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TITANIC – Charing Cross Theatre

In London theatre, Musicals, Opinion by Matt MerrittLeave a Comment

Can I start with a confession? I never really “got” Titanic… Sure, Maury Yeston’s music and Peter Stone’s book had the requisite bombast, but I’d never seen much evidence of the heart. Leave it to Thom Southerland and Danielle Tarento to prove me wrong again, as they did with Grand Hotel last year… Maybe next time I’ll have learned my lesson!

Pure Imagination: Leslie Bricusse on searching for the perfect song

In Cabaret, Features, London theatre, Musicals, Opinion by Terri PaddockLeave a Comment

How well do you know the work of composer-lyricist Leslie Bricusse? How many songs can you name by this living legend… apart from “Pure Imagination” (and the “Oompa Loompa” theme) from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. How about, for starters, Bond classics “Goldfinger” and “You Only Live Twice”, “If I Ruled the World”, “What Kind of Fool Am I?”, “The Candy Man”, “This Is the Moment”, “Can You Read My Mind?” (from Superman), “My Old Man’s a Dustman”, “The Pink Panther” and “Talk to the Animals” (from Doctor Doolittle)? And that really is, only for starters.

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PURE IMAGINATION – St James Theatre

In Cabaret, Musicals, Reviews by Johnny FoxLeave a Comment

This was a glamorous night (yes, I know that’s by Ivor Novello): Joan Collins, Petula Clark, Richard Fleeshman, Michael Feinstein, Gloria Hunniford, Nanette Newman, Hayley Mills and Una Stubbs. And that was just the audience – plus Carol Thatcher and Jeffrey Archer for some hideous reason, although it was a great pleasure to see Gyles Brandreth buying their interval drinks because they weren’t on the guest list.

PURE IMAGINATION – St James Theatre

In London theatre, Reviews by Jonathan BazLeave a Comment

Who can take a set list? Sprinkle it with class……
… as through two hours a delicious cast of 5 chart a course through nigh on 60 of the songs of lyricist Leslie Bricusse. Unashamedly a ‘juke-box musical’, the show marks producer Danielle Tarento’s first foray into that genre, with a combination of both song snatches and entire numbers as Bricusse’s remarkable body of work is referenced and respected.