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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...

Little rocks: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes @TheUnionTheatre

Two ladies looking for wealthy men to marry might seem like an unusual musical for revival in this #metoo era. But with Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, the Union Theatre transforms into a bubbling 1920s escapist fantasy. Amongst the froth, there are also some shrewd observations about harassment and survival in a man’s world. And with a terrific cast, exhilarating dance numbers and a fabulous set and costumes, it has to be one of the best things to see on the fringe right now.

The tale of blonde gold-digger from Little Rock may be forever associated with Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell. Walking into the Union Theatre with its red stage feels like a reminder this is the show where Marilyn performs Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend. But the musical, which dates from an earlier, more risque time has a lot more to say than the film. Unwanted advances, criminal charges and a revolutionary device that will change the face of fashion. It’s all here among some exuberant musical numbers.

The mood is set from the start with a dazzling opening number led by Eleanor Lakin, and it never seems to let up. Particularly with the exciting dance sequences choreographed by Zak Nemorin and musical direction by Henry Brennan.

Abigayle Honeywill as the high pitched Lorelei has a great sense of comic timing and rich vocals. The rest of the cast serve the material well too and there are possibly a few stars in the making here.

The musical is based on Anita Loos best selling novel about various escapades of a blonde bombshell, Lorelei. She’s a gold-digger from the wrong side of the tracks and looking for a man. For dubious reasons she’s alone with her friend Dorothy as they travel across the Atlantic on their way to Paris. There are enough plots and subplots to boggle the mind, but the music by Julie Stone and lyrics by Leo Robin is full of memorable tunes. This production makes it a thrilling revival of a rarely seen musical in London.

Directed by Sasha Regan, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is at The Union Theatre until 26 October.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️



Photos by Mark Senior

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