Interludes

VIEWPOINTS – London Report: Musical theater is masterfully served across the pond

• By drediman
• November 28, 2023
• No Comments

For Thanksgiving last week, I traveled across the pond to immerse myself in London’s famously vibrant theater scene. Focusing on musicals, I was able to take in an array of theatrical productions, ranging from the traditionally staged to more radical experiences. In total, I was able to catch six shows — two new works, three revivals, and one musical revue — and each for the most part was masterfully served. All in all, it was a terrifically successful week of theater-going that has already gotten me excited about my return visit. As always, read on for my thoughts (the following shows are arranged in the order I saw them).

CRAZY FOR YOU
Gillian Lynne Theatre 

The first show on the docket at the Gillian Lynne Theatre was a sturdy and thoroughly enjoyable revival of the 1992 Tony-winning musical Crazy for You (RECOMMENDED). Featuring a fizzy, hilariously farcical book by Ken Ludwig that cleverly strings together some of the Gershwins’ most hummable tunes, the show in my estimation is one of the very best examples of the much debated sub-genre of the jukebox musical out there. Once again choreographed by the great Susan Stroman (who also now directs) — whose exuberant, ingeniously constructed dances continue to be in a class of their own — the musical is at its best when it’s wowing audiences with golden age musical theater production numbers (e.g., “Slap that Base”, “I’ve Got Rhythm”). The revival is buoyed by the performance of Charlie Stemp in the leading role of Bobby Child. A true triple threat, Stemp dances like an absolute dream and oozes charisma to spare. As his love interest Polly, the game Carly Anderson is perfectly lovely, singing her fair share of Gershwin standards with winning heart. My only slight gripe is the lack of diversity in the cast, particularly in the principal roles — but this is something that can be easily fixed in future mountings of this terrific new production (maybe a future Broadway transfer is in the works?).

OLD FRIENDS
Gielgud Theatre

Originally presented as a one-night-only concert celebrating the longtime collaboration between the late American composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim and British mega-producer Cameron Mackintosh, Old Friends was first and foremost intended to be an amalgamation of songs from the shows that the two titans worked on together (e.g., Mackintosh presented the original London production of Follies). For its subsequent West End incarnation currently at the Gielgud Theatre (RECOMMENDED), the show has retained its somewhat unruly revue-like structure. In a fascinating choice, legendary divas Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga headline the run — interestingly, Old Friends marks Peters’ West End debut, as well as Salonga’s first appearance in a Sondheim musical on the London stage. Salonga in particular impressed me with the dramatic detailing of her surprisingly forceful turns as both Mrs. Lovette and Mama Rose. On more steady ground, the show also features such London stage luminaries as Janie Dee, Joanna Riding, and Gavin Lee (Lee’s rendition of “Could I Leave You” was a definite highlight). Despite my small reservation about the inconsistent construction of the evening — which includes both concert and fully-staged segments — it’s nevertheless always a treat to hear the Sondheim canon performed with as much care and panache as it is here.

SUNSET BOULEVARD
Savoy Theatre

Perhaps the most striking production I encountered during my trip was Jamie Lloyd’s drastically reconsidered revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED). If you’ve seen one of Lloyd’s recent productions, you’ll know that the auteur director has as of late favored severely austere stagings — an aesthetic which may at first seem at odds with the maximalist spectacle associated with this particular musical’s original incarnation. Make no mistake, Lloyd strips the musical down to its bare essentials (he’s even excised at least two of the show’s more superfluous songs), thereby ruthlessly exposing the psychological underpinnings of the characters. And by leaning in on a film-within-a-musical presentation (this is a story about the pitfalls of Hollywood after all), the director in effect heightens his own approach with the aid of telling and often unforgiving close-ups. Musically speaking, the score surprisingly has rarely sounded better; indeed, Lloyd makes a strong case for the visceral punch of Lloyd Webber’s uncanny gift for melody. In the coveted role of faded film star Norma Desmond, former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger sings gloriously, delivering her big numbers with both caressing sensitivity and unbridled power. More importantly, however, she imbues her performance with a smoldering feral intensity that’s both terrifying and awe-inspiring. As her foil Joe Gillis, Tom Francis is a perfect match — a brewing combination of sexual vigor and jaded exhaustion. Together, their dance of death is nothing less than combustible.

