Don't bother, they're here
In a bold move, The Prince of Egypt has extended its West End run until 4th September 2021 with provisional plans to reopen from 1st November 2020 in accordance with government advice.
It feels hopeful at best, not least because it wasn’t the show of my dreams nor an obvious commercial success, but I suppose making plans is a step in the right direction even if those plans ultimately have to change. Continue reading “News: The Prince of Egypt extends its West End run”
“No power on earth can change that, brother”
There was a moment in the last couple of days as I listened to ‘Make It Right’ for the umpteenth time that I wondered whether I’d been a bit harsh to The Prince of Egypt when it opened in late February. I’d made the note ‘lovely duet’ at the time and on record, the sweet/strong combination of Liam Tamne and Luke Brady’s voices is an absolute winner as their fraternal connection is tested over soaring contrapuntal melodies and an orchestral backing that flows as effortlessly as the Red Sea
So too, the show’s most famous song (so much so that the publicity campaign basically centred on it) ‘When You Believe’ has a choral majesty that is undeniable. Alexia Khadime and Christine Allado lead the company with real style – the interplay of their voices in the middle chorus is spine-tingingly lovely – and the incorporation of the Hebrew-sung bridge (led by Mia Lakha) is a rare graceful moment of geo-specificity that works. Continue reading “Album Review: The Prince of Egypt (Original Cast Recording)”
“For the rest of my life I’ll have to live with this”
Way way back, many centuries ago, but a little bit more after the Bible began, someone decided that Old Testament justice really was the way forward for musical theatre. And so here we have a musical that features two ethnic massacres of children but it’s all OK if you sing a ballad afterwards to atone (even if you’ve sanctioned the murder of your de facto nephew) and others will then tell you it’s ok “when you believe”.
The Prince of Egypt picks up a few generations after Joseph and co set up shop in the land of the Nile, where the Hebrew population is now spiralling out of control for the Egyptian authorities. Enlightened thinking about immigrants hasn’t quite reached these shores, so the Hebrews find themselves enslaved and upon the order of the slaughter of all their newborn boys by a grumpy Pharoah Seti, an intrepid Yocheved pops her baby into a basket and hopes that he’ll get picked up by a queen rather than a crocodile. Continue reading “Review: The Prince of Egypt, Dominion Theatre”
“Ian’s here
To offer a safe haven
Where you can be yourself
Unshackled and unshaven.”
I’d forgotten about Natalie Imbruglia, so I was happily grateful for the (albeit sneering) reminder about her in High Fidelity and popped her greatest hits on on the way home from Battersea’s Turbine Theatre. I was not tempted to listen again Tom Kitt’s score, which is a bit of a problem when you’ve just seen a new musical. It’s indicative of this choice of production at this new theatre, which at best could be described as curious, though problematic feels closer to the truth.
Though Nick Hornby’s novel and its inevitable cinematic adaptation garnered a level of popularity, they were very much products of their time, the 90s in microcosm. And David Lindsay-Abaire’s US adaptation, retooled here for the UK by Vikki Stone, does little to adjust that, ultimately coming up with something that already feels like a period piece. Oh look a geek, haha! Oh look a vegan, hahaha! Oh look a woman who’s way out of my league who was somehow my girlfriend and who I will stalk until she gets back together with me, hahahahahaha. Continue reading “Review: High Fidelity, Turbine Theatre”
Full casting has been announced for the arrival of The Prince of Egypt at the Dominion Theatre next year.
Joining the previously announced Luke Brady (Moses), Liam Tamne (Ramses), Christine Allado (Tzipporah), Alexia Khadime (Miriam), Joe Dixon (Seti), Debbie Kurup (Queen Tuya), Gary Wilmot (Jethro), Adam Pearce (Hotep), Tanisha Spring (Nefertari) and Silas Wyatt-Barke (Aaron) will be Mercedesz Csampai (Yocheved), Simbi Akande, Casey Al-Shaqsy, Joe Atkinson, Danny Becker, Felipe Bejarano, PÃ je Campbell, Adam Filipe, Soophia Foroughi, Natalie Green, Jack Harrison-Cooper, Rachael Ireson, Kalene Jeans, Christian Knight, Jessica Lee, Oliver Lidert, Jay Marsh, Scott Maurice, Carly Miles, Sam Oladeinde, Alice Readie, Christopher Short, Ricardo Walker, Danny Williams, Niko Wirachman and Sasha Woodward.
The Prince of Egypt has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Philip LaZebnik and is based on the DreamWorks Animation film of the same name. It will have direction by Scott Schwartz and is choreographed by Sean Cheesman with set design by Kevin Depinet, costume design by Ann Hould-Ward, lighting design by Mike Billings, sound design by Gareth Owen, projection design by Jon Driscoll and illusion design by Chris Fisher. Orchestrations are from August Eriksmoen with musical supervision and arrangements by Dominick Amendum, musical direction by Dave Rose and casting by Jim Arnold.
“I could find job satisfaction in Paraguay”
If this was the production of Evita that was forever touring the UK, then we could all be a hell of a lot more enthused about the future of UK theatre. Bill Kenwright might have the business side locked down with dull predictability but at the Open Air Theatre, Jamie Lloyd is unleashing a torrent of creative genius which proves inordinately exciting to witness.
He offers up a complete reimagining of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical and one which feels sparkingly fresh in every single aspect. The open bleachers of Soutra Gilmore’s design which turns our focus to the human relationships here, the striking physicality of Fabian Aloise’s choreography with its haunting screaming faces and way-cool domino effect points to societal trauma and most crucially, Lloyd allows the shadow of populist politics to loom large. Continue reading “Review: Evita, Open Air Theatre”
“Here’s to you and here’s to me”
Well 2019 has been an interesting year so far and one full of significance – I’ve turned 40, this blog has turned 10 and it’s all got me in a reflective mood. Personally, professionally, is this what I want to be doing? Do quote a Netflix show I haven’t even seen, does all this bring me joy…? Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve revisited a few long-running shows in the West End to consider what cost longevity.
The longest running show in the West End is The Mousetrap – 66 years old with over 27,000 performances and their answer to keeping going is to not change a single bit – has the show even ever cast a person of colour? My limited research suggests not… On the one hand, it’s a policy that does seem to have worked and that record is a mighty USP, although does the number of empty seats at the St Martin’s that afternoon suggest a waning of interest finally? Continue reading “Blogged: long-running shows and long-running blogs – what does the future hold”