Tag Archives: The Garden Theatre

“Next Thing You Know” at the Garden Theatre

Shows about youth aren’t unusual, but a coming of middle age musical makes a nice change. Approaching their thirties, the characters in Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham’s piece want to be “less young” and are already hungover from their twenties…poor dears.

The hopes and fears, and a sense of surprise, about growing older that are presented are interesting enough. Cunningham’s book is clear. By accident or design, Next Thing You Know ends up the story of Waverly, a strong role for Bessy Ewa, a young woman deciding on her love life and whether to carry on trying to become an actor. If Waverley’s future decisions end contrary to expectations the piece is entertaining and amusing along the way.

Based around a bar on Sullivan Street, New York, Waverly’s friend Lisa provides a stand-out role for Amelia Atherton (who also gets the best songs). You could watch both women for a long time. Indeed, it’s odd we don’t get to see Lisa, a singer-songwriter, perform something she has written. But the men hanging around them are less appealing. Waverly’s wet boyfriend, who Nathan Shaw gets great comedy from, generates a little sympathy. But his salesman colleague has some oddly dated sexual politics – “shallow and sleazy” – that Callum Henderson’s best efforts cannot redeem. I’m not sure Waverly would really have much time for either man.

Next-Thing-You-Know-starring-Nathan-Shaw-and-Callum-Henderson-photo-NatLPh
Nathan Shaw and Callum Henderson

Rather sweetly, director Robert McWhir’s production has the super idea of casting graduates from 2020. A welcome move in a year so difficult for young performers, the whole cast are hungry to impress. They’ve clearly learned much from their training and McWhir’s evident skills.

The singing is good and serves Salzman’s credible music and lyrics well. In the mould of Jason Robert Brown, it would be nice to hear a richer sounding version of the score with more than a pianist and guitarist performing. There are fine tunes, but the lyrics sometimes make both comedy and sentiment effortful. More than once, lower stakes produce better results: a meditation on city life and a song about a one-night stand are highlights. 

Problems come with the show’s specificity; are the characters (not performers) convincing 28 year olds? You might think them immature. If not, you may wonder what their problem is and find them whiney. Both positions are exacerbated by the commonality and repetition of concerns – there’s lots of talk about signs and decisions. Salzman and Cunningham like a motif a little too much.

As well as more variety, it’s disappointing that Next Thing You Know collapses into a standard romance. And one dealt with far too briefly at that. It might be quirky that its characters embrace being ordinary… but it isn’t that inspiring! The solution seems clear enough – strengthen the suggestion that Lisa is pursuing her dream and develop the role as a foil. Just a little more work would have given the show a lot more weight. 

Until 31 October 2020

www.gardentheatre.co.uk

Photos by NatLPho

“Pippin” at the Garden Theatre

More than a little mad, Stephen Schwartz’s musical, ostensibly about the son of Emperor Charlemagne, has a big revival in this small-scale venue.

This new version of the phenomenal hit has a cast of six who create a band-of-players feel that, along with the traverse staging, suits the setting. And director Steven Dexter hits the mark creating hippy vibes: dating from 1972, the show is very much of its time.

Ryan Anderson does a lovely job with the score’s main theme and its clever love song, where he is joined by Tanisha-Mae Brown making a strong professional debut. Anderson’s Pippin also manages some character development (no small achievement in this role) from awkward to angry – well done.

Tanisha-Mae Brown, Tsemaye Bob-Egbe and Ryan Anderson in Pippin
Tanisha-Mae Brown, Tsemaye Bob-Egbe and Ryan Anderson

Anderson may take the lead, but the production’s sextet works especially well together. They seem like they’re having fun! The cast’s skills show Nick Winston’s choreography superbly, impressive work for such an intimate space.

Pippin has great tunes and smart enough lyrics. The cast do well with the humour (which in truth is one note) aided by jokes about the lo-fi staging and theatre under current conditions. Joanne Clifton deserves special mention for camping it up as Pippin’s gran and his stepmother.

While Dexter has done well, it’s still hard to really get involved with this “anecdotal review”. Pippin’s search for fulfilment is exposed with deep cynicism – fair enough – but the self-conscious storytelling isn’t as clever as it would like and ends up feeling frosty.

Thankfully, Anderson manages to inject some genuine emotion. And the show’s overbearing concepts, with the sinister idea that Pippin is being manipulated, are in the capable hands of Tsemaye Bob-Egbe who performs as the Lead Player; her excellent voice and commanding presence brings the whole show together.

Until 11 October 2020

www.gardentheatre.co.uk

Photos by Bonnie Britain

“Fanny and Stella” at The Garden Theatre

After 149 days of live theatre lockdown – yes, I have been counting – I was always going to love the first trip back to a show. Thank you, thank you, LAMBCO Productions, for the first fringe production since March. But, sincerely, Glenn Chandler’s play with music is a jolly affair that is well worth seeing. It’s entertaining, interesting and a lot of fun.

Chandler takes on a lot, and admittedly over-reaches. Based on true events, a show-within-a-show format tells the story of performers Ernest Boulton (AKA Stella) and Frederick William Park (Fanny), who dressed as women offstage as well as on and were arrested for doing just that in 1871. The history is light: there’s not enough shock about the men’s “painted faces” and not much peril. It is in questionable taste that the medical examination Boulton and Park had to undergo is played for laughs. And the idea of either man as a transwoman is not explored. Chandler’s decision is to entertain, and this is what he does.

Alex Lodge in Fanny and Stella at The Garden Theatre Vauxhall
Alex Lodge

Going for pleasure makes the setting of The Eagle pub garden in Vauxhall appropriate and the audience were clearly smiling under their face masks. All manner of crudity and old jokes are allowed and the cast camp it up considerably (David Shields’ clever costume designs are useful here). Special mention to the hard-working Mark Pearce, who takes on so many roles and accents. And to Alex Lodge, who plays one of the (many) loves of Fanny’s life, injecting some romantic moments and also doing well as a gutter-press journalist.

The evening’s stars are Jed Berry and Kane Verrall in the inimitable title roles, which both the script and director Steven Dexter balance nicely. The chemistry is great and there’s a convincing sense of sisterhood along with some fine comic timing. Both work the crowd wonderfully. All of this is accompanied by Charles Miller’s clever little songs – all, importantly, performed live. It really is a great night out… the best I’ve had in 149 days, actually.

Until 25 August 2020

www.fannyandstellamusical.com

Photos by Alex Hinson