Since I’ve been gone for so long, I thought I would publish a catch-up post with a few words about each of the productions I’ve seen over the past year. That way, I will have caught up and not feel so guilty! I’ve seen a lot, just haven’t reported it here.

Bend it like Beckham (WE): The football loses its power in the transition to the stage, but this is an utterly charming ode to multicultural London and the power of female friendship.

Memphis (WE): Beverley Knight is amazing as always, but dodgy American accents and a slightly odd book made this one nice to see, rather than must-see.

Gypsy (WE): Imelda Staunton is an absolute revelation and surely a lock for the Olivier. A triumph and a delight.

Fiddler on the Roof (Grange Park): Bryn Terfel is, shall we say, not a natural choice for the role of Tevye, but his singing was exquisite and his acting gaining in subtlety. So glad I caught this one.

High Society (Old Vic): Now THAT’s how you do a fluffy musical. Enjoyable from beginning to end, with beautiful staging using very little; a scene where the staff set out lights around the “pool” was extraordinarily beautiful.  Kate Fleetwood a delight as usual.

Sweeney Todd (ENO): Emma Thompson had a surprisingly good singing voice, but her frankly cartoonish acting choices did not impress me (I am aware I am in the minority on this one). Similarly, Bryn Terfel’s singing was stunning but his acting lacking here. Memories of the fantastic Imelda Staunton/Michael Ball production were too strong for me.

Cats (WE): I wanted to see it because I had never seen it on stage and loved the soundtrack when I was growing up. I was impressed by Nicole Scherzinger, to whom I had never given much thought. Other than that, it was utterly silly and best left to children.

Sunny Afternoon (WE): I was not expecting much from this (never thought much about the Kinks before) but the songs were strong and the book matched them. A very British musical, and an unexpected pleasure.

Beautiful (WE): Katie Brayben was wonderful as Carole King. It was probably impossible to mess this one up, given Carole King’s superlative back catalogue, but it was a lovely and moving musical.

Made in Dagenham (WE): Gemma Arterton was charming, but there was very little “there” there. A slight concoction, and I’m not surprised it closed relatively early.

From Here to Eternity (WE): A talented cast and a strong story and they made this mediocrity? The book was all right but the songs were forgettable. I was pleased to see Darius from Pop Idol, though.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (WE): This was a silly musical that relied entirely on charm. Robert Lindsay was charming enough, but I was not part of the target demographic. The target audience lapped it up but it left me a trifle cold. The presence of the always wonderful Samantha Bond saved it for me.

The Scottsboro Boys (WE from Young Vic): I bought tickets to this at least three times, and something always prevented me from going. Finally, I made it and I’m so glad I did. Funny, moving and ultimately enraging, it was a triumph.

Porgy and Bess (Open Air): A beautiful production that worked well in the Open  Air format. Gorgeous singing and impeccable acting made for a delightful afternoon.

Next up: the epic plays catch-up post.