Ghost The Musical, The Mayflower, November 2013

The Mayflower in Southampton has really upped its game in recent years getting big West End shows pretty much as soon as they finish. In the past they have had Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Legally Blonde and next year will play host to Dirty Dancing and the phenomenal Wicked.

I prefer The Mayflower, only a 40 minute drive, compared to the long journey to London it is great to show these shows come locally.

As a massive fan of the film Ghost I was thrilled when I heard it was coming to the Mayflower as I was gutted to have missed it in London.

On the website Ghost is described as - a timeless fantasy about the power of love. Walking back to their apartment one night, Sam and Molly are mugged, leaving Sam murdered on a dark street. Sam is trapped as a ghost between this world and the next and unable to leave Molly who he learns is in grave danger. With the help of a phony storefront psychic, Oda Mae Brown, Sam tries to communicate with Molly in the hope of saving and protecting her.

The 1990 film starred Demi Moore as Molly, Patrick Swayze as Sam and Whoopi Goldberg as Oda Mae. It pulls at the heartstrings and every time I watch the film I cry so I was pretty sure the musical would do the same.

With films into musicals I am always a little dubious as to how they will come off Legally Blonde worked amazingly well, and when I found out that Dave Stewart from the Eurythmics I had high hopes.

The only song really I knew would be there was Unchained Melody, the stand out song of the film.

So the musical...beautifully set and just a fantastic production, the transitions from person to ghost with the body still on stage was seamless and I still don't understand how they did it. It was a very clever production and the stage was amazing with the beginning whizzing you through the streets of New York.

The musical captures the magic of the film perfectly and the songs fit perfectly in this new mould.

It is always going to be hard to match the actors who were in the film but each actor played their part well and made it their own, the fact that Molly has blonde curly hair rather than a short brown crop instantly distinguishes the two actresses and you almost forget that someone else every played the role.

The stand out character and actress for me though was Wendy Mae Brown who plays Oda Mae Brown. In quite a heavy story line she adds welcomed light relief and has an amazing voice to carry the songs home.

When we went to watch another actress was playing the role of Molly - Amy Webb, who was excellent, it makes you wonder why she wasn't given the part in the first place.

Finally Sam was played by Stewart Clarke and although no legendary Swayze he really made you connect with Sam and feel his pain at dying way before his time.

This musical is just brilliant and really adds another dimension to an already popular and fantastic film. I really think if you love the film you will be hard pushed to hate this musical.

And before you ask yes I did cry at the end...

To find out more visit - http://www.ghostthemusical.com/

Priscilla Queen of the Desert, UK tour, The Mayflower, Southampton, June 2013

Anyone who has read this blog before will know that firstly I love musicals, secondly I really love Priscilla Queen of the Desert and felt there should be national day of mourning when it closed in the West End of London. 

Imagine my delight then when it was announced that Priscilla was on the move and coming to Southampton Mayflower.

Now I saw it at the beginning of June and have been a bit snowed under with exams, holiday prep and just work in general so I  have been unable to write about the tour, but thought with a free evening I would put pen to paper, so to speak.

The basic story from the West End and Australian show is the same, three drag queens travelling across the desert from Sydney to Alice Springs to perform at a Casino.

There is still the fascination with Kylie Minogue, the American one it has been changed to Madonna. Most of the songs are the same except the opening song of 'Downtown' has been changed to 'It's Raining Men' which works really, really well. They have also added 'True colours' which is in the US version.

Obviously stage-wise there are restrictions, especially when it comes to the bus. Priscilla is reduced to a bottom bit with screens near the top, however, it still works, you can imagine the bus is there and also it means that it is less likely to break down, as it sometimes did in London.

Noel Sullivan, of Hear'Say fame, was Tick on the week I went and was really good. He has amazing vocal ability and really camped up the character as I think sometimes people try to play Tick a bit safe as Adam is the overly camp one. It does seem though I am never going to see Jason Donovan in the role, as I have seen Ben Richards and Richard Grieve but never Jason.

Graham Weaver played Adam and although I love the original Adam - Olivier Thornton, Graham did a really good job.

Bernadette this time was played by Richard Grieve who I had previously seen as Tick and to be honest I think his Bernadette was amazing. I think he really suited the role better than the role of Tick. He was brilliant and really was a good looking woman...

There is so much colour and glamour when you see Priscilla that you just want to dance all the way home. I hope they keep touring as I never get tired of this musical, well I have seen it four times. If you want to see it, go to the tour!

9 to 5 the musical, The Mayflower, Southampton, 04/05/2013

I do love a good musical and I also love a very catchy pop song, so a musical based on a very catchy song is my kind of thing.

