A Chorus Line

       I wasn't sure if I should see this or not as to be honest my only experience of the show was the 1985 film with Michael Douglas, which I wasn't that keen on. This show is a classic of the stage and can be credited with changing the world of Broadway and all musical theatre from the 'Hello Dolly' style into the style of musical theatre we know today. Due to the long history of this show, having started in 1975, and after a friend calling it a 'must see', I decided I would be stupid not to book a ticket.

       The show is playing at The London Palladium which has a long and interesting history. Having been opened on Boxing Day 1910 it started life as a variety theatre. Its probably most famous for playing host to the TV show Sunday Night At The London Palladium, which ran from 1955 to 1967. In 1930 it hosted its first Royal Variety Performance and has so far played host to 36 of them, the most out of any other venue used for the performance. Its history in the theatre life of London is unsurpassed and its worth seeing the show, just to be part of the theatres magical history.

       The opulent surroundings of the theatre were amazing, with vast amounts of gold on every wall. The auditorium has more seats than I imagined, though not all the seats were full. My seat, B37 in the Royal Circle, was lovely. Wonderfully comfortable though the back was a little hard. It also had more leg room than at any other production I've seen in a while. The only negative was that it was slightly to far to the side, although that wasn't really an issue for this production. A bonus was that I was sitting directly opposite The Royal Box, although sadly The Queen wasn't in attendance (or any member of royalty for that matter. lol)

       The staff of the theatre were fantastic. They did like to talk to each other though rather than to people. saying that, they were however talking about various theatre productions all over the world. You could tell that everyone that worked there loved their job and loved the world of theatre.

       The set was simpler than anything I have seen, or am likely to see in the future. In has been described in the past, and accurately I might add, as a black box. Totally black, with two chairs, a few bags, a white line across the stage and occasionally mirrors across the back wall. That's it. Like a stage before its been set before a production. This of course suits the show which, makes it brilliantly simple but affective. Its a gritty and real portrayal of theatre life, which is something not often shown. Although it is fantastic, part of me still wonders 'surely you don't have to go through all that just to be in the chorus'.

       The fact that this 2 hour production has no interval goes totally unnoticed, as one is captivated by the superb acting, dancing and storytelling of the whole cast. Although the whole cast were fantastic, the audience defiantly fell in love with Harry Francis and Gary Wood as they both got louder applause than anyone else. I'm not surprized to be honest, as their performances were brilliant. Harry is also a hugely talented dancer and singer. I have to say, most of the cheers were from younger, and some older, woman. I was really excited to see John Partridge, as he is one of the best musical performers we have in the UK, but was disappointed. He was, as you would expect, brilliant in his role, but I felt in was wrong for him. It didn't show off the talent that I know he has. I mean just look at him as The Rum Tum Tugger in Cats.

       Due to the important role its played in the history of musical theatre, the fantastic musical score and the brilliant cast, you MUST go to see this show.  Tickets and Info

Quartermaine's Terms

       I didn't do much research into this play but was determined to see Rowan Atkinson. As far as I was concerned this was a serious play and I was going to be bored but dam it, I was going to see Atkinson. Because of my general lack of interest in the overall production I decided not to spend the sort of money I normally do when going to a show. In the end I spent just £37 and was sat in seat B15 in the top balcony.

       The entrance/foyer is deceptively small, as the theatre itself is massive (at least it felt like it was). After climbing a mass of stairs I arrived at the balcony level. As I walked along the back of the seats to find my B15, I was taken aback by the height at which I was sat. It almost felt like  a vertical drop and I would spend the whole time with my head bent down. As I sat down next to a rather nice American lady, hello Jan, I was bitterly disappointed to find my seat about as comfortable as being poked in the eye with a sharp stick. In fact on a number of occasions throughout the play my bum went numb.

       Although high, the seat had a relatively good view. The perspective of the stage did seem a little odd, but after a while I got used to it. Also as the seats are at such a steep angle (my feet were the same height as the shoulders of the people in the row in front of me, I had no obstructions to my view.

       The show itself is so witty and brilliantly acted. Its a masterclass in acting with its comic and tragic elements intertwined effortlessly by the whole cast, creating totally believable characters and relationships. Although set in the 1960's it most defiantly could be modern times. Although the subject matter, following the lives of seven teachers at a English language school over several years, doesn't sound exciting, its in fact a brilliantly observational piece of theatre. I feel this play is more suited to an older audience, or theatre/acting students, It still worth going if your a theatre fan.

