Review | WEST SIDE STORY (UK Tour) April 2014

The highly anticipated fiftieth anniversary production of Bernstein's classic, West Side Story has arrived in Birmingham and with a three week residency at the New Alexandra Theatre, there are few excuses to miss this legendary classic.

 Romeo and Juliet are no longer in Verona, it's 1950's New York and amidst the ill-fated love story for Tony and Maria, their families the Jets and Sharks clash over status. The predictable story is well known and I wouldn't say that it's for this that the people come... Fifty years on, the iconic music of Leonard Bernstein is still as exciting and fresh-feeling as a first night. The music, coupled with Joey McKneely's reproduction of Jerome Robbins' choreography is something very special, the two combine to create a visually stunning production. With little in the way of set it's all about Renate Schmitzer's colourful costumes worn by an incredibly versatile, dynamic and endlessly energetic young cast. 

Louis Maskell is charming as Tony, who's impeccably controlled vocal brings the audience into awe , particuarly during the song Maria, an obvious highlight. Owing to the indisposition of Katie Hall, the role of Maria is played by Charlotte Baptie. Having seen both girls in the role, it is apparent they are of equal worthiness. Baptie impresses with a belting soprano voice, championing her way through classics such as Tonight and I Feel Pretty. The girls, led by Djalenga Scott as Anita are sensationally sexy, sassy and fun addition to the otherwise dark plot. 

The show perhaps belongs to the brilliant boys, rival gangs who fight through dance - adventurous yet  extremely well connected, an incredibly talented line-up. Whilst the stylised flighting is not the most realistic, the artistic values completely outweigh anything else here. However, it is when the entire company unite for the Procession and Nightmare that the spine tingles. 

West Side Story is all about the dance, incredible vocal performances do break through the booming score but ultimately the re-invented, high energy routines are what will stick with you. And a warning, you will walk away whistling and humming the songs for a long while after!

See West Side Story until 19 April at the New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham. Click here for tickets. Read my interview with Katie Hall and Louis Maskell here. 

Photos by Alastair Muir.

View the trailer:

Cast List: Louis Maskell, Katie Hall, Djalenga Scott, Javier Cid, Jack Wilcox, David Delve, Jason Griffiths, Siôn Tudor Owen, Matthew Hawksley, Fraser Fraser, Bruce Aguilar Rohan. Samuel Salter, Scott Rayner, Matthew Croke, Charlie Cameron, Rachel Crocker, Fenia Tsikitikou, Rachel Ensor, Danielle Cato, Niko Wirachman, Sergio Giacomelli, Sergi Terns, Devon McKenzie-Smith, Nathan Ryles, Liam Paul Jennings, Sinead Kenny, Charlotte Baptie, Katie Singh, Challyce Brogdon, Nicola Coates, Lisa Dent, Dom Hodson, Alex Pinder. 

WEST SIDE STORY (UK Tour) Interview with Katie Hall & Louis Maskell

WEST SIDE IN THE WEST MIDLANDS!

Think of mid-century musical theatre and you'd probably think of a tuneful slice of escapism, lavish sets and eye catching costumes... West Side Story's 1957 opening marked a significant departure from that formula and set a new template for the modern musical. Here, 55 years on, the musical sensation with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim is once again touring the UK as part of a major revival lead by an all-new energetic young cast, visiting the New Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham in April 2014. 

After an incredible matinee performance in Wimbledon, I caught up with Louis Maskell (Tony) and Katie Hall (Maria) to talk about their time with the show so far:

LM "In the show, Tony is quite an individual, he started the Jets and then left the gang to pursue his dreams and aspirations - obviously in those times that's pretty hard to do. He's a fantastic part to play because he not only oozes this masculinity but he also gets to fall in love... and so quickly, which I think is rather rare these days, that sort of 'love at first sight' moment."

KH "I haven't had one day where I've come into work and thought 'oh God, I've got to sing those songs again...!' it's amazing, and the music is so lovely to sing. Bernstein just knows how to write for the voice, it just feels easy because it's been done so well. I really like I Have A Love, that sits nicely in my voice!" 

LM "It took three very intense auditions to get the role, all of which were very lengthy and included lots of notes and workshopping of ideas. When I got the role, the rehearsals were even more so... actually though, that leant itself to the show which is like that and right from the off there was a sort of tension and an incredible passion, which Tony exudes. I love how sparse it all is too... this staging and  production really lends itself to the dark and gritty story."

KH "I can definitely remember the rehearsal day where me and Louis weren't allowed in the room, they were doing the dance of the Jets and the Sharks and they have to have a fight that's full of racial abuse and the director made them scream at each other and then dance the Mambo and we weren't allowed to see what was going on because our characters aren't part of it and we could hear all of this screaming and were like 'whats going on!?' - scary, it was very method!"

Katie and Louis as Maria and Tony

LM "When creating my version of Tony, there are definitely certain elements of the part that are cemented - you can't just skip on wearing a clown nose... but as an actor I definitely wanted to install elements that I had instinctively. Every actor is different but for this there definitely is a blueprint but within that we were allowed scope to explore. I researched the whole 1950's and read this amazing book called Egyptian Kings about the gangs of New York and learnt a lot, these guys were kind of like those in the London riots a few years ago - these guys weren't bad but they just had to do something to get the attention of the higher powers."

KH "The role of Maria has been quite of a stretch for me... obviously you can see I'm a white blonde girl! She's far from what I'm like, I'm from Peterborough and that's quite far from Puerto Rico! We sat down with our director and just asked ourselves questions like 'What was it like in America at the time, who was there?' and it didn't matter if it wasn't true fact it just helped us to gain a broader knowledge of things. I didn't read books like Louis did..."

