Tag Archives: Cassidy Janson

Man of la Mancha
★★★★

London Coliseum

ReviewsAlex Pinder, Anna Woodside, Cassidy Janson, Dale Wasserman, Danielle de Niese, David Seadon-Young, David White, Debra Michaels, Dominic Owen, Emanuel Alba, Eugene McCoy, Femi Akinfolarin, Fotini Dimou, Helen Walsh, James Noone, Jocelyn Prah, Joe Darion, Joseph Poulson, Julie Jupp, Kate Waters, Katre, Kelsey Grammer, London Coliseum, Lonny Price, Lucy St Louis, Luke Jackson, Luke McCall, Man of la Mancha, Manuel Harlan, Michael Grade, Michael Linnit, Mick Potter, Miguel de Cervantes, Minal Patel, Mitch Leigh, Natasha Leaver, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Paul F Monaghan, Peter Polycarpou, Rakesh Boury, Rebecca Howell, Rick Fisher, Ryan Pidgen, Samuel Thomas, Stephen John Davies, Tash Holway, Teddy Wills, Tim Hodgesthespyinthestalls

Man of la Mancha

London Coliseum

Reviewed – 30th April 2019

★★★★

“the real star of the show, is Danielle De Niese …her voice soars and enchants with a lilting sweetness and strength”

Man of La Mancha is set in a Detention Centre and begins with the arrival of two new prisoners, Cervantes and his manservant. They have a trunk with them, and the inmates are keen to plunder it. The Governor, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst, wants to put Cervantes on trial and confiscate his belongings if he is found guilty, and Cervantes makes his defence in the form of a play; Don Quixote. The Don tilts at windmills and falls in courtly love with Aldonza, a serving girl and part time prostitute in a roadside inn, who he sees as a perfect woman and names his Lady Duncinea. Cervantes casts the other inmates in various roles, and the Governor plays the innkeeper, giving Lyndhurst the opportunity to switch from forbidding to gently incompetent, which he does with skill and evident enjoyment. Cervantes’ manservant and Don Quixote’s squire Sancho Panza are played by Peter Polycarpou, and he is one of the show’s delights. He is funny and touching in his devotion to the eccentric knight, and to his ‘real’ master.

The other delight, and the real star of the show, is Danielle De Niese who plays Aldonza/Dulcinea. She is fiery, strong and vulnerable, angry at Quixote’s refusal to see her for who she really is, coping with the rough muleteers in the inn, who eventually brutalise her, and very touching at the end when she accepts the name Dulcinea for the first time and starts the spine tinglingly beautiful cast version of The Impossible Dream. Her voice soars and enchants with a lilting sweetness and strength, and her acting is powerful and compelling.

It is Kelsey Grammer’s misfortune to be surrounded by a cast of hugely talented singers. His Cervantes/Quixote is engaging and hugely characterful; on the acting front he doesn’t put a foot wrong, but his voice doesn’t stand up well against virtuoso talent such as De Niese. His rendition of ‘Dulcinea’ felt insecure and in his solo ‘Impossible Dream’ he seemed to be bracing himself for the top notes. When the muleteers sing ‘Little Bird’ it is evident that there are some fabulous voices in the ensemble; this is a very strong cast. Emanuel Alba deserves a mention for his lovely comic turn as the barber, and Eugene McCoy’s Duke has a nice touch of the Lucius Malfoys when we first see him.

As you would expect of the Coliseum, the set, lighting and sound, by James Noone, Rick Fisher and Mick Potter respectively, are superb. Rebecca Howell is the choreographer, and she has created some exceptional work, such as the electrifying gypsy dance, for this piece. Fight Director Kate Waters produced a lovely comedy fracas at the inn, and Fotini Dimou’s costume design allows for some impressively quick changes and helps create a convincing world within Noone’s set.

