Lucy Boardman

REVIEW: Bonnie and Clyde – The Musical

Published on March 10, 2023 by Lucy BoardmanLeave a comment

An exciting production with a talented cast and a gorgeous score

Bonnie and Clyde the Musical returns to the West End via the Garrick Theatre following a successful run at the Arts Theatre in 2022 and a sold out two night only concert at Drury Lane. It’s catchy, exciting songs use a range of genres to demonstrate the incredible talent of its cast. It’s great use of video design by Nina Dunn and simple yet effective set by Philip Witcomb, portray both the dusty, great depression era, West Dallas and the highway exploits of Bonnie and Clyde.

This new version of the show, directed by Nick Winston, has made changes and, whilst it possibly was a stronger and more intimate performance on the smaller Arts Theatre stage, its move to a larger theatre thus allowing more audience members to visit is fantastic, although I did genuinely miss the inclusion of young Bonnie and Clyde. The costume design by Philip Whitcomb is evocative of the era and the performance includes a clever portrayal of Bonnie and Clyde’s eventual death.

It is an interesting subject matter, based on real life, historical outlaws with an obviously dark and criminal theme. This isn’t something the show ignores, depicting the pair’s path from poverty stricken youths to unashamedly rebellious murderers. Songs such as ‘Picture Show’, ‘This World Will Remember Me’ and ‘What Was Good Enough for You’ explore both Parker and Barrow’s constant need to chase fame, fortune and infamous cult status, whilst ‘Made in America’ demonstrates the overarching societal depression running through the entire story. It focuses on the way Bonnie and Clyde choose to commit hold ups in an attempt to remove themselves from their circumstances and get out of ‘the Devil’s back porch’.

Frances Mayli McCann is a truly mesmerising performer and her portrayal of the ‘ravishing redhead’ alongside Jordan Luke Gage’s powerfully sung and epic portrayal of the conflicted Clyde lead an exceptionally talented cast. The pair’s phenomenal vocal talent throughout, particularly in ‘Dyin’ Ain’t So Bad’ and ‘Raise a Little Hell’, show they are perfectly cast for these roles. Their nuanced charm and conflict creates onstage chemistry, which paired with Jodie Steele and George Maguire’s hilarious and often heartfelt relationship as Blanche and Buck Barrow, creates an exceptional portrayal of the Barrow Gang’s dynamics with each other. Jodie Steele is particularly amusing throughout ‘You Are Going Back To Jail’, ably supported by the hilarious ensemble of customers in her hair salon, and George Maguire fantastically plays the confusing and often contradictory Buck with humour and heart. Dom Hartley-Harris’ spectacular voice shines through in ‘God’s Arms Are Always Open’ whilst Cleve September’s beautiful ballad ‘You Can Do Better Than Him’ shows his soft and emotional singing ability.

Bonnie and Clyde’s choices contrast to Blanche’s belief in the importance of faith and being free in the eyes of the lord as the route out of poverty. This production shows the hold love has on Bonnie and Blanche through ‘You Love Who You Love’ as they realise they will never be able to make the Barrow brothers go straight. Whilst police officer Ted’s consistent love for Bonnie clouds his judgment as he continues to believe she can be saved from the path she has chosen.

‘Too late to turn back now’ is a vital and engaging number as Bonnie realises she is in too deep, as robbing turns into killing. As she starts by professing she must ‘get out now while I still can’ it also shows the moment she actively makes the decision to stick with Clyde.

This production doesn’t pretend that Bonnie and Clyde didn’t murder and rob without thought; no one is coming out of this show thinking they made good decisions and are upstanding role models. In depicting their story it explores why they did what they did, their want for fame and fortune, their relationship with family, and how ordinary members of the public came to support their exploits in the hungry, depression era. It most importantly examines why Bonnie and Clyde decided life on the run and accepting their inevitable deaths was better than what they could have had.

