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Wee liberties: Beauty and The Beast: A Horny Love Story at Charing Cross Theatre

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It may not be a tale as old as time, but it’s still the same old story, almost, with Beauty and the Beast: A Horny Love Story currently playing at the Charing Cross Theatre .  As the title suggests, this is not family holiday entertainment, but neither is it all gay gore. And a surprisingly large number of clever gags, a gorgeous-looking production, costumes, and an ensemble make for a classy night out with the occasional lashing of sluttiness.  It’s been a while since I have seen an adults-only panto. Like many things at the theatre—ticket prices, opening nights, age of social media influencers—things have changed. Happily, things have changed for the better here. The show focuses on assembling an excellent cast. Elaborate costumes by Robert Draper and David Shields’ set pieces help give this adult panto a touch of class. There are the usual lewd jokes and a quick flash of buttocks.   The setting of the story is in the northernmost village of Scotland, Lickmanochers. Not...

Try to say no to this: In The Heights @Intheheightsldn


It's been over a year since In The Heights stormed London. It is back at the Kings Cross Theatre sounding even better than before.

This is a thrilling show directed by Luke Sheppard. It's full of terrific performances, spectacular choreography by Drew McOnie and a pulsating latin, pop and hip-hop-fused musical score by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
With a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes, it is a slice of life from Washington Heights New York during one hot summer. The neighbourhood is changing with rents going up and people moving out. Yet there is hope and someone in the neighbourhood has won the lottery.

The cast includes Sam Mackay in the lead as Usnavi, David Bedella, Josie Benson, a wonderfully hilarious (and fabulously pregnant) Victoria Hamilton-Barritt and former Sugababe Jade Ewen. Broadway star Joe Aaron Reid has also joined the cast as Benny.

It's interesting that in this show yet again finds itself playing in a neighbourhood of significant change (Kings Cross). And as for Washington Heights, in the years since it was written the future of corner stores that feature in the show are even bleaker.

But despite the reality there is so much fun to be had in this piece. It will have you grooving along in your seat or wanting to get up and dance with the cast.

Miranda, who is taking the musical theatre world by storm again with his period musical Hamilton talks about In The Heights in this recent New York Times podcast. He describes how hip hop, musical theatre and the muppets were among the sounds he grew up with... Something we can all relate to...

In The Heights is sharing the Kings Cross Theatre with the Railway Children and so there are some nice touches with the railway station entrance covered in graffiti and New York Subway signs (which no doubt will be removed so they don't confuse the children too much). It is running through to January. Worth catching more than once.

⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎

 

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