It’s Only Life – REVIEW

It’s Only Life

Union theatre, London 

 

Seen June 16th, 2018

Reviewed by Jade Prince 

★★★★

It was a rather cute show and contains some great reminders for people wanting to live a fulfilling life. Although, putting these into practice isn’t always the easiest. ‘It’s Only Life’ covers every human need spanning the whole spectrum whilst delivering the message wisely.

The music is solely John Bucchino’s who, over the year, has wrote songs which have been  performed my theatre legends such as Audra McDonald, Liza Minnelli and Patti LuPone to name a few. He isn’t well know in the UK. In all honestly, I had never heard of him. I do have to say though, I love his writing style. All of his songs in this show are very heart warming and honest. He manages to capture true life in its rawest nature.

I can’t say I saw much of a story during this show (the story I did see was left till the end) which did detract from the enjoyment initially. I was very worried I was missing the point so I started really listening to the lyrics. And that is when the enjoyment came back.

You could not ask for a more talented bunch of performers! Including the MD, Nick Barstow. I do love seeing a show and every person on stage is at the same level. No weak link in this cast! The songs were just so well suited to their voices and each of them got to demonstrate their range at various points during the show.

This was a very basic production with no microphones and just one pianist. It was such a beautiful touch only having a piano accompanying the performance. It worked so well with the lyrics being sing. Where the venue was of an intimate size there was no need for the microphones but I do wish that certain cast members had a microphone. At certain points I was really struggling to hear and I was sat front row.

The set was so cute! The use of different levels was perfect! It was very minimalistic, colour-wise. All white washed with the odd burst of colour here and there. All pastel colours and I am a sucker of pastels! I really enjoyed looking around and seeing all of the everyday items (the majority painted white) hung on the walls in the various rooms of the house. I did spy a pastel blue Buzz Lightyear!

‘It’s Only Life’ is currently playing at the Union Theatre until July 7th. If you are looking for a cute, heartwarming, enjoyable show, this is the one!

Tickets and information can be found at: http://www.uniontheatre.biz/its-only-life.html

Francesco De Carlo: Comfort zone – REVIEW

Francesco De Carlo: Comfort Zone

Soho theatre, London 

 

Seen May 19th, 2018

Reviewed by Jade Prince 

★★★★

With a title like ‘comfort zone’ I was expecting to be thrown out of my own comfort zone however I was pleasantly surprised I wasn’t.

Instead, you learn about Francesco’s own experience in leaving his own comfort zone, Italy, his home country. He brought to the stage his move from Italy to Britain and the challenges/cultural differences he faced along the way but now he is facing his biggest challenge yet…Brexit.

Francesco started the show off by focusing on Brexit and his take on the situation. I have to say, his theory on why Brexit is happening was hilarious! But, yet, simple enough. He came into the country. He hadn’t been here long and then BOOM, England are going. I mean, I didn’t question it too much. Francesco even admitted himself that he has a track record of causing government upheaval. Ha!

It was a really enjoyable show. The audience, including myself, loved it and we were all howling with laughter.

Something I really did notice was that there was no awkwardness at the start of the show. I’ve seen a few comedians now and it is so typical for the audience to be reserved at the start. Gauging the other audience members, the performer and what a safe reaction level would be. However, in this scenarios, Francesco walked out and you knew exactly what you were going to get.

I wouldn’t say that his material was out of this world and 100% original but his delivery was what made it. He focused an awful lot on the stereotypes associated with Italians and the British which was perfectly fine. Once again, a lot of those points you were very much expecting but there were a few in there that caught everyone off guard. But it was so brutally honest.

Overall, I really enjoyed the night. It was easy laughter in response to light hearted humour. There was nothing too offensive or too outrageous thrown into the mix. I would definitely love to revisit Francesco on his next tour!

Follow Francesco on twitter!

He’s also got himself all fancy with a website and everything! It’s one with a mailing list. Just saying. For you to keep up to date with upcoming shows if you fancied it!

