Post by michaela on Jun 26, 2007 12:01:00 GMT 1
Understudies:
Suzy Stanley – Sophie
Deryn Edwards – Tanya ;D
Marc Leslie – Sky
Gerard Leighton-Duffy – Sam
Peter Challis – Father Alexander
Nia covering Deryn
Tim covering Gerard/Peter
From the first note of the overture I knew this was to be an amazing show, there was just a certain vibe in the auditorium which gave me that feeling the moment I came inside the theatre (but then I was on a high anyway after the West End Live performance) – and what an incredible show it was.
Weeks/days before going to the show on Saturday I had mentioned that for the show in August I wanted Suzy, Marc and Deryn to be on and now I was to have that experience already in June. It obviously was just to be this month already.
My top highlight of the show just simply is Deryn as Tanya – one word about her: perfect.
She has absolutely everything I want to see and hear in the portrayal of Tanya. Her Tanya is sassy, classy, elegant and posh, but also affectionate and caring at the same time.
She has an amazing singing voice (such an impressive vocal range as well) and she just harmonised so marvellously with Jo and Linzi and not trying to do her own thing.
Especially her “Does Your Mother Know?” was a huge show stopper. There was such a spark between her and Ben’s Pepper. I just couldn’t take my eyes of the two during that scene. She plays with the boys, she flirts with them, but she also keeps the distance she has to keep as after all she could be their mother. This number finally was fun to watch again! For me Deryn just IS Tanya, I cannot wait to see her again in that role!
My other highlight was Gerard as Sam. After seeing him already in April on Ben’s first night back, I couldn’t believe my luck that I was to see him again so soon.
While I like Iain’s Sam and any other Sam's I have seen since seeing the show the first time, there is something in Gerard’s Sam which touches me down to the bottom of my heart. His “Knowing Me, Knowing You” actually made me have tears in my eyes, so much I wanted his Sam to find peace – and him and Linzi just sounded and looked like made for each other – I didn’t want their “SOS” to be over. Gerard is such an excellent singer (wished I had seen him in Les Miserables) and his acting gives (for me) the right picture of the role of Sam – a bit arrogant on one hand, but also hurt and heartbroken on the other hand – his performance of Sam was certainly one of the best I have ever seen (I even had to tell him afterward – something I normally do not do). I really wanna see him as Bill now to see how he plays that role – anyone any idea when Paul is off???
Linzi was incredible again; third time seeing her and it is for me one of the most magnificent experiences in London’s West End I can think of at the moment. With whomever she performs together in a scene with, her Donna is just spot-on. Every line, whether spoken or sung, is prodigiously performed, every single gesture, facial impression, movement just look so natural, so convincing – whatever role I saw her in the past she was giving nothing else but everything and these days she gives me the feeling she gives even more.
I was also happy about finally seeing Suzy and Marc as Sophie and Sky. Suzy’s Sophie was a pleasure to watch. While she does not have the sweetness as e.g. Tasha had, in her speaking voice, her acting and singing voice show this. She occasionally reminded me of Tasha (certainly not a bad thing), especially during “Slipping Through My Fingers”. She is definitely a delightful Sophie to watch and to listen to and her performance with Marc was enrapturing.
Marc as Sky was something I had wanted to see for a long time. Most people on here know that I am slightly biased since he was my first Eddie when seeing the show the first time in Hamburg years ago. I have always loved his Eddie, so I had been curious how he would play Sky – well, and what shall I say, surprisingly, he totally convinced me. What I especially enjoyed about his Sky was not just mainly charming or just mainly funny and smart – his Sky is a mix. He has the extra charm I miss in Paul, and he is funny what I was occasionally missing in Gareth (as much as I loved him). For the first time in ages the conversation before “Lay All Your Love On Me” made me actually smile and laugh.
Kieran as Eddie and Ben as Pepper were also such a splendid and hilarious joy to watch. Kieran just makes me laugh whenever I watch him. His conversation with Donna just before “One Of Us” when the boys come back early in the morning just had me in stitches. His facial impressions alone are a legend these days – the one thing I really wonder is how much of the madness he actually shows onstage is his own and how much is acting as it must be tiring if this madness is not already a part of yourself. Ben as Pepper, what can I say, I have never said before about him. Nothing really, but to repeat myself, everyone knows that I adore Ben, I love his Pepper. I just find it so impressive how he finds the energy and power to be in top form every single performance I see with him. He has been my favourite since seeing the 2005/2006 cast the first time in May 2005 (on a Tuesday after a horrible weekend), and I still remember that happy feeling and the big smile I left the theatre with – watching him onstage alone gives me still, even after seeing the show over 30 times with him now, this feeling, the rest of the cast gives then that little extra.
Anyway, the rest of the ensemble was wonderful to watch, Jo was as awesome as in the last dozen shows, I adore her Rosie so much. Steven as Harry was fun too, once again I was not wandering off with my mind during “Our Last Summer” (which used to happen a lot), but what is more important, after the first two shows with this cast, on Saturday I actually had the feeling the cast was performing the show as a unity with so much energy onstage and in the auditorium as well – they really got the audience going with half of the audience standing from the first encore. I really felt I was finally at home again (well my third home after my home here and the Prince Edward theatre lol). ;D
Suzy Stanley – Sophie
Deryn Edwards – Tanya ;D
Marc Leslie – Sky
Gerard Leighton-Duffy – Sam
Peter Challis – Father Alexander
Nia covering Deryn
Tim covering Gerard/Peter
From the first note of the overture I knew this was to be an amazing show, there was just a certain vibe in the auditorium which gave me that feeling the moment I came inside the theatre (but then I was on a high anyway after the West End Live performance) – and what an incredible show it was.
