FAME - THEATRE REVIEW

FAME AT THE WOLVERHAMPTON GRAND THEATRE

Theatre Run: Monday 03 - Saturday 08 March 2014

Performance Reviewed: Monday 03 March 2014 (Press Night)

Reviewed by Kyle Pedley

The original Fame was a product of its time, a minor cultural zeitgeist that went on to spawn not just its own TV spinoff and international theatre production, but a whole host of imitators and pretenders, with it’s inspiration and general premise permeating through theatre, television and film even to this day (the likes of High School Musical, Glee, Smash and many more were born here). After the woefully misjudged 2009 attempt at rejuvenating and renovating the original to cater to contemporary cinema audiences (a mission which, judging by it’s critical and box office mauling, failed painfully so), it has unsurprisingly taken a trip to the boards to make Fame not only relevant in its message and ethos to modern audiences, but an overall thoroughly satisfying, exuberant and kinetic theatre-going experience courtesy of this new 25th Anniversary production.

EVITA - THEATRE REVIEW

EVITA AT THE WOLVERHAMPTON GRAND THEATRE

Theatre Run: Monday 19 - Saturday 31 August
Performance Reviewed: Tuesday 20 August (Press Night)

Reviewed by Kyle Pedley

Once again the theatrical juggernaut of Andrew Lloyd Webber comes to the Midlands as his musical biopic of Argentinian First Lady Eva Peron arrives in Wolverhampton in the form of the ever popular Evita. One of Lloyd Webber’s most prolific and celebrated shows and part of his select early trifecta of collaborations with lyricist Tim Rice, this latest UK tour, courtesy of the illustrious Bill Kenwright and company, is a bold, sweeping and ambitious treat that boasts tremendous staging and production design, a wealth of now ubiquitous and beloved musical numbers, and a truly astonishing central performance which all culminate in one of the most opulent, impressive and majestic touring productions of recent memory.