KISS ME KATE
KISS ME KATE: Music and Lyrics, Cole Porter, Book, Sam and Bella Spewack
Birmingham Hippodrome till 2 October Tkts 0870 730 1234 Then touring
Runs: 2h 50m, one interval
Review: Rod Dungate 21 September 2004
Not one of the best, one of the very, very best.
You can't help asking it, can you how could anyone come up with number after number like this? All here Another Op'nin, Another Show, Kiss Me Kate, Always True to You (In My Fashion), Too Darn Hot, I Hate Men and my particular favourite Brush Up You Shakespeare. It's unadulterated good time. And, under Petra Siniawski's sure hand, more than ably aided and abetted by Vikki Coote, a great good time.
The show itself is a masterpiece of construction. A slow burn of an opening beautifully gauged in Alexandra Gunn's opening. Her friendly manner takes us by the hand and leads us into the show, her song comes from nowhere, we almost don't realise she's singing, her voice warm and comforting (like Hattie). But she guides this overture cum opening number confidently through its exciting variations. And what a contrast with the opening of the second half Too Darn Hot. Leroy Ricardo Jones (Paul) exuberantly shows off his considerable dancing and singing skills with great ensemble work too.
Craig Urbani creates a Fred Graham (aka Petruchio) we can love and hate at the same time. He never allows the sharp wit of the book to elude him and in his second half Where is the Life That Late I Led? offers variety and depth. Julie-Alanah Brighten's Lilli Vanessi (Kate) is a great achievement. Hateful in the opening scene, she quickly establishes herself as a sympathetic figure Wunderbar is lovely. While she is clearly in love with Fred we never feel she is subservient to him. This is crucial to the axis of the show. Exemplified in her performance of her final I Am Ashamed That Women Are So Simple; we can see Lilli beneath Kate. This allows this show to subvert Shakespeare's loathsome gender politics of the original and make the whole show life (and women) affirming.
Michael Greco and Les Dennis make a great duo as the two gangsters. Brush Up Your Shakespeare is a real gem - wittily directed and performed I could easily have just watched the whole number over again.
A high spot in the first half, Bianca's number with Lucentio, Gremio and Hortensio - Tom, Dick or Harry - marvellous dancing from the lads. Michell Francis' Bianca is a comedic delight. David Sellings (Lucentio) grabs your attention, he even lifts one of the few naff numbers (Bianca) to the level of excitement with his display of thrilling athleticism as he sings and dances his way through it.
Tour details to follow if we can obtain them.
Fred Graham/ Petruchio: Craig Urbani
Lilli Vanessi/ Katharine: Julie-Alanah Brighten
Bill Calhoun/ Lucentio: David Sellings
Lois Lane/ Bianca: Michelle Francis
First Man: Michael Greco
Second Man: Les Dennis
Harrison Howell: Kevin Curtin
Harry Trevor/ Baptista: Jay Jackson
Ralph: Ian Caddick
Hattie: Alexandra Gunn
Paul: Leroy Ricardo Jones
Gremio: Mike Denman
Hortensio: Stephen Webb
Philip: Roy Litvin
Nathaniel: Philip Marriott
Gregory: Anthony Kirwan
Emily Harvey; Justine Balmer. Emma Jay Hurst, Rebecca Howell, Alison Hefferon, Lindsey Wise
Swing: Jess Parker, Kevin Doody
Director: Petra Siniawski
Choreographer: Vikki Coote
Musical Supervisor: Richard Balcombe
Musical Director: Greg Arrowsmith
Set Designer: Robin Wagner
Costume Designer: Martin Pakledinaz
Lighting Designer: Nick Richings
Sound Designer: Jem Kitchen
Wig and Hair Designer: Richard Mawbey
2004-09-22 10:05:01