This production brings the glitz and glamour of Broadway right to a pub on the Westend and features classics performed by a true ‘Diva’, with huge personality and talent
Have you got musical theatre ear worms? If you do, this show is just for you and those ear worms. These worms aren’t actual worms, if you do have worms in your ears, please see someone. Olivia Ruggiero takes the audience on a journey into the world of musical theatre through her own experience, how she found her love, the highs and the lows of trying to break into the tough industry. Which you can relate to if you have also considered being an actor/actress. The journey is of course, in true musical theatre style, through song. The songs are either parodies of popular classics (not Popular from Wicked) or covers of the original scores. There is also a little bit of opera. It has the glitz, glamour and ruby red slippers of Broadway and is delivered to an audience in a room converted into a theatre in a room upstairs at a pub.
The piece is perfect for the venue, because it opens the piece up for the audience to connect to the character. Also, as the show is about being a dramatic diva, the cabaret/one man show style helps to enhance that character. Olivia Ruggiero used this small audience to her advantage; you could see her engaging with each member! Whether it was just a smile or an aside. The beginning is her walking through the audience, stopping to connect with people and this establishes this connection from the start of the show.
Connection is important in this piece, because the piece is about the community musical theatre brings together and the memories people make with family and friends. She touches on this in the first act, where she talks about her memories with her Nan and how they used to watch classic films together. This section grew the connection with the audience, as it makes you think about how you found your love of musical theatre and the people who shared that love with you. Who did you watch ‘The Wizard of Oz’ with for the first time? This vulnerable part of the show successfully develops a connection to a relationship with the audience.
Olivia Ruggiero, as the ‘Diva’ has a massive stage presence. Her voice is versatile, and she uses a wide range of techniques to vary her singing in all the songs to show how her voice can be used in so many ways. From high to low. The operatic section of the piece displays how versatile her voice is. This element of the show was unique, as there is not a lot of opera in musical theatre, and this was so interesting. She has every right to be a diva with that talent!
The most vulnerable and authentic section of the piece for the actress was when the audience are given a vote to choose what song out of a list she will sing. This moment briefly breaks the fourth wall and shows off how well she can turn any song into a performance. This audience participation part of the show was important, as it enhances the connection with the audience and enforces the cabaret style. It would have enhanced the show more to have seen more interaction with the audience and made the diva’s moments more natural and less choreographed. It would have also made the relationship with the character so much stronger and gave each performance different moments from how each audience member would respond. No moment would be the same. This would make more audience members tempted to come see the show again. The audience participation and growing the relationship with the audience would also emphasise how actresses/actors are always trying to get the industry to accept them. On the other hand, as this show is about being a Diva, talking to the audience would take the attention from her to the audience member. Which you could argue is not the point of the piece.
Costume and lighting help the ‘Diva’ truly shine and sparkle. Quite literally. The first act Ruggiero wears a navy-blue glitter dress, which catches the eye and sparkles in the light. She also wears ruby red slippers and shows them to the audience when she mentions ‘The Wizard of Oz’. Later, she quotes the show and taps her shoes together, which is an effective way of keeping the audience engaged through referring to earlier moments and referencing a classic. This tactic makes the content of the show flow and ties all sections together. The lighting consists of spotlights and a range of colours to set the mood. The spotlights help focus your attention to the diva and the costume together keep the audience’s focus fixed to the diva. The colours are used when the diva goes from telling her story to breaking into a Broadway tune. For instance, she starts singing ‘As long as he needs me’ and the lighting goes from a spotlight to a red wash. This adds to the story of an actress’ journey and how trying to get into the musical theatre industry you’re constantly trying to get the industry’s attention and trying to show off your talents.
Overall, the show was so well put together and flowed. It would’ve been more interesting to have seen more moments interacting with the audience to emphasise the cabaret style. The songs in the show were very clever, they had taken so many classics and made it their own and this makes the ‘Diva’ shine. This show is so interesting, captivating and you’re always tapping your toes or humming along to the tunes. The connection is established at the start, which is important for a good piece of theatre. The show has its own authentic style and is worth watching!