REVIEW: George Takei’s Allegiance

Published on January 21, 2023 by Lucy BoardmanLeave a comment

Allegiance is a heartbreaking, hopeful, gorgeous show with clever staging, a fantastic cast, and an important piece of history to share.

Performing at The Charing Cross Theatre until the 8^th April 2023.

Telling the story of the Japanese-Americans forced into internment camps during World War Two, Allegiance’s clever book and exciting, original songs highlight a devastating, true part of history that has been ignored for too long. Based on Takei’s own experiences, it uses a simple set and brilliant choreography to portray the divisiveness of ignorance and prejudice, and the hope found in community and family. The latter is beautifully portrayed through the four lead characters; Kei (played by Aynrand Ferrer), Tatsuo (Masashi Fujimoto), Sammy (Telly Leung), and Ojii-Chan (George Takei), forming the Kimura family. Their love for each other is shown through heartwarming and heartbreaking musical numbers including ‘Wishes on the Wind’ and ‘Gaman’. Leung and Takei’s strong acting is particularly impressive, and Ferrer and Leung’s stunning harmonies show the beautiful score and their vocal abilities.

Allegiance also depicts the contrasting ways to stand up for what you believe in and fight to protect those you love. This theme is explored through Sammy Kimura (Leung) and Frankie Suzuki (Patrick Munday). Their diametrically opposing views highlight the fractures caused by wartime propaganda, the idealistic rhetoric of sacrifice, and the forcing of individuals to declare allegiance to a country.

Stunning vocals are displayed by the entire ensemble, particularly from Aynrand Ferrer as Kei and Megan Gardiner as Hannah Campbell. Their journey from distrust to friendship is exciting to watch and demonstrates the ability of individuals to come together and realise what they have in common. ‘Stronger than before’ in the second act reiterates this theme and highlights these performers’ incredible vocal talent, whilst the act one closing number ‘Our Time Now’ allows the entire cast to come together in a powerful finale. Throughout this show the musical score is used to highlight the strength of communities to ‘gaman’, or, carry on in the face of adversity. The talented ensemble bring the spirit of community to the story and demonstrate the power of common resistance.

The set and costume design by Mayou Trikerioti uses minute detail to portray small acts of defiance. Takei as Ojii-Chan demonstrates the nuances and importance of culture and heritage when he hides a windchime behind an American flag, stating that it ‘looks American, but sounds Japanese’. Kei Kimura demonstrates similar resistance through costume design as she wears her ‘Loyalty Questionnaire’, designed to ascertain allegiance to Japan or America, in her hair as an origami flower. The band, led by Musical Director Beth Jerem, uses emotional and powerful music, and incorporates Japanese musical influences to tell this story whilst You-Ri Yamanaka acting as cultural consultant further enhances the audience’s viewing of the show as the production seeks to accurately represent what is for so many a part of their history.

This musical is about legacy and ensuring that future generations learn from the past. Generational differences and relationships are a key theme and force the audience to consider the way in which history is remembered. The use and manipulation of time, from present to past as Takei portrays both Ojii-Chan and Sam Kimura, is a clever way of demonstrating this and suggests the possibility of second chances, reconciliation and understanding as time passes. It is clear throughout who every character is at what stage of their life.

Allegiance is a fantastic and engaging piece of theatre. It brings an ongoing and relevant discussion, regarding viewing others as different and defining individuals based on one’s own prejudices and fear, to the West End. When writing about this show and his lifelong mission to tell the story of internment, George Takei said it was ‘so that we remember the lessons of history, and do not repeat our mistakes’. Allegiance demonstrates the importance of telling this story and is an incredibly moving musical that deserves to be seen by everyone to ensure we don’t forget and we continue to work for better.

