*Cast list correct to specific date including understudies*
Cast
Mimi - Kerry Ellis
Roger - Rory Taylor
Mark - Paul Ayres
Maureen - Nikki Davis-Jones
Collins - Leon Lopez
Joanne - Jemma Alexander
Angel - Ian Stroughair
Benny - Kenny Thompson
Ensemble
Beth Humphries
Katie Bernstein
David Hinton-Gale
Tim Prottey Jones
Joel Harper-Jackson
Having loved the musical 'Rent' for a fair while now this sounded right up my street! Starring
Kerry Ellis (of 'We Will Rock You' and 'Wicked' fame) as Mimi and
Rory Taylor (ITV "Superstar") as Roger. So, it's a concert right? You automatically expect what the 'Les Miserables' concert was like where they wore the costumes but just sang the songs. I did wonder how they would do that with 'Rent' which brings me very nicely to my first observation.
The show was confused. Now, I sit down and I see what looked like proper cast members running around doing a proper performance of 'Rent'. Don't get me wrong, I was quite happy, I mean having missed it on Broadway and being too young whilst it was in London's West End , I had been absolutely dying to see it!
Nerves. Being a performer myself (and also having been in 'Rent') I do understand how difficult it can be especially on opening night. However,
Paul Ayres, who was playing the narrator Mark, appeared to be so nervous he messed up many lines in the first act. My personal favourite was instead of
"I'll see you at the show, I'll try and convince Roger to go" he sang,
"I'll see you at the show, I'll try and convince Maureen and Roger to go". Considering the show he was referring to was Maureen's protest.....yeah, you can see my point. Having said all that, Ayres made a fantastic Mark. The voice was there and the right emotions in the songs and considering Mark has the most lines in the show he kept his energy up and really made a different in Act 2. Now, I'm not just crucifying Ayres here.
Kenny Thompson, playing Benny, was supposed to sing,
"Your new boyfriend doesn't know about us" and I have no idea what actually came out of his mouth. It was a noise that didn't even replicate how that sentence would sound! I think what happened is he forgot to come in at the right time and that threw him.
If you're going to have film projections, make them relevant. I am all for projections during shows. I mean I loved 'Ghost: The Musical' and we used projections in our own version of 'Rent'. But only when they were needed....the issue was I often found myself watching the projection instead of what was happening so in
I'll Cover You (Reprise) I didn't get emotional (which I normally do) because I was watching what was happening on the screen. Yet, in
Finale A and
Finale B where sections of Mark's film are supposed to be shown, nothing happened. Hm.
Casting. Before I start here I am not personally slating ANYBODY. One issue was the cast size was only 13 rather than 16. Doesn't sound a massive issue right? But in regards to harmonies and harmonies working, there was often far too little cast members to make it really hit.
Rory Taylor, playing Roger, also didn't seem like he had done character research. Considering this was a "concert" I understand that but at least do a little?? It made
One Song Glory lose a fair bit of meaning. Now before I say this, I love
Kerry Ellis I REALLY REALLY do but she was too old to be playing Mimi. In
Light My Candle they even cut out the bit where Roger sings
"You look like you're sixteen" and she replies,
"I'm nineteen" because I guess she couldn't pass for either. Vocally, however, she was fantastic.
Songs. What did they do to them?! Large chunks were cut out of most numbers. In a concert senario I could understand. But anyone in there who hadn't known the story would have been so confused. Like
Contact. That annoyed me. I understand it's a sex scene and the only appropriate bit is Angel's death but the dialogue because of that sex scene is then important when it gets to
Goodbye Love. If I hadn't known the show I would have been like "When did they break up?!"
Ensemble. I am an ensemble girl myself. I love a great ensemble. And, the shame was, this ensemble were fantastic! I mean such drive and such talent! So why did the director cut pretty much all of the ensemble parts? All the songs important for the ensemble like
Christmas Bells and even
On The Street were trimmed down so much they ended up being nothing. And in the programme? They're all down under "ensemble" so I can't even praise the individuals that shone because I don't even know whose who. Sort it out.
Finally, credit where credit is due. Looks like all I've done is critisise! But, in fact, this is always my favourite part to write. First things first,
Nikki Davis-Jones playing Maureen. I had already seen her playing Elphaba in 'Wicked' back in May 2012 and absolutely loved her but as Maureen? She made the rest of the cast look dead on their feet. She was PHENOMENAL. Maureen is not an easy part to play vocally or physically but wow, what a performance. Another particularly difficult role is Angel but
Ian Stroughair (from my hometown of York) was a sensation. Aside from being out of breath after
Today 4 U (who wouldn't be?!) such stamina and personality! The death sequence in
Contact was complete perfection. Bravo! Now, unfortuantely, I don't know this guys name. He played Gordon in
Life Support and was Soloist #2 in
Seasons Of Love. Just, wow. That voice was something special. And you always noticed him in a group scene because he had such stage presence. (I later found out this is
Tim Prottey-Jones, on Twitter as
@TimProtteyJones)
Sorry for such a lengthy post.
No day but today x
WOULD YOU SEE THIS AGAIN: ONLY TO SEE IF IT IMPROVED
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND TO A FRIEND: NO
