Review - Top Hat, at the New Wimbledon Theatre and then on tour

FIVE STARS

FROM the moment the curtain goes up on Top Hat you know you are in for a treat. The musical has just started a nationwide tour beginning at the New Wimbledon Theatre after its huge success in the West End, in which it won three Laurence Olivier awards including Best New Musical.

Top Hat is based on the film of the same name which starred Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and features the music and lyrics of Irving Berlin.

It tells the story of Broadway sensation Jerry Travers and self confessed confirmed bachelor who dances his way across Europe to win the heart of society girl Dale Tremont with whom he has unexpectedly fallen in love.

There are plenty of twists and turns along the way which are interspersed with some glorious dancing and song with music and lyrics

Celebrating the golden era of Hollywood, it is an uplifting romantic comedy, full of slapstick, farce and hilarity, and while it may not be the most original of storylines it is nonetheless an absolute belter of a show.

As Jerry and Dale, Alan Burkitt and Charlotte Gooch the light up the stage. They have great chemistry and sing and dance beautifully.

Clive Hayward and Rebecca Thornhill are great as the wisecracking and bickering Hardwicks and John Conroy does a delightful Bates.

One of the stars of the show is undoubtedly Sebastien Torkia whose petulant, passionate and outrageous fashion designer Alberto Beddini is a dream.
The attention to detail is spot on in every respect - from the silk of the top hats which makes them shine under the spotlights, to the sumptuous art deco set, the fabulous costumes and the pitch perfect singing.

But the real stars of the show are of course the dance routines and the songs which include Cheek to Cheek, Puttin’ on the Ritz, Let’s Face the Music and Dance and, of course, Top Hat, White Tie and Tails.

It is the most joyful, sublime, fun and exuberant production. The West End’s loss is the provinces gain as this fabulous show tours the country – catch it while you can.

Top Hat is on at the New Wimbledon Theatre until Saturday, August 23. Tickets from £15. Visit www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-wimbledon-theatre/ or call the box office on 0844 871 7646 

My Perfect Mind - preview - Young Vic

IN 2007 actor Edward Petherbridge was two days into rehearsing the title role of Shakespeare's King Lear in New Zealand when he was suddenly and unexpectedly struck down by not one but two strokes.

In the space of 24 hours the now 78-year-old had gone from knowing one of the greatest parts in theatre to being barely able to move.

It was, by his own admission, a devastating and frightening time - not least because it was a role he had been coveting for a long time and is often regarded as the pinnacle of any thespian's career.

By a miracle - though he tells me he hates that word - he recovered and as he did so he made a startling discovery - that he remembered every word from the role he cherished so much.

It inspired My Perfect Mind, a semi-autobiographical play in which Edward plays himself and King Lear and which was staged at the Young Vic last year.

He devised and co-wrote it with fellow actor Paul Hunter with whom he stars in the show and director Kathryn Hunter (no relation).

And he says he's "absolutely delighted" it is being revived at the Waterloo theatre for a four week run starting tomorrow night (Wednesday, Sept 3) before heading out on a small nationwide tour.

"I don't believe in miracles - you only have to look in the garden every day to see the magic that is life," he says.

"But it was an incredible thing to bring all the strands together and create the piece and I'm thrilled we can do it again."

The two-man production is partly a look back through the archives of Edward's illustrious 50-year career as a classical actor - he was the original Guildenstern in Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, worked with Laurence Olivier at the National and Old Vic Theatres and has played practically every major stage role since.

It is also a chance for him to finally play Lear - at least in part - as well as show how one event can turn life upside-down.

Amusing reminisences and anecdotes from Edward's life are thrown into the mix making it a piece which is funny, touching, poignant, gentle and almost surreal.

He and Paul - who takes on a multitude of roles including Lear's Fool - perform on an off-kilter stage which he admits was a bit of a worry at times though he says he only fell off once.

But he says it was a "delightful" show to devise.

"Paul and I met a few years ago while we were rehearsing for The Fantasticks, an off Broadway show," says Edward.

"We hit it off immediately and we began talking about what had happened to me. I told him about an idea I had do something based on it, and he suggested there was a better show to be done.

"He runs theatre company Told By An Idiot so I thought if anyone could make it happen he could.

"We didn't have to discuss very much though because it just happened - almost by osmosis!

"It's been a joy to do - especially working with Paul and Kathryn - although of course I was trying to get in as much Lear as I could!"

And he says its positive reception from audiences was "a joy".

"Years ago I played the original Guildenstern and remember going home from rehearsals on the bus to Peckham where I lived and immediately thought this part was tailor made," he says.

"It had all the sorts of things I'd wanted to bring out in myself as an actor. I could feel it working and that's what I felt with this show," he adds.

"A great recognition point is the laughter - when you know the audience has got it. It's a visceral point of understanding between the audience and the actor.

"There was definitely a sense that it would lift off. I don't know why the elements came together as we rehearsed in a loose kind of way but it just worked," he adds laughing.

Paul agrees though he admits its success took him by surprise.

"Plays aren't revived very much as they tend to exist in the present, there for a short time before disappearing for something else to take their place," he says.

