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Brief awakenings: White Rose The Musical @MaryleboneTHLDN

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A fascinating and daring act of defiance in Nazi Germany by a group of university students in Munich is given a slightly perplexing rock musical treatment in White Rose, the musical. Something seems amiss in this earnest and occasionally tuneful show. It lags more than it inspires, which is surprising given the tragic and compelling history of the real-life characters the show depicts. Given that young people are increasingly likely to vote for far-right parties across Europe, it’s an opportunity to look at a time when they had a different perspective on the future. Perhaps something has been lost in the translation or the larger space of the Marylebone Theatre where it plays.  The White Rose were a group of university students in Munich who sought to undermine the Third Reich through publication of a series of pamphlets urging passive resistance to the Nazi regime. Over a brief period between June 1942 and February 1943, they distributed their pamphlets across campus using ...

Reality bites: Summer Street @WaterlooEast



Shows that call themselves hilarious are setting a high bar for themselves. Summer Street the hilarious Aussie soap opera musical, alas does not live up to its name. Despite the enthusiastic cast, and a title song that will remain an earworm long after you've left the show. It's currently playing at Waterloo East theatre.

The premise is that a few years after the cancelling of the first (and ever) soap opera with musical numbers, its stars reunite for a one-off episode. The years have not been kind to the former cast members. Drugs, drinking or dirty costumes seemed to have befallen them. But the "secret" plan is to make this reunion show more geared to the reality era.


It works best when it's just a silly soap opera where the cast doubles as partners and parents of various characters on the neighbourhood street. But many of the jokes fall flat, and it also misses the opportunity to make others - such as the cast doubling various roles or how hideous the set looks.

The piece with book, music and lyrics by Andrew Norris has evolved over the years to its current form as a musical within a musical. But the attempts to make a comment on the state of British television come across as naive and simplistic. Particularly in the week that the classic contestant bear-baiting reality show Jeremy Kyle was finally cancelled by ITV. The songs don't always help either with their pastiche of eighties sounds and awkward lyrics, even if the title song is awfully catchy.

The cast tries hard to get things to work. Sarah-Louise Young is hilarious in her various wigs and has some great vocals. So does Myke Cotton (who also gets to show off his pecs and abs). Simon Snashall and Julie Clare make great sparring partners. But it still feels a bit like a wasted opportunity.

Directed by Andrew Norris, Summer Street, the hilarious Aussie Soap Opera Musical is at the Waterloo East Theatre until 2 June.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Photos by Simon Snashall

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