An American in Paris

When my parents first got a video player in amongst the Carry On movies was a healthy collection of musicals. From big names like South Pacific, The King and I and West Side story to less familiar ones like Gigi and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers I loved them all. So when La La Land came out I was excited, finally another great musical to add to my back catalogue, but I was disappointed, checking my watch throughout. It had potential, but the singing felt weak, it relied on one song throughout and the dancing was not up to scratch, it left me wanting to go home and raid my collection of Golden Era musicals.

But yesterday was a different story, I finally got to see An American in Paris, created for the stage from the original Gershwin film (not one I have seen) and I was beyond excited. From the minute I heard the production was being put together I couldn't wait to see it, it was a long wait from the opening in Paris, through the Broadway run and US tour before it finally hit the London West end stage, but it was worth it. 

From the first sight of the poster I had a feeling this was going to be a musical I would love, well before any of the awards were won, I had my eye on a ticket. So last night we took our seats in the stalls with an empty stage and a single piano set ready for magic. It was a classic musical story, with love at its, core but of course it wasn't simple, there were turns and troubles on the way and the ending? Well check out the poster and you'll figure it out.

Part of my excitement was the involvement of Christopher Wheeldon, I love his ballets and I was excited to see what he had done with an American in Paris. The choreography had his distinctive touch, but with the classic musical elements firmly in place, all beautifully danced by Leanne Cope and Robert Fairchild and the cast around them. The dancing felt natural within the story, one of the advantages of a musical set around a ballet company and a cafe with a piano. 

Despite never having seen the film, we found many old favourites in the score, I Got Rhythm, S'Wonderful, I'll Build a stairway to Paradise and You Can't Take That Away From Me. The score carried you through the evening, set change were seamlessly carried out by the cast, often a dance in themselves. The design was fresh, clean and bright from the costumes to the set, the team managed to keep it modern without losing the post-war chic. I would have happily paid to watch the second ballet as part of any triple bill and the girls costumes were among some of my favourite ballet costumes. 

An American in Paris is truly a trip back to the Golden Era, I danced my way home on a musical high (ignoring the sideways glances of my fellow commuters), still singing the songs and my review summary is shamelessly stolen from the words of Ira Gershwin, the evening was 'S'wonderful! S'marvellous!'

2013 in shows

For completeness I thought I ought to wrap up the shows I saw in 2013, just like the books I read. I reviewed all the Edinburgh shows but many of the others were missed.

Did I miss the show of the year, is there anything I absolutely have to see in 2014? Do let me know.

1. Onegin from the Royal Ballet: Nunez, Soares, Hinkis, Zucchetti
2. Tatyana with Companhia de Dança Deborah Colker
3. Eugine Onegin from the Royal Opera: Stoyanova, Keenlyside, Maximova, Breslik
4. Ashton mixed Programme: La Valse, Meditation from Thais, Voices of Spring, Monotones I and II and Marguerite and Armand from the Royal Ballet
5. Apollo, Aeturnum and 24 Preludes from the Royal Ballet
6. Apollo, Aeturnum and 24 Preludes from the Royal Ballet
7. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland from the Royal Ballet: Lamb, Bonelli, Watson
8. La Bayadere from the Royal Ballet: Marquez, Bonelli, Nunez
9. Opening Gala at the Udderbelly Southbank
10. Mayerling from the Royal Ballet: Gartside, Galeazzi
11. Hansel and Gretel from the Royal Ballet: Ondiviela, Harrod
12. La Bayadere from the Royal Ballet: Nunez, Acosta, Kobayashi
13. Raven Girl and Symphony in C from the Royal Ballet
14. Mayerling from the Royal Ballet: Watson, Galeazzi
15. Raven Girl and Symphony in C from the Royal Ballet
16. Madame Butterfly Dress Rehearsal at Opera Holland Park
17. The Hot House at Trafalgar Studios
18. BalletBoyz at Sadler's Wells
19. Festival of the Spoken Nerd at the Edinburgh Festival
20. Men at the Edinburgh Festival
21. Guilt and Shame at the Edinburgh Festival
22. Wardens at the Edinburgh Festival
23. Oxford Imps at the Edinburgh Festival
24. Bluebeard at the Edinburgh Festival
25. Spank! at the Edinburgh Festival
26. Midsummer's Night Savoy at the Edinburgh Festival
27. Gordon Southern at the Edinburgh Festival
28. Big Value Comedy Late at the Edinburgh Festival
29. Does My Face look Big in This at the Edinburgh Festival
30. Proms in the Park from the BBC
31. The Sound of Music at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
32. Don Quixote Dress Rehearsal from the Royal Ballet: Salenko, McRae
33. Don Quixote from the Royal Ballet: Marquez, Campbell
34. Romeo and Juliet from the Royal Ballet: Hamilton, Watson
35. Romeo and Juliet from the Royal Ballet: Osipova, Acosta
36. Romeo and Juliet from the Royal Ballet: Nunez, Soares
37. Chroma, the Human Seasons and Rite of Spring from the Royal Ballet
38. Parsifal Dress Rehearsal from the Royal Opera
39. Peter Pan at Richmond Theatre
40. Nutcracker from the English National Ballet

