Forbidden Broadway Greatest Hits Volume 1
Presented by Leigh Operatic & Dramatic Society
Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
TUE 18th July - SAT 22 July 2017
Presented by Leigh Operatic & Dramatic Society
Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
TUE 18th July - SAT 22 July 2017
Nonstop fun allowed at Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits
If you are a fan of musicals and love a good laugh, get yourself down to the Dixon Studio where Leigh Operatic (LODS) are performing Forbidden Broadway. The show takes familiar songs from musicals and sends them up. It was a sell out for them in 2011 and returns as clever and funny as ever. You know you are in for something surreal when you look at the programme and it has silly critics’ comments about a completely different show, Susan Boyle’s head superimposed on the face of a Les Miserables poster and adverts for Licked instead of Wicked, Airplay instead of Hairspray and Grannie instead of Annie among others.
The show was devised in New York by an unemployed actor Gerard Alessandrini who wanted to showcase his talents. He took the many parodies of show tunes he had written over the years, and made them into a nightclub act. It was such a success that it became the longest running musical comedy review. It features songs from Chicago, Annie, Wicked, Into the Woods, Hairspray, West Side Story, Spamalot, Les Miserables, Mamma Mia, Rent, Fiddler on the Roof, and many more. In fact, the audience would recognise most of the parodies as the originals were so familiar and even producer Cameron Mackintosh is gleefully ridiculed.
Leigh Operatic have brought together an ensemble cast, of mainly young people, who fill the place with their energy and laughter. It was very slick and they all take it in turns to take the lead on the numbers and you can tell they are having great fun performing them. Apart from the funny lyrics, there are some delightful comedy moments. I particularly liked the section from Chicago when ventriloquist (Ian Gilbert) with his dummy (Eva Tobin) flopping about on his lap sings Both Reached for the Gun. Eva played the dummy as a sexy piece and Ian exits hiding his excitement behind a table. This is followed by a Bob Fosse dance pastiche where the rather camp dancers become tangled up in what looks like a game of twister.
There is an ageing Annie (Jo Whitnell) with a cigarette, hoping that the show will be brought back so she can reprise her part. She also played an over the top Carol Channing with lipstick smeared over her face still performing Hallo Dolly. There is also a brilliant Chita Rivera (Zoe Berry) furious that Rita Moreno ( Natalie McMillan) got all the acclaim for Anita in West Side Story, as she played the part first. Zoe also performed a foghorn Ethel Merman later in the show. It is difficult to pick out any one artist as they all worked together in the different sections. However, Ian Gilbert, needs to be singled out as he drove the musical along appearing in several different guises.
There was an interesting piece of audience participation when they were asked to join in with a Stephen Sondheim song. The ensemble sung a tongue in cheek number about his musicals being pretentious and difficult to sing. There was a strong vocal performance by Louise Kempson as a comedy witch with broomstick trouble from Wicked, and a showbizzy Liza Minelli. There were also some nice comedy numbers from Hayley Castle and Nathan Gray.
A rousing performance of Les Miserables had the cast complaining about being in a long show with Rosie Munns singing On her Phone, Eva Tobin on her knees, clutching a toy doll, Matthew Wallace upset that his song is in the wrong key, and Sam Blyth trying to explain what happens in the show. There was more laughter with a lovely ensemble piece from Fiddler on the Roof led by Tovye (Paul Berry) singing about Ambition.
The audience, which consisted of mainly young people, thoroughly enjoyed the show. They were all laughing from the start. However, as most theatregoers nowadays are apparently middle aged, I wondered if this audience had ever seen the original shows from which these musical parodies came from.
I saw Forbidden Broadway in New York many years ago and loved it so I was looking forward to seeing LODS version and I wasn’t disappointed. The first time director, Danielle Hedley-Jameson, has done a magnificent job in the staging and obviously has a gift for directing comedy that sometimes defeats first time directors. However, there would be no show if, once again, the Musical Director, Rachael Plunkett had not accompanied them brilliantly on the keyboard.
The show continues at the Dixon Studio Westcliff until Saturday 23rd July. As the Saturday evening performance is already sold out, buy your tickets ASAP if you don’t want to be disappointed and miss such a fun show.
