(no subject)
[deletes whiny rambling]
I'm still missing a few reviews one because it's too hard to put into words, another because... well it's Taming of the Shrew and the less I think about it the better :-P but the third is Pirates of Penzance and I need to cheer myself up right now so while thile I'm burning various things to CD...
Pirates of Penzance @ Hackney Empire
So a few weeks ago a group of us went to see Sasha Regan's All-Male production of Pirates of Penzance before it took off to awrmer parts (the boys are currently touring Australia and having far too much fun if twitter is to be trusted).
I saw this production at Wilton's a few year's ago and so, much as with Twelfth Night, I had a slightly feeling of trepidation because what if it wasn't as good? This was added to by the fact that they were moving from the beautiful and intimate space that is Wiltons to the HUGE Hackney Empire(well relatively huge) and because a largish part of the cast had changed.
Thankfully I needn't have worried. Yes I think something was lost performing this in a bigger space (though of course it started at the Union so even Wiltons is bigger than that) but they used the space well and still had lots of entrances and exits through the audience. The policemen were having particular fun and Alan Richardson's first entrance as Mabel was just as stunning here as it was back then.
I absolutely love Alan's voice, he doesn't even sound like he's having to reach for all those ridiculously high notes and he has such a wicked twinkle in his eye. I'd forgotten how funny the scene with Mabel & the girls "encouraging" the policeman and simultaneously terrifying them is <3
Ruth was maybe my only sadness- I adored Samuel Holmes as Ruth and I missed him this time. Joseph Houston was really very good but his Ruth seemed older and even less likely as a partner for anyone- let alone Frederic. On the otherhand he was having great fun in "A Paradox" so it's only a slight sadness.
Nic Gibney seemed to be having LOTS of fun as the Pirate King and similarly Neil Moors' Major General and Adam Vaughn's Police Chief managed the singing and the humour perfectly.
Oh and I think I might actually have preferred this Frederic- Matthew Gent sings the part well but he also seems to play Frederic with a sense of fun that can be distinctly lacking with all his talk of duty. Also he and Alan singing "He loves me he is gone" was so beautiful even thinking of it now makes me quite emotional.
And the rest of the cast- pirates, maidens & police (or rather all three as most of them were at some point) were just brilliant.
Oh an a link: The Book of All Men: Is there merit in single gender productions
Seeing it did, however, bring me back to a problem I have- I desperately want a recording of any of the Sasha Regan Gilbert & Sullivans and they just don't exist (or rather they DO exist but not for public consumption *scowls*
Really I'd quite like any G&S recordings that aren't D'Oyly Carte (because those are the one's we have at home) but there are so many options out there! Can anyone recommend some Gilbert & Sullivan recordings to me?
I'm still missing a few reviews one because it's too hard to put into words, another because... well it's Taming of the Shrew and the less I think about it the better :-P but the third is Pirates of Penzance and I need to cheer myself up right now so while thile I'm burning various things to CD...
Pirates of Penzance @ Hackney Empire
So a few weeks ago a group of us went to see Sasha Regan's All-Male production of Pirates of Penzance before it took off to awrmer parts (the boys are currently touring Australia and having far too much fun if twitter is to be trusted).
I saw this production at Wilton's a few year's ago and so, much as with Twelfth Night, I had a slightly feeling of trepidation because what if it wasn't as good? This was added to by the fact that they were moving from the beautiful and intimate space that is Wiltons to the HUGE Hackney Empire(well relatively huge) and because a largish part of the cast had changed.
Thankfully I needn't have worried. Yes I think something was lost performing this in a bigger space (though of course it started at the Union so even Wiltons is bigger than that) but they used the space well and still had lots of entrances and exits through the audience. The policemen were having particular fun and Alan Richardson's first entrance as Mabel was just as stunning here as it was back then.
I absolutely love Alan's voice, he doesn't even sound like he's having to reach for all those ridiculously high notes and he has such a wicked twinkle in his eye. I'd forgotten how funny the scene with Mabel & the girls "encouraging" the policeman and simultaneously terrifying them is <3
Ruth was maybe my only sadness- I adored Samuel Holmes as Ruth and I missed him this time. Joseph Houston was really very good but his Ruth seemed older and even less likely as a partner for anyone- let alone Frederic. On the otherhand he was having great fun in "A Paradox" so it's only a slight sadness.
Nic Gibney seemed to be having LOTS of fun as the Pirate King and similarly Neil Moors' Major General and Adam Vaughn's Police Chief managed the singing and the humour perfectly.
Oh and I think I might actually have preferred this Frederic- Matthew Gent sings the part well but he also seems to play Frederic with a sense of fun that can be distinctly lacking with all his talk of duty. Also he and Alan singing "He loves me he is gone" was so beautiful even thinking of it now makes me quite emotional.
And the rest of the cast- pirates, maidens & police (or rather all three as most of them were at some point) were just brilliant.
Oh an a link: The Book of All Men: Is there merit in single gender productions
Seeing it did, however, bring me back to a problem I have- I desperately want a recording of any of the Sasha Regan Gilbert & Sullivans and they just don't exist (or rather they DO exist but not for public consumption *scowls*
Really I'd quite like any G&S recordings that aren't D'Oyly Carte (because those are the one's we have at home) but there are so many options out there! Can anyone recommend some Gilbert & Sullivan recordings to me?