Tag Archives: Sarah Louise Young

An Evening Without Kate Bush

An Evening Without Kate Bush

★★★★

Soho Theatre

An Evening Without Kate Bush

An Evening Without Kate Bush

Soho Theatre

Reviewed – 8th February 2022

★★★★

 

“cabaret, comedy, anecdote, parody and vocal virtuosity all rolled into one glorious hour of fun”

 

Most people of a certain age have a first-hand memory of Kate Bush’s ethereal ‘Wuthering Heights’ reaching number one on the UK singles chart. She was just eighteen when she wrote it, in the course of one night, but it secured her place in musical history. So much so that her comeback concert residency at the Hammersmith Apollo thirty-five years later sold out within fifteen minutes. Despite dropping out of the public eye for a couple of decades Bush’s fan base is global and still crosses all generational divides.

You don’t need to be one of those fans, though, to appreciate Sarah-Louise Young’s celebration of the singer in her one-woman cabaret show; “An Evening Without Kate Bush”. You can’t really call it a tribute act; it’s more theatrical than that. It is cabaret, comedy, anecdote, parody and vocal virtuosity all rolled into one glorious hour of fun. You get the impression that Young is one of Kate’s best mates, such is the affection with which she pokes fun at her. It is the kind of mockery born of love and respect, and she pitches it as perfectly.

Perfect pitch is the phrase that also comes to mind as Young’s veiled figure launches into the opening number: a lesser known, haunting ballad that showcases her astounding voice. When the veil comes away, we are introduced to the warmth of Young’s personality and the ease with which she plays with the audience. With a consummate cabaret artist’s skill, she makes us feel comfortable with that dreaded phrase – audience participation. ‘Kate’s not here, but you are’ she tells us as though it’s the next best thing. Her quicksilver wit bears the hallmarks of veteran comic as she wanders through the audience, hilariously improvising, before she weaves her anecdote back onto the stage for another number.

The show follows a series of songs, including many of the classics, in between which she adopts her chaotic characters with their haywire hairstyles, hats, wigs and togs. She brings people onto the stage to slow waltz to ‘Don’t Give Up’, in which she replaces Peter Gabriel’s part of the duet with a stream of Bush reminiscences. ‘Babooshka’ is sung in Russian, correcting the original’s incorrect pronunciation of the title. ‘Hounds of Love’ has us howling like hounds. Dressed as a cleaner backstage at Kate Bush’s Hammersmith gigs she reverently and plaintively gives a heart-warming rendition of ‘This Woman’s Work’, savouring every syllable before slipping back into more moments of comedy and another outrageous costume change. We are encouraged to sing along to the more familiar choruses and even take over completely for the grand finale. As the whole room cries out that ‘it’s me, I’m Cathy I’ve come home…’, Young flails around the stage echoing Bush’s ground-breaking video.

As we already know, Kate isn’t here – but if she were I’m sure she would be loving every minute of the show. You don’t need to be a fan of Kate Bush to fall in love with this performance. You don’t even need to be a fan of Sarah-Louise Young, but you will surely come away being a true fan of them both.

 

 

Reviewed by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Steve Ullathorne

 


An Evening Without Kate Bush

Soho Theatre until 26th February

 

Previously reviewed this year by Jonathan:
Freud’s Last Session | ★★★★ | King’s Head Theatre | January 2022
A Level Playing Field | ★★★★ | Riverside Studios | February 2022
The Devil’s in the Chair | ★★★★★ | Riverside Studios | February 2022

 

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Julie Madly Deeply

Julie Madly Deeply

★★★★

Park Theatre

Julie Madly Deeply

Julie Madly Deeply

Park Theatre

Reviewed – 20th December 2021

★★★★

 

“Feel-good entertainment this is, and in the hands of talented performers — it works”

 

True confession: I must admit that I arrived at this show (after some difficulty finding the Park Theatre due to the new (improved) area around Finsbury Park Station) a sceptic. Julie, Madly, Deeply? Two hours of Julie Andrews’ impressions? Fan of Dame Julie though I am, it still seemed like a stretch for one performer (Sarah-Louise Young) and her accompanist (Michael Roulston) to bring off. I am delighted to report that this sceptic left the theatre two and a half hours later — a convert.

Julie, Madly, Deeply (directed by Russell Lucas) is easy on the ears. It is easy on the eyes as well, since Sarah-Louise Young is a talented mimic who can make you believe she really looks like Julie Andrews (and even Audrey Hepburn). Young is also an accomplished singer (no surprises there) and accompanist Michael Roulston plays beautifully (and, on occasion, sings quite nicely as well). All the favourites from Dame Julie’s long and brilliant career are featured. But Young’s rendition of “Could I Leave You” from Follies was, for me at least, the standout song of the evening. The moment of tribute to the late Stephen Sondheim was poignantly and beautifully done. In Julie, Madly, Deeply the songs are delivered with an appropriately sharp wit. It does not seem out of place, especially when you consider how fearless and edgy Julie Andrews herself became, after she got together with movie director Blake Edwards.

There are always challenges to dramatizing the life of a famous person. If you want to be truthful as well as entertaining, you have to acknowledge the tragedies as well as the triumphs. Sarah-Louise Young doesn’t sugar coat Julie Andrews’ tough childhood (the absent mother; the alcoholic step-father, who also discovered her talent) and growing up as the family breadwinner. Young focuses on the important part: that Dame Julie is an extraordinary talent who has been performing on world famous stages since she was nine years old. Young doesn’t dwell on the personal tragedies in adulthood, either, because Julie, Madly, Deeply should have happy ending, right? To their great credit, Young, Roulston and Lucas do pull off the happy ending—by bringing us right back to where the show began: Young as a star struck Julie Andrews’ fan writing a letter to her idol. It doesn’t matter whether Dame Julie replied—what matters is the moment we can all identify with—a touching tribute to a great star, and a wish from a would be performer, to be like that star. In Julie, Madly, Deeply, the audience is warmly invited to sing along with all their favourite Julie Andrews’ songs, and to share their memories of seeing Dame Julie in person. Feel-good entertainment this is, and in the hands of talented performers — it works.

Julie, Madly, Deeply is perfect for those who feel unable—understandably during a pandemic—to brave the bigger, and riskier, theatres of London’s West End. The Park Theatre is not only smaller, but both cast and crew will welcome you in and make you feel as safe as is possible in these difficult times. So get your jabs on, mask up, and go over to Finsbury Park, for a delightful trip down Memory Lane.

 

 

Reviewed by Dominica Plummer

Photography by Steve Ullathorne

 


Julie Madly Deeply

Park Theatre until 1st January

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:
Abigail’s Party | ★★★★ | November 2021
Flushed | ★★★★ | October 2021
Little Women | ★★★★ | November 2021
When Darkness Falls | ★★★ | August 2021
Cratchit | ★★★ | December 2021

 

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