THE WITCHES
National Theatre

The first of the two new musicals of the trip was the National Theatre’s highly anticipated world premiere stage adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Witches (RECOMMENDED) at the Olivier Theatre. Happily, as written by Dave Malloy (music and lyrics) and Lucy Kirkwood (book), the musical version retains the dark tones of Dahl’s underlying novel. Even more so than the smash musical adaptation of Matilda and the less successful Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, there’s a subtly unsettling quality that permeates the musical, as if there’s real danger lurking behind every corner. This seems ideal for a musical that boldly addresses — at least for a family show — such difficult notions such as death and mortality head on. But don’t let that deter you — thanks to Kirkwood’s thoughtful book, The Witches is also a wickedly funny show and makes for giddy entertainment. The quality extends to Dave Malloy’s witty and droll score, which ranges from Parisian cabaret stylings to stirring anthems. The cast is top-notch, starting with Katherine Kingsley and Sally Ann Triplett, who deliver deliriously larger-than-life performances as, respectively, the Grand High Witch and her quirky nemesis Gran. As the show’s young hero Luke, Vishal Soni is as winning as you can hope for (however, William Skinner as his sidekick Bruno nearly steals the show with his hilariously affected performance). Wrapping it all together is director Lyndsey Turner’s appealingly retro staging, which gets the balance of it all just right.

GUYS AND DOLLS
Bridge Theatre

Guys and Dolls has long been considered one of the indisputable classics of the American musical canon. Featuring an indestructible score by Frank Loesser and a host of irresistibly drawn characters (Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows’ book has vividly animated Damon Runyon’s short stories for the stage), there’s a reason why it’s largely considered the perfect musical comedy. And in the Bridge Theatre’s hit revival (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED), how lucky are we to have a practically perfect revival of such a musical. Nicholas Hytner’s sensationally immersive staging inventively uses the Bridge’s expansive playing area with cinematic flair, injecting contemporary energy into the musical while fully honoring the cast iron material. The immersive elements are seamlessly incorporated into the fabric of the narrative, even enhancing the show’s teeming New York City setting with the production’s built-in cast of “extras”. The resulting staging is a cascading series of scenes that’s as thrilling to behold as it is delightful, building with excitement to a sublime apex in the second act’s one-two punch — “Luck Be a Lady”, followed by “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat”. By the latter number’s second encore, the audience is practically shot into musical theater heaven. The revival is energetically performed by a wonderful cast, many of whom have been with the hit production for a while now. Luckily, their performances have remained fresh and joyously rendered (especially notable was Daniel Mays’ dynamically animated Nathan Detroit).

THE LITTE BIG THINGS
Soho Place Theatre

The final show of my London musical theater marathon was The Little Big Things (RECOMMENDED), another new musical featuring a score by Nick Butcher and Tom Ling and a book by Joe White. Intimately staged in-the-round by Luke Sheppard at Soho Place Theatre — the West End’s newest addition — the show is a stage adaptation of Henry Fraser’s autobiography about his tragically debilitating accident (that left him paralyzed from the shoulders down as a teenager) and his emotional and physical struggles to overcome the situation. Although some may argue about the merits of Butcher’s music — much of the songs seem strikingly similar to Pasek and Paul’s upbeat rock score for the Tony-winning hit Dear Evan Hansen — I found much of the composition to be genuinely memorable, altogether a worthy addition to the growing library of contemporary sounding theater scores. White’s book is equally well-crafted, affectingly depicting the communal effort behind Henry’s uphill battle. The piece also tells a story of disability that has thus far been largely left untold (despite the uptick in diversely cast stage productions). Thanks to the company’s winning performances — it was a particular treat to see the great Linzi Hateley, still singing up a storm, as Henry’s resilient mom — the final product is an uplifting, touchingly human new musical that unabashedly tugs on the heartstrings. Indeed, at the matinee performance I attended, there was nary a dry eye in the theater by the time the curtain call came around.