FIGARO: AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL

London Palladium

★★

“The cast of seven worked as well as they could and the standout performances were the two children”

A two-night run at the London Palladium of new musical Figaro – An Original Musical; with music, lyrics, co-book, co-created, orchestrated and arranged by Ashley Jana and co-book, co-created and directed by Will Nunziata.

This was a brave move to put a “full” production on stage of a new musical on to such an iconic stage – but the hope would be that it will be picked up and given an onward life. Clearly a lot of development, time and money has gone into the show to date and it already has a list of 10 producers’ names above the title. This is American duo’s Jana and Nunziata’s first musical – and one wonder’s why it was premiered in this showcase in London’s West End rather than Broadway?

Figaro – An Original Musical is set in Italy and tells the story of Sienna (Cayleigh Capaldi) who dreams of singing professionally but lives a hard life on the farm with her father (Daniel Brocklebank). On a rainy day at the local market, she gets separated from her father and finds herself in a completely different town, and, as her head spins, she is saved by two young orphans who take her to their home, a travelling circus run by the Svengali that is Figaro (Jon Robyns). Very much like the story of Phantom of the Opera, Sienna becomes the bright shining singing star of the travelling show, replacing the original star and lover of Figaro, Lucia (Aimie Atkinson). But it was never going to end well, as we knew, having seen a dead Figaro lying at the feet of Sienna at the opening of the show before it then goes back in time to the beginning of the story – very Sunset Boulevard.

The book needs a lot of work still, with various storylines left in the air and grating lines such as the dastardly Figaro ordering the innocent Sienna “meet me in the alley in 10 minutes”. The score is ballad after ballad, everyone sings a ballad, none of which move the musical on, with lyrics like “April showers, fake plastic flowers” when singing of a broken heart. Mostly the end of the songs come as a slight surprise, as they seem to peter out and never quite finish, even though most have a strong and telling key change.

The cast of seven worked as well as they could and the standout performances were the two children, even though their storyline didn’t hold together. Both children already have strong leading West End credits to their names, Sophia Goodman having just played the titular role in Matilda, and Cian Eagle-Service is currently starring as Oliver in Oliver! which I recently saw and commented on his extraordinary voice, as being one to watch. They gave some sweet light relief. Throw in a caring seamstress Gia (Ava Brennan) who sees all but does nothing to help, and it is difficult to see where any of these characters might go.

Capaldi sings well with a great vocal range, but her big number, when Sienna sings like an angel for the first time, does not make the iconic and unforgettable scene that The Greatest Showman’s ‘Never Enough’ does, however similar. There is no passion or connection between Capaldi and the supposedly mesmeric Figaro (Jon Robyns); and other than hypnotising them all with his gold fob watch, it is difficult to see what possible hold Figaro has over everyone.

The opening number of Act II, sung by Robyns, might well sit better as a strong scene setting opening to the whole show. Act II could then open with Sienna making her glorious debut performance. Lose the picnic with Sienna and the children, with Figaro telling them that he had not killed Lucia…. which then would enable a dramatic scene seeing Lucia is very much alive in Act II seeking revenge – having ducked Figaro’s bullet which the audience thought had killed her at the end of Act One…… Are you keeping up?

Figaro – An Original Musical is a work in progress – and in many ways it was a shame that rather than the Musical in Concert on the Palladium stage as expected and advertised, it tried to be a full on production off book, with a one frame set, costumes (low budget mix between Six and Les Mis), and just the seven principles on stage – and no ensemble, not that there were any songs that could have been for a chorus, as all most definitely solo ballads.

For a first performance it was tight, well-rehearsed, with good sound and a strong band led by musical director Caitlin Morgan. They all get to perform Figaro – An Original Musical all over again on the 4th February – then maybe it’s back to the drawing board….

