A postcard from the Palace
by Julie MeaderPatti LuPone
Donmar Warehouse, Friday August 13th.
The second season of Diva’s at the Donmar, announced in Spring of this year, follows on from the first highly acclaimed slots by Barbara Cook, the Callaway sisters and our own Imelda Staunton. This year’s offerings to tempt us were Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald and again, our home-grown Sam Brown. Determined not to miss out, I booked for the first two. Patti of course is well-known for the creation of the London Fantine, Evita and her well-publicised Sunset Boulevard. Audra I was familiar with thanks to the owner of this very website! But I had never seen either in the flesh, so had little idea quite what to expect.
I had read a couple of reviews as Miss LuPone began her fortnight’s stay at the intimate setting of the Donmar Warehouse, capacity 250, and on Friday evening, swelling to 300 as those who couldn’t get hold of seats elected to stand. The critics were, as ever, bemoaning the fact that she did not seem comfortable with the between-show patter or that the audience didn’t come away feeling they knew her any better, while others hinted at some kind of on-stage distance. One even devoted entire paragraphs over her choice of wardrobe, especially the ‘mink.’ In August. So, intrigued, her new CD not being available the last time I was at large with a credit card, I went along on the evening of Friday the Thirteenth to see if it was going to be an unlucky omen.
The set was made up of a piano, flowers, water and a solitary-looking plain wooden chair, and after a few bars of music from her very able pianist, out she stepped to polite applause and a few cheers. Dressed in white, and looking a good ten years younger than her reported 52, she launched straight into a medley of songs. Some old, some even older (from South Pacific), introduced herself and her accompanist, and said that tonight’s show was all about love in all its forms; first love, lost love, lust, parents’ love, lust (we laughed) etc. Well, first thing you notice is that she has the most amazing breath control. Her voice is certainly pleasant enough, though not necessarily outstanding. The thing that does make Patti stand out far, far beyond almost anyone else, is her delivery and her stage presence. You do not take your eyes off her for one moment. She works the audience like the true pro that she so obviously is, and that is NOT a put down! She has the most glorious gift for comedy too, singing a number called ‘Shattered Illusions’ which I have since discovered was written by Dillie Keane from Fascinating Aida. She sang another Keane in the second act, but more on that later. I wonder was that her Norma Desmond ‘look’ she was using to single out hapless men sitting near the front as she bemoaned the lack of suitable dating material, or as she referred, like pigs looking for truffles.
She told us that she was twelve when she wanted to become and actress, and you got the feeling that whatever Patti put her mind to, Patti got. By the time she sang a wonderful lament about being Better off Dead, the audience were eating out of her hand. Distant? No siree! The cheers and applause grew wilder as she veered from Sondheim’s Not a Day Goes By to Lennon and McCartney’s It’s for You via the Hollies’ hit Air That I Breathe, for which she sat down. She used the stage to its full potential, picking out what seemed like each person individually to rest that marvellous stare on! She finished the first set with Being Alive and went off to rapturous applause and the word WOW forming on most peoples’ lips.
Act two began with the ‘mink’, which turned out to be a white stole which was used to illustrate the song she started with - I Never Do Anything Twice, and once again, got the laughter coming thick and fast. She then treated us to I Regret Everything, complete with French accent. From there on in, the mood changed to sombre, melancholy numbers such as Sand and Water, Randy Newman’s Emotional Girl, Back to Before and the other Keane number, Look Mummy, No Hands. By the time she reached the last verse, there were tears; hers, mine, and I’m sure the other 299 people in the room. Another song called My Son and the lights dimmed for her to dedicate the previous sequence “for my family.” She ended where we came in, with the Carnival theme, and came back for two sung encores and once more returned to take her bows as the clapping and cheering didn’t seem to be in any way about to die down. She blew us all kisses and left, looking perhaps a little surprised, but happy, although most of us could have easily sat there all night and listened to her sing nursery rhymes. She also never once took the opportunity to mention her new CD!
So, in answer to the critics, the chats seemed natural enough to me; I found out a little more about her. She told us she’s not a natural redhead - how much more personal did the critics want?! I hadn’t come to be her new best friend anyway, but I did leave a new fan. She is a Diva with capital D and can make you veer from laughter to tears in a matter of seconds. Her stagecraft is magnificent, her choice of songs here was inspired; a good mix of old, new and unheard-of, and if she won’t tell you - I will. They’re all on the CD and it’s called Matters of the Heart!!
