Culture
REVIEW: 42nd Street At The Mayflower Theatre
Transport yourself back to 1933 New York because that’s exactly where Southampton’s Mayflower theatre was tonight. ‘42nd Street’ is as classic as musicals come. It has everything; the glitz and the glamour, show-stopping acting, a magnificent orchestra, and of course those famous toe-tapping songs. This musical almost epitomises Broadway, and they just aren’t made this way anymore. ‘42nd Street’ is based on the 1933 film of the same name and is most well-known for the wildly impressive tap dance numbers. Director Jonathon Church (Singin’ In The Rain, The Drifters Girl), has perfectly managed to mix the old with new to tell this iconic feel-good story in an updated, rejuvenated way that doesn’t feel dated in the slightest.
The story follows a small town American girl, Peggy Sawyer, arriving in New York City and dreaming of her name up in lights. She catches the eye of a big-time director and gets her big break in the chorus line of a brand new show on Broadway. But when the leading lady gets injured, Peggy gets a shot to see her name in lights. The idea of this story is one that so many people can connect with in different ways. We’ve all had a dream of catching our break, and just like Julian Marsh tells Peggy in the show, “people trying out all over the world will be thinking maybe they’ll get their big break and be the next Peggy Sawyer.” (Or something along those lines at least). This show is funny, heart-warming, breathtaking and just exactly what you think of when somebody says the word, ‘Broadway’. All of these things have to stem from the fantastically energetic and charismatic cast that tell the story not only through song, but through dance as well.
The whole company were just sublime. The dances were inch perfect, the acting superb, and the singing was top form as well. Fantastic! There are a few shoutouts that have to be made however. Samantha Womack who played the role of ‘Dorothy Brock’, was terrifically camp and had such a powerful voice, controlling the stage and audience with her presence. Michael Praed, who played the role of ‘Julian Marsh’ was fantastic in his delivery and really helped the show flow from point to point. Faye Tozer and Les Dennis (yes, the same Les Dennis who had a well timed exit from Strictly) played the roles of ‘Maggie Jones’ & ‘Bert Barry’, who were the classic on stage duo that brought a bit a light to the scene exactly when it needed it – always getting a laugh from the audience, brilliant work! And finally Sam Lips (‘Billy Lawlor’) and Nicole-Lily Baisden (‘Peggy Sawyer’), were not only outstanding in their own right – but as the ‘will-they-won’t -they’ love interests as well. Sam’s voice was just immaculate, and to sing as he was in-between energetic dance breaks was extremely impressive. Nicole’s story telling throughout was inspired. You followed and felt attached to the nervous yet bubbly girl you met at the start of the show, and stayed with her as she evolved into the star of the show. Not to mention her dancing and singing ability as well. Incredible! I honestly cannot state how awe-inspiring watching the whole company dance numbers was. I understand that as a dancer, 42nd Street is one of the hardest shows to get cast in, and now I can see why. Their hard work certainly doesn’t go unnoticed. Just exceptional from every last company member!

The set and lighting for the show were big, bold and sparkly. I know I’ve said it already, but even the set was everything you’d expect from a Broadway or West-End show. Not only was it big and extravagant, but it was also really cleverly thought out and put together. The use of shadows and projections throughout was really well done. Usually when shows use projections, I feel as though the idea of the projection is always better than the execution. This was not the case for ‘42nd Street’ however. Projectionist, Jon Driscoll, has nailed exactly what is needed for a projection to remain effective but not look tacky. Ben Cracknell, lighting designer, has also clearly worked closely with Jon and Robert Jones (set and costume designer), to be able to light such an array of different scenes. One piece of design that particularly sticks out in my mind is the ‘shadow dance’ on the white screen using shadows from both in front and behind the curtain. So simple yet so effective. I also loved how the set would go from the stage of ‘Pretty Girl’ (the show within the show), to backstage of that very show, just from the drop of a curtain or stage surrounding with a quick light change.
Another thing that stood out to me was the costume design. More specifically how this accentuated the dancing. The dancing by itself was really telling a story, but the period accurate costumes on top of this just added that extra cherry on top of the cake. A personal favourite of mine was the gold sequinned blazer that ‘Billy Lawler’ wore during one the songs, and the way in which the light shone off of it. The costumes were suave yet glamorous and it all worked together wonderfully.