Editor’s note: I’m so sorry with that very last section. I’ve been watching far too much RuPaul’s Drag Race. I have no shame! 

Great British Mysteries? – REVIEW

Great British Mysteries?

Soho theatre, London 

 

Seen May 18th, 2018

Reviewed by Jade Prince 

★★★★ (so close to 5!)

Where do I start with this one.

The best place is probably stating that I loved it!

I went in and the only thing I knew about the show was that it was a mockumentary. Now that could go either way.

The first 10 minutes, I found myself in the uncomfortable unknown. Olive Bacon (Rose Robinson) and Dr. Teddy Tyrell (Will Close) were setting the scene leaving the whole audience in limbo. A lot wanted to laugh at these early jokes but were still plucking up the courage. This probably wasn’t helped by the intimate venue (but this was actually the ideal setting)

It really didn’t take that long before Olive and Teddy had the audience in the palm of their hand. I have to admit, I can be a very tough nut to crack when it comes to shows like this and for me to sit there front row crying with laughter is a rarity!

I loved the whole set up with this being the final episode of their televised series, looking back at all the highlights which were voted for by fans. You get to see the pair’s less than serious approach to uncovering the truths about the greatest British mysteries known to man.

The chemistry between Rose and Will is really what kept the show going. They were able to bounce off each other so effortlessly. Their comedic timing was on point. This is something, as a performer you either have it or you don’t. If the script wasn’t funny enough the sudden corpsing  on stage really had the audience howling. But like true professional they were able to pick right up where they left off.

Joseph Hancock directed the show and although it was very basic and clearly on a budget, the use of the screen and the projector worked really well. It really helped break the scenes up and gave Rose and Will a bit of a breather. As an audience member I do find it nice to be able to draw my attention to something else and then go back to the laughter. It was all done in such a way that you didn’t miss anything.

Nothing about this show is serious which is why it was such a delight to watch. Harmless, silly comedy. Something I haven’t seen for a while. It is clear to see why it had a sold out run at the Edinburgh Fringe 2017.

If you claim to need evidence to believe this show is good before you purchase tickets, I have one thing to say….”evidence?!…..Shmevidence!”

Just get your tickets and know you’ll be guaranteed a great night.

Great British Mysteries is currently touring a select number of venues in its preview stage. More information on the venues and dates can be found on their twitter page.

Sarah Kendall: One-Seventeen (UK tour) – REVIEW

Sarah Kendall – One-Seventeen 

Soho theatre, London 

 

Seen May 16th, 2018

Reviewed by Jade Prince 

★★★★

Sarah Kendall spent a few nights of her UK tour down in the basement of Soho theatre, the perfect venue for a comedy act. The tour, one-seventeen, takes you on a turbulent retelling of Sarah’s life from the early years up to the present day. It tackles everything; the brilliant highs, some painful lows and everything called life in between. Luck, being a key theme, is able to connect everything at various points during the show. 

I have to say this wasn’t the best comedy act I have seen but it most certainly wasn’t the worst. It was a nice, acceptable middle level. 

I warmed to her straight away when she called the audience c*nts in under a minute of being on stage. It definitely got the laughs! A real ice breaker. I did appreciate how the word flowed so freely from her mouth. One thing I cannot stand is when comedians scripts that word in as an attempt to get more laughs and it does normally fails miserably. For Sarah, it just slipped out as if she was having a conversation with some friends. 

I have to hand it to her for the originality in her jokes. It was real life. Not necessarily real life that everyone could relate to. A few of these stories kind of left me feeling slightly awkward. Not that they were inappropriate just not relatable. I started getting that vibe from other audience members too. It was a rollercoaster of a show. Some highs which were so funny but then there were other parts where I didn’t know whether to laugh or not. It just seemed weird having such serious matters in a comedy show especially presented in that way. The subject matters were obviously life stories, I just felt they went on a little too long and started to bring a bit of a downer on the show. This feeling, however, was immediately removed when Sarah whipped out the next joke! 