Edinburgh Fringe 2013: Day one

This year my Fringe got off to a slow start with a one show day. I did fit in a first birthday party and a lovely dinner at The Apartment in Brunstfield with a friend visiting from New Zealand.  The Apartment has a lovely set menu at the bargain price of £10 for two courses and the food was great,I recommend it if you're in the area.

So my first show of Edinburgh Fringe 2013?

I went to see A Midsummer's Night Savoy in Gryphon venues, written and directed by my friend Chris Drew and with a number of friends in the cast it was on my must see list. The Shakespeare elements were a bit thin on the ground but there was plenty of Gilbert & Sullivan. All the songs that a dedicated Savoyard knows and loves and maybe a few that are a little less familiar. With a troupe of 'dainty' fairies including Little Buttercup trying to avoid that most terrifying of things, a group of men, the evening was fun and definitely a little silly. The male chorus and principals deserve a mention, they were all really good and there were some really strong performance during the hour. I was disappointed that the 'Sisters, Cousins and Aunts' was restricted to just a little mention and nothing more, but overall I couldn't really complain. It was the last night and the show was sold out the audience were all on board and kept the atmosphere up, it was a truely Fringe experience to start my 2013 trip.

Other more professional reviews can be read here and here.

Oh What a Night!

We finally made it to see Jersey Boys and I'm so glad we did. This was the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and what a story it was. I knew that the music was going to be great and that there'd be so many songs I didn't know they'd sung. What I didn't know was how the seasons changed over the years with Frankie Valli staying the only constant. I was also surprised that the band wasn't Frankie's in the first place and that they grew up out a pretty rough area robbing jewellers and hanging on street corners.

The set was very simple, stark black metal grills and a walk way, with occasional screen additions. The screens played multiple roles throughout and the use of pop art complemented some of the darker set elements. The cast were adept at bringing furniture and props on and off seamlessly between scenes and, with the right lighting and some of the larger pieces rising up through the floor, a simple set was effortlessly transformed from a jail to a smoky jazz cafe and then an arena stage!

I loved seeing the inspiration behind the songs, although I'm not sure 'December 1963' will be the same again...  I thought there'd be more of those famous red jackets and in comparison a lot of their suits seemed bland but I'm sure at the time they were the height of fashion. Talking of fashion dancing has changed and boy bands these days don't have the same snappy moves although the 'step click' is still going strong!

But what I really loved about Jersey Boys was the feeling that when they were acting their stage performances I felt like I was really at a concert and not at a musical about the band. The audience got into it and they used the blinders on stage to great effect. The television filming sections were well done too, somehow you felt like you had an insiders view on how it was shot with them all on stage facing away but a screen showing you what TV viewers would have seen and at times it seemed like they were showing real footage, they weren't.

I had a few gripes, Frankie's mike was glaringly obvious in the middle of his forehead when everyone else's was well concealed and the levels on the moving drum kit were out often obscuring the lyrics which was shame. However the show was nominated for an Olivier award and I really think it deserved one, it certainly deserved the standing ovation at the end. I bought a 'best of' album when I got home and I'm still singing the songs a week later!