"But there was something about this show that really connected with people so when the Young Vic asked to bring it back we were all very much up for it.

"I always thought there was potential in it and that it had a lot of resonance but I couldn't have predicted the hugely positive response we got which spanned all generations - we played to a wide range of ages.

"But that's the joy of it - it touched a lot of people. In fact it was one of the most successful shows of the past 21 years my company, Told By An Idiot, has put on!

"I know it has a lot of life and breath still in it."

I ask Edward finally if he still yearns to play Lear in full.

"I'm not sure," he admits. "I was asked not so long ago by a fringe theatre company but I didn't feel the conditions were quite right.

"I've not completely given up the fantasy to do the whole thing though," he adds chuckling.

My Perfect Mind is on at the Young Vic, The Cut, Waterloo from September 2 until September 25.

Tickets from £10. Box office 020 7922 2922.

Unlimited Festival - Southbank Centre

IN 2012 the Southbank Centre was asked to commission and bring together a host of disabled artists for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

The result was the first Unlimited Festival, part of an unprecedented £2.4million, three-year initiative funded by Arts Council England, Spirit of 2012 and Creative Scotland which funds disabled artists to produce work which aims to transform our perception of the world.

More than 30,000 people saw 29 acts perform over the two weeks of the event. It was deemed such a success Southbank Centre is bringing it back for a second time.

Taking place over the course of six days between Tuesday, September 2 and Sunday, September 7 and across the organisation's entire 21-acre site, Unlimited Festival will showcase and celebrate the talents of disabled artists with an ambitious mix of theatre, dance, music, literature, comedy and visual arts.

"These days there is a real commitment to look at ways to make the world accessible for everyone," says head of performance and dance, Wendy Martin.

"There are so many exceptional disabled artists out there who are making a difference and the work they are doing is very much part of our arts culture.

"The 2012 festival was so successful Arts Council England made a commitment that it should not be just a one-off event which is fantastic.

"Also Unlimited Festival captures the essence of Southbank Centre’s core belief in the potential of art to change the way we see the world, so I am thrilled to again be presenting such an eclectic range of bold new work that values and celebrates difference."

The six days will feature more than 100 international disabled dancers, choreographers, theatre makers, cabaret stars, stand-ups, puppeteers, musicians, poets, film makers, visual artists, activists and thinkers.

It includes more than 20 performances, 11 exhibitions and installations and a wide ranging programme of talks, debates workshops and free outdoor and indoor activities.

Among the highlights of the impressive line up are a video dinner party with an alcohol-infused butler, a tender look at Alzheimer’s and family relationships, a frank and funny sex comedy, non-dancers dancing, an exploration of religion’s attitude to disability and a mass participatory signing and dance to Pharrell Williams’s hit song Happy.

There will also be post show discussions for audiences to meet with and talk to the artists about their work.

"It's quite a line up," enthuses Wendy. "There is a huge amount going on and it would be very difficult for me to pick out anything in particular so I would say people should just come along and see as much as they can!"

And although she is reluctant to be drawn on naming personal highlights she says artists such as Michelle Ryan, Claire Cunningham and Katherine Araniello should be in audience’s itineraries.

"Claire was one of the 2012 artists we had and has made an astonishing piece of dance theatre," she says.

"Katherine Araniello deals with the clichés of disability in her show and then there is Michelle Ryan who is a leading contemporary dancer from Australia. She was diagnosed with MS 10 years ago aged 30 and this is her first performance in 10 years.

"So there will be a chance for people to see and hear from artists who were born with a disability as well as those who have had it come to them in later life.

"Also our family show, Edmund The Learned Pig which is based on an unpublished poem by Edward Gorey is lovely. It's a circus story and has been set to music by Martin Jacques from The Tiger Lillies and is just great."

"But because of the funding from the Arts Council, people can trust that what they are going to see or hear will be exceptional."

One thing Wendy is keen to stress is that most of the events and performances are free, including the final show on Sunday night, Graeae Theatre Company's Reasons To Be Cheerful at the Clore Ballroom.

"It's an extremely important part of the ethos of Southbank Centre that arts should be accessible to all and so as much as posible we try to make the work we do free," she says.

"So, there are workshops and free performances going on in the foyers and in our outside spaces and we hope that people might see and stumble across them even if they didn't know about the festival.

"It means they could be interested enough to explore the festival further and see and discover more going on. We hope it inspires them."

She also hopes people will come and think as well as be entertained by what they see and hear.

"There is a strong political point underscoring the events and performances but there is also a huge spirit of fun," says Wendy.

"It's about people thinking more compassionately and is a fantastic way of creating an understanding between everyone."

Unlimited Festival takes place at the Southbank Centre between Tuesday, September 2 to Sunday, September 7 September. Visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk for full listings.

Muse of Fire at the Globe

LAST year the Globe theatre's education department put on a promenade production especially for children.

Muse Of Fire was part of the very first nationwide Family Arts Festival and was devised by the Globe and creatives from theatre company, Punchdrunk, performer and sound artist Melanie Wilson, and Little Angel puppet theatre.

It was so successful that not only did the show achieve a 10-day sell out run but it won three out of five categories in the Festival awards - Best Family Welcome, Best Family Venue and Best Family Event.