Jacquee Storozynski-Toll
Performances continue:-
Wednesday 19th July - 8pm
Thursday 20th July - 8pm
Friday 21st July - 5.30pm
Friday 21st July - 8pm
Saturday 22nd July - 3pm
Saturday 23rd July - 8pm *SOLD OUT!*
The show was devised in New York by an unemployed actor Gerard Alessandrini who wanted to showcase his talents. He took the many parodies of show tunes he had written over the years, and made them into a nightclub act. It was such a success that it became the longest running musical comedy review. It features songs from Chicago, Annie, Wicked, Into the Woods, Hairspray, West Side Story, Spamalot, Les Miserables, Mamma Mia, Rent, Fiddler on the Roof, and many more. In fact, the audience would recognise most of the parodies as the originals were so familiar and even producer Cameron Mackintosh is gleefully ridiculed.
Leigh Operatic have brought together an ensemble cast, of mainly young people, who fill the place with their energy and laughter. It was very slick and they all take it in turns to take the lead on the numbers and you can tell they are having great fun performing them. Apart from the funny lyrics, there are some delightful comedy moments. I particularly liked the section from Chicago when ventriloquist (Ian Gilbert) with his dummy (Eva Tobin) flopping about on his lap sings Both Reached for the Gun. Eva played the dummy as a sexy piece and Ian exits hiding his excitement behind a table. This is followed by a Bob Fosse dance pastiche where the rather camp dancers become tangled up in what looks like a game of twister.
There is an ageing Annie (Jo Whitnell) with a cigarette, hoping that the show will be brought back so she can reprise her part. She also played an over the top Carol Channing with lipstick smeared over her face still performing Hallo Dolly. There is also a brilliant Chita Rivera (Zoe Berry) furious that Rita Moreno ( Natalie McMillan) got all the acclaim for Anita in West Side Story, as she played the part first. Zoe also performed a foghorn Ethel Merman later in the show. It is difficult to pick out any one artist as they all worked together in the different sections. However, Ian Gilbert, needs to be singled out as he drove the musical along appearing in several different guises.
There was an interesting piece of audience participation when they were asked to join in with a Stephen Sondheim song. The ensemble sung a tongue in cheek number about his musicals being pretentious and difficult to sing. There was a strong vocal performance by Louise Kempson as a comedy witch with broomstick trouble from Wicked, and a showbizzy Liza Minelli. There were also some nice comedy numbers from Hayley Castle and Nathan Gray.
A rousing performance of Les Miserables had the cast complaining about being in a long show with Rosie Munns singing On her Phone, Eva Tobin on her knees, clutching a toy doll, Matthew Wallace upset that his song is in the wrong key, and Sam Blyth trying to explain what happens in the show. There was more laughter with a lovely ensemble piece from Fiddler on the Roof led by Tovye (Paul Berry) singing about Ambition.
The audience, which consisted of mainly young people, thoroughly enjoyed the show. They were all laughing from the start. However, as most theatregoers nowadays are apparently middle aged, I wondered if this audience had ever seen the original shows from which these musical parodies came from.
I saw Forbidden Broadway in New York many years ago and loved it so I was looking forward to seeing LODS version and I wasn’t disappointed. The first time director, Danielle Hedley-Jameson, has done a magnificent job in the staging and obviously has a gift for directing comedy that sometimes defeats first time directors. However, there would be no show if, once again, the Musical Director, Rachael Plunkett had not accompanied them brilliantly on the keyboard.
The show continues at the Dixon Studio Westcliff until Saturday 23rd July. As the Saturday evening performance is already sold out, buy your tickets ASAP if you don’t want to be disappointed and miss such a fun show.
Jacquee Storozynski-Toll
Performances continue:-
Wednesday 19th July - 8pm
Thursday 20th July - 8pm
Friday 21st July - 5.30pm
Friday 21st July - 8pm
Saturday 22nd July - 3pm
Saturday 23rd July - 8pm *SOLD OUT!*
For tickets go online to www.southendtheatres.org.uk or call the box office on 01702 351135
Ask the Audience
Declan Wright
I loved it. It was brilliant, I haven’t seen it before and it was better than I expected.
Milli-Mae Cage
I thought it was really funny and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Declan Wright
I loved it. It was brilliant, I haven’t seen it before and it was better than I expected.
Milli-Mae Cage
I thought it was really funny and thoroughly enjoyed it.
