THE WOMAN IN WHITE

London: Palace
The Woman in White
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics by David Zippel, Book by Charlotte Jones

Presented by Sonia Friedman Productions Ltd and The Really Useful Theatre Company Ltd
At the Palace Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1V 8AY

15 September 04 onwards
2 hours 45 minutes, including one interval 20 minutes

Bookings: By phone: 7day/24 hour service 0870 890 0142, In person: Box Office open daily 10.00am 8.00pm, Groups: 0870 899 3342

Review: Peter Kinsey 16 September

Exciting Musical, best when it touches the spirit of the Victorian original.Wilkie Collins wrote his famous book, first appearing as a gripping serialisation, in 1860. It has never been out of print and it is easy to see why. It has atmospheric locations, ghostly happenings, not one, but two villains, three interesting women characters, romance and a mysterious secret waiting to be discovered. An exciting novel? Undoubtedly. An exciting night of musical theatre? Yes with reservations. Best when it touches the spirit of the Victorian original.

This is immediately and expensively evident in the scenery. The Victorians had a fascination with extravagant sets for their melodramas, full of transformations and tricks. They loved their optical toys, magic lanterns and huge dioramas. William Dudley's design inherits this tradition and brings it startlingly up to date. The shell of his set is a drum that changes shape and is a screen for the numerous computer generated images that move us rapidly (literally in the twinkling of an eye) from place to place. In combination with the revolving stage, they enable us to see the same scene from many different angles (Laura's marriage); inject moments of comedy (Marian and Walter's ascent of the staircase in Limmeridge House); create danger (Marian eavesdropping on the parapet outside Glyde's room); and much more.

Charlotte Jones' book freely adapts the original tale, streamlining, without distorting it.

Despite the loss of some of Collins' characters, there are gains. There is no Countess Fosco, but this enables an enlarged and interesting relationship between Fosco and Marian. It also provides a brilliant star turn for Michael Crawford as the Count. Unrecognisable beneath fatsuit and prosthetic jowls, he is witty and charming. Crawford even adds another talent to his Barnum circus skills, that of mouse tamer, when he shares a comic moment with the Count's pet rodent.

Marian, in Jones' re-telling also becomes the true protagonist of the whole story, far more so than Collins' creation, presenting a trio of strong sisterhood (a Pre-Raphaelite image) with Laura and Anne. Maria Friedman plays her powerfully, moving from bubbly foster sister to vengeful fury, an enduring picture of sadness, alone on stage, at the end.

Finally, the music and lyrics, provide other links to the Victorian theme. There is a distinct hymn like quality in Walter and Laura's many avowals of love, Marian sings a parlour ballad in If Not For Me For Her, Fosco does much the same, but jauntily, in his credo A Gift for Living Well and tops that Brindisi with a shameless Verdian parody in You Can Get Away With Anything. The local farming folk re-jig The Holly And The Ivy like Hardy peasantry.

However, in contrasting modern fashion, there aren't many tunes. Inevitably, it will be asked, is there a memorable popular hit here. I Believe My Heart has the romantic content and echoes previous Lloyd Webber anthems of love, but only time will tell.

Cast

Walter Hartright: Martin Crewes
Anne Catherick: Angela Christian
Marian Halcombe: Maria Friedman
Mr Fairlie: Edward Petherbridge
Laura Fairlie: Jill Paice
Sir Percival Glyde: Oliver Darley
Count Fosco: Michael Crawford
Signal Man: Vincent Pirillo
Corn Dolly Girl: Sophie Catherside/Leah-Verity White/Sydney White

Ensemble:
Nicky Adams, Eion Cannon, Gregory Clarke, Elinor Collett, Chistopher Connah,
Adrian Der Gregorian, Susie Fenwick, Helen George, Mark Goldthorp, John Griffiths,
Andrew Keelan, Paul Kemble, Joanna Kirkland, Jo Napthine, Yvette Robinson, James Spilling, Steve Varnom

Director: Trevor Nunn
Design: William Dudley
Production & Video Design
Lighting Design: Paul Pyant
Movement Director: Wayne McGregor
Sound Design: Mick Potter
Musical Supervisor: Simon Lee
Musical Director: Stephen Brooker
Orchestrations: David Cullen
Orchestrations Supervisor: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Company Manager: Dave McNeilly

2004-09-19 17:43:00