BLONDEL To 31 December.
London.
BLONDEL
lyrics by Tim Rice music by Stephen Oliver.
Pleasance Theatre, Carpenters Mews, North Road, Islington. London N7 9EF To 31 December 2006.
Tue-Sat 7:30pm Sundays 5pm Mat Sat 2.30pm.
Runs 2hr One interval.
TICKETS: 020 7609 1800.
www.pleasance.co.uk
Review: Geoff Ambler 23 November 2006.
The medieval musical comedy Spamalot should have been.
Blondel (rhymes with fondle) is the revived Tim Rice/Stephen Oliver medieval comedy musical originally staged in the West End in 1983. Now on at The Pleasance Theatre in Islington, this is certainly the most compelling reason to spend an evening in North London that there has been for some time. This show is brimming over with humour, wit, magnificent performers producing magnificently comic performances and a whole host of brilliantly clever musical numbers.
Chris Grierson is the eponymous lute-playing hero, a mythical (or maybe historical) figure who could just possibly have been responsible for assisting in the release of King Richard I, the monarch taken hostage while on his way home from the first round of gulf wars - although they were called crusades in those days.
There are many great scenes populated with splendid characters in this show and the laughter never stops flowing; at two hours, including interval, it never once feels drawn out. The jokes, both historical and pop-culture derived, are delivered with such precision and ease that the fact that they are so bad, including some from the twelfth century, only increases the humour.
Matt Harrop delivers his brand of evil ruler with scene-stealing ease every time he is on stage and his Prince John stands out amongst an already outstanding cast. Abi Finley, the beautiful and talented one from 'A Problem like Maria', proves that she can act with confident poise among the best, as well as sing, in what is her professional stage debut. She's definitely the best Maria in London. The four monks are camp genius and Napoleon Ryan's ASSASS-in number, ingeniously hilarious.
It may be a revival but it has been a long while since it was last seen and Rice has rewritten many of the lyrics, while the music's re-orchestrated by Mathew Pritchard. So Blondel feels refreshingly original and quite modern, in a, well, originally medieval way.
This tight, witty show with its tremendous cast is one of the best to opening in London this year. It should be enjoyed now, in case it disappears for another twenty-three years.
Blondel: Chris Grierson.
Fiona: Abi Finley.
The Assassin: Napoleon Ryan.
Prince John: Matt Harrop.
King Richard: Mark Inscoe.
Leopold/Robin Hood: David Paul West.
The Monks: James Durrant, Gavin James, Charlie Tighe, Nick Trumble.
The Blondettes: Zoe Harrison, Polli Harrison, Rebecca Seale.
Director: Patrick Wilde.
Musical Director: Mathew Pritchard.
2006-11-26 02:09:14