Something I like about a good comedy show is when the comedian is able to link all the stories together and Sarah certainly did this. I loved the referencing of previous things she spoke about and doubling up the jokes. 

Despite the rollercoaster of funny to serious, it had such a great pace. There was never a point where I was urging it to end. Sarah is definitely a great story teller and had the audience in the palm of her hand. Something in comedians which is few and far between specially with the serious matters. 

There was another point which made me feel a bit ‘meh’ and that was the ending of the show. It had a rather abrupt ending which left you wanting more. I think it would have been great to see Sarah leave the stage on a real high with the audience roaring with laughter like they did during so much of the show. 

Overall, it was a very enjoyable show. One I would recommend. I’d be interested in seeing her again when she comes to my home town later in the tour.

Sarah is currently touring the UK with One-Seventeen. Click here for more information on her upcoming dates and tickets. 

Also be sure to follow Sarah on twitter for the latest updates in her travels. 

Getting the better seats without breaking the bank

The west end can be a wonderful and memorable night out however it can all add up becoming very expensive. A large amount of this cost will be the theatre tickets themselves. Many people do spend a lot of money on theatre seats and obviously that is how the west end thrives and continues. It is a business! However I believe everyone should be able to enjoy the theatre so this particular blog post will aim to arm you with the correct websites, apps and information for when you need to save the pennies but still want to see the arts.

I’m about to reveal my deepest secrets so pay attention!

Over my years of going to the theatre on a student budget I have become an awful lot savvier and very rarely spend over £40 on one seat unless it is something incredibly special. One of my main go-to apps is TodayTix. They do brilliant deals and never sell restricted seats. They have a fabulous selection of seats pretty much all of the time to suit every budget. Another great thing they do is daily lotteries for a few select shows and ‘rush’ tickets which range from £15-£25 in price.

Let’s start with the lotteries. Every day the lotteries are live from midnight. Currently the shows include Dreamgirls, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Young Frankenstein and Kinky Boots. Matinee lotteries close around 10:30am and lotteries for the evening shows close at 3:30pm. You enter for that day’s show and are notified 2 to 4 hours before the performance. This option is only great if you live in London or within an hour on the train but it is still a good way to get nice, affordable seats, normally front row!

The ‘rush’ tickets are a little different but still provide great seats at affordable prices. This ticket option gives you more notice as they become available to buy through the app at certain times of the day (typically 10am or 10:30am, depending on the show). It is a first come first serve system and seats vary depending on what is available on the day. There is a large variety of shows though which currently include: Mary Stuart, Girl From The North Country, The Birthday Party, 42nd Street, The Ferryman, Royal Shakespeare Company, Motown and The Woman in White.

Another great one in my arsenal of ticket sites is ATG. A bog standard site which is very helpful! The seat plans are fairly accurate and occasionally you find the odd last minute seat reduced in price. Also they have their theatre cards where payment for a years membership means that you get ticket discounts, early sales and much more. There are two types of theatre cards which both look great depending on your budget.

Day seats are also another great last minute option. They do take a fair bit of planning if you are determined to see a show that day! Only certain shows offer day seats and again this is down to availability. Some shows have a designated number which they have available everyday whereas other shows vary theirs depending on how well that show has sold for that day. From my experience, I recommend getting to the box office around 8:30am on a normal show day. If it is a special performance such as a cast change the hard core fans will get there super early, some will even camp out over night to get their hand on a ticket! Day seats are never guaranteed. There have been many a time where the person in front of me has got the last one and I’ve had to go back to the drawing board. A lot of these options mentioned in this blog are great for last minute deals so they always become by back-up plan if day seating isn’t a success. To see whether a certain show offers day seats just head to their official website and it will provide all of the details you need.