FIGARO: AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL

London Palladium

Reviewed on 3rd February 2025

by Debbie Rich

Photography by Fahad Alinizi

Previously reviewed at this venue:

HELLO, DOLLY! | ★★★★ | July 2024

THE ADDAMS FAMILY A MUSICAL COMEDY – LIVE IN CONCERT | ★½ | February 2024

TRUE TALES OF SEX, SUCCESS AND SEX AND THE CITY | ★★★½ | February 2024

DEATH NOTE – THE MUSICAL IN CONCERT | ★★★★ | August 2023

FIGARO

IGARO

★★★★

“Nothing seems out of place in Dominic Cooke’s staging of this revival”

By interval, while slowly making my way through the bottleneck towards the bar, I’m feeling a bit like the child from ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ folk tale. Only the joke is on me, apparently, rather than the other way round. It takes the second act to make me realise this, and my puzzled expression turns to one of realisation, all the while a smile reluctantly spreading across my face. The belated appreciation is inadvertently symptomatic of a musical that is, after all, fundamentally about second chances.

You have to ignore the flimsy plot to get to its heart. On the surface the story follows the celebrated matchmaker, Dolly Levi, as she travels to Yonkers, New York, to find a match for the miserly half-millionaire Horace Vandergelder. It soon becomes clear, though, that Dolly intends to marry Horace herself. We think it’s all about the money, but as the twists unravel, we discover the true threads of the tale. Love is in the air, ultimately, conquering feelings of grief and bereavement as it sweeps through the auditorium in waves of feelgood farce. In the title role, Imelda Staunton gives a fantastically understated performance as she slowly lets go of her late husband’s ghost to find her way back to where she belongs.

Based on Thornton Wilder’s 1930s ‘The Matchmaker’, it premiered in 1963; so there is always the danger that today’s audiences will find it outdated and out of style. Yet it conveys a bygone age that we are willing to be transported back to. Escapism is the key. Rae Smith’s sumptuous sets mix turn of the century realism with animated backdrops; rickety trolleybuses and sandstone buildings with blue skies – into which, at one point, a full-size steam train billows out clouds of steam. Smith’s costumes match the opulence of the production, particularly during the signature scene in which Dolly descends the famous staircase of the Harmonia Gardens restaurant. The title number of ‘Hello Dolly’ builds slowly towards its ovation-grabbing finale. Dancing waiters and chefs epitomise Bill Deamer’s extravagant and flawless choreography. Nothing seems out of place in Dominic Cooke’s staging of this revival, except for a few lines of Michael Stewart’s book. Yet the execution is faultless, and Jerry Herman’s music and lyrics are given full flight, buoyed up by the twenty strong orchestra down in the pit.

Staunton, to her credit, never steals the show in what is pretty much an ensemble piece (that also boasts one of the largest ensembles in London – it has more swings than a holiday camp playground). Andy Nyman’s Horace Vandergelder is a gently mocking Scrooge, extending his derision to himself as much as anyone else. His rebellious employees, Cornelius Hackl and Barnaby Tucker (respectively Harry Hepple and the underused Tyrone Huntley) make a fine comedy double act that borders on cliché but thankfully just stops short. The other star turn comes courtesy of Jenna Russell’s Irene Molloy, the milliner who craves to swap her hat shop for a love nest yet is more than twice shy having been bitten by grief too many times.

The songs are not so much old fashioned as old school. Refreshingly nostalgic and timeless. Russell delivers one of the highlights; ‘Ribbons Down My Back’ with an aching hunger while some of the other rousing numbers fill us with joy. Staunton, of course, makes ‘Hello Dolly’ (the song and the show) her own, betraying a unique sense of self-doubt within her layered character. She likes to be in control of everybody’s lives, including her own, but her femininity is never victim to her feminism. There is strength and vulnerability. But also a glorious sense of fun. “It’s no use arguing – I have made up your mind” Dolly says to the redemptive Vandergelder.

There is no arguing with the success of this show either, or the ovation it received. Admittedly the first act drifts a bit, but by curtain call it is well and truly ‘back where it belongs’.

FIGARO: AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL

London Palladium

★★

“The cast of seven worked as well as they could and the standout performances were the two children”

FIGARO: AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL

London Palladium

Reviewed on 3rd February 2025

by Debbie Rich

Photography by Fahad Alinizi

Previously reviewed at this venue:

FIGARO

FIGARO

IGARO

HELLO, DOLLY! at the London Palladium

★★★★

“Nothing seems out of place in Dominic Cooke’s staging of this revival”

HELLO, DOLLY! at the London Palladium

Reviewed on 18th July 2024

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Manuel Harlan

More reviews from Jonathan:

HELLO, DOLLY!

HELLO, DOLLY!