Book by Marc Acito, Jay Kuo, and Lorenzo Thione.
Music and Lyrics by Jay Kuo.
Original Orchestrations and Arrangements by Lynne Shankel.
Direction and choreography by Tara Overfield Wilkinson.
Musical Supervision and Orchestrations by Andrew Hilton and Charlie Ingles.
Set and Costume design by Mayou Trikerioti.
Lighting Design by Nic Farman.
Sound design by Chris Whybrow.
Casting by Sarah Leung CDG.
Musical Direction by Beth Jerem.
Associate Direction by Kirsty Malpass.
Associate Choreography by Misa Koide.
Cultural Consultation by You-ri Yamanaka

REVIEW: Christmas with the Royal Choral Society

Published on December 15, 2022 by Lucy Boardman2 Comments

A stunning performance in a beautiful venue, which would be enhanced by further considering its accessibility to a wider audience and encouraging a diverse and representative membership.

The Royal Albert Hall is a beautiful venue that is awe inspiring even from the outside. This only increases as the audience ventures inside, greeted by gorgeous festive decorations and a sense of Christmas joy. The venue use sparkling lights and Christmas trees to create a warm atmosphere within the main hall, and the decorations perfectly frame the organist, choir and orchestra, drawing the audience’s attention and ensuring it remains throughout.

The large choir are poised and elegant. Dressed in all black with a red accent, their harmonies are stunning throughout, particularly the angelic descant performed by the soprano section. The repertoire includes a mixture of well known, traditional carols and less famous but equally beautiful numbers. Singing in multiple languages, including Swedish and Ukrainian, the choir demonstrate an impressive vocal ability and beautiful dynamics. One of the most beautiful performances of the night is the choir’s rendition of ‘Stille Nichte’, Silent Night in its original German, which they did with the lights off and each holding a candle. A truly mesmerising and emotional moment.

The Philharmonic Orchestra accompanied each number beautifully, displaying their musical prowess particularly during Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty which was a real standout moment after the interval. The orchestra’s rainbow of floor length gowns contrasted wonderfully with the choir’s black and white attire. The Christmas red worn by the Fanfare Trumpeters of the British Imperial Military Band allowed them to stand out as they performed their impressive fanfare alongside each descant and the national anthem.

Whilst the national anthem as the opening number was musically impressive, it definitely highlighted the demographic of the audience. Not a song often associated with the younger generation, the audience stand for the national anthem and whilst it isn’t required audience participation it could be an offputting start to the concert for those that don’t share monarchist views, although the talent of the performers is undeniable and impressive.

Interspersed throughout are fun carols which the audience join in singing; it’s a joyous opportunity to partake in some festive caroling, however, again is reliant on knowledge of the songs and willingness to interact and engage which isn’t for everyone at an orchestral choral concert. Personally, I loved this aspect and the opportunity to sing a traditional carol in the Royal Albert Hall with hundreds of other people alongside the Philharmonic orchestra and Royal Choral Society was incredibly special. The Conductor of the choir, Richard Cooke, keeps the audience engaged and interested throughout with witty and humorous anecdotes in between each number.

Juliet Stevenson’s heartfelt, poignant, and at times hilarious readings also allow the audience to enjoy two poems between performances. Again, whilst poetry might not be for everyone at a carol concert, it provides a lovely break for the musicians and is a nice contrasting performance. Louise Alder’s gorgeous soprano solos also provide a beautiful contrast to the choir’s pieces, and are an incredible display of classical musical solo performance.

It would be lovely to encourage and to see a more diverse audience at the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Choral Society events, something which could perhaps be supported by implementing young person tickets at a more accessible pricepoint as demonstrated so successfully by other venues such as the Almeida Theatre and the Donmar Warehouse. Similarly, the Royal Choral Society’s performances will be even more spectacular and engaging in the future if it is able to continue to evolve and represent a wider demographic. By further encouraging younger participants and performers of colour to get involved, The Royal Choral Society can continue to demonstrate their musical and choral prowess and celebrate their 150 year legacy, whilst also ensuring they represent, engage and inspire current and future choristers and music lovers of all backgrounds.

