Ollie, Jake, Emily
Mrs W: Caroline
Tony: Tim
Mr. B: Phil
The geniuses are at it again. The usual sense of anticipation before the show was increased this afternoon as we looked forward to seeing and hearing the changes that have taken place this week.
Firstly, the music changes were mostly listed by Dancer in his Monday night review so I'm not going to relist. In any event, you'd need to be making notes to recount them all. Good and all as the music on the original cast CD is the show today has come a long way music-wise. Not that there is any bombastic displays or anything. It is the little subtle changes all over that make up the whole. Some beautiful little trinkets that linger in the memory have been included and just add that "finishing touch" - that's not to say that they've finished because they never stop trying to do better. I suppose the stand-out piece of the new bits would be the shadows-on-the-wall accompaniment. My immediate reaction on seeing this on Broadway earlier this year was that I'd love to see it done in London. It is, quite simply, pure magic and when it was over all too soon I would love to have said, "Guys, could you please rewind that and do it again". But there is so much, much more new music to enjoy that enhances individual scenes or between scenes, in most cases just quietly, but extremely effectively. It is unlikely that another CD will ever be produced so the only solution is to go and see more shows. A small piece of music has been removed. In the Winter Scene there is now no music (well, it was a short piece, anyway) between the line that Billy speaks to Michael: "You're not a poof or 'owt" and Michael's reply "What gave you that impression".
Caroline was superb as Mrs. W. I'm not sure how many shows she has done this week but you'd never have thought she was new to the show. She has a wonderful stage presence.
Gosh, three paragraphs and I haven't got to Ollie yet. This was Ollie at his very best, busy as a bee and moving the show along at a nice brisk pace. I could hardly believe the time passed so quickly when we got to Angry Dance. What a dance. Ollie's statement to Dad, "Me Mam would have let us", was spoken with temper just about kept in check but once he got up those stairs all Hell broke loose. By the time he got back down again I couldn't look at his eyes for fear of being struck dead on the spot. Instead I fixed my eyes on those pounding, angry feet almost tearing up the floorboards with rage. And when he got up from the floor after that unmerciful scream his eyes glared up at the occupants of the Dress Circle who must have been diving for cover. The Letter with new Dead Mum was very moving as was the Dream Ballet and I immensely enjoyed his Electricity which has a bit of everything. Interestingly, there was applause at the end of the Letter (before Mrs. W says "she must have been a very special woman") and also after his first spin over to Mrs. W when she notices his talent for the first time.
During the first half the (mainly) new Ballet Girls had given their all and the good news is that they're at it again, too. Once again the crew have come up with a bunch of supremely talented girls to set that stage alight. If Ollie thought he'd get an easy time 'cos they're new he was mistaken! And they danced brilliantly in the Finale as well.
Which brings me nicely to Emily. What a classic Debbie she is. Rough and tumble, all go and a mind of her own. Poor Mrs. W. I suspect that being grounded wouldn't work with this Debbie. She'd be gone climbing out the window in total defiance. Wonderful tantrum when told to "p off" during the Snow scene
Jake just gets funnier and funnier. It isn't just the glasses, of course, but the way he uses them is hilarious. The changing into the tutu and the attempt at ballet brought the audience to its knees. Yet a few moments later his poignant exit had the opposite effect.
There was a new Tall Boy. I had hoped he would appear afterwards at the stage door so we could at least get his name but it wasn't to be. No doubt we will find out over the next while but he did a terrific job and his smiles to the audience at the end showed he had thoroughly enjoyed himself.
It was nice to see Tim again as Tony, a role he has been expertly doing for a long time now with all its changes and multi-talented Phil provided his usual hilarious Mr. B.
Samantha, the new Dead Mum, was perfect in the role and has a beautiful voice as witnessed in The Letter. I'm reasonably sure that her costume, whilst generally the same as Stephanie and others wore, did look slightly different. I think it was the top but I'll let the ladies work that one out. In the Letter Reprise she didn't just sit on a chair in the row. She pulled one of the chairs forward out of the row and sat on it.
There was a slight alteration in Grandma's Song, too. Ann gave two fingers instead of one which I haven't seen before.
It is getting a bit late so time to sign off but thanks to all the cast new and old and crew/musicians for a truly wonderful afternoon's new and fresh entertainment. The show rolls on to even greater heights and you all simply must get down to the VPT asap to see what they have done with it.
Pat
