In our continuing series, editor Lisa Martland picks out some of her Top Picks from the last week of theatre (to 23 February 2020), including Aleks Sierz’s thoughts on the Bridge Theatre’s timely revival of Caryl Churchill’s 2002 play A Number
‘Irreverent, silly, satirical & fun, fun, fun’: LA CAGE AUX FOLLES [THE PLAY] – Park Theatre
Based on Simon Callow’s English translation, this version of La Cage aux Folles stays true to the original French text. Callow’s edits and new dialogue has given us a fresh interpretation which is arch and bubbling with hilariously sharp one-liners.
Love London Love Culture picks out her latest theatre tips
Here’s LLLC’s weekly guide to some of the shows you might want to book tickets for includes The Wedding Singer at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre:, Endgame at the Old Vic and The Seagull at the Playhouse Theatre.
NEWS: Park Theatre’s 2020 season includes Rags transfer & tenth-anniversary revival of Clybourne Park
Park Theatre’s new 2020 season highlights include the first major London revival of Bruce Norris’ multi-award-winning play Clybourne Park, the transfer of Hope Mill Theatre’s musical hit Rags and Simon Callow’s play adaptation of La Cage aux Folles.
‘Playing her is like an actors’ playground’: Craig Revel Horwood takes Miss Hannigan on tour in Annie
Strictly ’s meanest judge, Craig Revel Horwood, sashays into Milton Keynes Theatre next month with a perfect score of terrific reviews for his performance as the gin-sozzled, tyrannical Miss Hannigan in the smash-hit revival of the endearing Annie The Musical.
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES – Touring
The best of times is now, a more fitting musical number there never was – indeed La Cage Aux Folles is an uplifting, life affirming joy of a show. Although tinged with moments of heartbreak, the recovery process is so beautifully told that the overall feeling is one of sheer delight.
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES – Touring
La Cage Aux Folles is a total joy from beginning to end – sharp witted, fantastic performances from all of the cast and so flamboyant that you can’t help but wish that the performance went on from longer.
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES – Touring
The first thing to say about the tour of La Cage Aux Folles is it has to be Bill Kenwright’s most generous production to date: no expense has been spared in beautifully detailed sets – some stunning cut-metal and mirror work in Gary McCann’s design…
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES – Touring
A story about love and acceptance always has things to teach us, gay or straight, now more than ever and the story of St Tropez nightclub owners Georges and Albin is a touching one as through dealing with Georges’ son’s fiancée’s parents’ homophobia, they learn more about themselves and their own identities.
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES – Touring
High kicks and high camp dominate La Cage Aux Folles, at the Playhouse, as it explodes in a glorious melange of sequins, feathers and a timely political message wrapped up in an over-sugared package.
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES – Touring
“Something about always”: that’s the line I always think of when I think of La Cage Aux Folles. For some people the height of romance is the heroics of Les Mis, or the doomed love affairs of War and Peace.
NEWS: Marti Webb joins La Cage aux Folles tour, Full cast announced
Bill Kenwright presents the first-ever UK tour of the Tony and Olivier award winning LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, which opens at New Oxford Theatre on Thursday 5 January 2017. Full cast has now been announced to join stars John Partridge as Albin/drag star Zaza and Adrian Zmed as Georges.
NEWS: John Partridge plays Zaza in first-ever UK tour of La Cage aux Folles
Bill Kenwright presents the much loved musical LA CAGE AUX FOLLES with John Partridge as ‘Albin/Zaza’ and American TV star Adrian Zmed as ‘Georges’, opening at New Oxford Theatre on Thursday 5 January 2017 before embarking on its first-ever nationwide tour, with further dates to be announced.
JERRY’S GIRLS – Jermyn Street Theatre
Jermyn Street Theatre, London
****
Music and lyrics by Jerry Herman
Concepts by Larry Alford, Wayne Cilento and Jerry Herman
Directed by Kate Golledge
(l-r) Sarah-Louise Young, Emma Barton and Ria Jones
Drawn from the shows of Jerry Herman, Jerry’s Girls is a delightful cabaret that in the hands of three talented ladies, offers a whirl of show tunes that thoroughly deserves its hastily arranged return visit to Jermyn Street Emma Barton, Ria Jones and Sarah-Louise Young are magnificent throughout, working their way through a set list that was originally put together for a Broadway revue back in the 1980’s. The compilation is rarely seen over here and credit to producers Katy Lipson and Guy James for having the ingenuity to have mounted it so successfully.
With perhaps the exception of Milk and Honey, the numbers are all familiar to musical theatre lovers and the combination of gloriously powerful belts intermingled with moments of the purest poignancy make for an evening that would be an emotional rollercoaster were it not all so ridiculously enjoyable. All of Herman’s big shows get a look in, with Barton’s Mabel in Wherever He Ain’t channelling an exquisite vocal presence that also suggests just a hint of Albert Square! From the same show, Young and Jones give a gorgeous and perfectly weighted nuance to I Won’t Send Roses.
Herman’s humour sparkles, never wittier than in a song he wrote for the revue, Take It All Off, that wonderfully spoofs burlesque stripping. Again there is fabulous work from Young with Jones being disarmingly (and hilariously) self-deprecating as a stripper whose best years are behind her.
There are nods to Hello Dolly throughout, with the show ending on a powerful tribute to all that La Cage Aux Folles stood for. Grins along with lumps-in-throats all round.
Kate Golledge directs assuredly, with an entertaining eye for detail. Matthew Cole choreographs cleverly too given the venue’s intimacy and that Tap Your Troubles Away evolved into all three women tap-dancing, accompanied by pianist and MD Edward Court and his reed and mandolin playing partner Sophie Byrne on their feet too, (both fabulous musicians to boot) only added to the wondrous sparkle of the occasion. My one regret was not having discovered this gem of a show sooner so I could have had the opportunity to have returned to see it again.
Jerry’s Girls is only playing until May 31st. Barely lasting two hours, it offers West End entertainment at a fraction of a typical West End price. If you love what Broadway, Streisand, Merman & co were/are all about, then you’ll come out grinning. Go see this show!
Runs until 31st May
Review: La Cage Aux Folles (Menier Chocolate Factory)
Curtain almost up!!! Light some of the lights!!! Technical difficulties caused some hilarity at La Cage aux Folles, relocated temporarily to the suitably French-sounding Menier Chocolate Factory, on the Rive Gauche beside the Pont de Londres … but somehow the joie de vivre and ooh-la-la were left at the bottom of the costume skip which […]
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