REVIEW
Little Theatre Company
bring
Side Show
to the Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
1st - 4th May 2019
Little Theatre Company
bring
Side Show
to the Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
1st - 4th May 2019
Come look at the freaks!
FROM THE CREATIVE TEAM BEHIND ‘THE GREATEST SHOWMAN’!
FROM THE CREATIVE TEAM BEHIND ‘THE GREATEST SHOWMAN’!
Side Show opened on Broadway in 1997 and is based on the true life story of conjoined twins, Daisy and Violet Hilton. Born in 1908, their unfortunate beginnings and cruel upbringing led the Hilton sisters to become side show 'freaks' in amongst the likes of the Bearded Lady, Dog Boy and the Human Pin Cushion.
The theme of circus freaks and human side show attractions is something that audiences have embraced with the popularity of The Greatest Showman film based on the life of Barnum and it comes as no surprise to learn that Side Show was produced by the same team, led by Bill Condon.
The musical takes us from the point where the twins are offered the opportunity to leave the Side Show by a talent scout for the Orpheum Circuit, Terry Connor, and his sidekick Buddy Foster. Their nasty guardian, Sir, who is the ringmaster of the Circus is dead set against losing the girls as it will obviously lose him business and Jake, (the Cannibal King), and the girls' most loyal friend in the troupe, has his own reasons for not wanting the girls to leave. Promise Junior Moyo makes a good fist in the role of Jake but excels when he gets to show off some great gospel vocals in The Devil You Know and again in You Should Be Loved. The twins eventually escape from the Circus and become a sensation as vaudeville stars but sadly this is not where the story ends.
There are some lovely performances all round from the Little Theatre Company cast, with many taking on numerous roles and requiring some swift costume changes. This, of course ,is where the backstage team come into their own.
It's always a risk for an am dram company to take on an unfamiliar musical but Little Theatre Company have never been shy in doing so and have gone all out in producing this fabulous heart warming show. Jim Pettican, Chris Ledgard, Bradley Green and Ellis Warner-Larthe must be credited for their outstanding efforts in making and designing the set and likewise, Joan Hubbard, Chantal Paul and Anne Cullender have created some wonderful costumes which indicates much research and an intricate attention to detail. Make-up looks as professional as I've ever seen on a West End stage and special credit here to Gemma Carracher for her artistic talents drawing on the tattoos every night for Laura Harper's Tattoo Girl. Lighting by Mark Smith is especially effective as is Sound and scene changes are quick and with minimal fuss.
Ian Benson as Terry puts in a convincing performance as the talent scout who falls for one of the twins, Daisy. Stuck with You is a challenging song, which allows Ian to show off an incredible vocal range. Also, as an aside, should anyone need a Frank Sinatra soundalike, this is your man!
A small role, but the Fortune Teller's vocals stood out nicely for me and I would love to hear and see more of Stephanie Paul in future productions. There are some familiar faces in the cast who we have come to expect a good performance and we weren't let down with Leanne Larthe, Laura Harper, Gemma Carracher and Julian Cottee in all of their roles. Jamie Redgate as Houdini puts in a nice performance as do Alex Kersley and John Blatchford. Chris Higginson endears with his role of Buddy Foster who wants to marry Violet and he really works the stage well as a singer and dancer in this role.
However, the night, without a shadow of a doubt, goes to the two girls who have put in an outstanding amount of work and effort into their roles of the conjoined twins namely Eleanor Softly as Daisy, the confident, flirty twin and Ailish Murphy as Violet, who is rather more introverted. One can only presume that they have spent one heck of a lot of time together to perfect their roles and become so united, not just in movement but with the fabulous vocals they get to punch out to the audience. Their harmonies are goosebump inducing and they are note perfect. The emotional, Who Will Love Me As I Am, had me and, I'm sure, most of the audience welling up at the end of Act 2 where you really get a sense of the hopelessness the twins must have felt, feeling so alone despite never being able to be apart.
Act 2 has the girls on top of their game on the Orpheum Circuit, all blonde curls and with no shortage of admirers. Daisy relishes the limelight and Violet wishes for love and marriage. Of course, things can never work out as perfectly as they would like.
Sarah Pettican and Laura Witherall have worked hard with direction and choreography. I particularly enjoyed the reporters' dance in After The Show and One Plus One Equals Three is a nice witty little number. Clare Penfold does a great job conducting in the orchestra pit and has produced some great melodies and harmonies from a score that asks a lot from its performers.
