Tag Archives: Louis Maskell

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“Flowers for Mrs Harris” from Chichester Festival Theatre

The story of a widowed char lady who saves up to buy a Christian Dior dress doesn’t sound like a winner. But I’m shocked that this show, which started at Sheffield Theatres in 2016 and is generously presented online by the Chichester Festival Theatre, wasn’t a big hit. High-quality, old-fashioned and unashamedly feelgood, Richard Taylor’s score and lyrics, with a book by Rachel Wagstaff based on Paul Gallico’s novel, is musical theatre magic.

There are risks here. The central character is naïve as well as ridiculously self-sacrificing. Her motivation, the dream behind her triumph over adversity, really shouldn’t convince. And the show is predictable – we all know where Mrs Harris will take a trip (cue dodgy accents to join already plentifully dropped consonants). But if you’re going to manipulate, emotional restraint isn’t called for, and director Daniel Evans shows he knows that. The proof is in the puddin’ – I was close to tears for most of the second act!

Much of the success is down to the mammoth title role, played by Clare Burt. At first gravelly, her voice gets stronger as the show progresses – along with a score that reflects dreams and imagination with style. The trials she faces in saving for her dress create remarkable investment with the audience. When winning the pools isn’t enough (an excellent sequence) hard work is the key, and admiration for the character, and Burt’s assured performance, are secured.

Flowers for Mrs Harris
Laura Pitt-Pulford and Louis Maskell

Mrs Harris goes around inspiring all, like a mix of Mary Poppins and Dolly Gallagher Levi. It makes for plenty of subsidiary characters, admittedly of varying success. It’s great to see some older roles, like Mrs Harris herself, but the younger parts are better and create a rush of romance that adds further escapism. Helping the French in their amours indicates a nice sense of humour underlying the show and provides great numbers for Laura Pitt-Pulford and Louis Maskell. There’s a touch here of She Loves Me – it’s a chocolate cake rather than ice cream – and that’s never a bad thing.

That there’s plenty of love for Mrs Harris is only fair. Mark Meadows’ roles – as her dead husband and then a Marquis who sees her as a fellow spirit – anchor the show. Like the gown she so covets, everything in Flowers for Mrs Harris is “made to make you feel”. Taylor doesn’t let up, and even a couple of twists at the end of the show ram home humour and heart. Nor does the finale disappoint, with each bouquet for Mrs Harris bringing a smile and a sob.

Available until 8 May 2020

To support visit www.cft.org.u

Photos by Johan Persson

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“The Grinning Man” at the Trafalgar Studios

The theatre world often fantasises about the next big British musical, and a home-grown piece is always something to celebrate, so this work, spearheaded by composer and lyricist team Tim Phillips and Marc Teitler, has arrived from Bristol to the West End like a dream. The Grinning Man is original, polished and has a sense of integrity that, while making its success cultish rather than mainstream, wins respect.

The story is a fairy tale, heavy on the Gothic, but for grownups. Set in a familiar work, although with surprisingly little satire, our eponymous hero was disfigured as a child and is now a circus freak show. It’s a star role that Louis Maskell delivers with conviction. With a blind girlfriend and sinister adopted father in tow (Sanne Den Besten and Sean Kingsley), the much sung about “ugly beautiful” appearance of this charismatic changeling alters society for the better. The colourful royal family, with a strong quartet of performances from Julie Atherton, David Bardsley, Amanda Wilkin and Mark Anderson, all fall under his (inexplicable) spell. The only one on stage who seems immune is a villainous jester, for my money the lead of the show, brilliantly portrayed by Julian Bleach and winning most of the laughs.

The tale is as good as any by the Grimms. It’s based on a novel by Victor Hugo, and writer Carl Grose tackles it well. But the swearing, nymphomania and a bizarre incest plot make it adults only. It’s something of a puzzle – the temptation to appeal to a larger audience must have been great. A bigger problem is that the score only interests by including some bizarre electronic sounds and the songs aren’t catchy enough. While the dialogue is good, the lyrics, from Phillips, Teitler, Grose and also the show’s director Tom Morris, are too often uninspired.

Yet the production itself is an unreserved triumph. There’s fascinating movement and choreography from Jane Gibson and Lynne Page, accompanying Morris’s strong direction. And when it comes to portraying the worlds of circus and court, Jon Bausor’s design is magnificent. There’s a lot of puppetry, superb in design and execution, complemented by sets that are like a trip to Pollock’s toy shop. Topping it all, with a range of influences from steam punk to Gormenghast, are terrific costumes by Jean Chan. It’s the attention to detail, the look of the show, that puts smiles on faces.

Until 5 May 2018

www.thegrinningmanmusical.com

Photo by Helen Maybanks

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“The Fix” at the Union Theatre

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Those who love musicals know that the art form can tackle pretty much any subject matter. But some might raise eyebrows at show tunes about an American presidential campaign. John Dempsey and Dana P. Rowe’s musical The Fix shows there’s a good fit between the two since the theatricality and artificiality of politics is highlighted by the genre.

This is the story of Cal – a young man from a dynasty that sees politics as a game – and his journey to power, from a stint in the military to a marriage of convenience, and the ensuing sleaze, affairs and mafia connections. Director Michael Strassen does a superb job with this fast-paced, exciting story, injecting it with humour and passion. A 60s setting allows Rowe to show off a panoply of musical styles that can’t fail to impress and Dempsey’s smart lyrics are full of satire.

If The Fix has a failing it serves to prove a point. Cal is blank slate for others to manipulate. The suggestion is that’s what it takes to get ahead in politics, and his character is somewhat flat – though this certainly isn’t the case with Louis Maskell’s singing, which resonates beautifully. Maskell also displays considerable acting skills and manages to put some flesh on his character in scenes with his mistress Tina, played by Daisy Tonge, whose strong voice makes this young actress one to watch.

As the plot thickens to include Cal’s desperation for a fix because of his drug addiction, the real focus becomes not the heir in waiting to the presidential throne, but his mentor and his mother. As the former, Miles Western gives a tremendous performance as a Machiavellian mastermind of spin with plenty of motivation – his continual questioning of the very sanity of his plan gives The Fix its edge. Yet the star of the show is Liz May Brice as Cal’s mother. In superb voice with the highest calibre of acting, this mad mixture of Lady Macbeth and Mama Rose is truly captivating.

Until 14 July 2012

www.uniontheatre.biz

Photo by Roy Tan

Written 28 June 2012 for The London Magazine