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2010 Spotlight Prize winner is Andrew Gower
It’s one of the most prestigious awards going. The Spotlight Prize showcases some of the most talented young actors and attracts fierce competition.
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Latitude Live: VIDEO – Theatre503 production of PLAYlist
It was another busy day for The Drama Student crew yesterday down at Henham Park. The highlights are presented here.
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Latitude Live: AUDIO from Masked Ball and various companies
Quick round up from our guys, Rhys and Alex, as they tweet (sorry bleat!) on the old twitter feed, at the legendary festival.
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Latitude Live: The aventures continue
Yesterday was chaotic in terms of getting to the festival, setting up and planning. All we had time for was to get a flavour. A lovely flavour, but a brief one, writes Rhys Jennings.
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Join us on Facebook and Twitter for special offers
Are you a Facebooker or Twitterer? Why not join us on our social networking platforms to hear about our special updates, offers and fantastic competitions?
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Competition: WIN! £50 of Theatre Tokens!
Have a night at the theatre or treat someone to an evening of live entertainment with one of our 5 Theatre Tokens prizes.
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Old Vic New Voices on the search for hot new talent
Old Vic New Voices have announced that applications are now open for the fifth annual The 24 Hour Plays.
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Reader Offer: Liza Live is coming to London
The ultimate, part-parody, part-endearing tribute show is coming to The New Players Theatre in May and we’ve got a fantastic reader offer!
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Theatre Review: Wolfboy – Trafalgar Studios 2, London
Matthew Bannerman heads down to Trafalgar Studios 2 for Wolfboy, the psycho-sexual musical thriller.
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Theatre Review: Ballets Russes – A Stage Kindly
Benjamin Potter reviews A Stage Kindly’s latest production, Ballets Russes, and discovers a creative piece of work with some delightful performances.
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Theatre Review: Translations – Tobacco Factory, Bristol
As the set slowly disintegrated in the closing scene of Brian Friel’s tale of language and conquest, the power behind his simple story delivered its telling message.
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Theatre Review: Twelfth Night – Filter Theatre
Rupert Bridgwater is swept away with the hedonism of Filter Theatre’s Twelfth Night at Theatre Royal Bath’s Main House.
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Introducing… Neerja Naik
Fresh from hosting the Asian Film Festival, Neerja Naik talks to Daniella Gibb about her journey from a credit-crunching City worker to successful starlet.
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Get ready for Summer Schools 2010
A sizzling summer is on its way and now is the time to be planning your programme to develop your skills and expand on existing talents.
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Interview: Paul Spicer
He seems to have it all. An amazing West End job, his own company producing concerts and theatre, his own Summer School, and time for holidays.
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Interview: Martin Harvey – Dirty Dancing
Martin Harvey first performed at the Aldwych Theatre at the age of six. Now 24 years later he is back playing the lead in Dirty Dancing. He drops in for a chat.
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Theatre Review: Love Never Dies – Adelphi
Ignore all that spiteful nonsense out there on blogosphere from “Phans” and critics alike that should know better, writes Josh Logan.
Cast of Love Never DiesIt’s very simple – if you like the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber you will love, Love Never Dies; if you read books by Ben Elton you might make allowances for the story; if you have any senses at all you will thrill at the design by Bob Crowley and; if you have a pulse you will fall in love with the equally ravishing Sierra Boggess (Christine) and Ramin Karimloo (The Phantom) whose skill with this material and rapport with one another is expert, sincere, and essential to the evening’s success.
Frederick Forsyth’s idea to transport the Phantom to the freak shows of Coney Island carnival land is inspired theatricality and Bob Crowley exploits this with relish.
It simply amazes that the Lord with all his expertise and brilliance as a Producer, let alone Composer, should not have learnt the importance of the ‘book’ with any musical. Mr Elton is not up to the job and neither is the resultant committee that seems to have cobbled this together and missed a trick. The should-I-stay-or-should-I-go dilemma of Christine isn’t sustaining or convincing enough somehow but when it manifests itself in song and staging by director Jack O’Brien we get another exquisite Norma Desmond style coup de theatre.
There are plenty of others too making it all the more baffling why this consummate director has his cast fill empty bars with meaningless gestures, I suppose it’s that book again which like a stolen toilet doesn’t give him much to go on. He does, however, pull off some great tricks with a nod to the prequel that delight.
That cast is magnificent to a man. Joseph Millson (Raoul) as well as being the brilliant actor we’ve all long admired can really sing. Who knew? Niamh Perry (Fleck) is underused and clearly on the road to stardom.
And as I’m writing for The Drama Student Magazine here’s a few of the magnificent ensemble that stood out for me – the Squelch (!) of Adam Pearce (GSA); Derek Andrews (Arts Ed); Jessica Kirton (Arts Ed); Ashley Nottingham (London Studio Centre); Tom Oakley (Arts Ed); Simon Ray Harvey (Bird); Dean Chisnall (Arts Ed); Tam Mutu (GSA).
Would I reccomend it? Highly. Was I seduced? Ravished. What would I say to ALW? “Return to Rice, Hart, Hampton and Black.”
Published on March 11, 2010 · Filed under: Entertainment, Featured; Tagged as: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Arts Ed, ben Elton, Bird College, GSA, London Studio Centre, Love Never Dies, Review, Theatre
says:
THANK YOU! Someone who finally gets it. It breaks my heart to see people who say they are die hard Phantom Phans bashing on LND when it is wonderful to me. Also, people who haven’t even seen it are saying this stuff. I haven’t seen it because it has not opened in the US yet, but i’m saving my bad assumptions for when i see it, which i’m sure i will have none! This sequel could also mean an even longer run for the original Phantom so that makes me happy right there!
says:
I think it’s disgusting that the critics have in the main rolled over and supported Lloyd Webber Inc’s tedious Love Never Dies whilst ignoring the Union Theatre’s glorious, glorious Once Upon a Time at the Adelphi – a new award winning British musical that really does have a great story, wonderful songs, enormous wit and warmth, in fact everything LND doesn’t. I think the critics should be ashamed of themselves. Somehow we have to make sure this brilliant, major show gets the publicity it deserves and ends up in the West End – or we risk another decade of stagnation, 2nd hand broadway inports and juke box shows. Please go and see for yourself and help me spread the word where ever and when ever possible.
says:
I saw this a week ago. The performances and special effects were stunning; everyone poured their hearts into less then solid material.
However, the plot was botched, the characterisation terribly inconsistent and poor; and above all, aside from a few special spots, the score was bland and unmemorable. It felt as if ALW was trying far too hard. The terrible truth is that LND is really not very good, at all. It is passable on terms of spectacle. No, I wasn’t “ravished.” Charmed by the actors and amazing voices, wowed by the staging, and bemused about any form of “story.” Its such a shame, because I could see the effort. I really, really, really wanted to like it. But it was poor, and the music was dull, so no, it didn’t appeal in the slightest as anything earwormy or emotionally impactful.
says:
The ‘Phans’ are reacting against what you have identified to be this show’s main problem: the book. Your subtitle is hence misleading. The character assasination in this show and its implausible and nonsensical plot are appalling; it is not surprising that your review barely mentions them.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA needs no sequel, least of all one as tacky as this.
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