Christmas with The Royal Choral Society at the Royal Albert Hall is a truly magical evening, one that all fans of classical or choral music, Christmas carols, or the Royal Philharmonic will definitely enjoy! It would be great to see this spectacular event be enjoyed by a broader audience so that all can marvel at the wonder that is Christmas with the Royal Choral Society.

Cast and Creatives

Royal Choral Society
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Fanfare Trumpeters of the British Imperial Military Band
Conductor Richard Cooke
Organist Richard Pearce
Soprano Louise Alder
Reader Juliet Stevenson

REVIEW: Casino Royale: Film in Concert

Published on November 20, 2022November 20, 2022 by Lucy BoardmanLeave a comment

An intense action packed film with a killer score, performed by a fantastic orchestra in a stunning venue.

The Royal Albert Hall is a mesmerizing venue, with impossibly high ceilings, an excellent view from most seats and a true sense of theatricality and musicianship as the orchestra fills the entire room, so to watch a classic film performed in concert by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is an exceptional evening out.

Beginning with the composer of this score, David Arnold, introducing the performance and giving context to some of the musical decisions made throughout allows the audience to appreciate the long chase sequences and the stamina and technique on display from the orchestra. The opening and closing credits featuring the title song ‘You Know My Name’ and the traditional 007 motif are standout moments of this show, particularly when Arnold plays the Bond theme tune on electric guitar, and the entire ensemble thoroughly deserved the standing ovation they received at the end of their performance. Arnold’s preface to the performance is particularly insightful when discussing the motives behind ‘You Know My Name’ and explaining how the music is used to encourage and compel emotion from the audience. The title song’s brilliance is in the way it introduces Craig’s Bond, as the first movie in his premiership it suggests to the audience that even if they don’t know his name yet, they will. The use of orchestral music to signify Craig’s character development is clear and key moments throughout the film, as Bond falls in love, experiences betrayal, and fights enemies are all spectacularly signposted by Arnold’s compositions and subsequently the orchestras performance.

The Bond films have come a long way since their inception, and as brilliant as this movie is, its commitment to stereotypical ‘Bond’ tropes and plot points; a sexy ‘Bond girl’ riding a horse, a half naked Daniel Craig walking out of the sea in slow motion, the latter seducing the former for information and the objectification and deaths of multiple women throughout the film, are flawed. These are aspects that have evolved over the course of the franchise and it is good to see the writing of these classic action films develop as if it were to remain stagnant the films would fail to thrill a modern audience.

The chase scenes throughout the Bond films remain engaging and suspenseful. Often taking place in a vintage Aston Martin, but more impressively in this film occurring on foot, the orchestra perfectly accompany Daniel Craig’s pursuits with lengthy, rousing sections demonstrating fantastic composition from Arnold and equally brilliant conducting from Anthony Gabrielle, whose energetic and exciting style was engaging throughout.

The Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted beautifully by Gabrielle, create a truly special evening that engages the audience and thrills throughout. From the red carpet, life-size Bond cutouts at the box office and the fantastic front of house staff to the incredible production itself with a fantastically talented orchestra performing a gorgeous rendition of Arnold’s killer score, it is a night to remember and one that ensures you will indeed know his name. In case you missed it, it’s Bond. James Bond.

Performing at the Royal Albert Hall in Concert until the 20^th November 2022, celebrating 60 years of 007 and the music that so perfectly encapsulates Bond.

REVIEW: Life of Pi

Published on October 9, 2022 by Lucy BoardmanLeave a comment

The Life of Pi is a stunning production that expertly brings together original composition, clever staging and set design with phenomenal puppetry, movement and lighting design to create a truly unique adaptation of Yann Martel’s award winning book. Its talented cast display humour, heartbreak, and theatricality and Nuwan Hugh Perera leads the cast fantastically, portraying the eponymous Pi with great emotion and storytelling.

