It actually says who its from at the top lol wot am i like.

Edited November 16, 201113 yr by polly

A blog from some1 called Tara Walsh

 

Theatre tickets to return! Chicago was our first stop

 

by Tara Walsh on Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

 

We’re thrilled to have theatre tickets back on site soon (hopefully next week)! We love going to the theatre, it’s always a real London experience, and gives us an excuse to feel cultured!

 

Last night we were lucky enough to see the incredible Chicago in London’s West End, starring Ugly Betty’s America Ferrera and the very impressive Darius Campbell from Pop Idol (remember the Britney Spears routine?).

 

Scantily clad men and women opened the show with Velma (Amra-Faye Wright ) performing the famed ‘All that Jazz’ to a rupture of cheers – we were hooked. Barely blinking throughout the entire performance, the musical numbers, dancing and acting had us captivated – and of course, those outfits didn’t hurt!

 

Darius Campbell played the role of Billy Flynn flawlessly. His smooth, smarmy way fitted the character perfectly and we can see why he is the youngest actor to play the role, he was brilliant. His solos were powerful and controlled, something he no doubt learnt from his stint on Popstar to Operastar.

 

America Ferrera however, is not your typical Roxy Hart. Frumpy and unattractive were the criteria for her character Ugly Betty, but in Chicago she was sexy and wowed the crowd receiving several standing ovations with her witty performance and seductive singing. We especially liked the puppet routine with Darius Campbell. It was funny and charming and we wish there were more scenes like that!

 

We thoroughly enjoyed watching and left with an overriding urge to sing our conversations and dance along the street. If only life was more like a musical…

 

So keep your eyes peeled for theatre tickets on BrandAlley soon. With the fantastic discounts that will be on offer, it will make enjoying the arts that bit more affordable. Let us know what your favourite musical is? Chicago is topping the bill so far for us!

 

Thanks. I was about to post the link.

 

http://www.brandalleysales.co.uk/stylish-l...our-first-stop/

 

Hope Darius is on form for Darryl from America. He's been a big fan of Darius since way back, when there used to be that internet radio station which played exclusively music from the 'Idols' .

 

He said Thursday in his post on D's facebook. Not sure if it's tonight or next week.

 

 

The only thing that irks me here is the reference to the Britney AGAIN. Why praise him and yet remind people of what was NOT his finest moment, over ten years ago? Crazy.

http://www.theatremonkey.com/GARRICKbooking.htm

 

scroll down for review .

Edited November 17, 201113 yr by Baytree

.

The only thing that irks me here is the reference to the Britney AGAIN. Why praise him and yet remind people of what was NOT his finest moment, over ten years ago? Crazy.

I get frustrated too when people have to mention the Britney thing. For once though, I didn't get the sense that it was any sort of a dig at D, more of a reference to what, for many, could be all they know of Darius. She was very complimentary of his performance, which as always, is nice to see :)

 

On a negative note, I need to find a dog minder today or I'll have to cncel the trip :unsure: Mum and Dad usually look after our pooch and the person we'd arranged to have Jerry Lee has a really poorly dog and can't take her :( I'll make sure I let you know if I can't make it Meg, but fingers crossed someone can have her for the day times, as Lyn will care for her after work.

wonderful reviews, theatre monkey especially - readig the comments about darius makes me so proud, i recall exchanging emails with theatre monkey when darius was in chicago at the adelphi, when i wrote a review and told them how good he was,and to see it themselves- they didnt review it back then.

 

as for gaps in the theatre, lol - in my dreams darius would do les misrables,phantom..as i would like to see those musicals with him in

Edited November 17, 201113 yr by prettyinpink

I know, B.P. I should just accept that goateed Darius has become part of folklore. The football sites were all awash with his name the other night. Apparently the no.10 for Sweden is a look-a-like.

 

I do so hope you can get a dog minder. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

Yes, pip, that one is pleasing because theatremonkey in the past has not been a fan of Chicago.

 

Bit harsh on the ensemble though. Most other comments I've read are far more fulsome and can you get any more positive than a hard working member of the ensemble who tweets on matinee day - 'Double show. double the fun!'

Edited November 17, 201113 yr by Baytree

Thanks BT! Panic over, Sister and Brother-in-law are looking after her thank goodness :yahoo: Just keeping my fingers crossed for a couple of nice stage door interactions now, to make the trip complete :)

 

I'm only taking my little compact camera this time, as I doubt I'll get chance to use the dslr, and they are a bit cumbersome to lug around. If I do go again, I might take it with me, but not this time I think.