© Julie Meader 1999
Audra McDonald
Donmar Warehouse, Friday August 27th.
Exactly two weeks since my last visit, the second instalment of the Diva season was underway with Ms McDonald. The reviews had been a little kinder this time, mentioning her 3 Tonys, vocal range and her championing of new composers. So, Friday came round and once again, we settled into our places and sat back……
Piano, drums and a double-bass sat waiting, and the three musicians walked out to applause, then Audra appeared. Launching straight into a track from her new CD ‘Way Back to Paradise’, called Daybreak in Alabama, Audra’s set began. Once the applause had died down, she smiled, and asked us if we were scared! I don’t know how other people’s faces were reacting but scary is not a word I’d use for either her voice or her person. Dressed in a dark trouser-suit with that hair pinned away from her face, she’s the most un-scary person you could hope to meet. She told us that she wanted to sing us songs of what she described as her generation of new composers, and therefore, we would not have heard them yet. But she would also dip into some older, more well-known songbooks along the way, including ‘The Master’, Irving Berlin.
So, how to describe her voice? Her range covers many octaves for a start, and she can go low, and I mean Low! During one of her more bluesy numbers, she got so far down I wondered how she would come up, but the next second, she’s right up there going so high, you wonder if she’ll ever stop! But, all through her range, her voice does not lose one iota of its sweet timbre. She can encompass all styles, from Jazz, Blues and Gospel through to ballads, lullabies and opera. I know she can, because she did! The selection was stylishly put together for an audience, who I’d imagined, would never have seen her before, save for perhaps a few Americans on holiday. She did a great job of showcasing herself and all her ranges.
Her voice is truly amazing and everything you might have read about it is totally true. It is very pure and clear which lends itself perfectly to standards such as Someone to Watch Over Me or The Man That Got Away, which she sung as her own personal tribute to her heroine, Judy Garland. Referring to herself as a ‘gay man trapped in a black woman’s body’ she told us about her late-night surfing to fuel her own obsession with Judy. Her between-show chatting was also very endearing, and after about the third song, with the double-bass getting a solo spot, we applauded and she kept flashing a lovely diamond on third finger, left hand. After pointing to him and back to her ring, and from her ear-to-ear smile, we gathered the bass player was her fiancé! By this time the audience were so enraptured, they even clapped that news. It was like being invited to the engagement party!
Enjoying her stay in London very much [always a winner with the audience] Audra continued to enchant with her choice of material. Another track from her album, Stars and the Moon, went down well. Telling us that she is soon to be cast as Medea, she joked that at just turned 29 (another clap?!) she always gets to play a ‘mother’. Some rippled laughter was checked as she quickly assured us that she really meant ‘mother’ as in parent and not any other kind. The largely American euphemism was not lost and those that didn’t get it first time round soon cottoned-on.
The tear-jerking moment was reached via a small section of yet more new songs, one which Audra said always brought her out in floods. I don’t know the title of it, but it was a very sweet story-song of a woman who doesn’t have children of her own but spoils everyone else’s. Her play-out number was sensational as much as the previous were low-key. It was written by the man who sat in the pit each night when Audra was appearing in Ragtime and it was called Someday. One of those anthemic, rousing songs that sweep along nicely and always sound like you’ve heard them before. I don’t mean that it was plagiarised or familiar, but just sounded so perfect that you felt you must have heard it somewhere. She went off to rapturous applause and re-appeared for two further encores, one a foot-stomping Fascinating Rhythm.
CD’s were being rapidly snapped up in the foyer afterwards so I presume most of the audience enjoyed it as much as I did. It was a wonderful evening of entertainment by a woman who will go a long, long way. I only hope I don’t have to go a long way to ever see her again - come back soon, Audra.
© Julie Meader 1999LES MISERABLES.
Monday 17th January 2000.
My first visit of the new Millennium to the Palace also marked my 40th time of seeing the show. It was also ‘understudy night’ on a cold and foggy Monday in Old London Town. Tonight, we would be seeing Thor Kristinsson as Javert, Stephen Matthews as Thenardier, Mark Powell as Enjolras and Jason Nolan as Marius. Regulars who were appearing were John Owen Jones as Valjean, Gunilla Backman as Fantine, Amanda Salmon as Eponine, Rebecca Vere as Cosette and Joanna Mays as Madame Thenardier. The last time I saw the show, can you believe, five months ago? Tim Godwin was playing Valjean so I was glad to see he was still there, and hopefully staking his claim for the role after the next cast changes!!
