CALL ME MADAM to 16 August 2009.
London.
CALL ME MADAM
music and lyrics by Irving Berlin book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse.
Upstairs At The Gatehouse Highgate Village N6 4BD To 16 August 2009.
Tue–Sat 7:30pm Mat Sun 4pm.
Runs 2hr 10min One interval.
TICKETS: 020 8340 3488.
www.upstairsatthegatehouse.com
Review: Geoff Ambler 14 July 2009.
Berlin’s escape from real life politics makes a lively night tonight.
Irving Berlin's lightweight, post-war political satire Call Me Madam pitches Mrs. Sally Adams, socialite and friend of the President, into the European and completely fictional Duchy of Lichtenburg (apparently inspired by the non-fictional Duchy of Luxembourg) as Ambassafor.
'Hostess with the Mostess' Adams, smitten by Foreign Secretary Cosmo Constantine, launches her own policy of chequebook diplomacy to assist the tiny cheese-producing nation and help launch Cosmo’s reluctant political elevation to Prime Minister. Emulating the US’s mainly pre-war Dollar Diplomacy policies Call Me Madam also introduces the quaint but novel notion of an honourable leader, eager to build his county without recourse to excessive national debt. There are plots, counterplots, mistaken motives, Machiavellian intrigues, princesses (well, one), lots of romance, millions of dollars and not one single Dutch man. And this is a musical.
Thom Southerland grapples well with the political burden and light humour but it still takes a while for Call Me Madam to take off and without some fine casting, supplementing Beverly Klein’s charm and wiles, it could easily have been a turgid affair. That is until the arrival of Princess Maria, in the form of the ever captivating Kate Nelson; her entrance for 'The Octarina' is quite over the top, with Drew McOnie’s marvellous tongue-in-cheek national dancing and some wonderfully ‘Allo ‘Allo Euro-accents. I havielong extolled the musical delights of Kate Nelson; she is as enchanting as ever and imbues Princess Maria and Call Me Madam with humour, beauty and those smiling eyes.
The musical lacks an abundance of memorable numbers, making do with 'It’s A Lovely Day Today', but the cast and creative team have crafted an entertaining production which, after a slow start, bursts forth into a wonderfully bubbly, funny and light-hearted evening of international politics, intrigue and romance.
Sally Adams: Beverley Klein.
Cosmo Constantine: Gido Schimanski.
Princess Maria: Kate Nelson.
Kenneth Gibson: Chris Love.
Pemberton Maxwell: Matthew Trevannion.
Gallagher: Rob Wilshaw.
Wilkins: Chris Neumann.
Ensemble: Flora Dawson, Meg Gallagher, Grace Harrington, Samir Khan, Katie Pritchard, Ema Shenton, Tasha Taylor Johnson, Khiley Williams.
Director: Thom Sutherland.
Designer/Costume: Alison Brookes.
Lighting: Richard Patch.
Musical Director: Alex Weatherhill.
Choreographer: Drew McOnie.
2009-07-19 01:25:12