The story of Don Quixote is a love song to the imagination and Man of La Mancha takes us into a double world. Do we prefer the reality or the fantasy? Each of us has to decide for ourselves, but Quixote’s fantasy world has a purity and beauty that entices and enchants.

Reviewed by Katre

Photography by Manuel Harlan

Man of la Mancha

London Coliseum until 8th June

Last ten shows covered by this reviewer:

The Dame | ★★★★ | Park Theatre | January 2019

Boots | ★★★★ | The Bunker | February 2019

Gently Down The Stream | ★★★★★ | Park Theatre | February 2019

Inspirit | ★★★★ | Vaulty Towers | February 2019

10 | ★★★★ | The Vaults | March 2019

The Thread | ★★½ | Sadler’s Wells Theatre | March 2019

Yamato – Passion | ★★★★★ | Peacock Theatre | March 2019

Hell Yes I’m Tough Enough | ★★½ | Park Theatre | April 2019

Little Miss Sunshine | ★★★★★ | Arcola Theatre | April 2019

Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare: The Taming Of The Shrew | ★★★★★ | Leicester Square Theatre | April 2019

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Beautiful the Carole King Musical Announces Closing Date

The West End production of Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, based on the early life and career of legendary singer songwriter Carole King, will complete its run at the Aldwych Theatre on 5 August 2017.

The UK tour of Beautiful – The Carole King Musical will open in Bradford on 9 September 2017 and continues in Plymouth, Southampton, Norwich, Southend, Nottingham, Belfast, Cardiff, Birmingham, Newcastle, Hull, Edinburgh, Manchester, Dublin, Aberdeen, Sheffield, Glasgow, Milton Keynes, Woking, Sunderland, Bristol, Leeds, Stoke on Trent, Liverpool and Oxford, with all venues currently on sale.

Beautiful – The Carole King Musical received its Broadway premiere in January 2014 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre where it continues to play to packed houses. The London premiere was in February 2015 and a US tour began later that year. An Australian production will open in Sydney in September this year.

During its two and a half year run in the West End, the Olivier, Tony and Grammy award-winning show had two visits from Carole King, when on both occasions she surprised the cast and audience at the curtain call. Both times she was greeted with a standing ovation at the Aldwych Theatre as she took to the stage to sing her classic hit You’ve Got A Friend. Joining King for London’s opening night were fellow composers Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, whose story is also told as part of Beautiful – The Carole King Musical.

Beautiful – The Carole King Musical is the untold story of her journey from school girl to superstar; from her relationship with husband and song-writing partner Gerry Goffin, their close friendship and playful rivalry with fellow song-writing duo Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, to her remarkable rise to stardom. Along the way, she became one of the most successful solo acts in music history, and wrote the soundtrack to a generation.

Beautiful – The Carole King Musical features the Carole King classics including So Far Away, It Might as Well Rain Until September, Take Good Care of my Baby, Will You Love Me Tomorrow, Up on the Roof, Locomotion, One Fine Day, You’ve Got a Friend, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman and I Feel the Earth Move, along with hits from songwriters Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil like You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling, On Broadway and Uptown.

The West End cast comprises Cassidy Janson in the title role, Matthew Seadon-Young as King’s husband and song-writing partner Gerry Goffin, Stephanie McKeon as song-writer Cynthia Weil, Ian McIntosh as song-writer Barry Mann, Joseph Prouse as music publisher and producer Donnie Kirshner and Barbara Drennan as King’s mother Genie Klein.

They are joined by Gavin Alex, Georgie Ashford, Koko Basigara, Tsemaye Bob-Egbe, Ashford Campbell, Treyc Cohen, Natasha Cottriall, Michael Duke, Matthew Gonsalves, Jammy Kasongo, Leigh Lothian and Earl R. Perkins who play iconic musical performers and band members of the era and swings Derek Aidoo, Rosie Heath, Dominic Hodson, Emma Louise Jones, Jessica Joslin, Vicki Manser, David O’Mahony and Jaime Tait.

www.beautifulinlondon.co.uk