Music and lyrics were written by the legend that is Dolly Parton who also acts as narrator at the beginning and end of the musical which is a great touch.

Set in 1979 it follows the story of three disgruntled women who decide to take action against their sexist, misogynist boss. The musical like the film shows you that over 3o years ago the working place for women was a completely different place, with unfortunately some familiar sights.

The performance I saw starred Mark Moraghan, who used to be in Brookside and  Holby City as boss Franklynn J Hart, Natalie Casey from Hollyoaks and Two Pints of a Larger and a Packet of Crisps as Judy Bernley, Amy Lennox who was Legally Blonde the musical as Dolly's character Doralee Rhodes, on this occasion the understudy Lori Haley Fox played Violet  Newstead and was phenomenal. Roz was also played by Bonnie Langford and it seemed that her fan club were in when we saw it but she was brilliant with great comic timing.

The whole musical is full of comic gold, a lot of laughs and all the people's singing voices were exceptional.

I didn't realise just how talented Natalie Casey was and Amy Lennox was the spiting image of Dolly Parton not necessarily in looks but in voice and mannerisms. All the performances were first class and made you laugh until your sides hurt.

It was a really brilliant feel-good musical as all musicals should be. I didn't know what to expect I have seen the film but in some ways couldn't understand how it would work as a musical but it was great and if it comes to your town make sure you see it. Me and my mum loved it.

Here is the website: http://www.9to5themusical.co.uk/

Hairspray, The Mayflower, Southampton, 12th May 2010

Welcome to the 60’s! Hairspray is a feel good musical with a serious theme at its heart. Set in 1962 in Baltimore, it tells the story of Tracy Turnbland; a big girl with big hair and even bigger dreams, to dance on the prime time Corny Collins Show. After a fantastic run at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London, Hairspray has now hit the road and visited the Mayflower in Southampton, where it stays until the 29th May.


When Tracy wins a spot on the local TV dance programme 'The Corny Collins Show', she is transformed overnight from outsider to irrepressible teen celebrity. But can a trendsetter in dance and fashion vanquish the programme's reigning princess, win the heart of heartthrob Link Larkin, and integrate a television show without denting her 'do? Only in Hairspray!

The atmosphere in the theatre was just electric, with laughs, singing and dancing you can’t help but dance down the aisles when you leave. The songs are sing-a-long treats, favourites include Welcome to the 60’s, Run and tell that and the brilliant You Can’t Stop the Beat. The humour is suitable for kids and adults alike, with all the jokes getting a laugh from at least one group.

At the heart of the musical is quite a serious theme of racial segregation in 60’s America. For example the television station only allows Negro day once a month, much to the dismay of Tracy. The so called race music is also seen as a bad influence on the teenagers, the film is set at a time when teenagers were coming into their own and causing trouble for their parents.

If you are a fan of the 1988 John Waters film than you will love the musical, as it is based on the film but with added songs. The core story is exactly the same for the two films and the stage musicals. If you are still unsure check out the 2007 film starring John Travolta, Zac Efron, Michelle Pfeiffer and Queen Latifah. It features most of the songs although The New Girl in Town does not feature in the on stage most of the others do. However, the stage version does have extra songs including Big Dollhouse and Mama I’m a Big Girl Now.

The cast included Michael Ball as Tracy’s mother Edna and Les Dennis as her husband Wilbur. The pair is a fantastic match and have tremendous chemistry. However, this did mean that they couldn’t hold it together for their duet Timeless to Me, which ended in a fit of giggles from the pair. Ball commented that he couldn’t continue with Dennis jiggling behind, to which Dennis replied ‘you never complained before’, the crowd loved it and the laughter raised the roof. Michael Ball is fantastic as Edna, a role he played on the West End and won countless awards for.

A special mention has to go to Sandra Marvin who plays Motormouth Maybelle, her glass breaking voice was simply breathtaking during I Know Where I’ve Been, so much so the cast even looked at her with admiration in their eyes. The young cast comprised of Amber (Clare Halse), Tracy (Laurie Scarth), Seaweed (Wayne Robinson), Inez (Seliza Sebastian), Link (Liam Doyle) and Penny (Emma Dukes), all of which are amazing performers who are bound to go on to even greater things. Liam Doyle who plays Link won a GMTV competition to play Troy in High School Musical; I think a few fans were in the crowd as he was met with a host of screams.

I love Hairspray it is one of my favourite musicals, it is a feel good and happy musical. I saw the tour in London with the original West End cast and thought that the tour cast was just as good as the originals. Hairspray is the type of musical I can watch again, and again. I defy you to leave the theatre without a massive smile on your face. Just remember ‘you can’t stop the beat’.

For more information on the tour visit the website at: http://www.hairspraythetour.com/