Review Roundup: HERE LIES LOVE Opens in the West End

The award-winning New York production of David Byrne and Fatboy Slim's musical Here Lies Love opens the new Dorfman Theatre. Here Lies Love plays now through 8 January, with an official press night held tonight, October 13, 2014. Featuring additional music by Tom Gandeyand J Pardo, the show is directed by Alex Timbers.

Natalie Mendoza steps into the role of Imelda Marcos. Mark Bautista plays Imelda's husband, President Ferdinand Marcos, with Dean John-Wilson on board as Marcos' political rival Ninoy Aquino. Also in the cast are Gia MacujaAtchison,Frances Mayli McCann and Li-Tong Hsu.

Here Lies Love traces the astonishing journey of Imelda Marcos, First Lady of the Philippines, from her meteoric rise to power to descent into infamy and disgrace.

Let's see what the critics had to say...

Michael Billington, The Guardian: The big issue concerns the book; or rather, the lack of one. Like Evita, this is a show in which the songs alone are left to tell the story. And, to his credit, the multi-talented Byrne, whose concept this is, gives us a clear outline...But I found myself wanting to know more...Seated above the action, I was fascinated by the kaleidoscopic ingenuity of the design...It is all momentarily exciting, and Natalie Mendoza gives a stunning performance as Imelda...Mendoza holds the show together and is well supported by Mark Bautista as her husband, Dean John-Wilson as the white-suited Aquino, and the best-looking ensemble I've seen in years. Yet, for all the charm of the music and the vigour of Annie-B Parson's choreography, I came out feeling that such a subject craves more complex treatment. The show doesn't shy away from the repressiveness of the Marcos regime and deftly pulls the rug away from our initial surrender to Imelda's magnetism. But, in the end, that isn't quite enough.

Paul Taylor, The Independent: The show about the "Steel Butterfly" of the Philippines is dramatic song-cycle presented in a brilliantly immersive son et lumiere production by Alex Timbers that shows off the National's newly refurbished studio-sized auditorium (now renamed the Dorfman) to spectacular effect with its sheer spatial bravura...The inescapable comparison is with Evita. Here Lies Love is, to my mind, politically cannier and sharper about the queasy, telling overlap between manipulative-diva worship on the musical and on the political stage. And it moves to its devastating conclusion through the artfully deployed metaphor of disco...Natalie Mendoza, in full-blooded voice is stunning at every stage of Imelda's development, especially when the infidelity of Mark Bautista's smugly sexy Ferdinand (cue a factory-belt of identical blondes in black scanties) turns her into the glazed, self-deceived icon who imagines that she is both star and slave to the people.

Quentin Letts, The Daily Mail: The staging is ingenious and owes as much to rock videos as it does to musical theatre...There is more than a touch of the fashion parade to this effort...Mr Byrne's influence is ever-present with an almost continuous drum beat and clipped, neatly versed songs with anthemic choruses. If the show has a drawback it is that there are insufficient moments of quiet when love and regret and revenge, the creative streams of most musicals, can be described and savoured. Forget opera. The inspiration here is pop videos...It might easily have worked as a traditional musical. In this brilliantly drilled, genre-breaking form, it becomes little short of an instant classic for urban groovers...I can't say I was emotionally involved once but perhaps that was never the intention. Novelty is the objective and it definitely takes musicals into fresh territory.

Keep checking back for updates!

Photo Credit: Tristram Kenton

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