The Life of Pi at Wyndham’s Theatre has already had an astounding first run; winning 5 Olivier Awards including for Best New Play and uniquely receiving Best Actor in a Supporting Role collectively for the seven performers who play the life-size Royal Bengal Tiger, Richard Parker. Its ability to create and perform a groundbreaking piece of theatre has not diminished and Nuwan Hugh Perera creates a mesmerising portrayal of Pi, taking over in the principal role following his time as alternate Pi.

The first and second acts of this show are both equally incredible if different in tone. The first depicts the bright, beautiful colours of Pi and his family’s zoo in India and seamlessly transforms into both a bustling market place and the cargo ship upon which a ferocious maelstrom causes Pi to fight for his survival on a desolate lifeboat. The lighting design by Tim Lutkin creates a realistic tempest on a wooden stage, whilst Tim Hatley utilises perspective and excellent audience sightlines to create a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean. Hatley’s set and the direction of this production, by Max Webster, established animal enclosures, multi-tiered streets, and floating vessels all in the same space and effortlessly transitioned between each scene whilst maintaining the audience’s attention and ensuring they remain immersed within the world this team have created.

Lolita Chakrabarti has created a stunning adaptation of Yann Martel’s award winning book and the puppet designers and movement directors, Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, have created an engaging, incredibly clever way to immerse the audience into the story and depict each animal with spectacular realism. At some point you forget that there isn’t a real orangutan, zebra or tiger on stage at the Wyndham. Puppeteers Owain Gwynn, Rebecca Killick, Elan James, Daisy Franks, Romina Hytten, Tom Larkin, and Tom Stacy bring these creatures to life with poise and elegance.

Davina Moon, Ameet Chana and Tanvi Virmani portray Pi’s family and build humourous and heartwarming relationships, leading to heartbreak in later scenes. Each performer firmly establishes their own personality and voice and come together to form a family. This natural and relatable family dynamic further heightens the audience’s distress when Pi finds himself alone at sea.

Whilst I wasn’t totally engaged with all the scenes taking place in Pi’s hospital room after the event, the contrast in pace and style of storytelling is enjoyable and Phyllis Ho and Kevin Shen brought both comedy and intensity to their roles as bureaucratic officials. This production manages to manipulate time and move between present day, and the events of the previous days when Pi was at sea, excellently which helps to convey the post traumatic stress and confusion Pi still has to contend with.

The entire ensemble of performers uses movement and puppetry to create Pi’s world and are supported by the stunning visual effects, video design, sound design and compositions that accompanied each scene. The ability to so thoroughly engage an audience and create such an in depth, beautiful depiction of India and the ocean is astonishing.

The shining star of this production and the absolute highlight of the evening is Nuwan Hugh Perera whose heartbreaking and emotional performance as Pi is one of the best portrayal’s of a character I have seen. He allows his youth and naivety to show whilst also demonstrating the journey he has to undertake to survive and the challenges and ultimately devastating events he has to tackle. A nuanced and phenomenal performance.

Kazeem Tosin Amore gives an intense performance as the chef, exactly what the character requires and is hilarious as the voice of Richard Parker, complementing the puppeteers choreography and movement. Life of Pi allows all characters to return throughout the course of the show as hallucinations or figments of Pi’s imagination which further exemplifies this productions ability to portray contrasts in tenses and question reality.

The first act is mesmerising; one of the most beautiful and inventive displays of staging, set design, lighting design and puppetry, whilst the second utilises all of these to create a truly heartbreaking and devastating act. Whilst you may not leave feeling upbeat, you will leave with a renewed love for theatre and contemplating and questioning your own world views and beliefs.

Although there are of course moments of dialogue and staging that will continue to become more polished as the new cast keep performing, this production is a wonderful demonstration of all elements of theatre coming together to create an immersive, stunning, heartbreaking story that leaves you contemplating as you exit the theatre and is depicted by an exceptionally talented cast of performers. A unique adaptation of a thought provoking story playing with its new cast at Wyndham’s Theatre until the 15th January 2023.