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The brown word: Death on the Throne @gatehouselondon

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We’re warned at the start of the show with an upbeat number that this is not the usual sort of musical. And it turns out to be just that. But with boundless enthusiasm and energy from its two leads, who deploy a range of voices and breathtaking energy to create a series of voices for puppet characters, a bedtime story becomes a silly oddball tale about four souls stuck in purgatory. With puppets. And various toilet humour references. It’s currently playing at Upstairs At The Gatehouse . The piece starts as a bedtime story. Daddy (Mark Underwood) is about to read a bedtime story for Louise (Sarah Louise Hughes). But her stomach felt funny, and soon, she went to the bathroom. Then, for reasons that seem to only make sense in the confines of the show, they start telling the story of four people who died in unfortunate circumstances in the bathroom. Depicted as puppets, they’re stuck in purgatory as St Peter doesn’t have enough space for each of them in the afterlife. And so begins a puppe...

A whole lot of soul: Cynthia Erivo in concert


Last Monday night was an opportunity for Cythia Erivo to strut her stuff in her first solo concert. Whether it is a quiet softly sung ballad or belting out a showstopper there does not seem to be anything she cannot do.

She has been a rising star in the West End with stand out performances in The Color Purple, Dessa Rose and Sister Act, but here she was able to showcase a range of musical styles, and her phenomenal vocal range.
The choice of music was an inspired choice of soul classics, musical theatre and intricate original songs written by Erivo.

The original songs were particularly stunning and personal, filled with emotions and reflection. Her song Fly Before You Fall is part of the film Beyond the Lights (which has yet to have a UK release date).

But she also let things rip with an electrifying rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “Ain’t No Way” that had the audience screaming with delight and on its feet for the first standing ovation.

By the time she concluded the evening with “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going” the audience were ecstatic, as evident in the clip made available through the West End Video Youtube channel. The release of the video has caused endless chatter given that there may be a West End production of Dreamgirls in the not too distant future...

Kings Place is a particularly classy venue with its comfortable seating and wood panelling (it must be terrific for chamber orchestra concerts). But adding to the sophistication was the five piece band under the musical direction of Tom Deering and their exceptional musical arrangements.

A fine evening of music making and I can’t wait for the album to come out… First impressions with @johnnyfoxlondon follow...

listen to ‘Soul Boom: first impressions of @cynthiaerivo concert with @johnnyfoxlondon’ on audioBoom

⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎

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