In the 7 days I was in London, I had the good fortune to see 8 plays. I am one of those crazy people who feels like any play, at any level, is a great experience. There is just a magic that happens in a theater that you can’t find anywhere else. Here are the plays I saw and my brief observations about each.
Chicago
Going into this play, I knew every word of every song. Of course, there was an excellent film version of the play made about 10 years ago, but seeing anything live is a treat. I consider this show a “sister” show to another Kander/Ebb musical, Cabaret. Although Cabaret is by far it’s superior, this show has a lot to offer. The darkness in tone matches the darkness in actions of the characters. Like Cabaret, there is an overall theme to the play and a message to be had. In this performance, Roxy and Velma were very good. The actor playing Billy Flynn was the headliner (a television star in Britain) who was not a good singer, so that was a drawback. The standout by far was the actor who played Amos…and he brought the house down with his solo number “Mr. Cellophane.” I still have the song in my head now.
Pressure
I had no idea what to expect in this original play written by and starring David Haig. What I got was one of the best plays I have ever seen. Taking place in WWII, Haig’s character is the weather man tasked with the job of determining whether the allied troops will have clear weather to land at Normandy and end the war. The title has a double meaning, as it not only describes the stress he is on to make the correct calculations, but also the weather pressure fronts (see what he did there?). It was a great show…with a great trio of characters and the actors playing them. I immediately went on Amazon and bought a copy of the script.
The Comedy About a Bank Robbery
I had been waiting a year to see this play. Their marketing was brilliant. They had a poster, with no pictures, and just plain letters that say “The Comedy About a Bank Robbery: It’s a comedy about a bank robbery.” The humor on the poster creation sold me, and I wasn’t disappointed. The play takes place in Minnesota during the 1950s, and tells the tale of an incompetent gang attempting a bank robbery. As you might assume, nothing goes quite as planned. There is nothing deep about this play…just funny characters, great jokes, and wonderful comedic situations. It was written by the same team that wrote the acclaimed “The Play That Goes Wrong,” but I felt that this play was by far superior. It was just 2 hours of fun.
The Mousetrap
This is the 4th time I’ve seen this play, and therefore I have been sworn to secrecy 4 different times on who the murderer is…and I am a man of my word. It’s always fun to hear the audience whispering to each other wondering who did it…and then I can’t help but think to myself “How have you not seen this before?” It’s the longest running play in history, currently in its 66th year without missing a performance. It’s the quintessential murder mystery, by the queen of mystery: Agatha Christie. Fun puzzle solving at its finest…and this cast certainly did it justice. Christopher Wren was the standout for me…but everyone was very good. I got a Mousetrap book that shows all the casts for all 66 years, with lots of trivia and such…a really remarkable book. One of the actresses started by playing Mrs. Marsten (the young newlywed) and 40 years later came back to play Mrs. Boyle (the crabby elderly woman). This play transcends just theater: It’s an institution.
42nd Street
First off, this musical was performed at the Drury Lane Theater, so it already had a plus in my book. This theater is the greatest theater in the world. I have two other blogs about this theater, so let’s just leave it at that. I was very surprised at how much I loved this play. I had never seen it before, as it just seemed like “generic happy musical” to me whenever the opportunity came up. I was surprised at the visually stunning sets and costumes, and the amazing tap dancing numbers. This musical is just fun. It puts a smile on your face and a skip in your step. I am seriously considering going back and seeing it again. A bonus for me was that I was in the front row, just in front of the orchestra pit, and got to see the full orchestra at work. I attended a matinee, and at the end of the performance the conductor said to the orchestra “lovely, everyone. We’ll see you back here in a couple of hours.” Then he turned to me and said “Will we see you back in a couple of hours, also?” Again, I might see it again. It was that good.
Witness for the Prosecution
What made this play special was the fact that it was performed at London City Hall, and not in a theater. The acting was quite well done, with one of the leads being an actor I have seen in one of my favorite shows, “Foyle’s War.” The audience served as the jury, and it was a thrilling show. Again, I was fascinated by the audience’s shock during the plot twists (haven’t you seen this?!?!). Everything about this play was captivating, and the setting was very unique. My only qualm was the ending, and that is purely the script itself. Not to give much away, but the defense attorney is at odds with one of the witnesses throughout the play. In the movie, at the very end, that witness commits a crime and the lawyer says “well, I guess you’ll be needing an attorney.” That line was not in the play, which I thought was unfortunate (those in the know…well…know what I’m talking about). However, it was another twist and turn by Agatha Christie. I read in the program that she wrote dozens of plays in addition to her novels. I will have to look these up!
The Play That Goes Wrong
I really wanted to like this play. Everyone likes this play. This was the play I was looking forward to the most out of them all. I’m so angry at myself for being the only human being in history to be let down by this play. The audience roared with laughter throughout. So do not take my word for it. This is one of those times that I know I am wrong. But I did not like it. Most of the play were prop gags and slapstick bits where paintings fell off the walls, the door didn’t open, the door wouldn’t stay shut, etc. Most of the time I found myself thinking “Your set is broken. We get it! Move on!” There were some good parts, with the constant references to Duran Duran, and a really funny bit where one actor keeps saying the wrong cue and they keep repeating the same dialogue in a circle…but it was mostly a letdown for me. And again, I know that I am 100% wrong about my opinion here. Everyone who sees this show will think it is the funniest thing ever…and it wasn’t that it was bad…it just wasn’t good. And even I hate myself for writing this…but I have to be honest. But if you see it, you will love it, because everyone does.
Young Frankenstein: The Musical
What can I say? It’s Mel freakin’ Brooks! The stage show is very different from the film, but it is still hilarious and fun. The general story and characters are the same, but the feel is more of a vaudeville/horror vibe. One of my favorite parts of the show was when Igor stuck his tongue out and to the side, and the actor playing Frankenstein totally lost it and broke character on stage, and then said “Does that thing dry out? You should see someone about that.” All of the characters were over the top and wonderful. They had stage horses that were so well done that I thought they were real at first, and one of my favorite parts was that one of the villagers was aware he was in a play. When the villagers start to riot, he says “Wait! Don’t make this like every single stereotyped cheesy horror play! Why do we have to have torches?” It was exactly what you’d expect from Mel Brooks: Absurd and hilarious.
And those were the plays I attended. I would probably see Pressure, The Comedy About a Bank Robbery and 42nd Street again if given the chance. Those were probably my favorites. I stand by the fact that any play is worth seeing, no matter the talent level. Unlike a film, you can get something out of pretty much any stage performance. Or maybe that’s just me. And if it is, I’m grateful.
Jeff
Aug 10th, 2018
jeffinukraine2016 