A website I use before I make any ticket transactions is SeatPlan. This is a fabulous website especially if you are not familiar with the theatre or seating plan. SeatPlan offers an interactive seat map for the majority of the big theatres in the west end and a handful nationwide. They rely on their members to upload seat reviews and many of them include photos of the view of the stage from that particular seat. These are completely honest reviews which are monitored. So far it has never failed me. They also provide an incentive for their members to review seats with credit which can add up to theatre tokens. Another great way to save money! Currently, you will receive 40p for each photo you upload once your review has been approved. You can start doing this now if you haven’t already! Just head to their website and sign up for free. They also offer great ticket deals through their website so that is also worth checking out.

The website Get Into London Theatre only comes around once a year and is always a good one to know about. I have to be completely honest and say their 2018 selection of shows wasn’t too great this year and I only purchased tickets for one show when normally I go crazy! Each December the website goes live with deals for a range of different shows with tickets for £10, £20, £30 and £40 (great for all budgets) The location of the seats are also normally really good and it tells you just how much you saved. Normally the £69 tickets are the ones reduced to £40, £49-£39 reduced to £30 and so on. Previous years I have been able to get ticket to big shows such as Phantom of the Opera in row D in the stalls for £40. Like I said before, this year wasn’t great but hopefully come December the 2019 selection will be a lot better.

That is about it when it comes to the best sites to use when looking for theatre tickets. I always recommend you stick to the main websites such at ATG, Love Theatre and  TodayTix as you won’t have to pay any commissions fees. Many of the other tickets sites sell legit tickets that comply with the ‘STAR’ standards however they do add an additional fee for using their service. Just be aware of that. Always look around on different websites as the prices will change dependant on the website.

I really hope this has helped you gain a further understanding on how to still see theatre on a limited budget. All of this works for me which is why I was able to see over 70 shows in 2017!

Disclaimer – things mentioned in this blog aren’t always guaranteed and are subject to change at the various company’s discretion. As of the time this blog was published, 16th January 2018, all show information was correct.

DENIM: World Tour – REVIEW

DENIM: World Tour

Soho Theatre, London

 

Seen on January 11th, 2017

Reviewed by Jade Prince

★★★★★

WOW! WOW! WOW!

Denim are fabulous! End of. They sure know how to put on a show to the crowd, whether that is a crowd of thousands and thousands of people in Wembley….or to 140 in the intimate Soho Theatre.

I thoroughly enjoy their show! I wasn’t too sure on what to expect due to the light-humoured nature of everything I had seen online about them however they did not disappoint this theatre nerd. They put on a full production. I was over the moon to see an actual written piece with all the performance numbers so cleverly added in. These ladies have pure talent! They have nailed their craft to a ‘T’.

It wasn’t anything cheesy or what I would have associated with other drag acts. Their world tour has wit through out. It was intelligent wit too. None of this ‘it’s really crude so lets throw it in!’. Everything had its place and it was a lovely balance of jokes. Props to the person/people who wrote their script. There were many a thing during the show which caught me off guard and revealed my ‘ugly’ laugh! I adore that in a show when I am completely unable to predict what comes next. Everything was so fresh!

Let’s move onto their singing abilities…because DAMN!…they can sing! Forget all of that ‘lip sync’ for your life. This was a whole new level. Each of these ladies could sing with a rather impressive range. As I expected, they sounded beautiful as a group but I was not expecting; firstly, them to have solo songs and secondly, for those songs to be just as strong. As a group they know exactly where their individual voices fit in and their harmonies were breathtaking. Some of the voices were rather comical and completely different to the dainty ladies they were on stage but that just made it 10x better!

It is truly one of those shows that you need to experience. I shall be raving about it from this day on!

In the back of my mind, it’s just screaming “THIS REVIEW DOES NOT. DO. DENIM. JUSTICE!!!” This is more just me word vomiting because I am not over this and will be getting tickets for another night!

This is a real feel good show and YOU NEED TO GET A TCIKET!!!!! If you are looking to have a laugh, see pure talent on stage and five people passionate about what they do, this is the show for you. They only have 8 more performances at Soho Theatre from now until February 3rd and the atmosphere from last night tells me it is going to be a hard ticket to come by. And with tickets ranging from £8 to £24 it would be rude not to go!

