Forbidden Broadway - Menier

[K2503]

Posted: 7/4/14 at 4:32pm

Went to press night on Wednesday and was a great evening. All four of the principals were excellent especially at quick changes! Really sharp in take of breath though when Elaine Paige was portrayed by the actress on her knees!! This is because Elaine Paige was sat behind me!! She laughed though, all the way through. Marcus Brigstock, Tom Conti, Matthew Kelly, and James Dreyfuss were all in attendance.
The parodies were very funny great vocals, great impressions, and great material. Les Mis, Once, Miss Saigon, and Lion King sections were particularly very good. Liza and Julie Andrews were spot on as was Angela Lansbury. Highly recommend it. In fact I've booked twelve seats for a few weeks time for us to see it again with friends

[ggersten]

Posted: 7/4/14 at 5:08pm

We saw it 28 June and this is basically what I wrote on theatreforum.com (with is new separation from whatsonstage.com).

I last saw the Special Victims Unit production in Chicago several years ago (with a Light in The Piazza moment that had me doubled up) and we have, I think, two CDs - so some of the material was not new to us.

Act 1 had he best bits - the Matilda send--up was truly inspired. I laughed through the whole Miss Saigon bit (and wonder if its recycled from the 90s - but regardless, it was new to me). The Once routine was too too accurate.
The Angela Lansbury bit is updated for a preview and the impression is dead on. The song Lansbury sings is, however, a bit dated.
They should have cut the Julie Andrews bit, given her vocal health issues.
They also should have cut the Mandy/Patti number - or done the Mandy Patinkin (over-enunciating) and I'm Patti Lupone! numbers from prior shows.
It was nice to put a bit in for The Pajama Game - even if I think it's from an earlier show with reference to the last Broadway revival. It was still fresh to me!
The Les Mis and Lion King bits may be old - but they are still funny. I had not heard the "on my phone" number before.
I really enjoyed the opening everyone's a critic number.
Just when Act Two was dragging, Book Of Mormon killed and while the Adele Dazeem number wasn't as funny as it could have been - it was biting enough.

(Other bits - Liza One Note, Charlie, some digs at Thriller tossed in, Phantom, Spamalot, corporate sponsorships, wicked, Sondheim's "Into the words" - I'm probably forgetting a few)

Saturday Night was sold out. And a great great night.

[alterego]

Posted: 7/7/14 at 11:16pm

Who directed this edition?

[ggersten]

Posted: 7/7/14 at 11:22pm

website says Phillip George directed this edition.
Menier's Forbidden Broadway