KH "I've just come out of a 16 month tour of The Phantom Of The Opera and now I'm back on the road, but before that I did the tour of Les Misérables so I've basically been on tour for the last three years of my life! I like being on the road, it's fine... but I sort of miss home sometimes. The atmosphere within a touring company though is nicer compared to doing a show in town (London), because you're living, travelling and working with one another all the time so the relationships are a lot closer and we're more like a family and I quite like that about it. They're a really good bunch of people and I love working with them!"

This fantastic production of West Side Story plays at the New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham for three weeks from 1 - 19 April 2014. Book tickets online here, in person at the Box Office or by calling 0844 871 3011. One not to be missed! 

Photos by Alastair Muir.

Cast List: Louis Maskell, Katie Hall, Djalenga Scott, Javier Cid, Jack Wilcox, David Delve, Jason Griffiths, Siôn Tudor Owen, Matthew Hawksley, Fraser Fraser, Bruce Aguilar Rohan. Samuel Salter, Scott Rayner, Matthew Croke, Charlie Cameron, Rachel Crocker, Fenia Tsikitikou, Rachel Ensor, Danielle Cato, Niko Wirachman, Sergio Giacomelli, Sergi Terns, Devon McKenzie-Smith, Nathan Ryles, Liam Paul Jennings, Sinead Kenny, Charlotte Baptie, Katie Singh, Challyce Brogdon, Nicola Coates, Lisa Dent, Dom Hodson, Alex Pinder. 

WHAT TO SEE (West Midlands) 2013/2014

The 2013 season is steadily drawing to close and theatres in the West Midlands are beginning to announce spectacular shows that you can look forward to throughout the new year. Here is my round up of the three theatres you're most likely to find me at!

BIRMINGHAM NEW ALEXANDRA THEATRE

RENT IN CONCERT

Seeing 2013 out and 2014 in is the groundbreaking Ghost The Musical - based on the Oscar winning musical, the timeless fantasy about the power of love runs from Tuesday 17th December 2013 - Sunday 5th January 2014 (BOOK GHOST).  Kerry Ellis stars in the hugely popular return of Rent In Concert on Friday 14th February, a perfect Valentines treat? (BOOK RENT) The Rod Stewart musical Tonight's The Night played to sold out audiences on it's previous tour, catch it from Monday 24th February - Saturday 1st March (BOOK TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT). Vincent and Flavia bring their brand new stage show Dance Til Dawn to Birmingham from Monday 21st - Saturday 26th April (BOOK DANCE TIL DAWN). Finally, perhaps the biggest and most anticipated production this year is West Side Story (BOOK WEST SIDE STORY).

Other season highlights include Sleeping Beauty On Ice, Scrooge The Musical, Ha Ha Holmes (starring Joe Pasquale), Peppa Pig's Big Splash, The Vagina Monologues and The Dreamboys.

Full listings of what's on at the New Alexandra in 2014 can be found here. 

BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME

WICKED

Seeing out 2013 at Birmingham Hippodrome are John Partridge and Gok Wan who star in Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (BOOK PANTO). The West End hit Singin' In The Rain makes a splash from Tuesday 18th March - Saturday 5th April staring Faye Tozer from Steps as Lina Lamont (BOOK SINGIN IN THE RAIN). Marti Pellow continues to star as Che in Evita as the production tours to Birmingham from Tuesday 8th - Saturday 19th April (BOOK EVITA). The National Theatre's One Man Two Guvnors runs from Monday 26th - Saturday 21st May (BOOK ONE MAN TWO GUVNORS). The previously announced summer smash hit Wicked opens on Wednesday 9th July and plays until Saturday 6th September (BOOK WICKED). Finally, the Andrew Lloyd Webber phenomenon Cats will be bringing the Jellicle Ball in Birmingham from Tuesday 9th - Saturday 27th September. Tickets for Cats are on sale to friends of the Hippodrome from 10am on 7th October, group on 14th October and general, online and phone sales from 16th October (BOOK CATS).

Other season highlights include War Horse, War Horse: Only Remembered, Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, Birmingham Royal Ballet and Welsh National Opera. 

VIEW THE NEW HIPPODROME 
SEASON TRAILER HERE

Full listings of what's on at the Hippodrome in 2014 can be found here.

WOLVERHAMPTON GRAND THEATRE

CABARET

Joe Pasquale headlines this years pantomime, Sleeping Beauty alongside Ceri Dupree and Lucy Evans from Saturday 7th December 2013 until Sunday 19th January 2014 (BOOK PANTO). Before the festivities however, West End heartthrob Oliver Thornton stars as Frank N Furter in the 40th Anniversary Production of The Rocky Horror Show from Monday 28th October - Saturday 2nd November 2013 with Dani Harmer and Ben Forster (BOOK ROCKY HORROR). Pop Idol winner Will Young returns to his award winning role of Emcee in Cabaret which also stars Siobhan Dillon from Tuesday 26th - Saturday 30th November (BOOK CABARET). The new year sees Noel Sullivan starring in Priscilla Queen Of The Desert from Monday 27th January - Saturday 1st February 2014 (BOOK PRISCILLA). The highlight of the 2014 season is Dirty Dancing which runs for three weeks from Tuesday 23rd September through to Saturday 11th October (BOOK DIRTY DANCING).

Other season highlights include The Upbeat Beatles, To Sir With Love, Brendan Cole License To Thrill, The Russian State Ballet of Siberia and Derren Brown Infamous. 

Full listings of what's on at the Grand in 2014 can be found here. 

You can book for any of the listed shows by visiting the theatres websites - click on the theatre to book: Birmingham New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham Hippodrome, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre.