Daniel Perks
27 Oct
Reviews 
Review of Made in Dagenham
By Daniel Perks Monday, October 27 2014, 14:25
A show full of working class, no frills energy, but at times it needed reigning in. Well done to the women, both for what they achieved and the actors’ performances – the men need to catch up here.
Musicals that are based on films are popping up all over the West End at the moment. Maybe these shows are trying to emulate some of the success of the West End gold standard Billy Elliot, which has made the successful transition to the stage after being an iconic film that I and love. Well it’s time for another production to tell its story and hope to gain a piece of the glory – taking over from The Bodyguard, I went to see the Adelphi Theatre’s latest offering.
15 Oct
Reviews
Review of Sunny Afternoon
By Daniel Perks Wednesday, October 15 2014, 11:54
Despite knowing more songs than I thought of the Kinks’ extensive back catalogue, this musical didn’t “really get me going” and was definitely not a “sunny afternoon.” This particular songwriter should stick to doing that – writing a musical storyline was not his forte.
“It’s all about the atmosphere” says the lead character Ray Davies (John Dagleish) just before the last (and best) song of this particular musical. And he’s not wrong. But whilst most of the audience was up on their feet dancing and singing along, I was sat at a table wondering why I wasn’t doing the same. The atmosphere for me was lacking in this production, I couldn’t help but think that it came up short against other jukebox musicals in the West End at the moment (Jersey Boys is my gold standard in this category).
07 Oct
Reviews
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Review
By Daniel Perks Tuesday, October 7 2014, 07:11
Whilst parts of this show draw you in to a world of pure imagination, other parts leave you with that sickly sweet feeling as if you’ve eaten too much chocolate. Bring the performers up to the level of the production design.
As a child I loved to read – I still do love a good book but just can’t seem to find the time anymore. But back when life seemed so much simpler, my favourite author (like so many children from my generation) was Roald Dahl. I must have re-read some of his books a hundred times and got completely drawn into his world of fantasy and the macabre. Dahl’s books are so well-known that 2 of them are currently West End hits and none is more famous than Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – not just a book and a musical but 2 incredibly popular films as well.
02 Oct
Reviews
Review of Speed-the-Plow
By Daniel Perks Thursday, October 2 2014, 08:08
Despite my low opinion of this play, it was better than I expected – only because I expected it to be really awful. Lohan proves that she can remember lines and move around the stage, but the acting wasn’t particularly convincing.
There is so much competition in London theatre, so when a new play comes to the stage it needs to offer something that can convince the audience to spend money there instead of at a dozen other theatres. It could be the play itself – maybe it’s by a famous writer or has wide audience appeal. Or maybe it’s the casting, using a particular actor that is renowned in their craft.
30 Sep
Casts
Nicole Scherzinger to star in one of West End’s longest running shows
By Daniel Perks Tuesday, September 30 2014, 11:18
From one singing feline to another, Nicole Scherzinger has recently been announced as leading the revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats. Originally rising to fame as the lead singer for ‘The PussyCat Dolls’ Scherzinger will be taking her first steps in the West End as the Glamour Cat Grizabella when the show premiers at the London Palladium on 6th December this year. She will perform for almost the entire run, leaving the cast on 7th February just before the show itself closes on the 28th.
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