Now tap dance is its own form of music and rhythm, but the show would be nothing without the live orchestra that went along with it. The musical has some very famous songs such as ’42nd Street’ and ‘Lullaby of Broadway’, along with a beautiful swing and jazz score. To hear all of this with a live orchestra just makes the show feel that much more real. The way in which the tap dance and orchestra complimented each other was wonderful and I love how the conductor (Grant Walsh), became a character by becoming the conductor for ‘Pretty Girl’. Extremely clever, and it makes the audience feel even more a part of the story.
‘42nd Street’ is everything you’d ever want a musical to be and more. The story is timeless, and the fact that it’s 90 years old backs this up. The breathtaking tap dance routines that the show is famous for are mesmerising, and the mixture of classic romance and comedy is delightful. The whole musical gives a sense of that backstage intrigue, of what goes on behind the curtain – and by letting us in, we feel like we’re part of some sort of secret. Each and every dancer, actor, singer – anybody and everybody involved in this show deserve a big round of applause. I wish all the cast and crew of ‘42nd Street’ the best of luck as they continue on their UK tour and here’s hoping that the timeless musical keeps tapping on.
Culture
Hampstead movie review
With the passing of Diane Keaton I decided that I would watch some of her old work.
I chose to watch the 2017 movie Hampstead as it seemed to be quite a good representation of her acting skills.
It is based loosely (trying not to give the plot away, however it did come out eight years ago!) on Harry Hallowes real life, he used to live on a plot in Hampstead Heath and then managed to claim rights on it.
One of the best parts of this movie was the chemistry between Diane Keaton and Brendan Gleeson.
It felt natural and not strained which definitely made it more believable for me.
Their chemistry also helped make their characters seem more natural making their performance that much better.
I’m not one who normally enjoys romantic (some may say sappy) movies but the mixture of romance and social justice themes in this movie made it not too uncomfortable.
It gives the audience a feel-good time with us feeling like we are doing something right, due to us deciding that Gleeson’s character is right.
It made me feel like I was standing up for the underdog and marginalised communities.
I found it quite clever how they made it an easy movie to watch, not too many sad themes, while also fitting in the themes of community and standing up for the right thing.
I would say that if you are feeling a bit down then this would be a very good movie too watch.
A perfect movie for a light matinee
As a nature person, the setting of this film was spectacular.
I really liked the idea of an expanse of nature so close to a city.
It creates a very picturesque backdrop for the movie which further added to the warmthness portrayed throughout the movie.
I especially liked where Keaton’s character ended up living in the end.
However, as always there are critics.
With this movie one of the big critiques was that the story was very predictable and followed the same formula that a lot of other romance movies used.
There was just too many cliches which made it painful for the audience to witness again and due to the lack of surprises it was not the most engaging film to watch.
This goes hand in hand with the fact that the characters where more broad and stereotypical than they should have been.
The other big critique from this movie was that people thought it lacked tone and depth, saying that while it did touch on different societal problems such as eviction, class divide and property divide it didn’t pronounce it enough.
It felt a bit like dipping one toe into the water of the problems.
While I do agree that it didn’t delve deep into the problems society faces, I didn’t think that was what the movie was about or what the directors were trying to get across to the audience.
I believe that it was simply highlighting these issues in an easy to understand way.
Culture
Are Max Martin and Shellback the downfall of Taylor Swift’s latest album?
The release of Taylor Swift’s 12th LP, The Life of a Showgirl, has been met with divided opinions.
Although a record breaking 2.7m albums were sold on the first day of release, not all these buyers are satisfied.
It might be a push to say the majority are. Online, listeners argue this album is “millennial cringe” and that Swift is showing her “true capitalist self”.
Alongside Swift herself, Max Martin and Shellback produced the album.
Long-time collaborators, they previously helped define 1989 and Reputation. But this marks the first time the trio have exclusively worked together.
1989 and Reputation catapulted Swift to global pop fame.
Through hits such as Blank Space, Shake it Off and Getaway Car, Martin and Shellback provided Swift a clean break from her country roots, throwing her into the deep end of mainstream pop.
However, a decade later the formula feels tired.
So why has The Life of a Showgirl fallen so flat?
Following Swift’s last album The Tortured Poets Department, a lyrically rich 31 song LP radiating heartbreak and introspection, the synthetic glitz and glamour of Showgirl feel false.
In a post-Folklore world, where Swift proved her strength as a lyricist with the help of producer Jack Antonoff, the return to maximalism and Martin-Shellback production feels hollow.
With the loss of Antonoff and the return of Martin and Shellback, has Swift lost the reflective heart of her songwriting?
