Irving Berlin’s White
Christmas The Musical
Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin
Book by David Ives and Paul Blake
http://www.dominiontheatre.com/theatre/white-christmas/
*˛°.˛*.˛°˛.˛★˛˚˛*˛°.˛*.˛°˛.*★* Merry (Better Early *★* 。*˛.
˛°_██_*.。*. / ♥ \ .˛* .˛。.˛.*.★* Than Never) Christmas *★ 。*
˛. (´• ̮•)*.。*/♫.♫\*˛.* ˛_Π_____.♥ ♥ ˛* ˛* ★ 。* *˛°.˛*.˛°˛.˛
.°( . • . ) ˛°./• '♫ ' •\.˛*./______/~＼*. ˛*.。˛* ˛. * ˛°˛.*★*
*(...'•'.. ) *˛╬╬╬╬╬˛°.｜田田 ｜門｜╬╬╬╬╬*˚ .˛ *.
*˛°.˛*.˛°˛.˛★˛˚˛*˛°.˛*.˛°˛.*★* Merry (Better Early *★* 。*˛.
˛°_██_*.。*. / ♥ \ .˛* .˛。.˛.*.★* Than Never) Christmas *★ 。*
˛. (´• ̮•)*.。*/♫.♫\*˛.* ˛_Π_____.♥ ♥ ˛* ˛* ★ 。* *˛°.˛*.˛°˛.˛
.°( . • . ) ˛°./• '♫ ' •\.˛*./______/~＼*. ˛*.。˛* ˛. * ˛°˛.*★*
*(...'•'.. ) *˛╬╬╬╬╬˛°.｜田田 ｜門｜╬╬╬╬╬*˚ .˛ *.
The Sound of Berlin
It was three quarters of the way through the perfectly
enjoyable, toe-tapping “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas the Musical” (based on
the 1954 movie)
when your blog mine host found herself wracking her brains for the other story which ended up in an inn in Vermont. Suddenly it came to her – the Von
Trapp family of the later musical The Sound of Music (1959) walked over
the Alps – but after the credits rolled set up a successful family music
franchise - in an inn
in Vermont ! Was this in the mind of movie makers when they changed location
from Connecticut in Holiday Inn
(1942) to Vermont twelve years later in the White Christmas movie directed by
Hungarian-born Michael Curtiz? Here of course nearly all similarities between
White Christmas and the Sound of Music – almost – end. In both there are strict
military types who eventually melt into good guys with their hearts in the
right place. But all this is by-the-bye – how does the current musical
extravaganza – a US 2004 creation with several
Irving Berlin songs not in the movie – shape up? It’s no
masterpiece (and there were a few initial microphone sound issues, although this improved as the performance progressed), but it’s a great seasonal show directed in this West End première by Morgan Young, pressing all the right buttons
without feeling too contrived. Classic songs from the Berlin catalogue.
Infectious platoons of tap dancing chorus boys and girls. Two couples whose
affairs are bolstered by beautiful melodies and smooth dance routines. Three
roles for veterans including a comically monosyllabic Phil Cole as handyman
Ezekiel and a suitably gruff Graham Cole (are they related?!) as retired
General Waverly, and a pigtailed granddaughterly swot of a little lass who by the the show's
end holds her musical theatre own with the best of them (not sure which of four
Susie Waverlys we saw, but taking turns are Tatum Confrey, Sophia Pettit, Emily
Robins and Amy Snudden). No cute dog, but you can’t have everything ;). A few design choices meant some scenery seemed dwarfed by the large stage near the beginning but even
a couple of mentions of larceny can’t dim the bright later design, inventive costumes, lighting and happy ending story. Aled Jones as Bob Wallace and Tom
Chambers as Phil Davis respectively take on the Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye
roles, ex-army pals and celebrity song-and-dance men working to save a mountain
inn, the investment into which their beloved former commanding officer has
(inexplicably!) poured his savings and pension. Aled Jones has a truly
excellent clear melodious voice while Tom Chambers dances, sings and cracks
gags with an impish Jack Lemmon-like glee, although their parody “Sisters”
number is perhaps not as sharp and hilarious as it could be. Wendi Peters leaves Coronation
Street's Cilla Battersby-Brown far behind as entirely believable American
Martha Watson - busybody switchboard operator, receptionist and closet-Ethel-Merman in an engrossingly spot-on performance, using her powerful showstopping voice with Broadway
ease. Meanwhile blonde Judy (Louise Bowden) and redhead Betty (Rachel Stanley)
warble and tap-dance pleasingly and more-than-proficiently through some
terrific numbers as the love interests. And who can resist a stand-out song and dance routine on the pleasures of the piano accompanied by lyrics such as "I know a fine way to treat a Steinway"?! ;) With lush sounding orchestra, glorious choreography and costumes, it’s really a show that
can’t fail to be a crowd pleaser for those who like their musicals bold, brassy
and predictable, so, despite some flaws, a shimmering
green light from this happy punter and her jalopy, now garaged, but
with an engine still humming those irrepressible songs from the Irving Berlin
stable :).
_██_*.。*. / ♥ \ .˛* .˛。.˛.*.★*
˛*.。. (´• ̮•)*.。*/♫.♫\*˛.* ˛_Π_____.♥ ♥
★*.( . • . ) ˛°./• '♫ ' •\.˛*./______/~＼
* 。* (...'•'.. ) *˛╬╬╬╬╬˛°.｜田田 ｜門｜
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