Review: MEGAN HILTY, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
The Broadway superstar landed in London for a brief two-show day.
It might still be some time until Death Becomes Her hits London, but the West End was ablaze with its spirit this past weekend, when Megan Hilty graced the stage of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. No one does it like the Broadway superstar. Hilty delighted the audience with stories spanning over two decades’ worth of showbiz experience. In sky-high heels and two gowns to die for, it was a stunning showcase of her incredible range.
Hilty is also, it turns out, really, really funny. Her comic timing is impeccable, her self-deprecation is coated in sheer confidence, and her personality is fiery. She seamlessly slips between genres and tones, diving into a heartbreaking power ballad like Waitress’s ‘She Used To Be Mine’ one moment before switching it up to more lighthearted numbers like ‘Backwoods Barbie’ from 9 to 5. The song selection was a musical theatre fan’s absolute dream.
Backed by a four-piece band with her husband Brian Gallagher on guitar, Wicked, of course, featured prominently on the track-list. Hilty made her Broadway debut as a standby for Glinda in 2004, right after graduating from Carnegie Mellon. She went on to stay with the show for years, opposite a grand total of 17 Elphabas. ‘Popular’ and ‘For Good’ followed an opener from the hit series Smash, which introduced Hilty to the general public.
‘They Just Keep Moving the Line’ preceded more nods to the TV show, including a gorgeous rendition of ‘Second Hand White Baby Grand’ and ‘Don’t Forget Me’. Between singing, she charmed the room. Another highlight of the night consisted in realising how many pieces of theatre she’s helped to shape. It was a reminder that even those productions that don’t enjoy lengthy runs on stage are crafted across years of hard work that involve lots of different artists’ blood, sweat, and tears.
It was a playful, utterly entertaining gig. Hilty is hilarious and extremely down-to-earth, even in her splendid grandeur. “I am adorable,” she jokes with a wink. It may look cringe on paper, but she truly is adorable and could most probably easily get away with murder
Photo Credits: Danny Kaan
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