After a rather over indulgent two weeks off, I’m back on the blog for a final stint before Christmas is once again upon us. It’s been a wonderfully eventful month and so forgive me for skimming over some moments but I shall do my best to get as much in as possible.
As expected, my trip to Arts Ed to see Bat Boy, the follow up to the much raved (and officially reviewed) The Sweet Smell of Success was an utter joy. The soon to be graduates are already putting in knock out performances, particularly Alison Pope and Matthew Rowland. The quality of the ensemble singing in particular was a real highlight, surpassing several west end shows I’ve seen recently.
An odd and wonderfully irreverent plot called for humour with heart and the cast really pulled it off. I must confess my eternal envy at Benjamin Yates who gets to deliver perhaps the best lyric to grace a libretto which reminds us that a mountain is no place to raise cows. Marvellous.
From the weird to the wired as my housemates and I took our monthly theatre club visit to Priscilla, before the much loved bus departs at the end of the year.
My second time watching the show, it was even more delightful than the first and it is without doubt one of the West End’s glittering unsung heroes. On the Wednesday I was there it was packed, with the front row now almost continually filled with repeat custom- some people had apparently seen the show at least once every week since it opened. That’s an awful lot of glitter and twice the innuendo, not to mention the collection of costly ticket stubs.
I for one will be really sorry to see the show leave - despite promises of a tour as and when suitable modifications can be made to the bus - although I’m sure the cleaners at the Palace will prefer a daily dose of rain from the upcoming Chichester transfer of Singin’ in the Rain than swathes of glitter and confetti canons.
Undoubtedly the most hyped new arrival in town has been the glorious RSC production of Matilda the Musical. Let’s get one thing very clear before naysayers lambast me: I thoroughly enjoyed the show, I really did. It’s a fantastic night out for all the family and the young actors are pure joy.
This comes from the man who despises most child actors and had to physically grip my neighbour whilst watching Chitty to keep myself from lashing out- thank goodness the dogs were on form or else the only toot you’d have got from me would’ve been far from sweet.
And the remainder of my rehab tales will go live later in the week - more from Matilda, The Ladykillers and the baptism of fire of a much loved actor on the upcoming television debut of Just a Minute.