Tickets and more information on their performance dates can be found here: https://sohotheatre.com/shows/denim-world-tour

Also, there is something very special in the works currently so if you loved this review and you love Denim be sure to keep an eye out for something on this page being posted soon….(that’s your cue to like, follow, share, etc. Ha!)…

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – REVIEW

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie

Apollo Theatre, London

 

Seen November 8th, 2017

Reviewed by Jade Prince

★★★★

To say that I am now obsessed with this show is an understatement! I haven’t stopped listening to the soundtrack. It’s also provided me with a new feel good song ‘Don’t Even Know It‘.

This musical is the brand new creation inspired by the BBC3 documentary aired in 2011, ‘Jamie: Drag Queen at 16‘. Jamie has always been different and destine to be so. Year 11 is always tough for every teenager however a lot more is added to the equation when you channel your true self whilst fighting off prejudice peers and bullies. Jamie is most certainly a force to be reckoned with and proves to everyone that he was made for the spotlight.

I absolutely loved the show. It’s a modern take on ‘Billy Elliot’ but is in keeping with today’s issues.

Let’s jump into the script. It’s unlike anything I have heard in a long time! It’s original and 100% relevant. The school ‘lingo’ between the pupils transported me back to my secondary school years. There are so many witty parts. One of the things I really liked was that issues such as racism were touched upon during one scene and it was shut down by another pupil straight away. It showed that racism is no longer accepted however discrimination over gender is still an issue and tends to be over-looked. This is a changing matter!

I really loved the score. I could tell from the opening number that the music was going to be great. Each song is so catchy however there are some numbers which broke my heart. I was almost in tears, especially during “My Man, My Boy”. I just kept thinking of me and my mum. Two stand out performances were Josie Walker and Lucie Shorthouse. Firstly, Walker’s performance during “He’s My Boy” shattered my heart but she then also blew me away with those vocals. The emotion was raw and I just wanted to hug her. Shorthouse, well, I wasn’t quite expecting a voice like that from her (I have no idea why) but everyone needs to be looking out for this name because I feel she is going places. The rest of the cast were great. Such a good vibe on stage!

The set designers did a fabulous job (I had to throw fabulous in here somewhere, it just seemed fitting!). I loved the way the majority of it was kept feeling rather sterile. This worked so well during the school scenes hinting at the conformity they attempt to inforce. The square lights were a really nice touch in adding to the school atmosphere but they were not redundant. The seamless change between the school and the drag shop was beautiful! A great use of the fly-ins. It was also great to see a contrast between the school scenes and the kitchen showing that home is the place where Jamie could really be himself. It was goodt to see a pop of colour within the set. Those scene changes were also great. Seriously, the attention to detail in this show is everything.

I personally found some of the dialogue slowed down at certain points in the show especially if it was after an energetic number which made it a little difficult to engage with. But the story itself moved at a great pace.

Shout out to the choreographer! The choreography was mesmerising. The contemporary routines were a great pair with the larger numbers but the lyrical during “If I Met Myself Again” was stunning! (This is where I show myself up by making mistakes with the dance terminology. Dance Moms can only get you so far!)

I feel like this ‘review’ is more of me rambling along in comparison to my other reviews which are much more structured but there was so much fabulousness to take in! I am definitely going to have to see it again.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie has only just begun its run at the Apollo Theatre so there is still plenty of time to get a ticket. Tickets and more information can be found: http://www.everybodystalkingaboutjamie.co.uk/

Genie’s Cave Afternoon Tea

Genie’s Cave Afternoon Tea

Cutter & Squidge, Brewer Street, London

 

Tuesday 4^th July, 2017

By Jade Prince

I had the privilege of attending the press launch of the Genie’s Cave Afternoon Tea and what a wonderful experience it was! From the moment I saw the initial promo I decided that I HAD to go (especially after experiencing the ‘normal’ afternoon tea at Cutter & Squidge) and this one did not disappoint. It felt like I was transported to an Arabian Night the moment my foot hit that bottom step. I was greeted with the friendly faces you always get in Cutter & Squidge and led down into the cave where my table was located. It was absolutely beautiful heading down the stairs and seeing the décor change from the very sleek, aesthetically pleasing image of the main shop floor to dimmed lighting with a purple undertone and all that glitter! Their basement is most definitely a chameleon of rooms. The transformation from its original secret garden to the Genie’s cave was magical!

