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| From left to right: Elena Sancho Pereg, Liam Tobin, Beau Middlebrook, Armando Yearwood, Lower picture: Jet Boys |
If you’re one of the few who haven’t
seen the perennial show West Side Story, be sure to catch the current
international touring production playing at Saddlers Wells Theatre, as it is
nothing short of sensational. Director, Joey McNeely has proved that by staying
true to the original 1957* classic with Jerome Robbins revolutionary
choreography and Leonard Bernstein
timeless score, this show still has huge appeal and relevance to modern
audiences of all ages.
Before making it’s way to London’s
West End the show has toured throughout Europe, playing at renowned houses like
the Chatelet in Paris, and the beautiful San Carlo Opera House in Naples.
The cast and crew of over forty have
an affinity for their respective roles and work well together to pull off this
show. Elena Sancho Pereg and Liam Tobin, who played Maria and Tony
respectively, were convincing as desperate young lovers who simply chose the
wrong person to fall in love with. Be that as it may, we all know how that goes
– once you fall, you fall hard and you can’t change it. The character of Anita is a firecracker of a woman and
the audience wasn’t
disappointed one little bit with Penelope Armstead-Williams’ portrayal of her. When she came on stage
it was impossible to think that nothing salty was going to come out of her
mouth.
Jerome Robbin’s choreography plays a
critical part in the shows narrative and is essentially what made this
particular production of West Side Story so great. The dancers executed the
moves so well that it made the audience feel like it was the natural thing to
do when you’re in New York
City: Dance. When the finger snapping Jets couldn’t contain their teenage
hormones any longer, they take it out on the rival gang ‘sharks.’ The
meticulously choreographed stage fights have you sitting on the edge of your
seat. Specifically, when watching Beau Middlebrook’s performance as Snowboy in
the famous ‘spit’ scene. The audience fell silent as they watched Middlebrook’s tall, athletic
stature defy gravity and fly across the stage at his adversary. (pictured left)
How about that Leonard Bernstein
score? Does it ever get old? The audience didn’t think so. They ate up every ounce of that magnificent score from
beginning to end. Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics still work and they were
sung beautifully by each member of the very talented cast particularly by the
shows two leads. Miss Pereg, though a tiny thing, has a voice larger than life
itself and Mr Tobin’s rendition of ‘Maria’ had the audience reaching for
tissues.
The play is worth seeing simply for
the excitement of being in the same room as all the great musicians and
performers. To be that close to real people who are really singing and dancing
and crying and yelling and laughing is something akin to being actually really
and truly alive. It’s just
something you can never experience sitting in front of a television or in a
movie house. “The play’s the
thing,” wrote Shakespeare, whose Romeo and Juliet West Side Story is based
upon. But you already knew that. I recommend booking tickets now as you don’t
want to miss out on this one. Playing until September 22.
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