cast of The Treatment, Martin Crimp’s new play, which runs from 24 April 2017 to 10 June 2017, with a press night on 24 April.
Report on: Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year Awards 2016
Sunday 15 May 2016 saw the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year Awards 2016 take place at London’s Novello Theatre, with Guildford School of Acting’s Courtney Bowman (pictured centre) crowned the winner. Catherine Francoise was at the event for www.jonathanbaz.com and reports.
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