Stars are skewered and musical theatre sent up in this cult hit that has made the leap to the West EndThe production’s premise is that no current or even past musical theatre show is safe from ferocious ridicule. Legendary West End producer Cameron Mackintosh, the man behind Les Miserables and the current revival of Miss Saigon, is the butt of most jokes; Broadway mega-hit The Book of Mormon becomes "The Book of Morons", and RSC musical hit Matilda along with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is shown to be a bunch of stage school pre-Madonnas with pushy parents living vicariously through their children. No show is safe, but what could turn into a West End/Broadway vitriolic rant never strays from the underpinning principle that musical theatre is brilliant and the fun poked at it has its tongue planted firmly in its cheek.
The ball is kept perpetually in the air and when it looks like it might be dropped for a moment, the show changes gear and off it speeds into the next musical parody.
The only downside to Forbidden Broadway is that many of the jokes require an expert knowledge of the plethora of iconic shows that receive the satirical treatment. Only fans of Wicked will get the reference to vocal ‘runs’ that come from the production’s leading ladies, and although The Phantom of the Opera chandelier is now a part of pop culture, if you haven’t seen the show, then the joke has little context. Having said all that, the level of spoofing is delivered with such gleeful energy by the cast of four that just to experience the show is a joyful education in musical theatre, plus the absence of any story means that audience unfamiliar with the in-jokes can sit back and enjoy the experience.
Phillip George's slickly directed production speeds along at a frenetic pace and combined with Gerard Alessandrini's quick-fire one-liners and razor-sharp jokes, the evening flies by in a delirious wave of laughter. The ball is kept perpetually in the air and when it looks like it might be dropped for a moment, the show changes gear and off it speeds into the next musical parody.
The nods to some of theatre’s greatest icons such as Elaine Paige, Angela Lansbury, Idina Menzel and Liza Minnelli are peppered into the script and the cast’s impressions of these musical icons are always on the money. Christina Bianco’s turn as Broadway superstar Kristin Chenoweth is uncanny and would give the diva herself a hard time spotting the difference!
Although the shows script and direction is excellent, the real plaudits need to go to the cast. Christina Bianco, Anna-Jane Casey, Ben Lewis and Damian Humbley all give outstanding performances and their on-the-hoof improvisations are an utter delight. Just to hear their vocal dexterity and range is worth the ticket price alone, and their closely observed characterisation of the various musical theatre roles keep the audience shaking with laughter well into the next skit.
Christina Bianco, Anna-Jane Casey, Ben Lewis and Damian Humbley all give outstanding performances and their on-the-hoof improvisations are an utter delight.
Whilst Forbidden Broadway looks fluid and easy, the practical execution of the show requires each cast member to franticly change costume in the wings and then return to the stage and blast out another musically complex number. The pace at which this is delivered by the four-strong cast would reduce most actors to a quivering mess, but not this crew. They seem to draw upon unseen reserves of energy and perform each character as if it were their Broadway debut opening night. The rapturous applause at the end of the evening was testament to this feat of theatrical stamina.
Forbidden Broadway found its audience at the Menier Chocolate Factory and now the leap to the much larger stage of the Vaudeville Theatre seems to have given the cast licence to raise their game. The show is faster, louder, sharper and above all funnier on this bigger stage. Although the jokes are nearly always at the expense of a big named star or West End producer, the writing is delivered with complete affection, almost to the point of compliment, but only time will tell if the ones on the receiving end will feel that way…
Forbidden Broadway runs at the Vaudeville Theatre until 22 November 2014. Catch this one while you can!
This much anticipated new staging of Verdi’s masterpiece is directed by David Alden, a veteran of many fine productions who enjoyed a particular success recently with his haunting and startling revival of Peter Grimes by Benjamin Britain, at this same address.