June 2009 - UK Reviews

[JohnH]

Looking forward to the first reviews of the new Michael or Debbie's

[Billy Whiz]

I was privileged tonight to see the new Michael, Jake, the new Debbie, Fleur, new Tall and Small Boy as well as a new ballet group except for, I think, two girls from Markham.

All I can say is they all did a marvellous job and they should be proud of themselves. Jake is a real cheeky chappie and already has added a couple of his own touches to the part. He's also had his spikey hair chopped off. Fleur is a real small Debbie but boy she has attitude. A delight to watch her perform. The new Tall Boy and Small boy both did really well. For ones so young to perform like that is nothing short of remarkable. Finally to my favourites - the ballet girls. The forum members have nothing to worry about with the new girls. They are just as totally inept as all the other ballet groups that have been (I mean that as a compliment). The ballet girls seem to be getting smaller but, like Debbie, what attitude. They are pushing, kicking, gesticulating and swearing. It really is a masterclass in how to make excellent dancers look totally useless. Well done girls.

Here are a couple of photos that I managed to get at the stage door tonight. Thanks to Jake, Fleur and their parents for allowing me to take the photos and post them on the forum.

[Chris]

Does Jake wear his glasses when playing Michael like Brad did?

[Billy Whiz]

Does Jake wear his glasses when playing Michael like Brad did?

Yes.

[patc]

Monday Evening 1st June

Ollie, Jake, Fleur
Dad: David B
Grandma: Romy

I was really glad that I stayed over in London from Saturday for this show, the first to feature the new Michael and Debbie. I can tell you all, after watching their wonderful debuts last night, that in Jake and Fleur the production company has yet again unearthed a duo of fantastic talent. With Ollie not a wet day in the role of Billy nobody in the audience not in the know would have guessed that less than three weeks ago none of the child cast leads they saw last evening had performed yet.

BTW, surprisingly, there was no pre-show announcement by Nick.

One of the exciting things about being at debuts is seeing how the new stars differ from previous in their interpretations of their roles and the great news is that both Jake and Fleur are "doing it their way" as a certain Frank might sing.

In the tender moments of the Winter Scene we are used to having our hearts torn out by Michael and the same applies as the final curtain falls on the bikeboy but you are going to be left totally in bits by something I haven't seen before - a Michael wearing spectacles. I cannot even begin to describe what it did to my tear ducts last evening in the aformentioned scenes as a very endearing Jake took over the stage. Message to M&S Hankie Dept. - start building up your stocks to even higher levels. Thank goodness for the spectacular Finale that allows time for your composure to be regained.
We saw the fun side of Jake in a brilliant rendition of Expressing and, later on, a magnificent lead in to the Nutcracker joke that had the audience on the floor.

From the moment Fleur arrived onstage in Shine she was determined she was not going to be outdone or outshone. Basically, she played "havoc" with her Mum's lesson, all done with a mischievous smile and a half. In the front of stage rapport with Billy in Solidarity she was cool as a cucumber, never rushing her lines and her paused reaction and facial expression to Billy stating his Mam was dead was right on the money.

Forgive me that this is the fifth paragraph and am only now getting around to Ollie but it was, after all, debutants' night. This was my second Ollie in three days and third in all and, even in his short time in the show so far, he has already upped the ante since his great opening performance on 12th May Fourth Birthday Show. He has mastered expertly the manner in which he shows Billy's gradual transition from "What am I supposed to do, Miss?", through the stuttery at first but then graceful "little fairies on top of the cake", to the confident pirouettes at the end of Solidarity just before Dad enters the scene.
As far as I could remember his Electricity has had some extra movements added but minus the wall flip on this occasion.
The laughter for his "Esquire" joke was the loudest I've heard and went on for ages.

The new Ballet girls (with one or two familiar faces still around), Tall Boy and Small Boy all did themselves hugely proud on their first nights. Like Jake and Fleur you'd never have guessed it was their first nights.

So, overall, the exciting news is "here we go again" with the new cast members all set to thrill us and entertain us for a long time to come plus, of course, the already established ones who have been thrilling us and entertaining us already for some time.

Pat

[patc]

Thursday Matinee 4th June

Tom, George, Annabelle
Mrs. W: Gillian
Grandma: Romy

It's been said that you often get extra value at Thursday Matinee and today was no exception. We got Magic and Magic, that's two kinds of magic, the first being a magic show and the second, well, more anon.