After *all* the announcements, the music started and off we went; back to Toulon, back TWO centuries and back to the story of our favourite convict.
The depleted-looking chain gang made their entrance, accompanied by some uniformed wardens. The voices were sure and clear and after almost half a year’s absence, the heart was certainly fonder. On exiting, the last man tripped and fell. Not sure if this was a deliberate attempt at enhancing his character, but as the others helped him offstage, it certainly looked effective. Javert’s arrival, in the shape of Thor, demanded the prisoner 24601. At first sight, he seemed very young-looking for the part, but his voice was commanding and orderly. His exchanges with Valjean during the Runaway Cart scene were most pleasing and my only gripe for Confrontation was that he could have been a little louder and a tad more forceful in his counterpoint. Stars was sung superbly - great last note and a very measured delivery. Previous understudies have tended to rush the song, making it seem like they couldn’t wait for it to be over and done with, while Thor seemed to be more comfortable in the role. Just an impression, but that’s what I thought. He also aged beautifully! In fact, he looked more like two people, his act 2 appearance bearing the marks of an Inspector who had has his share of worries!
During the release from the barricade scene, again it was sometimes difficult to understand all his words, but that was mostly due to the continual and increasing amount of ad-libbing by the ensemble. Maybe because there were fewer of them, they felt they had to make it sound like there were twice as many? I liked the ‘new’ thing of one of the women tying Javert with his own impostors’ sash onto the chair, but it gave Valjean more to do; cutting through the rope AND undoing the scarf! When the time came for Javert to leave us for his watery grave, Thor was at his best. John’s painful expression as he looked back at ‘I will be waiting, 24601’ was full of acceptance, and Thor seemed to suddenly find the volume in his voice. Making excellent use of the stage, especially the part immediately in front of me (thanks!!) he really did *become* the Inspector in turmoil, and his vocal capabilities were exceptional here. An excellent all-round performance, great use of the night-stick, especially for the very beginning, pinning it right up John’s throat, and during Stars, he drummed his fingers on it, obviously imagining that if God DID let him find him, he might just like to give him a few not-so-gentle skull-caving whacks!!
This was the tenth time I had seen John Owen Jones, and while it would be harsh to say that each time he gets better, he seems to find new ways to improve. That doesn’t mean he’s ten times *better* than my first sighting, far far from it; it’s just that you think they have the part all sewn up, and then they find a new direction or a particular gesture, perhaps one you’ve only just noticed, but each and every time he increases his level of Valjean-ness!! Without looking like it’s costing him any effort at all, he has risen to new depths of character. Can you rise to a depth? You know what I mean! He is wonderful. During his evening meal with the Bishop, instead of acting the grateful serf throughout the meal, he now acts with total malevolence, so that when he has the error of his ways pointed out, the transformation is more painful and more, much more, obvious. Which for me made it more believable that just by a few simple gestures, almost twenty years of harsh treatment could be wiped out. But it was, no matter, and we were now set up for a marvellous rendition of the Prologue. John (I’m almost tempted to write Val-John) moves through the piece with such flair and ease you really do feel for him. For Who Am I, John uses his ‘passionately committed’ voice and also injects some audience participation (sort of) by using us as the focus of his entreaties. Why should he save his hide? Go on, you know you must! And how delightful - the line ‘You will find me at the hospital’ has gone!
The new caring, sharing, Millennium-Man Valjean elected not to leave Fantine’s side during Come to Me, which made their joint efforts on Cosette’s behalf seem more realistic. Having him wander off mid-song never looked particularly endearing on his part. Valjean’s half of Confrontation was dealt with much more forcefully than Javert’s and I liked his no-holds-barred approach to knocking Javert unconscious. Sometimes, I almost feel sorry for our dogged Inspector there, but not this time - Valjean’s determination as he strode off purposefully made it a necessary evil. Meeting Little Cosette in the woods was again most pleasing; I liked his surprised look when she hushed and told him her name. He looked like he wasn’t expecting a daughter of Fantine’s to look so grim. Wrapping her in his own shawl, and going off to meet the foster parents from Hell, he bargained for the girl with detached indifference, until their blighted accusation of his intent. Then he was roused into action! Once the price was settled, John treated the little girl (I must pay more attention to see which kids I’m seeing) to a huge circular sweep around the Palace stage and off they went to Paris.
The Paris scenes were well-acted by the main characters, while John looked daggers at Marius after his helping big Cosette up. Leading the cast into One Day More, he adopts the nature and characteristics of a true hero and paves the way into Act 2.
