It's the Golden Ticket

The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical, currently on at Drury Lane Royal Theatre, is one of most utterly incredible things you might ever see in your life. The technology and intellect that goes behind creating such wonderful sets, costumes and props is something which surely is revolutionary for musical, and is so splendidly funny that it is a fitting tribute to Roald Dahl.

If I were going to compare it to the film versions, it would be the original. Alex Jennings' version of Willy Wonka is perhaps more akin to that of Gene Wilder, but of course it has it's darker and lighter moments, just like both. However, unlike the two films, it holds a close resemblance to the story of the book, whilst still adapting it for the modern era.

Review: Matilda the Musical

Most people seem to have seen the film, whereas I haven't, apart from the final few minutes when it was on TELLY once. As for the original book by Roald Dalh, it seems to be one of the few books of his that I haven't read. So, I went into the Cambridge Theatre, with no preconceptions of the story.

Saying that though, I am a huge fan of both Roald Dalh and Tim Minchin, and thus I knew it had to be good. The reviews have all been glowing, and the performances of songs from the show that I have seen on the TELLY, have made me want to go and see it even more. However, it is expensive, even by usual West End standards, and booked up weeks in advance, so it unfortunately isn't the sort of musical you go see on a whim.

Theatre Review: Barking In Essex

On Thursday, 19th September, we went to see the matinee performance of Barking In Essex at the Wyndham Theatre, which stars famous names Lee Evans, Shelia Hancock and Keeley Hawes. This play has incredibly mixed reviews, with some saying how it's the worst play of the year, and others celebrating the wonderful humour which exuberates from it.

Barking In Essex is a dark, tragic comedy about the Packers, a hapless criminal family, who are obviously from Essex. It's the story of a family whom, having spent the proceeds from a robbery undertaken by notorious gangster and younger son Algie, face having to cover their tracks before he returns home from seven years in prison. This involves dead bodies and fleeing to a not-so exotic location for the second act, where they begin to hatch various plots against each other, and eventually reaching a loud and tragic ending.