By Alexandra Quilici
Since I only have a few more weeks to enjoy London before heading home, my mission over the last several days has been to see as much theatre as possible. I am not sure if it’s because I love theatre in general, or because London has some of the best shows around – but all my experiences have been uniquely different and fantastic. Definitely the absolute best way to spend saved money and have a great night out.
Here are some of my personal reviews of the shows I have been seeing:
BOOK OF MORMON
This show has been my bucket list item for a couple years- to the point where I wouldn’t listen to any of the songs because I didn’t want to spoil myself. From the first bright eyed bushy tailed lyric of “Hello, I would like to share with you this book of Jesus Christ” I knew I would not be leaving disappointed. It was everything I wanted: hilarious, mind boggling talent, satisfyingly inappropriate, thought provoking, and hilarious again. Highlight includes the line “I can’t beleive Jesus called me a dick!”
MIDSUMMER’S NIGHT DREAM
New artistic director Emma Rice has just recently taken the reigns of Shakespeare’s Globe, and her first production, Midsummer’s, has only just recently premiered. The show has been getting a lot of flack from Shakespeare die-hards because Rice has added lights and microphones to the iconic outside theatre. However, I found this interpretation of Midsummer’s to be absolutely lovely. It’s hard to make a 400 year old play “fresh,” but with the gender bending, several jokes per minute, and added musical pieces – it definitely felt delightfully modern rather than a stiff read-aloud of the play we all grudgingly study at school.
MATILDA
For some reason I cried a lot? Nothing too sad about it – but something about children uniting under an authoritative power gets me good. Then of course add insanely talented kids (seriously how do they do it?) on top of a great story and I was melting for this show.
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME
One of the most popular shows here in London, I was hesitant at first because I love the book so much and had no idea how it would transfer over to a play. I have to say that I think I still prefer the book, but Curious Incident has by far the best set design that I’ve ever seen. I would describe it as magical, in a sense, to the point where the versatile stage was a character on its very own. If you want to see a portrayal of London’s Underground acted out on a stage – Curious Incident is the most crazy realistic interpretation.
WICKED
I debated with myself on whether I should see this one. I saw it six years ago when it toured the states, and I still regularly listen to the soundtrack and know every word. Would it be worth seeing a show I know by heart? YES. Wicked is ALWAYS worth it. Any chance you get to see Elphaba hit the high note in Defying Gravity while floating over everyone else is guaranteed money well spent. I get emotional right now just thinking about it.
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