Book: Arthur Laurents Music: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Director: Matthew Hawksworth Reviewer: John Kennedy Everything was possible in Bernsteins’s late 50s Atomic-Age ‘America’ where inter-racial antagonism imploded with incendiary, teenage trouser-powered cool, hormonal-hip braggadocio to a Romeo and Juliet riff. ‘Is that a GAT in your cod-piece buddy - or are you just frightened to see me?’ Plus ça change, ...
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Concept: Jerome Robbins Book: Arthur Laurents Music: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim. Director: Sarah Frankcom Reviewer: Dave Cunningham Nowadays audiences are accustomed to perceiving West Side Story as a classic musical perfect for viewing on Sunday afternoons so it is hard to accept that, when first staged, its depiction of gang violence was controversial. Now the UK has become a racially divided ...
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Conductor: John Wilson Reviewer: Selwyn Knight Although born in Massachusetts, Leonard Bernstein will always be linked with New York: his tenure as music director at the New York Philharmonic and his music inspired by the city: On The Town,Wonderful Town, West Side Story, the score to On The Waterfront all reinforce that link. As soon as one hears his jazzy ...
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Book: Arthur Laurents Music: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Director: Pollyann Tanner Reviewer: Carol Lovatt Stage Experience at the New Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham is an opportunity for young performers to showcase their talents in a professional setting and this year’s choice of the musical West Side Story, the iconic tale of the trials of youth is both inspirational and memorable. ...
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Musical Director: Jason Carr Reviewer: Scott Matthewman Maria Friedman has come to be regarded as one of Britain’s foremost interpreters of Stephen Sondheim – both as actor and, more recently, a director, with her revival of Merrily We Roll Along. Her directing career – continuing with Stepping Out at the Vaudeville Theatre and a forthcoming musical by Jonathan Harvey based ...
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Conductor: Joshua Weilerstein Reviewer: Tim Frost Programme: Symphonic Suite: On the Waterfront by Leonard Bernstein Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16 by Edvard Grieg Spring Song, Op. 16 by Jean Sibelius Francesca di Rimini: Symphonic Fantasy after Dante, Op. 32 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky The London-based Philharmonia Orchestra continues its residency at the Marlowe Theatre, with six concerts per ...
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Music:Leonard Bernstein Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Choreographer: Rachel Catherall Artistic Director: David McNeill Reviewer: Julia Taylor West Side Story is a popular production for youth groups. Stage Experience’s version made up of young people aged 11–22 must be one of the best – and they’ve only had 10 days of rehearsals. The sheer enthusiasm and expertise of the cast is ...
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Reviewer: Donna Kelly Fans of the iconic musical On The Town have waited a long time for the first complete recording of the stage production - almost 70 years in fact. Despite recordings in 1944, 1960 and 1995, many theatre fans were left disappointed when parts of the score were either omitted, truncated or recorded in the studio. Thankfully, 70 ...
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