That’s not to say Showgirl is without merit.
Its production is faultless, and the album follows a clear and fluid theme.
But perhaps that’s the problem. In collaborating solely with Martin and Shellback, Swift may have created her most technically accomplished album but her least emotionally convincing one.
Whether this is a misstep or the purpose of the album remains to be seen.
But the reception of The Life of a Showgirl questions the path Swift is on.
Now the world dominating Eras Tour is over, is the peak of Swift’s career over too?
Culture
The End of Strictly Come Dancing as we know it?
We all know Strictly Come Dancing as one of the most popular prime time slots on a Saturday night.
But could this be the end of Strictly as we know it?
The BBCs show has struggled recently with allegations of bullying and inappropriate behaviour, but now Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have released a joint statement to say they are passing the sparkly button on at the end of this series.
Their Instagram statement in full:
We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time. We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show. They’re the most brilliant team and we’ll miss them every day. We will cry when we say the last “keep dancing” but we will continue to say it to each other. Just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza.
Tess & Claud
Following their joint statement they each released their own statements as a follow up.
Tess Daly’s statement in full:
After 21 unforgettable years, the time has come to say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing. It’s hard to put into words what this show has meant to me, so here goes… Strictly has been more than just a television programme. It’s felt like having a third child, a second family, and a huge part of my life since that very first show back in 2004. I knew then it was something special, but I could never have imagined the magic it would bring.
Strictly has always been about joy, celebration, and bringing people together – and I’m so proud to have played a small part in something that continues to mean so much to so many.
From that very first series, I had the great honour of standing alongside the incomparable Sit Bruce Forsyth.
Brucie set the tine for everything that Strictly became: warmth, wit, connection, and pure showbiz magic.
I have always been in awe of our superbly talented professional dancers, our magnificent judges, and all the celebrities who have taken part. I absolutely adore our brilliant crew – every single member of the Strictly team who have worked tirelessly to make this show what it is. You are the very best in the business – the kindest, most fun, most loyal, and definitely the hardest-working team in television.
Thank you for your laughter, the friendship, and the countless memories over all these years. You’ve filled my heart in ways I’ll never forget. I’ll miss you all so much.
And to you – the viewers at home – the biggest thank you of all. Thank you for welcoming us into your homes for over two decades.
Your love, loyalty, and unwavering support have meant the world. You’ve carried us through every series, and that has never, ever been taken for granted. You are the heart of this show, and I feel so lucky to have shared it with you. Being part of your weekend from September to Christmas for the past 21 years has been one of the greatest joys and privileges of my career.
To my beloved Claud – what an absolute joy and pleasure it has been sharing this adventure with you. You’re one of a kind, and I’ll treasure every giggle, every live show, and every backstage moment we’ve shared. I’m so grateful to have you as my friend for life.
This isn’t goodbye to glitter, sequins, or Saturday night sparkle (I could never say goodbye to those!). Strictly will forever hold a special place in my heart – but it does feel like the right time to hand over the reins.
With all my love and endless gratitude, Tess x
Tess Daly has been on the show since its very first episode seeing over 300 celebrities enter the ballroom and join the competition.
She started the show with Sir Bruce Forsyth, with Claudia Winkleman being a part of their presenting team hosting the sister show It Takes Two.
The duo made history in 2014 becoming the first female presenting duo of a prime time slot.
As a team they have welcomed almost 200 celebrities into the ballroom.
Over their time on the show they have also seen nine judges join and leave the show.
Claudia Winkleman’s statement reads:
It’s very difficult to put into words exactly what Strictly has meant to me. It’s been the greatest relationship of my career. From working on It Takes Two in 2004 until now it has been my everything, the show I will be eternally grateful for. I will never forget Len Goodman trying to teach me what a cucaracha is (I still don’t know) and the complete thrill and honour it was to work with Tess on the results show to cohosting on Saturday nights.
Strictly is a magical, glittery, fake tanned train and it’s been a privilege to be a tiny part of it. The extraordinary talent of the dancers, the band, the hair and makeup and costume teams, the unbelievable production crew and creatives – all utterly amazing. I’ve always believed it’s best to leave a party before you’re fully ready to go and I know the new hosts will be magnificent, I look forward to watching them take Strictly to new heights. As for Tess – I’m so so lucky I got to stand next to you. You’re funny, kind, whip smart and a true friend and I love you.
With two of the biggest jobs in the BBC now up for grabs who will we see step into the glitz and glammer of Saturday night at Strictly Come Dancing?
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