We have been here, there and everywhere this month. Here’s a round up of all the shows that we’ve managed to catch in May!
Heathers: The Musical – The Other Palace, Victoria – 1 May, 2022
We’re no strangers to Heathers: The Musical. And this wasn’t the first time we’d ever been to see the show either. But this was the last time that we’d get to see a lot of the cast who brought the show back to its original home at The Other Palace, so this night was special. What was originally supposed to be closing night before the show extended (for the second time) until 4 September 2022, the show was sold out and it truly was a Corn Nuts show! At every opportunity there was a standing ovation for those cast members leaving. Those leaving the cast are Inez Budd (Heather Duke), Lizzie Bea (Martha Dunnstock), Tom Scanlon (Ram Sweeney), George Maddison (Kurt Kelly), Steven Serlin (Kurt’s Dad, Big Bud Dean, Coach Ripper), Eliza Waters, Jordan Cunningham, and Jermaine Woods. For those wondering what a Corn Nuts show is as well, you’d know if you’d been in one! Everyone should have the joy of experiencing it at some point – and you’ve got until 4 September to do just that!
Pickle – Park Theatre, Finsbury Park – 4 May 2022
AD – Press Night tickets: If you’ve ever seen The CW show Crazy Ex Girlfriend, then you’d love Pickle. As part of the Come What May Festival at the Park Theatre we got the opportunity to see this one woman (Deli Segal), one act show focusing on how faith and modern society intertwine. This particular dark comedy focused heavily on Judaism and how this fits into the life of a 30 year old from North London. Although a lot of the jokes and references were not aimed at us personally, as two individuals who do not practice the faith, we still had a fantastic time and found ourselves laughing along. Although this was a limited run of a show that was very much a work in progress, we’re very excited to see where this show ends up next. Watch this space, because we will be keeping a very close eye on this. You can follow the show’s growth on Instagram and Twitter.
Anyone Can Whistle – Southwark Playhouse – 5 May 2022
What may have been Sondheim’s flop has certainly been Southwark Playhouse’s success! The original 1964 musical closed on Broadway after 9 performances (and 12 previews), but has had nothing but good reviews during its run this time around. A political satire about conformity and the ostracisation of those considered ‘other’ in society. Set in a fictional town where the government controls everything, even the miracles, this show was a joy to watch. Although at times it was a bit difficult to follow, the fresh faced and largely newly graduated cast brought the eccentricity of their characters to life flawlessly. We’d love to see a transfer to a bigger stage, just so we can see it again, but it is quite a niche show so whether that will happen is yet to be seen. You can find out more about this particular production on the Southwark Playhouse archives.
La bohème – The Kings Head Theatre Pub, Islington – 6 May 2022
AD – Press tickets: Opera isn’t to everyone’s taste for a multitude of reasons – mainly it’s due to a lack of accessibility both in the pricing of the tickets but also in the material on stage. However, La bohème successfully tackles both of these issues by bringing a Puccini classic to a modern audience. Combining modern pop cultural references with an intimate pub theatre setting, this retelling of the show that inspired RENT does a lot to bring this art form to a new audience. The LGBTQ+ take on the opera was incredibly refreshing, despite the tragedy surrounding the narrative. We’d love to see this piece come back on a bigger stage so will be keeping a close eye on the future of this production. You can read more about this production here.
Pretty Woman – Savoy Theatre – 11 May 2022
Based on the film of the same name, Pretty Woman is a must-see for lovers of rock musicals. With a strong score that’s bound to get your feet tapping, we really enjoyed our trip to Hollywood – despite not going in entirely sold on the concept! Led by the sensational Aimie Atkinson, the production combines the music with strong choreography, a vibrant set and some wonderful comedic set-pieces leaving us on a high. Whilst the book is more-or-less a carbon copy of the film, with some elements seeming somewhat problematic through 2022 eyes, the show as a whole is an enjoyable experience – we certainly didn’t want to be ‘Anywhere But Here’!
Ordinary Days – Cockpit Theatre – 13 May 2022
One of our stand-out gems of the year to date was a short run of Ordinary Days, a one-act musical set in the days after 9/11. The show follows the lives of four seemingly-ordinary people and how their paths cross and intertwine, exploring how the most mundane of encounters can lead to wonderful new friendships. Whilst the connection to 9/11 doesn’t immediately leap out, the message is as relevant today as it was 20 years ago – sometimes, taking a moment to stop and chat with someone in the street may reap the rewards, and that compromise and communication is vital to any relationship in life. The Cockipit’s three-sided layout and a simple yet effective white set placed all the focus onto the performers – this is a show we really hope to see gain a longer run.
