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Latest items? Unedited? Fringe Report Uncut
Victor Victoria
Verdict: Witty exploration of love
Victor Victoria is a comedy musical drama that takes 2 hours plus interval with 14 actors and a live band. It uses a misunderstanding over gender to pose clever questions about how we love - rather as if Charley's Aunt was crossed with Lady Chatterley's Lover.
Victoria's a destitute English actress in Paris who, with gay night-club MC mate Toddy, plots to disguise herself as a man so she can impersonate women more convincingly than the average drag queen and therefore clean up financially.
All goes well till she falls in love with heterosexual American gangster King who thinks she's a bloke called Victor, making King's moll Norma jealous and King confused; and Toddy falls for King's max-macho bodyguard Squash Bernstein.
But here's Toddy's ex-boyfriend Richard up to mischief, a camp collection of waiters up for anything, and a pair of reckless certainly can-can girls. There'll be (more or less) bare breasts before the night's through, and gay revelations, to say nothing of revels.
Director Phil Willmott knows how to stage spectacle in a small space, and here he brings West End panache to the Bridewell's 200-odd seat auditorium, laid out here in traverse (audience facing each other across the stage).
It works sublimely, with exceptionally strong work from the talented ensemble of (women) Nikki Gerrard & Sorelle Marsh, (men) Sean Duffy, Alexander Giles, Edward Law, Gary O'Sullivan, Nick Sutcliffe. Choreography (by Jack Gunn), and fights (by Marcello Marascalchi) bring out to the full the gifted movement work of the ensemble. The men get up to larks with brooms and bulls, putting in strong individual performances (Edward Law's gangster partner is fabulous) as well as their gifted teamwork. Sorelle Marsh (her spectacular tango is alone worth the price of the ticket) & Nikki Gerrard provide the glamour, and it's glamour in spades from these two remarkable dancers, singers and actors.
Stewart Alexander's Squash Bernstein is a fine portrayal of a surprisingly complex man, to which he brings a delightfully light comic touch. Emma Barton's Norma is stylish, elegant and funny. Matthew Daines gives excellent disdain and treachery as wily Richard. Mark Halliday invests King with subtlety and a warm reflective quality that endears. Phil Willmott's a gloriously tired-of-life Bar Owner, with a cracking solo (If You Knew Who Was Gay / You'd Be Surprised) up his sleeve, or possibly elsewhere.
Live music from a fine 3-piece band and cast's voices on and off-stage is the key strength of this production. The almost liquid keyboard technique of the truly astonishing pianist and musical director Annemarie Lewis Thomas is an inspirational joy throughout the show. She has fine accompaniment from Francesca Urquhart on double bass, and Christian McNally & Paul Merser on drums.
Costumes, especially Victoria's many, and Sorelle Marsh & Nikki Gerrard's fewer but equally spectacular, are a triumph for designers Rosemary Flegg & Jim Field. There's well-considered lighting design from Hansjorg Schmidt.
Christopher Holt is quite wonderful as Toddy, lifting the bare bones of the writing to a higher plane of characterisation. It's a warm portrayal (and it's crucial to the central role of the character that it should be warm), with humour, and pathos. Lovely Ria Jones grasps the tough role of Victor/Victoria and makes it her own. It needs a woman who at a (big) pinch could be mistaken for a man, who's also exceptionally feminine - otherwise the pivot of the story doesn't work. Ria Jones provides the elegance, and style and subtlety this hugely complex part demands.
Songs (include in approx running order): Paris (Toddy & Ensemble). I Can Sing (Victoria). If I Were A Man (Victoria). Trust Me/Attitude (Toddy). Jazz Hot (Ensemble). Why Do I Feel As I Do? (King & Victoria). Tango (dance). Paris Makes Me Horny (Norma). Crazy World (Victoria). (Interval). Shady Lady From Seville (Ensemble, song & dance). I'm Going To Have Dinner With Him Tonight / Is The Girl I'm In Love With A Guy? (King). My Heart Is Living Next Door / Who Can I Tell? / Time Will Tell (Victoria). You And Me (Toddy & Victoria). Tap (dance sequence, Victoria). Almost A Love Song (King & Victoria). If You Knew Who Was Gay / You'd Be Surprised (Bar Owner). Chicago, Illinois (Norma & Ensemble). Living In The Shadows (Toddy). Being Yourself (King, Toddy, Victoria). Victor / Victoria (finale, song & dance, ensemble). Encores (reprises): You And Me; Living In The Shadows; Jazz Hot.
Cast Credits (alpha order):
Stewart Alexander (Squash Bernstein), Emma Barton (Norma), Matthew Daines (Richard), Mark Halliday (King), Christopher Holt (Toddy), Ria Jones (Victor / Victoria), Phil Willmott (Bar Owner). (Other parts alpha order): Sean Duffy, Nikki Gerrard, Alexander Giles, Edward Law, Sorelle Marsh, Gary O'Sullivan, Nick Sutcliffe. Band: Annemarie Lewis Thomas (piano), Francesca Urquhart (double bass), Christian McNally, Paul Merser (drums).
Company Credits: Director - Phil Willmott. Musical Director & Arrangements - Annemarie Lewis Thomas. Choreographer - Jack Gunn. Set & Costume Designers - Rosemary Flegg & Jim Field. Lighting Designer - Hansjorg Schmidt. Fight Director - Marcello Marascalchi. Assistant Director - Sean Duffy. Production Manager - Emma Banwell. Stage Manager - Rebecca Maltby. ASM & Dresser - Kirsty Spencer. Design Assistant - Nicholas Doherty. Production Assistant - Anna Glover. Press & Marketing - Helen Snell. Photography - Sheila Burnett. Print & Programme Design - David Hardcastle at Rubbaglove. Producer - Suzanna Rosenthal. Book - Blake Edwards. Music - Henry Mancini. Lyrics (original songs and new songs for this production) - Leslie Bricusse. Additional Music - Frank Wildhorn. Presented by - Suzanna Rosenthal, The Steam Industry, TEG Productions, The Bridewell Theatre.
The Bridewell Credits: House Manager - Ian Briggs. General Manager - Simon James Collier. Technical Stage Manager - Tom Cousins. Theatre Manager - Kevin Emsden. Associate Director, Community & Lunchbox - Paul Griffiths. Technical Manager - Tim Hardy. Artistic Director - Carol Metcalfe. Finance Administrator - Otto Money. Composer In Residence - Grant Olding. Artistic Associate - Clive Paget. Executive Director - Tim Sawers. Marketing Manager - Kathryn Stewart. Administrative Assistant - Fleur Thomas. Box Office - Dominique Gerrard, Carlene Pence, Carrie Southall. Bar - Kelly Harrison, Roshni Savjani, Zena Zenonos.
END
John Park
reviewed Tuesday 20 January 04 / The Bridewell
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012
www.fringereport.com
