REVIEW
SELLADOOR FAMILY AND HARTSHORN - HOOK
PRESENT
MADAGASCAR THE MUSICAL
STARRING X-FACTOR WINNER MATT TERRY
3rd-8th September 2018
SOUTHEND CLIFFS PAVILION
✭✭✭✭☆ 4/5
SELLADOOR FAMILY AND HARTSHORN - HOOK
PRESENT
MADAGASCAR THE MUSICAL
STARRING X-FACTOR WINNER MATT TERRY
3rd-8th September 2018
SOUTHEND CLIFFS PAVILION
✭✭✭✭☆ 4/5
Madagascar the Musical, based on the Dreamworks animated motion picture, has relocated to Southend's Cliffs Pavilion for the week and although the timing may not be great, what with it coinciding with the kids going back to school, it's definitely worth letting them stay up late for.
Alex the Lion is the king of the urban jungle, the main attraction at New York's Central Park Zoo. He and his best friends – Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo – have spent their whole lives in blissful captivity before an admiring public and with regular meals provided for them. Not content to leave well enough alone, Marty lets his curiosity get the better of him and makes his escape – with the help of some prodigious penguins – to explore the world.
Exploding with energy, this production brings all your favourite characters from the film on to the stage and is bursting with fabulous costumes, scenery and puppetry accompanied with lots of upbeat songs and lively dance routines.
Alex the Lion is the king of the urban jungle, the main attraction at New York's Central Park Zoo. He and his best friends – Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo – have spent their whole lives in blissful captivity before an admiring public and with regular meals provided for them. Not content to leave well enough alone, Marty lets his curiosity get the better of him and makes his escape – with the help of some prodigious penguins – to explore the world.
Exploding with energy, this production brings all your favourite characters from the film on to the stage and is bursting with fabulous costumes, scenery and puppetry accompanied with lots of upbeat songs and lively dance routines.
Matt Terry as Alex the lion is a revelation and super cool as the big headed, pampered lion who rather enjoys being the main attraction at the zoo whilst getting treated to steak meals every day. Most will know, from Matt's X-Factor win, that he has a great vocal range but what comes as a real treat, is that as well as being a fabulous singer, he can also act and dance too; no mean feat when you are covered head to toe in a heavy lion costume AND during the hottest summer on record. When I saw the show at Wimbledon on press night the temperature was 30 degrees outside and even warmer inside, thankfully the Southend climate is a little cooler.
Matt is supported by a terrific cast; Antoine Murray-Straughan is wonderful as Marty the zebra whose curiosity gets the better of him when he decides to escape from captivity and he also gets the opportunity to show off some smooth vocals, as is Timmika Ramsay who plays Gloria the hippo who has some great pipes on her. Jamie Lee-Morgan not only delivers some great comedy with Melman, the hypochondriac giraffe, but also shows some slick puppetry skills handling his impressive giraffe costume which completely brings Melman to life. In fact, all the cast do a fantastic job in breathing life into the characters; not least the penguins and their handlers who also show some great puppetry skills. |
Almost stealing the show is Jo Parsons as the madcap King Julien who bursts on to the stage in a manic flush and his rendition of "I Like to Move It", along with the rest of the cast is a real showstopper and their are laughs a plenty every time he is on stage.
This production moves at a good pace and is saucy enough to bring a smile to the faces of adults and kids alike. in a show that is definitely aimed at a younger audience but with enough subtle references to keep the adults chuckling away too. It's also not that long (1 hour & 45 mins inc interval) so the little ones shouldn't get too fidgety either. It's great to see the look on their faces when they see their favourite characters on stage.
If you don't want to miss seeing your favourite characters brought to life, you better "Move It, Move It" down to the Cliffs Pavilion, Southend where Madagascar the Musical is playing all week until Saturday night with a matinee performance on Saturday too.
This production moves at a good pace and is saucy enough to bring a smile to the faces of adults and kids alike. in a show that is definitely aimed at a younger audience but with enough subtle references to keep the adults chuckling away too. It's also not that long (1 hour & 45 mins inc interval) so the little ones shouldn't get too fidgety either. It's great to see the look on their faces when they see their favourite characters on stage.
If you don't want to miss seeing your favourite characters brought to life, you better "Move It, Move It" down to the Cliffs Pavilion, Southend where Madagascar the Musical is playing all week until Saturday night with a matinee performance on Saturday too.
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LISTINGS
Please note Matt Terry is cast until 25 December. He is currently not scheduled to perform in venues for 2019.
2018
03 - 08 SEP SOUTHEND CLIFFS PAVILION www.southendtheatres.org.uk - 01702 351135
11 - 15 SEP BLACKPOOL WINTER GARDENS - www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk 0844 871 7650 *
17 - 22 SEP BRIDLINGTON SPA - www.bridspa.com 01262 678258
25 - 29 SEP BROMLEY CHURCHILL THEATRE - www.churchilltheatre.co.uk 0203 285 6000
02 - 06 OCT EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE - www.atgtickets.com/edinburgh 0844 871 3014 *
09 - 13 OCT BRISTOL HIPPODROME - www.atgtickets.com/bristol 0844 871 3012 *
16 - 20 OCT IPSWICH REGENT - www.ipswich.gov.uk 01473 433100
23 - 27 OCT BRADFORD THE ALHAMBRA THEATRE - www.bradford-theatres.co.uk 01274 432000
06 - 10 NOV DERRY MILLENNIUM FORUM - www.millenniumforum.co.uk 028 7126 4455
12 - 17 NOV EXETER NORTHCOTT THEATRE www.exeternorthcott.co.uk - 01392 72 63 63
04 - 08 DEC BRIGHTON THEATRE ROYAL – www.atgtickets.com/brighton 0844 856 1111 *
2019
29 JAN – 02 FEB GRIMSBY AUDITORIUM - www.grimsbyauditorium.org.uk 0300 300 0035 ON SALE SOON
05 – 09 FEB LIVERPOOL EMPIRE - www.atgtickets.com/liverpool 0844 871 3017* ON SALE SOON
19 – 23 FEB READING HEXAGON - www.readingarts.com 0118 960 6060 ON SALE SOON
12 – 16 MAR VICTORIA THEATRE, WOKING – www.atgticket.com/woking 0844 871 7645* ON SALE SOON
19 – 23 MAR FLORAL PAVILLION - www.floralpavilion.com 0151 666 0000 ON SALE SOON
23 – 27 APR BELFAST GRAND OPERA HOUSE - www.goh.co.uk 028 9024 1919
30 APR – 04 MAY OXFORD NEW THEATRE - www.atgticket.com/oxford 0844 871 3020* ON SALE SOON
07 – 11 MAY WOLVERHAMPTON GRAND - www.grandtheatre.co.uk 01902 429 212 ON SALE SOON
14 – 18 MAY EASTBOURNE CONGRESS - www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk 01323 412 000 ON SALE SOON
21 – 25 SWANSEA GRAND THEATRE - www.swansea.gov.uk 01792 475715 ON SALE SOON
28 MAY – 01 JUN HULL NEW THEATRE - www.hulltheatres.co.uk 01482 300 306 ON SALE SOON
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