Tom, George and Annabelle were the main magic in the first magic and this trio of outstanding young performers certainly knows how to thrill, excite and manipulate the emotions of audiences. There is no point in singling out any scene because every one of them was acted sung and danced to perfection. I will mention, though, that I was a bit apprehensive when I saw the black board out for Tom's Electricity. I'm not sure if that was his first wall flip for a while but, having finished his final pirouettes, he took one quick look at the board, summed it up, took off like a 100 yard sprinter from a standing start, ran up the board and, wow, what a truly spectacular sight it was as he soared up and over and landed perfectly with a triumphant raising of his hands in the air as his feet hit terra firma. The jockey had got back on the horse. Some audience members leaped to their feet in appreciation.

Gillian gave a very different but terrific and moving interpretation as Mrs. W and Romy was superb as Grandma.

I definitely can't find the right words to describe the Barnaby/Tom combination in Swan Lake. Words such as majestic, beautiful, synchronised poetry-in-motion are just not good enough to try to explain what it was like.

The other magic could be called the "Disappearing Act" kind of magic. Before the show began at all, Kate had "disappeared" as had Tim Funnell and Phil Snowden as well as Ann and I didn't see Neil Reynolds. For the first time in ages one of the usual 13 policemen in Solidarity had also "disappeared". It is a tribute to the company that, despite the absence of so many regulars, the show sparkled. Another aspect affected by the "Disappearing Act" was the actors voices. They "disappeared" every now and then, specifically the opening words of some lines. In the Ballet Dancer/Dad RBS scene the Ballet Dancer's voice "disappeared". We could hear Dad's voice, well, kind of, barely, as there was a much more interesting conversation going on backstage which carried through loudly to the auditorium on the mics. The last disappearing act was in the goodbye scene between Billy and Mrs. W. When Billy had "signed this for us" the usual hush descended and Billy looked up engage Mrs. W. There was only one slight problem. There was no Mrs. W to engage with. He, Debbie and the Ballet girls stood silently and waited, staring at the door. Just before this I thought I had heard some kind of crashing sound. It seemed like an eternity but, of course, it wasn't and Mrs. W did finally come in and the scene proceeded as normal to its very emotional ending. Live theatre is so exciting and the unexpected does sometimes occur.

I must mention Shaun Henson's Audiotape man in the Audition scene. The body shapes he throws and the facials here are just so funny. David Massey's Posh Dad also raises huge laughs. Trevor had a new line on Gordon Brown's "popularity", Tom, as usual, chose number 88 in the raffle, in Shine Annabelle gave 4 fingers to her Mum behind her back in the format of 1-2-1 in quick succession and George's trademark hanging of his head as the curtain came down left me in bits and eternally grateful for the Finale.

Thanks to all the VPT for yet another truly magic afternoon.

Pat

PS For the cast record keepers the Wed. evening board showed Brad, Jake, Fleur

[JohnH]

It just wouldn't be Friday morning without your Thursday matinee review Pat. Brilliant as always.

[dwallen]

Thursday Matinee

Not much left to say thanks to the excellent review of patc above. I would agree that this was a stunning show despite the couple of 'technical problems.' I had an eleven year old boy with me who was so entranced that he did not notice either of these things. Tom was indeed superb. It is the second time I have seen him and he has definitely got better and better (despite being very good to start with).

I usually watch the show from the Dress Circle but this time we were towards the front of the stalls. You certainly get a different impression of things from here and can see every facial expression. Here Tom scored very highly. He never lost concentration and never stopped being Billy. His Electricity was out of this world and his standing ovation (the first of 3) was very well deserved. Well done Tom, good to see you back on the 'board,'

[maria]

Thank you Pat for the Monday and Thursday reviews - feel like I was there... wish I could have been. And thank you dwallen for your insights on the Thursday matinee as well!

cheers.
maria

[NIKKIE-NIKKIE]

Billy - Fox
Debbie - Fluer
Michael - Jake

Saw the show Saturday.

Yet again we have not been let down with the choice of new cast.

Fleur is a very comical Debbie, her screwed up face when she concentrating hard on her dancing or being told do to things by her Mum is wonderful. Can not believe she only a few shows in, very confident.

Jake, as has been said, a Michael with glasses. Now to me this makes him more credible as a little northern kid, don't ask me why but it just fits so well.

His dictation is spot on, you clearly hear every word and he possibly got the biggest roar of laughter with the "see what my under pants can do” line, which often can be drowned out.

He add libbed a few little bits, which shows confidence.

And then there was Fox; a true talent and the smile when he completed "Electricity" would have melted anyone.

Lost of 'alternates' on tonight, so well done them.

Wonderful show as always, and worth every penny: D