If we are going to compare this show with The Greatest Showman I would have to confess that it lacks the pace and catchiness of the tunes of the Hugh Jackman hit film. However, having said that, Side Show definitely reveals a more grittier and truer version of the lives of a vaudeville community and of the incredible life of the Hilton twins. A truly remarkable tale that will keep you invested in each of the characters on stage. It is certainly not a show you will want to miss.
Thanks to Little Theatre Company for bringing their story to the Palace Theatre. Don't miss this wonderfully heart-moving tale which is playing until Saturday night.
The theme of circus freaks and human side show attractions is something that audiences have embraced with the popularity of The Greatest Showman film based on the life of Barnum and it comes as no surprise to learn that Side Show was produced by the same team, led by Bill Condon.
The musical takes us from the point where the twins are offered the opportunity to leave the Side Show by a talent scout for the Orpheum Circuit, Terry Connor, and his sidekick Buddy Foster. Their nasty guardian, Sir, who is the ringmaster of the Circus is dead set against losing the girls as it will obviously lose him business and Jake, (the Cannibal King), and the girls' most loyal friend in the troupe, has his own reasons for not wanting the girls to leave. Promise Junior Moyo makes a good fist in the role of Jake but excels when he gets to show off some great gospel vocals in The Devil You Know and again in You Should Be Loved. The twins eventually escape from the Circus and become a sensation as vaudeville stars but sadly this is not where the story ends.
There are some lovely performances all round from the Little Theatre Company cast, with many taking on numerous roles and requiring some swift costume changes. This, of course ,is where the backstage team come into their own.
It's always a risk for an am dram company to take on an unfamiliar musical but Little Theatre Company have never been shy in doing so and have gone all out in producing this fabulous heart warming show. Jim Pettican, Chris Ledgard, Bradley Green and Ellis Warner-Larthe must be credited for their outstanding efforts in making and designing the set and likewise, Joan Hubbard, Chantal Paul and Anne Cullender have created some wonderful costumes which indicates much research and an intricate attention to detail. Make-up looks as professional as I've ever seen on a West End stage and special credit here to Gemma Carracher for her artistic talents drawing on the tattoos every night for Laura Harper's Tattoo Girl. Lighting by Mark Smith is especially effective as is Sound and scene changes are quick and with minimal fuss.
Ian Benson as Terry puts in a convincing performance as the talent scout who falls for one of the twins, Daisy. Stuck with You is a challenging song, which allows Ian to show off an incredible vocal range. Also, as an aside, should anyone need a Frank Sinatra soundalike, this is your man!
A small role, but the Fortune Teller's vocals stood out nicely for me and I would love to hear and see more of Stephanie Paul in future productions. There are some familiar faces in the cast who we have come to expect a good performance and we weren't let down with Leanne Larthe, Laura Harper, Gemma Carracher and Julian Cottee in all of their roles. Jamie Redgate as Houdini puts in a nice performance as do Alex Kersley and John Blatchford. Chris Higginson endears with his role of Buddy Foster who wants to marry Violet and he really works the stage well as a singer and dancer in this role.
However, the night, without a shadow of a doubt, goes to the two girls who have put in an outstanding amount of work and effort into their roles of the conjoined twins namely Eleanor Softly as Daisy, the confident, flirty twin and Ailish Murphy as Violet, who is rather more introverted. One can only presume that they have spent one heck of a lot of time together to perfect their roles and become so united, not just in movement but with the fabulous vocals they get to punch out to the audience. Their harmonies are goosebump inducing and they are note perfect. The emotional, Who Will Love Me As I Am, had me and, I'm sure, most of the audience welling up at the end of Act 2 where you really get a sense of the hopelessness the twins must have felt, feeling so alone despite never being able to be apart.
Act 2 has the girls on top of their game on the Orpheum Circuit, all blonde curls and with no shortage of admirers. Daisy relishes the limelight and Violet wishes for love and marriage. Of course, things can never work out as perfectly as they would like.
Sarah Pettican and Laura Witherall have worked hard with direction and choreography. I particularly enjoyed the reporters' dance in After The Show and One Plus One Equals Three is a nice witty little number. Clare Penfold does a great job conducting in the orchestra pit and has produced some great melodies and harmonies from a score that asks a lot from its performers.