       The set was fantastic. Such a realistic indoor space. The only other indoor space i remember being this realistic on stage was when I went to see Abigail's Party in 2003. The colors in the set a rather muted, all with a brown, green or orange undertone. This not only gives slight warmth to the set, but also is a true representation of the 1960s as this is when the play is set. Although I was sat high up, i still had a good view of most of the stage and so was able to appreciate the hours of work that must have gone into creating it.

       The only real issue I had was with Rowan Atkinson. Don't misunderstand me. He is a fantastical gifted and talented actor and is on top form in this production, however one this annoys me. Bean. Mr Bean to be precise. Rowan has become plagued my Mr Bean, even though he has done so much more during his career. There are points during the play were certain mannerisms of Rowan's acting just scream Mr Bean. I could feel the whole audience react to it.

Defiantly one to see, but you need to be quick as it ends on 13 April and not many seats available. Tickets and Info

Phantom Of The Opera

       My sister and I have been wanting to see this show for a long time, but for one reason or another neither of us have found the time until now. We went with high hopes seeing as it has had brilliant reviews and has now been going for over 25 years. Both of us however were left disappointed and deflated.

       The theater, although nice, isn't as grand or as opulent as some of the others in London. Our seats would have been fantastic (Seats B16 and B17 of the Royal Circle), apart from the fact that the seats were only slightly higher than the row in front. This meant that both my view and that of my sister were blocked by the people in front of us. The staff of the theatre were nice, but seemed very disconnected from their jobs or the people they were dealing with.

       Some of the actors microphones didn't seem to be that loud throughout the production and were sometimes completely drowned out by the orchestra. Also, during scene changes I was able to hear the scenery bumping along the stage as it was being pushed into position. I was in the second row of the Royal Circle. I should NOT be able to hear the scenery moving, especially when there is something happening on the stage that I'm trying to listen to.

       As its now been going for so long, all the performers that are currently in the production are not widely known. Although all of them were competent singers and performers, I did fell that they were average at every point throughout the show. With Phantom Of The Opera, I am of the belief that all of the cast should be shockingly good singers. The best performer of the night for me was Jeremy Secomb as Ubaldo Piangi, however his part was exceptionally small for someone with his acting ability and voice quality. Most disappointing for me however was the Phantom himself. Don't get me wrong, Marcus Lovett did an acceptable job. However he has been in a number of musicals in his career, including the original Broadway production of Les Miserables, and i would have expected his singing and acting ability to blow me away. In the end however, it left me feeling rather flat.

       In in current state and with its current lineup of performers, I have to admit that I wouldn't recommend seeing the production. If however you cant afford the theater prices and don't want to wait for a new cast to materialise, Warner Brothers made a fantastic film in 2004. With an estimated budget of $70,000,000 and a fantastic cast (including Gerard Butler, Patrick Wilson, Minnie Driver, and Simon Callow) its needles to say it is a fantastic film that is well worth watching.

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The Audience

I will fully admit that when reading about this play it didn't seem the most appealing to me. The official website describes it thus:

(The Audience) imagines a series of pivotal meetings between the Downing Street incumbents and their Queen. From Churchill to Cameron, each Prime Minister has used these private conversations as a sounding board and a confessional – sometimes intimate, sometimes explosive. From young mother to grandmother, these private audiences chart the arc of the second Elizabethan Age. Politicians come and go through the revolving door of electoral politics, while she remains constant, waiting to welcome her next Prime Minister

Politics has never been a subject that i find particularly thrilling, and so I really wasn't sure if I would enjoy this. Helen Mirren, once again portraying Queen Elizabeth II, is a fantastically talented actress, but is obviously limited be the script and subject matter. While sitting at my desk one day, I had a realisation. I absolutely loved The Queen (2006) and lets face it, that was a very political film. If I loved that film, what would stop me loving this play. Why also would I deny myself the opportunity of seeing Dame Helen perform. After all she has won an Academy Award, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Awards. I would be a fool NOT to go. I booked my ticket at the end of January, for seat 7C in the balcony.

Last night I went to see the production and it was, in a word, AMAZING. I ended up sitting in seat 5C, for reasons I wont go into, and this had a slightly restricted view due to a handrail on the front of the balcony. I also was unable to see the far right of the stage. This didn't however ruin the play at all. I would have had a better all round view by sitting more towards the centre, so if you go I would recommend sitting as close to the centre of the seating as you can.

The theatre itself, The Gielgud Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue, is great. It is a big theatre but, certainly from where I was, it felt quite intimate. The seats weren't the most comfortable and didn't have much leg room. The decor is amazing, with vast amounts of peach and gold adorning every wall. The staff are exceptionally friendly and very well presented. They were always asking if everything was OK, wishing me a good journey home and just generally making sure I was having a pleasant evening. I know that staff at other theatres do this, but I noticed it a lot more here. That isn't a bad thing.

