The excitement, the hoopla, the slebs – they were all in place at the New Theatre this evening for the opening night of the much anticipated Gone With The Wind. I was excited too. It’s so rare that I get to see a show when I don’t have to review it. Now I am one of GWTW’s biggest fans. I won’t say that I am a fan of the novel as I have never read it. The movie grabbed me, with it’s sweeping story of love and war, corsets and sweeping skirts, romance and betrayal set in the Southern States. Those who groan at the thought of sitting through the movie should try it – at least once. David O Selznick was a genius and crafted a movie that deserved every one of it’s ten Academy Awards.
This musical is the York Notes version with songs. The fascinating story is virtually unbreakable, the actors do rather well (despite some frightful attempts at accents) under the circumstances with Darius a particularly strong Butler and Jill Paice an acceptable O’Hara. The problem comes from the severely diluted story. All the episodes are in place but there is no breathing space between them so that we appear to have more narration than dialogue. The lacklustre songs manage to frame the highlights of the story rather than tell it, which lets face it, are the role of songs in successful musical theatre.
What we have here is Margaret Martin’s first musical, full of the pedestrian mistakes expected from somebody new to the craft. When this happens in a small fringe theatre, with a budget of a grand actors working on a profit share it may be put down to experience. Martin hasn’t had this luxury and boy, does it show. Let’s hope she is as resilient as her biography in the theatre programme makes out.
I have this unexplainable dilike for Darius, which would prevent me from going to see the show....The film was just remarkable and seeryone, even my teenagae son knows of it!!!!
ReplyDeleteSo overall not one to put on my list of must see then paul....phew thank you..xx
lololol...ah crap, I hit post before I fixed my inevitable typos... sorry
ReplyDeleteI have this unexplainable dis-like for Darius, which would prevent me from going to see the show....The film was just remarkable and everyone, even my teenage son knows of it!!!!
So over all not one to put on my list of must see then Paul eh?....phew thank you..xx
Darius, who wasn't too bad at all, appears to be the only person who has come out smelling of roses through this whole debacle. His personal notices are quite good. Jill Paice, bless her, who is playing Scarlett has not been seen since the opening night as she immediately developed a throat infection. Had she been a bigger player in the West End, then one might suspect she was in hiding.
ReplyDelete