Actually Gay Men’s Chorus pull out all the stops for their new show of film and theatre tunes, Showstoppers. All the more remarkable as the event was overshadowed by the passing of one of their members on the day before opening night- the second member they have lost this year.
A girl goes missing and is found dead. There are 5 suspects but can we follow the clues to the real murderer?
Whatever else you do this week, get a ticket and go see the 5-star phenomenon that is Randy Roberts. Calling him a female impersonator makes him sound less stunning than he is, because he not only brings legends Bette Midler and Cher to the cabaret stage; he also adds his own secret ingredient- a kind of self-deprecating parody.
“We should know the eyes of a demon when we see them. Otherwise we end up with demons for friends”. So says Denny, the hard-bitten, violent, angry and self-deluded Chicago cop who is trapped in a downward spiral that leads inevitably to tragedy in this tense two-hander.
You get one great Victor Hugo-inspired musical and then along comes another. Well not quite. Written by Luc Plamondon and Richard Cocciante and directed by Gilles Maher, this is a kind of Parisian Beauty and the Beast set in turbulent times of the late 15th century. But Les Mis Part 2, it isn’t.
Sasha Regan’s all-male version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s 140 year old comic opera about fairies and a wayward stupid House of Lords has a terrific, funny, energetic and touching style. A group of what look like posh schoolboys come through the auditorium with flashlights and happen upon a derelict building complete with its magic wardrobe.
What do retired opera stars do in the twilight of their years? They move in together to a retirement home and bitch, reminisce and dream of what might have been. So we find a trio of almost-great singers planning their contribution to Joe Green ‘s birthday celebrations – Joe to you and me better known as Guiseppe Verdi.
Benny Hill’s is a dreadful little drag bar in Spain that’s dying on its feet. Allan – or Allan Benjamin Hill to use his full name – aka Fanny – has hit hard times, when his past, in the form of his ex-wife catches up with him and turns his life upside down. His wife’s revelation is that he has a daughter, Jade, shortly to become 18 and therefore at liberty to find her birth father.
Brighton college drama teacher and BBC Bursary winner Natalie Sexton has written a challenging and entertaining piece about bullying in school, about guilt, hatred, revenge and reconciliation – and all performed by 10 very young actors/singers/dancers who have more talent than an entire Premiere League side. From its Annie-like opening chorus about how boring school lessons are, the pupils respond to their unseen teachers with vitality and wit.
