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Two Ladies: La Bella Bimba at Barons Court Theatre / Canal Cafe Theatre

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T hey sing. They dance. They clown around. They even wash clothes! Such is the story of La Bella Bimba, part of the Voila Theatre Festival, which highlights new and emerging artists. A tale of two Italian ladies who land in 1920s New York, trying to break into Broadway without speaking a word of English. It’s harmless, primarily even if a little nonsensical, and is currently playing as part of the Voila! Theatre Festival .  I caught the performance at the Barons Court Theatre , where the intimate setting created an evocative atmosphere reminiscent of dark New York alleyways. The space was almost claustrophobic with a distinct smell of rising damp, making you feel immersed in the story of two Ladies hanging around the theatre doors of Broadway. On the plus side, the theatre has some of the most comfortable seats you will find in any pub theatre in London. As the naive and hopeful singers, Co-creator Lucrezia Galeone as Carlotta and Sarah Silvestri as Cecilia are fine singers with co...

Theatre: Parade


Source: www.donmarwarehouse.com

I found myself having a discussion this week with a lady who suggested to me that Parade at the Donmar is the type of music theatre that young men go for. I was thinking about this all last night as I watched this great production. Is there something about (relative) youth that makes one enjoy a music piece about a Jewish factory owner who is accused of raping and murdering a young girl, found guilty and sentenced to death only to have his sentenced commuted but then lynched by an angry mob? Ok so it isn't the happiest night at the theatre but it was so well told, well sung and well staged you didn't mind the lynching and the preaching. You even had to look hard to see the trademark Donmar black brick wall.

Looking around the theatre there was an over-representation of young men there interspersed among the usual Donmar types. The story is based on the true story of Leo Frank and the press frenzy that was whipped up by the case. The show works best when it focusses on the two central characters of Leo and his wife Lucile (played by Bertie Carvel and Lara Pulver). Mind you, there was so much angst, agitation and other odd mannerisms the two expressed throughout the play. Toward the end of the show when the two climb into bed together I couldn't help but think "Eeeeeeeeeewwwwweeewww". It was like watching stick figures on heat and seemed a little forced (and not just because the characters had been apart for a year)...

Anyway, Jason Robert Brown's music is great and Alfred Uhry's book keeps things moving along. So while it is a depressing story, it is still one that is curiously enjoyable. Well if you are a young man perhaps... And it probably helps if you have younger buttocks to withstand those Donmar seats... Act one runs for almost 90 minutes... A cast recording of this production is due out soon and dare I say it is probably worth getting...

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