Tag Archives: Jodie Steele

FILUMENA

★★★★

UK Tour

FILUMENA at the Theatre Royal Windsor

★★★★

“There are complex emotions and issues on show here, that are delivered with warmth and humour – and at times with quite a punch”

The opening of Eduardo De Filippo’s “Filumena” finds the title character on her deathbed with Domenico, her partner of twenty-five years, gallantly agreeing to marry her before she gasps her last breath. However, we never see this – it all happens before curtain-up, in another room of Domenico’s opulent Neapolitan villa. What we do witness, though, is the aftermath when Filumena miraculously springs back to life and the ruse is revealed.

Matthew Kelly, as Domenico, is in his element as he wails to the heavens at the injustices of finding himself duped. Not only is his pride wounded, but his plans of marrying the much younger Diana are annihilated. Felicity Kendal’s Filumena is no fool. A pocket-rocket of passion she gives as good as she gets, and we soon learn that her motives are far more honourable than mere vengeance. The couple have lived together for a quarter of a century, ever since the wealthy Domenico lured Filumena away from her life of prostitution and, although that particular career path is a thing of the past, there are three things that have followed her into her dotage. Namely three sons – now strapping lads in their mid-twenties. Filumena wants the wedding ring on her finger to legitimise them. Domenico is having none of that; so cue the lawyers, tantrums, buried grievances, hidden mistresses, histrionics and De Filippo’s gorgeous, if lengthy, dialogue. The two protagonists have much to get their teeth into, and they do so with abandoned relish.

The Italian fervour is slightly sanded down in Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall’s translation, but it still retains a potent mix of acidity and affection. Kendal transforms her character from that of a calculated schemer to a woman with a deep inner strength, warmth and hard-won resolve. Kelly’s sense of privilege is challenged, not just by his mistress, but by an awakening empathy and brooding responsibility. It is no spoiler to tell you that one of Filumena’s sons turns out to be Domenico’s too. But which one? The second act opens with a delicious scene in which Domenico steers the seemingly casual conversation to try and detect in the young men any genetic similarities to himself.

But it is far from a two-hander. The supporting cast are excellent. Gavin Fowler, Fabrizio Santino and George Banks each have a chance to share the spotlight. It is perhaps a little odd that they are so accepting of their new circumstances, having only recently discovered who their mother is. We presume, too, that they have each been brought up independently, although the sibling dynamic is strong. Sarah Twomey’s Lucia, the maid, is loving the family upheaval. Flirtatious and vivacious, Twomey lights up the stage at every opportunity.

Morgan Large’s lush drawing room set gives us a real sense of grandeur although less of a feel of the period and the Neapolitan, sun-kissed location. Yet it sits well with the timeless nature of the action. There might have been more resonance when Filippo wrote the play in the immediate aftermath of the second world war, but the more contemporary backdrop translates well, sometimes making the wavering Italian accents seem unnecessary.

Sean Mathias’ slick direction vividly animates the static setting. It is a very wordy play, but at least there are as many moments of humour as well as insight and wisdom that Mathias brings to the fore. And the lead performers’ energy refuse to allow any dull moments to slip in. There are complex emotions and issues on show here, that are delivered with warmth and humour – and at times with quite a punch. When Filumena finally learns how to cry, we feel her tears too, yet the journey there has also been filled with plenty of laughter.


FILUMENA at the Theatre Royal Windsor followed by UK Tour

Reviewed on 9th October 2024

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Jack Merriman

 

 

 

 

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

THE GATES OF KYIV | ★★★★ | September 2024
ACCOLADE | ★★★½ | June 2024
OH WHAT A LOVELY WAR | ★★★★ | April 2024
CLOSURE | ★★★★ | February 2024
THE GREAT GATSBY | ★★★ | February 2024
ALONE TOGETHER | ★★★★ | August 2023
BLOOD BROTHERS | ★★★★★ | January 2022
THE CHERRY ORCHARD | ★★★★ | October 2021

FILUMENA

FILUMENA

Click here to see our Recommended Shows page

 

REHAB THE MUSICAL

★★★

Neon 194

REHAB THE MUSICAL at Neon 194

★★★

“Keith Allen is clearly having a ball playing the scheming and corrupt Stone”

You’re a Wanker – is the opening number of Rehab the Musical and when the end comes, the audience leaves the venue merrily singing it.

It’s the hedonistic nineties when paparazzi, selling stories to the gutter press and dodgy rehabilitation clinics are all the rage. Out of control popster Kid Pop (Christian Maynard) is papped snorting cocaine; so the judge gives him 60 days in rehab, to mend his ways. But his dastardly manager Malcolm Stone (Keith Allen), sets about to keep Kid on the front pages by putting a mole inside The Grange, to dish the dirt on our Kid.

But how do you heal in 60 days? By meeting all the other inmates staying at The Grange. Meet the joyous selection of addicts with big and honest hearts. With addictions to food, drink, gambling and sex; via tanning and cheese addictions we hear their stories as they reveal their innermost obsessions in their daily therapy circle. And it’s here that the real heart of this musical is found through these extreme but loveable characters, brought to life by a line-up of stalwart and talented West End musical theatre performers including: John Barr as tanning addict Barry Bronze, Rebecca Thornhill as ex Bond girl and alcoholic Jane Killy, and Oscar Conlon-Morrey as the heart-breaking Phil Newman whose song Ordinary Girl is a highlight.

“the big ballads are sung with big belting vocals”

Christian Maynard, as Kid Pop, has all the moves, but is not able to bring such a two dimensional character to life, making his journey to redemption hard to believe. Keith Allen is clearly having a ball playing the scheming and corrupt Stone in toupee and large moustache – and even manages to talk his way through his songs with aplomb. Jodie Steele, as Stone’s sidekick Beth, is underwritten; but we get a glimpse of her steel in the song Die at 27.

Rehab the Musical has music and lyrics by Grant Black and Murray Lachlan Young, with book by Elliot Davis – they all have their own personal history in rehab, addiction and recovery. Addiction is a serious subject but Rehab does have a few laughs too – plus some seriously bad jokes taking the names of Dame Shirley Bassey and Sir Tom Jones in vain – all so nineties. The lyrics aren’t so poetic and the music is in every pop style going, and the big ballads are sung with big belting vocals. With a clever and simple set by Simon Kenny, the show is slickly choregraphed by director Gary Lloyd, whose full company snorting cocaine routine in Everyone’s Taking Cocaine is brilliantly grotesque.

This is the inaugural show at Neon 194 – and a high calibre theatre in the round it has turned into. However, for a new musical with a great live band playing, it is a travesty that the band are nowhere to be seen. It has become part of the course in musical theatre not to see the musicians – and that does effect the whole experience of a musical.

Today, the woke world is more aware of mental health and addiction – so taking us back to the nineties is maybe an unnecessary step too far?


REHAB THE MUSICAL at Neon 194

Reviewed on 16th January 2024

by Debbie Rich

Photography by Mark Senior

 

 

 

Recently reviewed shows:

EXHIBITIONISTS | ★★ | King’s Head Theatre | January 2024
ALAN TURING – A MUSICAL BIOGRAPHY | ★★ | Riverside Studios | January 2024
2:22 A GHOST STORY | ★★★ | Royal & Derngate | January 2024
THE ENFIELD HAUNTING | ★½ | Ambassadors Theatre | January 2024
KIM’S CONVENIENCE | ★★★★ | Park Theatre | January 2024

REHAB THE MUSICAL

REHAB THE MUSICAL

Click here to see our Recommended Shows page