 

As you reached the bottom of the stairs you are met with a stunning chest displayed in all of its glory, finished with all the shine expected (including a lamp!), and the appropriate C&S logo. Turning that corner into the main cave was magical. The chest display did not prepare me enough. Floor-to-ceiling, covered in glitter, even the tables. Everything was beautifully laid out and not a single detail was missed. I don’t think I saw anything that looked out of place!

Once we were seated the themed menu was revealed which not only included…well…the menu, but also a little back story of the genie’s cave, which was a really nice touch. It wouldn’t be C&S if their dreamy tea wasn’t served and it sure was, including a huge array of flavours with a few limited edition flavours too helping to add to the more inclusive feel.

The first food item you are presented with was visually stunning and the taste most certainly matched its appearance; appropriately titled ‘A Genie’s Welcome’ – your journey has well and truly begun. The flavours of the raspberry and pomegranate worked so well together and the candyfloss was a brilliant unexpected surprise. For me personally, it added to the magical element.

The main part of the afternoon tea was brought down and presented on dainty three tire cake stand, with the finger sandwiches on a separate tray which was in keeping with the gold cutlery and table wear theme. The three layers included some of the  many different wonders C&S have to offer, starting with savoury ‘wishes’ including Dessert Rose Tarts, Savoury Scone swirls and Golden Cheese. There was, also, a lot of choice to satisfy that sweet tooth, from a mini version of their signature dream cake, Macarons and even a magic carpet cookie. The whole thing was topped off with a Biskie. Those who haven’t been to C&S will be asking “a Biskie? But what is that?” Well, let me tell you, they are the most gorgeous things in the world! Go try one, ASAP. But back to the afternoon tea, sitting top and centre of the cake stand in all its golden glory was the Golden Treasure Biskie. A Biskie actually covered in 24 carat gold. I didn’t think Biskies could be made any more fabulous than they already were, but I was evidently wrong!

Even the Genie himself (Trevor Dion Nicholas) came down for the event and to see how it compared to his home cave. I had the perfect position to see his face, as he walked in and it was the most wonderful thing to see. His face lit up like a little child’s proving that magic is forever, no matter how young or old.

“What an incredible experience the Genie’s Cave was at Cutter & Squidge! The atmosphere alone is worth a second visit, but the menu was really where my preemptive excitement was validated. An impressive mash of savory and sweet items that truly compliment but never overshadow each other stuffed me full to bursting. The entire affair has been engineered to carry you to flavors that are familiar but still expressed in detailed and thrilling fashion.” – Trevor Dion Nicholas

 

My taste buds were taken on a magical carpet ride and they were not ready to land. Everything was just perfect: the atmosphere, background music (Disney instrumental tracks, of course!), food, and the service. Never pestering you, but always making sure you have everything you need and that drinks remain topped up. My friend and I spent a rather long time in the Genie’s Cave soaking up the surroundings and taking in every single detail, but we never felt rushed or that we over stayed our welcome. Abby (hope that’s the right spelling) was brilliant at explaining everything being served thoroughly and in such a calming voice. Little things like that really brought the whole experience together and transported you to another land. I’m still impressed how she was able to memorise all they things served and all of their individual details.

I really enjoyed the whole experience and am seriously contemplating going back already!

If you want to jump on the magic carpet and head to the Genie’s cave you haven’t got long to wait as this opens in store on July 6^th. Be sure to book in advance though, https://cutterandsquidge.com/pages/genies-cave-afternoon-tea