Category: Review

‘If You Can’t Be Famous, Be Infamous’ – Chicago

This year, I was fortunate to see 12 shows since theatres re-opened in July 2021. This is a massive step for someone who last went to the theatre in 2012! Of course, working in theatre does mean I have great opportunities to see shows, but I also love musicals. My job just fuels this addiction.

Although I already have 7 or so shows booked in for next year, I thought I would share my thoughts on what some of these shows did right.

Heathers

As an adaptation of the film of the same name, Heathers (2021) captures both the teenage angst of the 80s and today’s youth. Although fundamentally true to the source material, the West-End show is even better. With top talents such as Christina Bennington and Jordan Luke Gage, they bought emotion to otherwise terrible characters. 

Many other musicals today follow the popular juke-box style, yet Heathers stands by the original score. With music and lyrics by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe, the show’s songs are super catchy and aid the story. In particular, the incorporation of iconic phrases from the film such as “people are gonna see the ashes of Westerberg High School and they’re gonna think ‘there’s a school that self-destructed not because society doesn’t care, but because that school was society’” works well. It reminds audiences that although JD has a face of an angel, “cool guys” like him are lost and cannot be saved.

Rating: 4/5

Chicago

Chicago is stylistically different to many shows. Everything is incorporated into the visual storytelling. Audiences could appreciate the work of the orchestra in real-time instead of the end of the encore. By incorporating them into the story, the staging is less simple and feels a lot fuller than some productions of the show. Likewise, the all-male orchestra supports the sexy undertones of these murderous women. You should not look at them, but you cannot help but do so.

Interestingly, Chicago continues to wow a range of ages because of our fascination with history. That is what keeps audiences coming back as they long for a time before our own. Whether it be the vintage look of the flapper era, the slick choreography based on Bob Fosse’s 1996 production of Chicago, prominence of jazz music around or sensationalist newspaper headlines, audiences see history unfold before their eyes.

Rating: 2.75/5

SIX – The Musical

SIX is an interesting one. Created by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss whilst at university, this show has taken the world by storm. Marlow and Moss are not afraid to challenge musical norms by rejecting tradition in favour of a concert form to allow the six wives of Henry VIII to tell their stories. Whether or not you agree with the form, it is definitely amicable of them to play with style, setting and format to create a show that is adored by many.

With original lyrics and scores, this follows the same pattern as the above shows with rejecting the juke-box style of music and it pays off. In other shows, no composer or lyricist could have a 90s Euro-dance pop song next to a ballad and be successful. It does seem random at times, but it just works in SIX.

However, the most powerful thing about SIX is that Marlow and Moss remind audiences that these women that are being portrayed on stage were more than just wives. Parts of their stories are imagined for entertainment purposes, but Marlow and Moss have clearly conducted a lot of research about these women to challenge the patriarchal lens through which we view them. For example, Catherine Parr was quite radical because she would champion female education in a time where only the very rich and powerful may educate their daughters. How bad arse is that?!

Rating: 3/5

Jersey Boys

Based on the real-life story of The Four Seasons (later Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons), Jersey Boys takes the jukebox form and can be reinvented to keep it fresh.

From their humble beginning to the reforming of the original group in 1990, the trials and tribulations of each member are given a chance in the spotlight. From Frankie’s divorce and the death of his daughter to Tommy’s illegal activities, no stone is left unturned. Covering decades in the 2 hours 20 minutes, audiences feel like they are living through the 3 decades that the group were together. Whether or not you were there, you can understand why this group became one of the highest-selling rock bands in US history. And that’s quite tough in the eras that saw Beatlemania take over the world.

If you are into early rock ‘n’ roll, this show is one for you. From hits such as ‘Walk Like a Man’, ‘Begging’ and ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You’, there are so many recognisable hits so you know it will be a feel-good show that all generations can enjoy.

Rating: 3.75/5