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15 years later, I take pleasure in a return to the diva-tastic Frank’s Closet, now taking part in on the Union Theatre
“Mom all the time mentioned I lived in a fantasy world”
I’ve to confess to an ideal fondness for Frank’s Closet, having been charmed by the present once I noticed it as a child blogger 15 years in the past at Hoxton Corridor – a night capped off by sharing a bowl of chips with Paul Daniels and The Beautiful Debbie McGee (who was within the present’s firm) within the pub reverse afterwards. Stuart Wooden’s (ebook, music and lyrics) 2009 musical now returns, this time on the Union Theatre and while there could not have been chips, there was definitely nonetheless appeal.
We meet Frank on the eve of his marriage ceremony to Alan, as he’s packing up his historic archive of attractive robes to ship to the V&A. This he’s doing after an ultimatum from his meant however as he browses by means of these reminders of his previous, he questions whether or not he’s actually prepared to surrender the one life. To assist him with the choice, he retreats into his closet and is visited by the house owners of these attire – divas like Ethel Merman, Judy Garland, Agnetha Fältskog and extra – all with a witty track and morsels of recommendation which will or will not be really of any use.
Sasha Regan’s manufacturing totally embraces the cheerfully camp vibe of the present proper from the off. Paul Toulson’s Sheila Blige kicks issues off within the bar, setting a properly vaudevillean tone with some risqué songs and humour after which we’re whisked into the auditorium the place Catherine Phelps’ design transports us to the world of the music corridor the place a lot of Frank’s psyche appears to reside. Frank is accompanied there by the fabulous Gaiety Ladies (Oliver Bradley-Taylor, Sarah Freer, Olivia McBride and Jack Rose), a refrain of showgirls who by no means met an ostrich feather or a kickline they didn’t like, and Luke Farrugia’s shapeshifting Diva.
Farrugia actually does ship an exceptional efficiency as he quick-changes from, deep breath, Marie Lloyd to Julie Andrews to Ethel Merman to Karen Carpenter to Judy Garland to Agnetha Fältskog to Dusty Springfield, delivering a corking unique track as every as properly. Supported by the creativeness of Steven Metcalfe’s costume design (these swans are nonetheless wild!), Farrugia affords up an actual tour-de-force. Towards that, Andy Moss’ Frank inevitably has to play the straight man (fnarr fnarr) which he does with actual pathos however you do want that he had extra assist dramaturgically, quick snippets of cellphone calls along with his family members plus temporary reminiscences of the previous don’t fairly give us sufficient of a portrait of our main man.
From the overture (and the way good to have an overture in a brand new(ish) musical), Anto Buckley’s musical course from the keys is achieved as we skip by means of many a style (disco Merman is the undoubted winner) and with trumpet and trombone taking part in alongside, there’s a freshness to the sound that makes it stand out (I clearly want extra brass in my life). General, the texture is nearly old school in its nostalgia however there’s such heat in its coronary heart that it’s straightforward to only leap again in that closet with Frank and marvel what would Judy (and Karen, and Ethel and so forth and so forth) do.
Working time: 2 hours (with interval)
Images: Danny Kaan
Frank’s Closet is reserving on the Union Theatre till thirtieth April
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