Posts with the label david seadon-young
Showing posts with label david seadon-young. Show all posts
Showing posts with label david seadon-young. Show all posts
Monday, 6 May 2019
Man of La Mancha, London Coliseum | Review
Man of la Mancha
London Coliseum
Reviewed on Friday 20th October 2017 by Olivia Mitchell
★★
Man of La Mancha is considered a 'rare' revival and from this production it's pretty clear why. The story is highly dated and it's evidently a very hard piece to stage. Whilst the cast do as much as they can with what they've been given, the production feels un-engaging and insufficiently developed.
The structure of 'a show within a show' does little other than make the piece feel static. No context is given for the prison setting and the transition from the damp cell to the dreamlike play is jarring at times. The switches feel bulky and instead of moving on what little story there is, add an unnecessary layer which isn't resolved in any way.
The thin plot follows author Cervantes (Kelsey Grammer) who has been thrown into the prison. In an attempt to save his manuscript of Don Quixote and his worldly possessions, he acts out the novel and allows the other captives to take part. Grammer is good in his roles most of the time but feels unsteady, especially during the fight scenes, and doesn't bring the show's hit song 'The Impossible Dream' to life with much bravado. In general the cast are strong but there are moments of weakness, mostly due to the book itself.
Nicholas Lyndhurst plays both the sinister Governor and boozy innkeeper and is highly entertaining. The story may be strange but Lyndhurst amuses and brings his unsophisticated characters to life.
Soprano Danielle de Niese plays Aldonza, the local prostitute who Quixote sees as his princess and damsel in distress, Dulcinea. De Niese is vocally strong and brings an entertaining feistiness to the stage, but her incredibly dated role which features a brutal rape scene, again feels discordant. There seems to be a lack of balance between comedy and drama, with whimsical moments suddenly being taken over by shocking social commentaries, that do little to resonate with a modern audience.
There are brief sparkles of greatness in this production: David Seadon-Young stands out among the ensemble, Peter Polycarpou is engaging and whimsical and the gypsy dance is well choreographed. However overall Man of La Mancha feels like a show which cannot be made relevant for a contemporary audience. The bizzare characters are too far removed from anything the audience can sympathise with which makes the whole production feel empty.
If Fotini Dimou's beautifully detailed costumes and David White's superbly virtuosic orchestra are enough for you to fork out the the ticket money then by all means go to this show, but don't expect much more.
For more information and tickets, visit https://www.londonboxoffice.co.uk
photo credit: Manuel Harlan
Tuesday, 28 March 2017
An American in Paris, Dominion Theatre | Review
An American in Paris
★★★★
If you've been reading this website for a while then you may remember my 'Get Excited' post last summer about An American in Paris from when I went to its press launch. From that day on I was extremely excited about the show so when I got the chance to review it I jumped! The show is visually and technically stunning and did not disappoint.
An American in Paris tells the story of three men who fall in love with the shop assistant/ballerina Lise who is living with her own dark secret. Whilst the plot and dialogue is extremely minimal, the storytelling is done beautifully through incredible dance and Gershwin's music embodies the romantic, classic, musical theatre nostalgia which has been missing on West End stages for so long.
When a show looks and sounds so stunning, it is easy to overlook to plot failings and just appreciate the show for the spectacle it is. In dull plot moments, the music and dance takes over with wordless ease and fluency that takes the audience into the idealistic, Parisian world.
Bob Crowley's charming artwork adorns the backdrop throughout, bringing the post-war Paris to life with a number of glimmering, shadowy sketches. The colouring of the whole production is beautiful and it's easy to feel immersed in every location throughout the show. There are show-stopping moments as well as more intimate moments, but it all feels equally well thought out and truly s'wonderful.
Jane Asher is great as Henri's mother but her accent does need a little work at times. Despite this her performance is solid and she shows the varying emotions of the character well. Christopher Wheeldon's sharp production starts off quietly with a swastika banner dramatically being unfurled to show a multicoloured flag on stage. Every moment of choreography is stunning and the whole production works cohesively together to create a visually striking show.
Leanne Cope is absolutely exceptional as Lise, completely owning every moment on stage and performing breathtaking dance scenes with ease and elegance. Lise and Jerry have some truly beautiful scenes together with Robert Fairchild the perfect partner to Leanne. His movement is strong and striking whilst being warm and welcoming at the same time. Zoë Rainey is equally wonderful as the sweet Milo Davenport.
Both other men, Haydn Oakley and David Seadon-Young are brilliant in their roles and help to helm the dazzling cast. Each moment is exhilarating and radiant and the space of the large Dominion Theatre is used well. I personally think the show would work better in a more intimate theatre but there's no doubt that this production is something special. It's certainly an extravaganza which needs to be seen and is sure to leave its audience feeling warm and content. An American in Paris is a really lovely, lovely production.
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