Day: 4 December 2019

THIS Theatre Royal Bath Production of Daphne Du Maurier’s ‘My Cousin Rachel’ adapted splendidly for the stage by Joseph O’Connor, is quite a theatrical shot in the arm.

Set in a sinister ancient house on a desolate tidal island off the Cornish Coast, this is gorgeous Gothic splendor from the get-go. Here lays a house where mystery lurks round every dark corner. The sea laps gently at times and fearsomely at others, blue skies turn to black, lightening strikes at appropriate times and sea mist hovers throughout.

The pièce de résistance of designer Richard Kent’s quite remarkable set is a huge revolve which takes a winding central staircase from the interior and turns it into an outdoor balcony overlooking the sea.

It is well known that Daphne Du Maurier wrestled with her sexuality throughout her life and this reflected in her creation of some of literatures most powerful females – I write of course of Rebecca as well as Rachel.

Birmingham School of Acting trained and ‘Call the Midwife’ star, Helen George is wonderful in the title role, to give her, her full title Rachel Coryn Ashley – aka the twice-widowed Countess Sangalletti. I didn’t know the story very well and am certainly not going to put a spoiler in here if you don’t know it how it all ends up either. Suffice it to say that George takes us splendidly on her journey from humble almost subservient beginnings – growing into a towering dominatrix, consuming all in her path.

George is well supported by Jack Holden as Philip Ashley as the ‘woe-is-me’ young man who is about to inherit the Cornish stately pile and travels his own journey from Rachel hate to Rachel love and back to hate again with the necessary melodramatic aplomb.

Simon Shepherd plays Ashley’s mentor and chum Nicholas Kendall who deftly handles his journey of dedication and doubt through to downright suspicion of dastardly deeds afoot. There is welcome comedic relief from the darkness in the form of Sean Murray as the old retainer John Seecombe and my special heads up is to Christopher Hollis as a splendidly camp Italian lawyer Guido Rainaldi who, much to Ashley’s annoyance, treats Rachel as his personal fag hag.

David Plater’s lighting design is deliciously spooky, with the sound composition by  Max Pappenheim adding atmosphere in abundance. This production still has to grow to fill every crevice of the wondrous set and do Du Maurier’s wonderful words full justice, but I believe it is ultimately West End bound where it will reside comfortably for a long run

My Cousin Rachel runs at Malvern Theatres until Saturday.

Click here for times, tickets and more information.

****Review by Euan Rose.

THE MUCH-loved legend of American children’s literature, Theodore ‘Dr’ Seuss, wrote ‘How the Grinch stole Christmas’ over six decades ago back in 1957. He penned it in rhymed verse and also illustrated it himself.

In 1966, it was adapted as an animation featuring the voice of Boris Karloff and then 34 years later at the millennium became much more widely known in this country via the live action film starring Jim Carrey. Only last year, a new animated version was made featuring Benedict Cumberbatch.

The musical, with book and lyrics by Timothy Mason and original score by Mel Marvin made its debut in Minneapolis in November 1994, after special arrangements had been made with the Dr Seuss estate to exclusively adapt and perform the book.

It opened on Broadway in 2006 and now finally gets its UK premiere at our own Alexandra Theatre here in Birmingham.

The production is refreshingly true to the book in that the dialogue remains in rhymed verse and the quite wonderful set is like a series of black-and-white hand drawings coming to life.

As if to endorse the homage to Dr Seuss a group of children from the audience are invited onto the stage pre-curtain where the stage manager reads the start of the original book to them before we are transformed to Whoville.

Our narrator is a dog, well two dogs actually – West End veteran Steve Fortune immediately endears as ‘Old Max’ whilst X Factor winner Matt Terry, is as deft on his feet as he is with his lungs as ‘Young Max’.

Talent abounds everywhere with stand out ‘Who citizen’ performances from Karen Ascoe as Grandma, David Bardsley as Grandpa, Holly Dale Spencer as Mama and Alan Pearson as Papa Who.

Edward Baker-Duly is truly magical as the grumpy Grinch, the poor misguided solitary creature who goes on a mission to steal everything Christmassy from the homes of the citizens of Whoville on Christmas Eve.  Baker-Duly dances, sings and cajoles us into believing he is indeed the Grinch personified.

The story is a sort of morality tale and whilst the Grinch does indeed try to ruin that ‘most wonderful time of the year;’ along with him we remember the true meaning of Christmas not the commercial one which leaves many a family in debt for months.

There are four young girls playing Cindy Lou Who – on press night we witnessed the amazing talents of Isla Gie – not just a star in the making but one that has arrived. At just nine years old she has already toured the UK in Les Miserables and now this, where the entire audience took her heartstring tugging performance into their hearts.

Shout-outs to Costume Designer Robert Morgan for stunning and ‘Who’ accurate  frocks, likewise John Lee Beatty for his storybook set, Matt August as a Director who makes the journey clear, Choreographer Bob Richard for the faultless footwork and Richard John the musical director whose baton conducts an orchestra par excellence.

This Grinch doesn’t steal Christmas he makes it – why we even get snow falling in the auditorium as the story ends – sending us happily out into the night a merry bunch.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas runs until Saturday, December 7, at the Alexandra Theatre.

Click here for times, tickets and more information.

A long time-coming but this UK premiere is well worth the wait.

****Review by Euan Rose.