The set for the play was simple, with two chairs and the occasional table or desk (and a two bar electric heater). There are just two back drops throughout the play ,due to it being set in just two locations. The backdrop used in the Buckingham Palace scenes has a fantastic illusion of depth and has an opulent appearance. The minimal changes made to the set during scene changes, more time changes really, allowed for a more flowing and immersive production. It also allowed for much more emphasis to be placed on the acting. The creative team behind this need to be congratulated.

The creative team behind the fantastic costumes and hair also need to be congratulated. The changes of hair and costume for Dame Helen mainly took part on stage. They took a matter a seconds and the transformative effects were fantastic. Helen Mirren goes from 2012 to 1952 to 2002 in the blink of an eye. The acting of the whole cast though I was left unimpressed, unfortunately, by Edward Fox.

Definitely one I'm going to try and see again. BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW! You wont be disappointed. Tickets and Info

Book Of Mormon

       I think I need to start with South Park. I'm not an avid watcher of South Park, but I am a fan of the comedy style that practically flows from it's creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker. This was only expanded and cemented in the comedy cortex of my brain in 1999 with the release of the film South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut. I wasn't 18 at the time and I am well aware that maybe the subject matter of both the film and the TV show were not the best for someone who wasn't even in his teens. If anyone has a problem with an 11 year old deciding, on his own, to watch such a film there is only one reply; ... all together now ... SHUT YOUR FUCKING FACE UNCLE FUCKER. In case anyone felt I was being offensive and that I've lost what little sanity I have left, this was a rather pathetic way of mentioning the most controversial, but also most loved, song of the whole film (the title of which is the same as the above insult in italics).

       With my love of Stone and Parker's comedy style festering deep in the hidden depths of my mind, it will come as no surprise that when I heard of their musical The Book Of Mormon I was as happy as a fox in a chicken coop. Being someone who finds it hard not to spend money as soon as I get some, I was without any finds to make my way to the U.S to see it. Arguing!!! Instead I made do with watching whatever clips I could find on the Internet. I would definitely not recommend this when going to the theatre. Do what I say, not what I do. Of course I was ecstatic when I heard the show was coming to London and as soon as I was able to, I booked a ticket. That was about 10 months ago, which is a long time to wait.

       Normally I like to either sit in the Stalls or in the first couple of rows of the Dress Circle when I go to the theatre. Due to the high demand for tickets, I was relegated to row J of the Dress Circle, which is fairly near the back. It was with great delight however that upon taking my seat at The Prince Of Wales Theatre, that it was far from being relegated. Due to the exceptionally steep incline of the Dress Circle row J actually had a fantastic view (seat 19 if your interested). I find it hard in fact to imagine that there are any bad seats in the circle at all.

       The plush decor in the foyer and bars instantly aloes you to relax and transport you back to the golden age of theatre, with the seats in the main auditorium being exceptionally comfortable. Its also relatively well priced in terms of drinks, snakes and merchandise which can only be good for ones wallet or purse.

       From the start I knew I was going to love it. With a brief explanation of the Mormon religion at the start, which is useful to people like me with little understanding of the religion, the story is set up nicely. This introduction also has a portrayal of Jesus that is wonderfully funny. I never thought I'd be saying this, but Jesus had the whole theatre laughing.

       The costuming was simple but affective as is the scenery, which through it's simplicity still allows you to enter the world portrayed on stage. The acting and comic timing of the whole cast, led superbly by Gavin Creel as Elder Price and Jered Gertner as Elder Cunningham, was absolutely fantastic. The only negative was that at one point the microphone of Alexia Khadime, who was playing Nabulungi, wasn't on for a couple of seconds. She had fantastic projection so even for those few seconds I could just about hear what she was saying. With the energy of those on stage consistent throughout, there wasn't even a brief moment of boredom.

       There are moments for me that are a 'little close to the mark', but that's what you expect really when you go to see the show. There are swear words a plenty, but again, this is something you should be expecting. I bought the CD of the show before I'd even seen it and I'm glad I did. The songs are, if there is such a thing, typically musical theatre. This contradicts the subtle message of the hardships of Africa (and the message certainly is subtle). Although at first it would appear that Stone and Parker are poking fun at the Mormon religion, this isn't the case. I think it is laughing WITH Mormons rather that at them. You only need to be aware of the fact that Mormons are flocking to see the show to understand that. In fact there a rumours that people who are just entering the religion are told to see it as part of there study. This laughing with rather than at is something Stone and Parker, though I'm sure they would disagree, have done throughout all their projects.

Book your tickets ASAP as no seats are available for a few months. Defiantly one to see with friends and/or family (though not young children) Tickets and Info