Treating Eponine just a tiny bit harshly, almost pushing her over as she squeezes through the gate, he then opens the post! I think I can honestly say the John has now become the greatest letter-reader of all! The way he hesitates, this time even repeating the words ‘That you love me……..that you love me as well’, with a look of panic-stricken confusion at his daughter’s new-found passion, is just amazing.
On arriving at the barricades to meet his nemesis, he treats Javert with customary wariness, but still releases him. Signalling to Enjolras that ‘it is done’ he takes up his position just behind Marius, and prepares for Bring Him Home. Well - what can be said? Measured, controlled delivery, perfect heartrending emotions, both facially and vocally. Truly superb.
Gunilla Backman produced a very fine performance as Fantine. Her exchanges with the toe-curlingly hideous Factory Foreman (a grotesque but brilliant John Stacey) were very good, as was her delivery of I Dreamed a Dream. She uses her face well during the song, smiling benignly into space as she recalls her youthful relationships. Seeming to snap out of her reverie, she ends the song with a last look back at what she has now become. Her descent is played out particularly well, and her exchanges with Bamatabois were good - although she didn’t get to knee him anywhere this time, she did do a nice double bluff, by stroking his arm first, making him think she might oblige, before scratching his face. I did think she sold her locket a little to readily? Sometimes, Fantines have been reluctant to part with it, even kissing it before handing it over, but Gunilla snatched it off so quickly and put out her hand for the money, it really echoed the words ‘You’re far too eager to sell’. I’ve always had a passing fancy that there might be a lock of Cosette’s baby hair inside it! Her pleading to Javert at her arrest was very sincere, and the way she looked away from Valjean when he said he’d seen her face before, really showed up how utterly degraded she must have felt. Twice during this scene, Javert’s attending deputies made forward to detain her, but on both occasions Javert waved his arm to stop them. It was almost like he wanted to hear her finish her tale! Incredible - some of Valjean’s compassion may be rubbing off!! But no, off she went to the hospital under Valjean’s care. Here I feel is Gunilla’s defining moment. Her demeanour for Come to Me is stunning and she is at her finest, again staring out (at which point the woman in front of me even looked round to see what she was so fixated upon) at her hallucination of Cosette. Her voice is painfully ‘weak’ to express her exhaustion but it doesn’t lose any of its clarity or power.
Mark Powell as Enjolras was rather good! He did have a wild, red-tinged fringe (Fringeolras?!!!) but other than that, his performance was nothing short of first-class. Vocally, he is powerful when necessary and Red and Black lost none of its humour and passion. As a leader, he was very good too - laid back, not too harsh to Marius (hurrah!) and also pitching-in at the barricade, bandaging and comforting where needed. I liked that particular approach, which makes Enjolras seem far more human. He did not, however, appear to have any kind of relationship with Grantaire (Andrew Williamson). While this is not a hanging offence, I much prefer them to be either at loggerheads or like brothers. Something in between looks weak and unimaginative, but never mind. Andrew played our favourite drunk with a great deal of cynicism and elected to almost blank Enjolras, so perhaps we should blame the brandy. Mark, however, seemed at a bit of a loss as to how to comfort Marius after Eponine’s death, but his all-round performance was fine, despite him reminding me of Niles Crane!
The Thenardiers put in an able performance, with Stephen Matthews looking like the seedy dog he is supposed to! Not much of a compliment, but he sure looks like he was intended for that part. He added some comic touches, and also has re-instated the Colette/Cosette part at the Waltz of Treachery which is a welcome return. Joanna, however, appeared to be slightly less funny than I’ve seen her before. Her wedding dancing was greatly curtailed, and while she is still amusing, I didn’t feel the urge to cackle like I usually do most of the way through Master of the House. She works particularly hard during this song, running back and forth and trying hard to amuse, but the scene was stolen by the drunk and the prim couple who managed to appear to be on some kind of castors, the way they were swaying about. Good performance from the Thenardiers, take nothing away, and the bargaining and wedding scenes were still greatly amusing, but not the best I’ve ever seen.