 

Look forward to seeing you there around 4pmish tomorrow Meg :)

Obviously someone not familiar with Darius' ability or character. Still, it was positive even if she thought his character is the same as Billy's

 

I'm catching the 3:10 Paul so should be at the theatre by 4pm

I was wondering whether to put another of the 'Big Bands' songs on the sites - or whether that'd takr the focus from 'Chicago'

Is this what you were talking about, megham?

 

Darius Campbell played the role of Billy Flynn flawlessly. His smooth, smarmy way fitted the character perfectly and we can see why he is the youngest actor to play the role, he was brilliant. His solos were powerful and controlled, something he no doubt learnt from his stint on Popstar to Operastar.

 

I didn't read it that way. I read it to mean the way=mode/fashion, referring to the acting style, rather than a comment about Darius himself.

 

 

Edited November 17, 201113 yr by Baytree

I never expect anything good. I find I'm looking for the negative aspects - I call it experience but someone could just be saying how good he was. I'm looking forward to seeing it again sometime

http://www.lastminutetheatretickets.com/bl...chicago-review/

 

Chicago Review

Posted on November 17th, 2011 by missjulie in London Theatre Articles, Reviews » No Comments

 

A long-running show in the West End can lead to a sense of false security for the theatre-goer – you take it for granted and assume that there’s plenty of time to go along and see it, after all, it’s not like it’s going anywhere right?

 

So when it was announced that Chicago was closing at The Cambridge Theatre to make way for Matilda The Musical, that complacency was rocked somewhat, although needlessly as, it turns out. Now in its new home at The Garrick Theatre and with a (almost) whole new cast, the show is alive and high-kicking; it seems that there is still plenty of razzle in that dazzle.

 

Chicago is a tale of murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery and treachery… ‘all things we hold near and dear to our hearts’. The story is loosely centred around the plight of Roxie Hart, whose abandoned dreams of a life on the stage are reignited when she finds herself inadvertently at the centre of the media spotlight for murdering her lover. Chicago is a city where sin sells and if you want to get ahead, you need to lie, cheat and manipulate your way there.

 

Award winning actress America Ferrera takes on the role of the ‘misguided murderess’ and let me tell you, there ain’t nothing ugly about this betty! The bad hair and poncho from her American sitcom days are long gone. Instead, Ferrera sizzles onstage, oozing glamour and sex appeal whilst playing the sweet-and-virtuous-victim act to perfection. Her voice doesn’t quite match up to her more experienced co-stars, but she more than holds her own.

 

Ferrera is backed up by a superb principal cast, including James Doherty, who returns to his role as ‘Mr Cellophane’, Amos Hart. Doherty steals the audience’s hearts as his beloved wife uses his blind adoration to further her own needs, earning a rapturous round of applause as he trundles off without his ‘exit music’.

 

Also returning as the jailhouse’s mother hen, Mama Morton, is Jasna Ivir. Full of soul and sass, Ivir’s big voice fills the stage in her numbers and she sparks well against the sensational Amra-Faye Wright as the hard-hitting vaudevillian, Velma Kelly, incarcerated for the murder of her husband and sister. The most pleasant surprise of the night for me though was Darius Campbell. To be honest, I went in with a pre-conceived idea and hadn’t expected to like his performance as Billy Flynn – but I did. The handsome Campbell wonderfully encapsulates the silver-tongued lawyer who skilfully wraps the press around his finger, twisting the truth to paint his clients in a more sympathetic light. He emits an air of smug confidence onstage without alienating the audience and possesses a strong, dulcet-toned voice.

 

The real stars of the show are the ensemble though. The perfectly sculpted dancers are scintillatingly sensual in the precision of their routines, the slick and sultry choreography turning the heat up to boiling point – Chicago is worth seeing for the six-packs on show alone.

 

The stage design that sees the onstage orchestra interwoven into the musical performances adds to the show, rather than detracts, and there are some brilliant visually- effective moments courtesy of the lighting department, such as in the courtroom scene.

 

Chicago is a sexy, vivacious, full-blooded production with a tremendous cast that not only offers a feast for the eyes, but delivers plenty of laughs as well. It provides a somewhat cynical view of the justice system as it’s turned into nothing more than a three-ringed circus, but relishes in its immorality while retaining a factor of likeability in its culpable characters. Sin sells: hey, that’s Chicago!

