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THEATRE VISITS - 2009 |
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The productions I saw in 2009 are listed below with their star ratings. The highlights were: La Cage aux Folles - with Graham Norton far exceeding my expectations; Sunset Boulevard - a very clever production by Craig Revel Horwood; Avenue Q in N.Y. with an amazing cast; Dreamboats and Petticoats - the best musical I've seen that uses old pop songs with outstanding performances from Ben Freeman and A J Dean; Forbidden Broadway - even funnier than its last West End production 10 years ago. I have never been a fan of Des O'Connor's but went to his show to see why he has been at the top for 50+ years. I found out! His show was a superb masterclass in stage presentation and audience 'control'. And he sang very well! I also enjoyed the quirky singing of Paloma Faith at Blackpool Opera House, and the slick routines of The American Four Tops and their support group, The Supreme Divas of Motown. |
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| For theatre visits in some previous years please click on the 'NEXT' box |
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I found Twelfth Night disappointing because the actors - with the exception of Samantha Spiro, who was excellent - didn't project very well. The 39 Steps was dismal in comparison to last year's Brief Encounter. The very high quality of singing in Burnley Light Opera's production of Chess was the amateur highlight. |
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My last show of the year, White Christmas, turned out to be an unexpected highlight. Aled Jones has turned into a real musical comedy star, as has Suzanne Shaw who sang and danced superbly with Adam Cooper in his best non-ballet role to date. The pace of the show was terrific; the sets lavish; the costumes stunning and the orchestra thrilling - and of course we had snow! The musical is set in the mid-fifties and the production values harked back to the best that were around half a century ago.. |