Thoughts after a week of theatregoing, plus reviews of 1536, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, and Broadway’s Schmigadoon!
OHMYGOD HEY!
Welcome back to my weekly collation of the various reviews, opinion pieces and theatre news updates I’ve shared across multiple social media platforms.
This has been another of those weeks, in which the best laid plans of this theatregoer are quickly overwhelmed by temptation, and a busy week of shows becomes a jam-packed one, with 8 performances over 6 consecutive days. Many of these were in London, including visits to the Royal Court and Shakespeare’s Globe for Krapp’s Last Tape and Mother Courage and Her Children, respectively. I also caught two new arrivals in the West End, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind and the blazing 1536, transferred from its acclaimed world premiere run last year at the Almeida. The latter, in particular, is the show I credit with keeping my own fire burning this week; consecutive nights at the theatre can feel fatiguing until something incendiary comes along and you’re desperately ready for more.
Having started the week with a regional tour stop – Priscilla: Queen of the Desert’s latest sequin-covered comeback at Woking Theatre, I concluded the week similarly with an ambitious single day trip to Manchester for brand new Bank of Dave: The Musical at the Lowry and the US originating The Karate Kid: the Musical at the Palace. Thoughts on both to follow, but not for nothing the day was worth the 7am start and 3am finish (is the unexpected ease of this going to be the thing that finally convinces me to learn to drive?!).
In the midst of it all, I’d been invited to hear a presentation at the National Theatre of research they had commissioned into the audience response to an increased availability of filmed and livestreamed performances. The encouraging news for the industry is that audiences still prioritise in person experiences en masse, but that there is value in the accessibility, variety and availability provided by streaming opportunities. Nothing we didn’t already suspect, of course, but seeing it written down ought to galvanise the powers that be in the industry into further enthusiastic action.
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This Week’s Videos
Why Lea Michele doesn’t have a Tony – her Broadway career through Ragtime, Funny Girl & Chess…
When this year’s Tony nominations were announced, many were shocked that Lea Michele was not recognised for her leading performance in the revival of Chess.
In fact, this is the latest chapter in a long story for Michele, who missed out on a nomination for her breakout performance in Spring Awakening before earning major recognition on the hit TV series, Glee.
At this point, Michele has returned to Broadway as a legitimate stage star, and was celebrated for her performance in the recent revival of Funny Girl but, for multiple reasons, she still has yet to be nominated for a Tony.
Check out my thoughts on the eligibility issues, tough competition, brand image problems and insufficient material that have kept Lea from a Tony Nomination thus far…
Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Has a fire closed THE BOOK OF MORMON? Details on the closure and future of the Broadway musical…
Last week, a fire broke out at the Eugene O’Neill theatre in New York, where the Broadway production of The Book of Mormon was playing.
The Tony Award winning musical, which celebrated its 15th Anniversary this year, has been forced to temporarily close, and has subsequently shared a statement about tentative plans to reopen after essential work takes place in the building.
Find out what we know so far, whether there is any substance to the early online speculation that arose, and how this may affect the show long term…
Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
This Week’s Reviews
The Balusters at Friedman Theatre, Broadway, New York
★★★★★ Review available YouTube / Spotify / Apple Podcasts
Becky Shaw at Hayes Theatre, Broadway, New York
★★★★★ Review available YouTube / Spotify / Apple Podcasts
1536 at Ambassadors Theatre, West End, London
★★★★★ Review available YouTube / Spotify / Apple Podcasts
Priscilla: Queen of the Desert – UK Tour
★★★ Review available YouTube / Spotify / Apple Podcasts
Schmigadoon! at Nederlander Theatre, Broadway, New York
★★★★ Review available YouTube / Spotify / Apple Podcasts
We saw a musical in the Lake District – ft Oh, Mary!, Fourteen Again, Sylvia & more
Check out another week in our life of seeing theatre almost every day!
This week, after we got back from New York, we headed almost immediately to the Mill at Sonning, an intimate and unique dinner theatre, to see a new play adaptation of the film Jack & Sarah. Next, we headed into London, for an album launch event for Sylvia and a performance of Mass at the Donmar.
The following days brought back to back appointments, with a press launch event for High Society at the Barbican Theatre, a gala night performance of Oh, Mary! now starring Catherine Tate, and finally a journey to Bowness-on-Windermere in the Lake District for the opening night of Fourteen Again, a new musical featuring some of the brilliant songs of Victoria Wood.
Check out this brand new vlog to find out what a week in our lives looks like!
What’s coming up this week?
The coming days see me adding to the ‘E’ section of my meticulously organised programme collection, as I heading to the Menier Chocolate Factory for Equus and Soho Theatre Walthamstow for End of the Rainbow. I’ll also be filming a bucket list interview and desperately fighting my way through a handful of remaining Broadway reviews ahead of the Tony Awards.
This week I’ll be heading to a friend’s wedding in Portugal and bravely resisting the lure of a production of Evita in Lisbon, but stay tuned for my thoughts on last week’s shows as well as Catherine Tate’s performance in Oh, Mary!.
Until next week, I hope that everyone is staying safe and that you have a stagey… week! – Mickey-Jo
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