Tag Archives: Rob Houchen

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“South Pacific” at Sadler’s Wells

The fantastic songs in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1949 musical make any revival a must. The love between plantation owner Emile (Julian Ovenden) and army nurse Nellie (Gina Beck), with war as a backdrop, is hopelessly romantic. Get ready to swoon. Does the show’s message against racism make up for its misogyny and militarism? Well, no. But there are moments in this production when I thought Julian Ovenden’s singing could solve all the world’s problems.

Daniel Evans’ production, from the Chichester Festival Theatre, tries hard to focus on the indigenous characters of the islands that the action takes place on. Strong choreography by Ann Yee helps.

Bloody Mary, who sells tourist tat to the troops, becomes a forceful character in Joanna Ampil’s portrayal. Her desperation to marry her daughter off to a rich American is moving. The focus for the show’s second romance becomes Mary and her daughter Liat (Sera Maehara) rather than the suitor, Lt. Joseph Cable. That’s a shame for Rob Houchen, who does a good job in the role, but it’s a deft shift of focus.

Joanna Ampil, Sera Maehara & Rob Houchen in SOUTH PACIFIC Photo Johan Persson
Joanna Ampil, Sera Maehara & Rob Houchen

The show’s humour is a problem, though. The role of maverick sailor Luther Billis is an unhappy one – I guess the intention was to be endearing? As it stands, the part just makes the book (by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan) seem flabby. Evans downplays the show within a show (I wonder if the idea was a stab at realism), which is disappointing if understandable – there’s a lack of action overall, so the show can drag.

As for the nurses stationed with the troops… these “dames” are nothing more than a chorus (albeit a good one). It’s only Beck’s quirky delivery that raises any smiles – she’s good at this – while her fear of miscegenation is depicted in a suitably shocking manner. You couldn’t call Nellie a well-rounded character, but Beck does a good job with her.

It is with romance that South Pacific wins. And this production knows that. Beck enforces Nellie’s charm and she sounds wonderful. As for Ovenden – his voice has never been better and the role should surely be career defining. Every rendition of Some Enchanted Evening gave me goosebumps. This Nearly Was Mine is a long and difficult song, but I hoped for an ovation. It’s a surprisingly understated performance that comes from tremendous confidence and power. Ovenden’s expressive voice makes the whole production not be missed.

Until 28 August 2022

www.sadlerswells.com

Photos by Johan Persson

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“Eugenius” at The Other Palace

Here’s yet another irreverent musical, this time taking comic books and their creators as its subject, full of tongue-in-cheek fun and aspiring to cult status. A transfer to the Ambassadors Theatre was announced and cancelled just today. Let’s hope the breaking news is just a postponement to future success. The show is primed to do well by Ian Talbot’s admirably ambitious direction, which ensures that Ben Adams and Chris Wilkins’ piece impresses. There’s plenty of enjoyment to be had, even if Eugenius is a tame affair that too gently pokes fun at theatre and heroics: it’s competent, entertaining and only just short of super.

Reservations arise not just because the piece is derivative, although you will probably recognise a lot of other shows that have inspired it. Adam and Wilkins’ book is a bit messy and the humour tepid. There’s a coming-of-age story that’s whisked to Hollywood just as it’s settling down, with a clumsy competition device where our hero’s unpublished comic is to be turned into a film. Then there’s a half-developed struggle for integrity before the fictional world of ‘Tough Man’ collides with reality to provide us with moral lessons. None of this is bad, although the lyrics are strictly functional, but it’s Talbot who powers the show.

Christopher Ragland and Rob Houchen

Much is made of time and setting – America in 1988 – and the show cleverly cashes in on nostalgia. But the nudges to recollection are superficial, achieved by constantly throwing in references. There’s little effort to make the characters specific either. Their ages are a bit of puzzle and another niggle is ignoring how snobbish comic book geeks can be! It’s unbelievable that they would be so egalitarian with their references. Here it’s the performances that win out. Rob Houchen makes for an appealing lead as Eugene, likewise his love interest Janey and best friend Feris are engagingly performed by Laura Baldwin and Daniel Buckley. The whole cast gets the chance to shine with a lot of dual roles as Eugene’s fantasy connects with real life: Christopher Ragland and Simon Thomas both benefit.

It’s a shame that the love story in Eugenius is so predictable. Comics themselves have been challenging since before people started using the term heteronormative – so it’s odd to end up making fun of something more sophisticated than your own parody. The role of Janey is particularly unsatisfying, no matter how much irony is intended. Thankfully, when it comes to the most important thing – the music – Adams and Wilkins are on firmer ground. They can write a catchy tune and the score coheres well at several points. There’s a nice mix of pastiche and sincerity that offsets a lot of contrived moves. It may be a case of promise rather than something to rave about, but Eugenius deserves success.

Until 21 October 2018

www.eugeniusthemusical.com

Photos by Scott Rylander

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“Les Misérables” at the Queen’s Theatre

For a lot of Londoners, Les Mis is as much a landmark as a musical. Something that’s just there: a show seen long ago and now for tourists. The statistics about its success are on the dot matrix outside the Queen’s Theatre – and they are impressive. But the real phenomenon is how, despite knowing the story and songs, having seen the film and bought the t-shirt, Les Mis moves as much as ever.

Speculation about the show’s success has existed since it surprised critics and started selling tickets. Never forget how crazy adapting Victor Hugo’s epic of post-revolutionary French history must have seemed. First up, the tale itself: a good old-fashioned yarn that’s sentimental and exciting. As for the telling – by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel – it doesn’t stop, with an impressive pace that belies the show’s three-hour duration.

Claude-Michel Schönberg’s music is big and best described as filmic. Though the many hits are worth waiting for, the score has a satisfying coherence. With leitmotifs that emphasise themes as well as characters, it builds emotion so effectively it borders on exploitative; pretty much the whole of the second act guarantees goose bumps. OK, I confess, I was teary before the interval.

Carrie Hope Fletcher as Eponine and Rob Houchen as Marius. Photo by Michael Le Poer Trench

The music demands massive voices and the current cast are superb. From the start the strength of the male chorus is hugely impressive. Both leads, Valjean and Javert, with their personal stories embodying a divide between law and justice, are given powerhouse performances from Peter Lockyer and David Thaxton. Looking to the younger characters, whose story culminates on the barricades of the June Rebellion in Paris, both Rob Houchen and Carrie Hope Fletcher are tremendous as Marius and Eponine. More tears I am afraid.

John Napier’s design is surprisingly simple; mostly a matter of smoke with David Hersey’s excellent lighting (and the revolving stage so brilliantly parodied in Forbidden Broadway). Directors Trevor Nunn and John Caird handle the crowd of a cast with exemplary skill, directing audience emotions as much as anything; the best example being ‘Empty Chairs At Empty Tables’ – Marius’ lament – which sees his martyred friends breathtakingly emerging into view.

Like any work of theatre, Les Mis can’t be frozen – a live crew makes it work. The cynical might see its success down to reputation – it’s a safe bet and visitors tick the ‘done that’ box. But believe me, nobody working the performance I saw was resting on any laurels. But the real key to the success is both simpler and more profound: Les Misérables moves you. It’s still one of the best theatre experiences around.

www.lesmis.com/uk

Main photos by Johan Persson