And head of Globe Education, Patrick Spottiswoode says its success has inspired the team to bring the concept back to the Bankside venue later this month, this time with a new story but featuring some familiar faces.

"We are known for our mainly adult-focused productions but last year was a first attempt at a specific family theatre show and we won three awards which was fanastic," he says.

"It pleased us hugely because our aim is to introduce Shakespeare to as many people as possible and it's lovely to engage families in his stories.

"But we were thrilled and totally bowled over by how popular the show was. What was so great about it was the way in which it was constructed - it's like a series of episodes with various theatre styles and atmospheres.

"The audience is constantly being stimulated in different and imaginative ways so you can never sit back.

"And of course it's great to see kids who are totally absorbed by what they see on the stage."

The show is a sequel to last year's story which wowed youngsters and their families with a tale of a the Muse, a dragon who was desperate to burn the Globe theatre down.

"He's back," laughs Patrick. "We had great fun and the dragon was so popular we had to do it again.

"Last year we based the story on the 400th anniversary of the burning down of the Globe.

"The audience was taken on an interactive journey where their help was needed to uncover vital clues to stop the dragon in his quest to set fire to the building.

"Fortunately he didn't succeed but he's an obstinate thing and is back and determined to finish what he tried to do last year. However, this time he has in his sights our new Sam Wanamaker Playhouse and he's got great confidence that he can burn it down - and as it's lit with candles and made of wood, I suppose he's got every chance!"

The immersive and interactive promenade production, which will play between August 18 and 27 August, takes audiences on a journey around the unseen areas of both theatres.

It starts within the exhibition space and then invites them to discover strange, magical characters including an Elizabethan hermit hiding under the stage, fight ethereals in a secret forest and have tea with some strange puppets who live in an abandoned library.

There is also a meeting with one William Shakespeare before they come face to face with Muse, the fire breathing dragon.

Audiences will be treated to a variety of puppets, actors, props and special effects of which Patrick says the dragon is the most spectacular.

"He is a giant puppet which takes three people to operate," he enthuses. "It's a wonderful piece of puppetry and the smoke and fire effects are brilliant.

"It's going to be very exciting!"

Once again, the show has been devised in house, with help from Punchdrunk, Melanie Wilson, and Little Angel puppet theatre and is directed by Adam Sibbald, Globe Education Events manager.

It is also an important part of the Globe's continuing and developing programme of creating opportunities for different audiences.

"A really important part of our ethos is to create suitable workshops or performance pieces for a particular audience," says Patrick. "This one is about devising a programme for children and it has been a wonderful journey for us as it has been a great way to create conversation and a shared experience for families.

"It has also encouraged us to look at our website and develop our Globe Playground for children to provide them with more ways to engage with Shakespeare."

As well as the website and specific productions the education department has also set up regular storytelling sessions at the theatre which Patrick describes as "absolutely joyful" and its Playing Shakespeare productions aimed at teens are now a regular feature of the Globe's programming.

Plans are also afoot to take Muse out on the road to other theatres across the country.

"This has been a fantastic project which we hope will once again inspire and excite families," says Patrick.

"It's such an exciting journey and if it goes as well as last year we will be very pleased."

Muse Of Fire is on at the Globe theatre, Bankside between August 18 and 27. Tickets cost £10 for children, £12.50 for adults. Visit www.shakespearesglobe.com or call the box office on 0207 401 9919.

Theatre review - Groove On Down The Road, Southbank Centre

FIVE STARS

LAST year a group of youngsters raised the roof at the Southbank Centre with their show Groove On Down The Road.

Now this talented bunch from award-winning choreographer Kate Prince's acclaimed ZooNation Dance Company are back with an updated version of this fabulous production.

It is essentially a re-telling of The Wizard Of Oz and has as its themes, love, friendship and overcoming adversity - a perfect fit for the Southbank Centre's Festival of Love.

Set to a toe-tapping soundtrack that includes Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, José González, Janelle Monáe and Miguel the youngsters, who are all aged between 10 and 19, groove, body pop, hip hop and street dance their way down the yellow brick road towards a better, happier and friendlier life.

It is quite simply the most joyous show, with an unbelievable amount of energy and fabulous characterisation not to mention an infectious enthusiasm from all those on the stage who were clearly having the time of their lives.

The dancers are incredible and some of the tricks are awe-inspiring thanks to the amazing choreography - which allows everyone to have their moment in the spotlight.

The entire cast shines but it is 12-year-old Arizona Snow as Dorothy, 17-year-old Mike McNeish as Toto, 18-year-old Mikey Ureta as Tinman, 16-year-old Jaih Betote Dipito Akwa as Scarecrow and 17-year-old Dylan Mayoral as Lion who deserve special praise.

On their feet and grooving for the entire 80 minutes, their energy, tricks, flips and twists are phenomenal.

Heart warming and utterly uplifting, this is a show that will appeal to all the family and get you on your feet dancing and clapping along. An absolute belter!

Groove On Down The Road is on at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, from now until Tuesday, August 26.

Tickets from £11. Visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk or call the box office on 0844 847 9910.