Very few stage productions can boast superlatives like Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (‘Joseph’), now on at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre. From start to finish, this production is magnificent musically, colourful in its presentation, engaging in its staging and outstanding in its efficaciousness. First presented by Andrew-Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice in 1968, Joseph loosely follows…
The Cornish contingent from Fisherman’s Friends (2019) are back to appreciate sea shanties anew in Fisherman’s Friends: One and All. The earlier film was about many local mates who were unexpectedly signed to an international record label and recorded a top 10 hit with their debut album. In the sequel Jim (James Purefoy) once again…
Cruel Intentions: The 90’s Musical sizzles, with powerhouse performances and a rousing score. There’s palpable excitement and anticipation in the theatre even before the metaphorical curtain rises. Once it does, Cruel Intentions is energetic and electrifying, oozing with sensuality and sexuality. It is slick, moving along at pace and milking the copious double entendres and physical interaction that…
A musical for the littlies – I speak of preschoolers and primary school age children – Madagascar The Musical is based on the successful animated motion picture. It is colourful and fun, and involves live action and puppetry. The premise is that Marty the zebra was born in captivity in New York’s Central Park Zoo. Although he…
The tumultuous life of the world’s most awarded female vocalist is put under the spotlight in I Wanna Dance with Somebody. Whitney Houston (Naomi Ackie) was the greatest voice of a generation, who enjoyed the highest of highs and succumbed to excess, indulgence and heartache. Tragically she died at 48. The fact that she had…
Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile is fanciful fun for the whole family. This lightweight fare will put a smile on the faces of littlies, their parents and grandparents. It’s a live action/CGI musical comedy – a bit of colour, song and silliness to soften even the hardest of hearts. Hector P. Valenti (Javier Bardem) is a wannabe…
Straight from the West End, the new, reimagined production of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat is a delightful, fun, engaging and dynamic family musical. Wonderfully directed by Laurence Connor, it is based on the biblical character Joseph. Seen as his father Jacob’s favourite son, he is gifted a beautiful technicolor coat by his dad. That enrages his…
“Did that just happen?” a mischievous Michael Banks (Fraser Goodreid) wonders to sister Jane (Dorothea Seierup) after their first outing to the park with Mary Poppins sees park statutes come to life. There are lots of similar moments in Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of Mary Poppins. Cheeky young Michael has some of the…
Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s masterful work The Phantom of the Opera sizzles. Everything about the production works a treat. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music, a cavalcade of riches, still stirs the soul 36 years after the musical debuted in London. In this case, plaudits to Orchestra Victoria for bringing it to life, with Anthony…
A 20-year drought has led to blatant exploitation of the underprivileged. That is the basis of the satirical musical comedy Urinetown. The narrator who sets the scene is also the town’s crooked cop Officer Lockstock (Dom Hennequin), as he is joined by street urchin Little Sally (Chloe Halley). The terrible water shortage has meant that it costs to…