Weeks/days before going to the show on Saturday I had mentioned that for the show in August I wanted Suzy, Marc and Deryn to be on and now I was to have that experience already in June. It obviously was just to be this month already.
My top highlight of the show just simply is Deryn as Tanya – one word about her: perfect.
She has absolutely everything I want to see and hear in the portrayal of Tanya. Her Tanya is sassy, classy, elegant and posh, but also affectionate and caring at the same time.
She has an amazing singing voice (such an impressive vocal range as well) and she just harmonised so marvellously with Jo and Linzi and not trying to do her own thing.
Especially her “Does Your Mother Know?” was a huge show stopper. There was such a spark between her and Ben’s Pepper. I just couldn’t take my eyes of the two during that scene. She plays with the boys, she flirts with them, but she also keeps the distance she has to keep as after all she could be their mother. This number finally was fun to watch again! For me Deryn just IS Tanya, I cannot wait to see her again in that role!
My other highlight was Gerard as Sam. After seeing him already in April on Ben’s first night back, I couldn’t believe my luck that I was to see him again so soon.
While I like Iain’s Sam and any other Sam's I have seen since seeing the show the first time, there is something in Gerard’s Sam which touches me down to the bottom of my heart. His “Knowing Me, Knowing You” actually made me have tears in my eyes, so much I wanted his Sam to find peace – and him and Linzi just sounded and looked like made for each other – I didn’t want their “SOS” to be over. Gerard is such an excellent singer (wished I had seen him in Les Miserables) and his acting gives (for me) the right picture of the role of Sam – a bit arrogant on one hand, but also hurt and heartbroken on the other hand – his performance of Sam was certainly one of the best I have ever seen (I even had to tell him afterward – something I normally do not do). I really wanna see him as Bill now to see how he plays that role – anyone any idea when Paul is off???
Linzi was incredible again; third time seeing her and it is for me one of the most magnificent experiences in London’s West End I can think of at the moment. With whomever she performs together in a scene with, her Donna is just spot-on. Every line, whether spoken or sung, is prodigiously performed, every single gesture, facial impression, movement just look so natural, so convincing – whatever role I saw her in the past she was giving nothing else but everything and these days she gives me the feeling she gives even more.
I was also happy about finally seeing Suzy and Marc as Sophie and Sky. Suzy’s Sophie was a pleasure to watch. While she does not have the sweetness as e.g. Tasha had, in her speaking voice, her acting and singing voice show this. She occasionally reminded me of Tasha (certainly not a bad thing), especially during “Slipping Through My Fingers”. She is definitely a delightful Sophie to watch and to listen to and her performance with Marc was enrapturing.
Marc as Sky was something I had wanted to see for a long time. Most people on here know that I am slightly biased since he was my first Eddie when seeing the show the first time in Hamburg years ago. I have always loved his Eddie, so I had been curious how he would play Sky – well, and what shall I say, surprisingly, he totally convinced me. What I especially enjoyed about his Sky was not just mainly charming or just mainly funny and smart – his Sky is a mix. He has the extra charm I miss in Paul, and he is funny what I was occasionally missing in Gareth (as much as I loved him). For the first time in ages the conversation before “Lay All Your Love On Me” made me actually smile and laugh.
Kieran as Eddie and Ben as Pepper were also such a splendid and hilarious joy to watch. Kieran just makes me laugh whenever I watch him. His conversation with Donna just before “One Of Us” when the boys come back early in the morning just had me in stitches. His facial impressions alone are a legend these days – the one thing I really wonder is how much of the madness he actually shows onstage is his own and how much is acting as it must be tiring if this madness is not already a part of yourself. Ben as Pepper, what can I say, I have never said before about him. Nothing really, but to repeat myself, everyone knows that I adore Ben, I love his Pepper. I just find it so impressive how he finds the energy and power to be in top form every single performance I see with him. He has been my favourite since seeing the 2005/2006 cast the first time in May 2005 (on a Tuesday after a horrible weekend), and I still remember that happy feeling and the big smile I left the theatre with – watching him onstage alone gives me still, even after seeing the show over 30 times with him now, this feeling, the rest of the cast gives then that little extra.
Anyway, the rest of the ensemble was wonderful to watch, Jo was as awesome as in the last dozen shows, I adore her Rosie so much. Steven as Harry was fun too, once again I was not wandering off with my mind during “Our Last Summer” (which used to happen a lot), but what is more important, after the first two shows with this cast, on Saturday I actually had the feeling the cast was performing the show as a unity with so much energy onstage and in the auditorium as well – they really got the audience going with half of the audience standing from the first encore. I really felt I was finally at home again (well my third home after my home here and the Prince Edward theatre lol). ;D
Bit gutted. Until next time, i suppose!