Jason Nolan’s Marius was also perfectly adequate. Another actor with an abundance of wig, but vocally he was well above the level required and made Marius into a likeable character yet again. His treatment of Eponine was somewhere in the middle between friend and master, and he seemed to be genuinely concerned to find her attempting to join the uprising before he gives her the letter. His voice was in fine form, after a few possibly nervous moments early on. Oh, another thing about Grantaire! During Marius’ lamenting part of Red and Black, the rolled up newspaper came out yet again, which Andrew held upwards for Red and let hang down for Black. Very coarse, but very funny! Jason’s voice was pleasant enough and I have no complaints at all about his overall performance. His rendition of Empty Chairs was incredibly moving. During the confession scene, I felt he could have been slightly more animated, but this didn’t detract from him too much. His volume increased significantly for One Day More also, which is a real bonus. At the wedding, he put in a nice touch. When those loveable old rogues are pestering him for money, he was addressing Thenardier but took out the 500 Franc note and handed it backwards to Madame Thenardier. One funny thing happened too. When running toward the gate at Rue Plumet to thank Eponine for warning him, he misjudged his speed, put out his hands on the metal railings, and the gate, having been left unlocked, flew open! But he carried on like a pro, and climbed over the side anyhow!!
Rebecca Vere as his soon-to-be wife (on stage, I hasten to add) was as the top of the tree as far as I was concerned. Her performance was just about as faultless as it could be, and while I’ve always liked the character of Cosette, Rebecca makes her sweet-nature shine through. Her garden scenes were perfect and her trilling soprano rang out beautifully. I loved her semi-chastisement of her father, then her sudden change of heart as she beckoned him to sit with her on the bench. Her first meeting with Marius was also utterly charming; her impatient tutting followed by a look which said WOW as she clapped eyes on Marius. Her vocal quality is impeccable and while she doesn’t look like a typically youthful ingenue, she acts the part with such conviction and her voice has exactly the right amount of sugar to be sweet but not syrupy.
So, if Rebecca is faultless, Amanda Salmon as Eponine is even more so, because she doesn’t posses any to begin with. I think her ‘Ponine is second to *almost* none, and am still in the envious position of never having seen a bad Eponine for my entire association with the show, and Amanda is one of the best. She exudes confidence in both her personality and her singing. She turns the character into a more resigned ‘Ponine, not one who is still striving to win Marius’ affections, more as one who knows she won’t ever be his. She accepts this with as much dignity as her character allows and continues to put aside her own petty jealousies to bring them together. I got the feeling that she didn’t go off to find the bourgeois two a penny thing just to appease her one true love, she did it because she wanted to see them both happy. Her two lines after Stars, …..’Look what’s become of me’, seemed to be saying ‘OK you win’ to Cosette. Perhaps we read too much into it, but I loved Amanda’s performance and her lines during In My Life and A Heart Full of Love were truly heartbreaking. She still tidies him up before despatching him over the wall. Her On My Own is full of pity, because she seems to be convincing herself as much as us that she loves him. After this was over, she hung about on stage far longer than I’ve seen before, with the mist swirling at her feet, seeming undecided whether to go to him or not.
Her look of horror as Marius offers her money is a picture, but her acting comes into it’s own for A Little Fall of Rain. This time, completely saturated in blood, she died at last in her one true loves arms, and went off to take her rightful place to return an hour later to make sure that Marius was really happy. Her look towards him was not one of jealousy or spite towards Cosette at all, more of benevolent pride in her small part in bringing them together. Oh, I’m tearing up!
The ensemble all acted well, if a bit over the top, especially one, who, just before Stars, elected to stand in the hollow between the sets and holler at Javert ‘Who are you calling garbage. I’m not scared of you mister.’ ?!!? Strange! I suppose it is still the panto season. Also worth a quick mention was that the orchestra seemed to be having a particularly hard time. Several times I noticed there were some gaps and they sounded as if they were playing catch-up with the normal flow of the songs. A couple of bum-notes, which is normally acceptable, became a few too many, and the echo-sound after Javert’s arrival and consequent narrative was completely gone!
The finale was magnificent, each participant seeming to layer on the emotion even thicker than usual. Valjean, visibly aged and frail-looking, laughed when Cosette begged him not to die; Marius looked confused at finding out his father-in-law was his saviour; Cosette looked heart-broken and elated at the same time; Fantine looked serene and grateful, and Eponine looked genuinely happy for the first time. The music built up and the collective sound of sniffing filled the theatre. The end of a most enjoyable performance, yet again, by a very able cast, lighted by the performances of John Owen Jones, Gunilla Backman, Amanda Salmon and Rebecca Vere, and helped along nicely by some very worthy ‘understudies’ who were not in any way ‘under’ at all.
© Julie Meader 1999Read more Julie's fascinating reviews!
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