Reviews

Imelda Staunton is sensational as Mama Rose! It’s simply one of the great performances of this Mother Courage of musical theatre roles, and she has a Best Actress Olivier Award to prove it. Determined, strident, but vulnerable, not only does every line-reading have character, but also every song-lyric. She’s the best Mama Rose I’ve ever seen on stage. Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim’s masterpiece could not be in better hands.

The Prom is a ‘B’ grade Broadway musical with an ‘A’ list cast. Headed by Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, and Andrew Rannells, it’s another production in the Ryan Murphy juggernaut that has elements of Glee and High School Musical with its set of heightened happy song-and-dance film-cliches, which the cast devour and deliver with pin-sharp accuracy.

When the original movie swept the world like an out-of-control blizzard, Disney raced to adapt the hugely popular film into a musical, from script to stage, in just 18 months.

On the technical side it has done wonders – turning animation into theatrical alchemy.

It begins with sparks flying across the stage, when the sisters Elsa and Anna (as children) come to terms with the princess’s supernatural powers to turn things into ice.

When the sisters are cast out in the wilderness, all manner of visual tricks adorn the stage.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a fabulously colourful, energetic, warm, and well performed musical, presented by Bel Canto Performing Arts at the Old Mill Theatre. The cast is young - aged 8-18 - which is particularly fitting, as ‘Joseph’ was originally written for school children to perform.

Superbly narrated, with personality and gorgeous voices by Cadie Smythe and Bella Freeman, the story follows the biblical story of Joseph, son of Jacob. Jack Churchman anchors the show beautifully in a very well acted performance.