If we are going to compare this show with The Greatest Showman I would have to confess that it lacks the pace and catchiness of the tunes of the Hugh Jackman hit film. However, having said that, Side Show definitely reveals a more grittier and truer version of the lives of a vaudeville community and of the incredible life of the Hilton twins. A truly remarkable tale that will keep you invested in each of the characters on stage. It is certainly not a show you will want to miss.
Thanks to Little Theatre Company for bringing their story to the Palace Theatre. Don't miss this wonderfully heart-moving tale which is playing until Saturday night.
Inspired by the true story of conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton, SIDE SHOW is a remarkable musical about love, acceptance and embracing the unique.
Along with an assortment of other circus ‘freaks’ including the Bearded Lady, Dog Boy and the Human Pin Cushion, The Hilton Sisters make ends meet playing a headline act at a seedy side show, languishing under the rule of an oppressive ringmaster.
But when spotted by a talent agent, with a little encouragement from the great Houdini, they are thrust into the spotlight of the famed 1920’s Orpheum Circuit. They soon become the highest paid vaudeville stars of their time; but whilst Daisy relishes the limelight, Violet wishes for a quiet life with a man she loves, and who loves her.
Can they balance their individual dreams with their inescapable physical connection? SIDE SHOW is a heart-warming search for first love and acceptance, amidst the spectacle of fame and scrutiny under the spotlight. This revised version was reworked and originally directed by Bill Condon (THE GREATEST SHOWMAN), featuring a soulful score by DREAMGIRLS composer Henry Krieger and stunningly beautiful lyrics by Bill Russell (Elegies for Angels and Punks and Raging Queens), SIDE SHOW is filled with beautiful ballads and powerhouse show-stoppers.
Along with an assortment of other circus ‘freaks’ including the Bearded Lady, Dog Boy and the Human Pin Cushion, The Hilton Sisters make ends meet playing a headline act at a seedy side show, languishing under the rule of an oppressive ringmaster.
But when spotted by a talent agent, with a little encouragement from the great Houdini, they are thrust into the spotlight of the famed 1920’s Orpheum Circuit. They soon become the highest paid vaudeville stars of their time; but whilst Daisy relishes the limelight, Violet wishes for a quiet life with a man she loves, and who loves her.
Can they balance their individual dreams with their inescapable physical connection? SIDE SHOW is a heart-warming search for first love and acceptance, amidst the spectacle of fame and scrutiny under the spotlight. This revised version was reworked and originally directed by Bill Condon (THE GREATEST SHOWMAN), featuring a soulful score by DREAMGIRLS composer Henry Krieger and stunningly beautiful lyrics by Bill Russell (Elegies for Angels and Punks and Raging Queens), SIDE SHOW is filled with beautiful ballads and powerhouse show-stoppers.
Little Theatre Company is fundraising in partnership with Equal People Performing Arts (EPPA); a fully inclusive performing arts centre with an ethos to provide a safe and dignified space where disabled and non-disabled children and adults can work together in all aspects of the performing arts.
Little Theatre Company is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2019, and with a reputation for bold staging and award-winning performances it’s no wonder many alumni have gone on to forge successful careers in theatre and entertainment, including company president Gemma Craven, Lee Mead and Mark Cotgrove aka jazz musician Snowboy.
‘SIDE SHOW’ runs at the Palace Theatre in Westcliff from Wednesday 1st May 2019 to Saturday 4th May 2019. Tickets are £19 - £21 (evenings) and £16 - £18 (matinees), including a £1 booking fee. Evening performances are at 7.30pm, plus a 2.30pm matinee on the Thursday and the Saturday.
Tickets are available now from the Southend Theatres Box Office: 01702 351135 and southendtheatres.org.uk.
Groups of 10+ can call 01702 351135 to buy fee-free.
Little Theatre Company is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2019, and with a reputation for bold staging and award-winning performances it’s no wonder many alumni have gone on to forge successful careers in theatre and entertainment, including company president Gemma Craven, Lee Mead and Mark Cotgrove aka jazz musician Snowboy.
‘SIDE SHOW’ runs at the Palace Theatre in Westcliff from Wednesday 1st May 2019 to Saturday 4th May 2019. Tickets are £19 - £21 (evenings) and £16 - £18 (matinees), including a £1 booking fee. Evening performances are at 7.30pm, plus a 2.30pm matinee on the Thursday and the Saturday.
Tickets are available now from the Southend Theatres Box Office: 01702 351135 and southendtheatres.org.uk.
Groups of 10+ can call 01702 351135 to buy fee-free.