 

By Julie Robinson

 

Music/Book/Lyrics: John Kander and Fred Ebb

 

Co-Author/Original Director: Bob Fosse

 

Director: Walter Bobby

 

 

Refreshing!

Edited November 17, 201113 yr by Baytree

link

 

show-and-stay

another great review.Ugly Betty just got hot.

 

Chicago. It’s 1920 in a world full of lies, deceit and murder. You’d never know it’s actually 2011 in a theatre just behind the overly busy, rowdy Leister Square. But Walter Bobbie has directed the musical with such conviction that he manages to take the whole audience on a journey into the depths of prohibition America as Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly fight for their freedom.

 

The story is quite simple. After Roxie Hart shoots the man she’s having an affair with behind her husband’s back, she finds herself in jail with the notorious Velma Kelly. In a bid to be found not guilty, both girls hire hard-hitting lawyer Billy Flynn to set them free and more importantly, make them famous. However, with the constant rivalry and demand for the headlines, both women will stop at nothing to make it to the top.

 

 

 

After an impressive opening from the orchestra, All That Jazz is the first number of the night. Velma Kelly and her glamorous inmates take to the stage in a mass of black lace, bare flesh and bags of razzle dazzle, setting the tone for the rest of the show.

 

The staging is simple yet effective. The all black set helps to create the dark and seedy mood the plot requires; the only hint of colour throughout was the flash of red across the ladies lips. From the jail cells, courtrooms and bedrooms, the set remains the same. No flamboyant stage changes or even costume changes were needed, or even wanted from the audience. The entire cast, which was a relatively small ensemble, never changed out of the same black provocative attire.

 

The orchestra acted as the backdrop, with the conductor taking centre stage and even giving the audience the occasional cheeky grin. The musicians really were a highlight; the brass section in particular managed to snatch the limelight several times.

 

The audience was eagerly waiting for the arrival of America Ferrara, having only played the role for a couple of weeks. And boy did she deliver. America brings a real innocence to the role, arguably more so than previous Roxies. Yes, the character is meant to be slightly naïve by nature, yet she still managed to bring a sultry vibe to the table. The Ugly Betty star was captivating, almost endearing, in her performance. With her Hollywood grin and clean-cut looks, she was in stark contrast to Amra-Faye Wright who played Velma Kelly brilliantly. With her lean physique, white-cropped hair and mind-blowing high kicks, the two leads couldn’t have been more different, yet equally out-standing.

 

The biggest surprise of the night was Darius Campbell who brought bags of charm and the right amount of arrogance as Billy Flynn. He played the part with ease and sophistication. His solo, All I Care About was sung with authority and his last note was so powerful, it truly stamped his mark on the role. This guy meant business from the start. He’s come a very long way from the days of Pop Idol and his high-pitched version of Britney’s Baby One More Time. Gone is the ponytail and goaty beard, and in front of me stood an authoritative lead, in a sharp suit and ever-so shiny patent shoes.

 

Stand out numbers were He Had It Coming thanks to its intensity and All That Jazz, which will always be synonymous with Chicago.

 

Massive praise must go out to James Doherty and Jasana Ivir for their excellent portrayals of Amos Hart and Matron “Mama” Morton, respectively. They brought laughter and a lighthearted feel to the show.

 

I’ve wanted to see Chicago for as long as those girls have been wearing suspenders and thankfully, it was definitely worth the wait. After seeing this, you won’t leave disappointed. Come on babe what are you waiting for, it’s time to enjoy some serious razzle dazzle.

 

 

Edited November 17, 201113 yr by prettyinpink

This guy meant business from the start.

 

Darius or Billy? Could be either in the context.

 

 

I never expect anything good. I find I'm looking for the negative aspects - I call it experience but someone could just be saying how good he was. I'm looking forward to seeing it again sometime

Have you seen it at the Garrick yet Meg? Why not go tomorrow if you've time?

I can't find any reduced matinee tickets - can't do night time. It'll be good to meet up anyway

Paul and Meg, hope you have a good time this afternoon and get to meet Darius. I'm sure he'll charm your parents Paul just like he does everyone else! Hope also Paul you manage to get some photos even though you're not taking your 'super' camera. Sue

He charmed everyone. He came into the pub to continue a conversation with us. The wave of smiles and stopped conversations as he walked up to us was really different.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v614/megham/2011/P1020277small.jpg

So glad you had a good time Meg. Thanks for the photo. Sue

Paul took his camera - and forgot to put a SD card in it. They aren't much use without.