In to the open air 🌳
Two reviews and ticket deals from £11!
AD - GIFTED. It’s a bumper double review week! Please note, I received free tickets to both shows but my reviews remain impartial as always.
I always look forward to the new Open Air Theatre season with great excitement, so I headed to Twelfth Night on a very sunny evening with much optimism. After last year’s triumph La Cage aux Folles, and hearing its costume designer was back for this production, I was thrilled to see more beautiful clothing on display. If you’re a fan of Jean Paul Gaultier then you should see this show purely for Viola and Sebastian’s matching sailor-inspired outfit! I mean even the show poster looks like a fashion advert for the famed designer.
Unfortunately the costumes are probably the best part. I couldn’t help but feel something was lacking from this version of Shakespeare’s comedy of mistaken identity. The tone felt timid rather than comedic, although there were comedic moments and flashes of fun, inventive direction. The overall vision is what let it down. It was only after reading the note in the programme that I learnt what was trying to be achieved from this setting in a forgotten club in the Mediterranean, and the idea of ‘chosen family’ just didn’t quite shine through.
Music was added into the piece with a small band of players, but it seemed to slow the pace rather than add anything. At 2 hours and 40 minutes, there are times the action really drags. That’s not for the cast’s lack of trying though. There are excellent performances from Matthew Spencer and Raphael Bushay in particular.
Those deep into the study of queer relationships in Shakespeare’s works will likely gain an awful lot from the new direction here, but to a standard audience it just doesn’t quite grab the attention. However I’ll never begrudge a nice evening spent watching a play under the setting sun of Regent’s Park! If you want to check out the show, it runs until 8 June. There are tickets available directly from just £15.
In equally hopeful spirits, I headed to the tour of Jesus Christ Superstar at the New Wimbledon Theatre earlier this week. This production originally started life at the Open Air Theatre too, and it’s definitely my favourite of theirs to date. It’s been a good few years since I saw it last, and I was apprehensive that it might not translate to an indoor stage. Although at times it feels cramped and lacks the space that the ensemble had to breathe in the park, it still packs an emotional punch.
It is immediately atmospheric - you can hear a pin drop in the audience throughout. The highly stylised choreographed staging might not be for everyone, but I actually feel it’s the perfect way to tell the story. The manic blind following of Jesus is excellently represented through frenetic movements that build, gaining dancers as Jesus gained traction before his death. The vision does occasionally fall into style over substance - sometimes the direction overlooks important lines that beg for emphasis and attention. But as a piece its visually stunning.
The music is equally fantastic, and I love how the rock elements are woven into the set, props and costumes, from microphones on the priests’ staffs to leads being used as ropes. It’s hard to pick people out of a truly talented overall cast, but Ian McIntosh has to be the best Jesus I’ve seen in the role. You are spoilt with the amount of gorgeous rock voices in this production.
Jesus Christ Superstar is at the New Wimbledon Theatre until18 May, with tickets available from £13. There are still plenty of stops left on the tour too!
Happy ticket-buying!
Rochelle 🎭🎫
Carrying the banner
In the news this week…
I’m kind of a big deal
I’m a big fan of this show, and it’s a great night out, so it was a no-brainer for this week’s big deal. The Choir of Man is the fringe show that stormed that West End. It had great music, drinks and a lovely message. And right now TodayTix has a 24-hour offer on seats for the show.
You can get £15 tickets in the dress circle for performance throughout the next few months. There’s also £25 seats available in the stalls. Weekends aren’t included but there’s plenty of other performances with good cheap seats available, which means more money for an on-stage beer before the show!
Hey big spender
Here’s your discounts, offers and cheap seats this week.
🏃 New rush alert! Get £25 day seats for Fawlty Towers on the TodayTix app.
Get 50% off tickets for Sweat at the Royal Exchange in Manchester, this makes the cheapest seats just £11. Evening performances only.
There’s lots of £15 tickets for The Hills of California at the moment.
Get £15 tickets for The Government Inspector.
There’s the odd £15 ticket left on this deal for Kathy & Stella Solve a Murder!, but lots left at £20 with much better seats.
I saw this one on Tuesday and it was very powerful - get best seats £20 to Blue Beard’s final few performances at Battersea Arts. Use code WOS20.
Get £25 dancefloor tickets for Priscilla the Party!
There’s £25 tickets for Passing Strange at the Young Vic.
Get £25 tickets for Jerry’s Girls at the Menier.
All preview tickets for Your Lie in April are just £25 - some amazing seats worth almost four times that available on this one.
And get best seats for £29.50 for Life of Pi in Bath next week. Use code TIGER2950, Wed-Fri matinees only.
Don’t throw away your shot
Competitions, on-sales and announcements.
Mark Rylance is returning to the West End! A centenary production of Juno and the Paycock will open in September. You can sign up for further information and priority ticket booking now.
It’s the West End Flea Market this Saturday! There’ll be lots of merch and other goodies up for grabs, as well as the chance to meet some West End stars. All proceeds go towards Acting for Others and entry is just £5.
There’s three new UK tour announcements this week. The Rocky Horror Show will be back from August (starring Jason Donovan and including a West End run) and the wonderful The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will return from November. Check with local theatres for on-sale dates. Moulin Rouge! has also announced its first tour stop will be Edinburgh, but we are still awaiting on-sale dates.
Waitress is coming to cinemas! You’ll be able to watch the US production starring the show’s creator Sara Bereilles from 20 June.
And finally win tickets to Frozen before it leaves the West End!
That’s all for this week. If you enjoyed the newsletter, please tell your friends. I’m also open to suggestions and requests for certain discounts, so do drop into my DMs. Right, time for a relaxing evening before I head to Nottingham for a wedding! 💒
