We take a look at what is being said about the highly anticipated UK premiere of the musical…
WhatsOnStage: *** “The idea has legs and, as Jason Manford comments in his programme interview, there’s something winningly Blackadder about it in concept. But it’s just a little too sterilised to reach its full potential. The jokes are almost rude, almost funny, and there’s a constant tugging in the sentimental direction which limpens the plot. That said, it’s a musical theatre enthusiast’s dream, with innumerable references to pretty much every musical ever staged.”
The Guardian: “As Manford has noted, there’s a whiff of Blackadder to all this. But Wayne and Karey Kirkpatrick’s musical, with a book co-written by longtime Guardian columnist John O’Farrell, is also a warm tale of brotherly love, affection nestling alongside the jesting. The lyrics are ridiculously witty yet also borrow from Polonius’s speech to Laertes – “to thine own self be true” – with moving results. Above all the show manages to both celebrate and lampoon Shakespeare and the musical genre at the same time.”
Broadway World: **** “Among the hot satire, crisp humour, and easy quips, even the most on-the-nose gag works. The comical aspect probably hits differently in a country where Shakespeare is the king of kings than it did in New York, and the direction of the production sees slight changes even at a staged concert state.
Musical Theatre Musings: **** “The set was kept simple and being billed as a concert it didn’t need anything more and in fact demonstrated that for some of these concerts when it comes to set and lighting less can be more. The choreography by Tim Jackson and Claira Vaughan and was struck at the perfect level. We were able to get a flavour of what a full scale show would be like from it and it was used cleverly to enhance the comedy but equally it wasn’t so elaborate that it didn’t look polished (as can sometimes be the way with the current tranche of musical theatre concerts).”
Musical Theatre Review: ***** “Newcomer Hackforth makes an endearing impression as Nigel, showcasing a charming vulnerability and hopefully this is the start of big things for him. But the show belongs to Fleeshman, who swaggers around the stage like a caddish Jack Sparrow and clearly loves every second of it. It’s a great reminder of what a fantastic actor Fleeshman is, not to mention the strength of the vocals that he puts behind his performance, and he’s an absolute knockout in this. He’s been gone from our stages for too long and we can only hope this marks the start of a regular return for him.”