LIFT – Southwark Playhouse – 16 and 18 May 2022
AD – Press Night ticket: We’re no strangers to the Southwark Playhouse, this being the third time we’ve visited this year (the second time this month!), but returning for LIFT has to be one of the highlights of 2022 so far. Set in the unexpected location of a Tube station lift (yes, that’s right) the show takes a moment to imagine the lives behind the masks we present to the people we bump into every day. It’s a love letter to London, in every sense of the phrase. There’s still time to catch the show – running at the Southwark Playhouse until 16 June! Read our full review of LIFT here.
Tight Lads Live – The Phoenix Arts Club – 22 May 2022
Those who have tuned into Overstudies: On Air! will have heard us talking about the Tight Lads Podcast many times over the last few months. We’ve even had co-host Chesney Fawkes-Porter as a guest on the show. This month we returned to the Phoenix Arts Club for Tight Lads Live: 2 – a cabaret performance starring the three hosts of the podcast, and some incredibly talented stars. We were treated to two hours of live musical theatre performances from Abi, Chesney and Jordan, as well as from their guests Jenna Boyd, Niamh Donnelly and Musical Director Tim Whiting, as well as some live Q&A sessions throughout the night. If you’ve not listened to their podcast yet, we’d highly recommend it. And you never know, there might be another Tight Lad joining us on the show very shortly…
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella – Gillian Lynne Theatre – 26 May 2022
This is a show that’s been mired in controversy since opening in 2021, and is shortly ending its run on the West End on 12 June. Listeners to our Overstudies: On Air! radio show will no doubt have heard some of our thoughts about the production, but it really is one that you need to see to properly appreciate – we came out feeling satisfied, which was somewhat unexpected! Whilst certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, it’s a distinctly Lloyd Webber musical with a traditional feel, and if that’s what you go in expecting then you’ll certainly be pleased you enjoyed it. It’s debatable how relevant the show is in 2022, and easy to understand why it hasn’t been particularly well-received, when a central plot-point features a hitherto-unseen character being revealed as gay as a ‘gotcha!’ moment. The LGBTQ+ community isn’t here to be used for cheap shocks, and this sat particularly uncomfortably for us. That said, the comedic-duo of step-sisters Adele (Laura Baldwin) and Marie (Georgina Castle) really were the show’s glass slippers, and with some tweaks it’s a show that definitely has potential in the future.
& Juliet – Shaftesbury Theatre – 27 May 2022
This is a show we will come back to again, and again… and again. Our first chance to see the cast of 2022, we were not disappointed! Combining iconic pop songs from the last three decades with a timeless classic, & Juliet is a refreshing jukebox musical that feels like anything but! It was wonderful to see Zara MacIntosh cover the role of Juliet, alongside Carl Man as Romeo – both very different performances to those we’ve seen before, but still memorable in their own right. The inclusion of an openly-non-binary character, May (Alex Thomas-Smith) is also paving the way for more representation and diversity in theatre, and is just another part of the plot – it contrasts entirely from Cinderella (above) and works brilliantly. Whilst we did realise that if we hadn’t stopped clapping at the cast change back in March we would still have the original Nurse (Melanie La Barrie) and Lance (David Bedella) on stage, Keala Settle and Julius D’Silva brought a new dynamic to the roles. In short, it was F*****g Perfect.
Bonnie and Clyde – The Arts Theatre – 27 May 2022
Inspired by the real life Bonnie and Clyde, infamous outlaws of The Great Depression of 1930s America, we finally managed to catch the limited run of Bonnie and Clyde at The Arts Theatre. In a theatre space we’re incredibly familiar with at Overstudies, we were transported back to 1930s USA to witness the story of the ill-fated lovers that terrorised the Central United States robbing banks while being turned into somewhat celebrities by the US media at the time. Including a star studded cast featuring Overstudies favourites Jordan Luke Gage and Frances Mayli McCann, we also learn more about the equally ill-fated lovers Buck and Blanche Barrow (George McGuire and Natalie McQueen respectively) as well as seeing the complex lives of all four individuals and the hardships faced by Americans during the post-war era. With a powerful score, intricate staging and clever lighting this is a show you do not want to miss! We will be sharing our thoughts in more detail over the coming days so watch this space!
What shows have you seen during May? Let us know your stand-out highlights in the comments box below!
