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The Cher Show is a blinding new jukebox musical from Jersey Boys guide author Rick Elcie. The present had it’s world premiere in Chicago in 2018 opening to rave evaluations and shortly opened on Broadway of the identical yr. Winning Tony Awards for Lead Actress in a Musical (Stephanie J Block) and for Cher’s longtime costumier and icon himself, Bob Mackie, the present was an instantaneous hit with Cher devotees and theatre audiences alike. Soon afterward, UK switch rumors began showing and a brand new manufacturing opened at Leicester Curve in 2022 earlier than embarking on a UK Tour. Now London audiences get the prospect to groove to hits If I Could Turn Back Time, I Got You Babe, Believe and Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves as this celebrated spectacle performs the New Wimbledon Theatre for a restricted time.
Music icon turned Hollywood royalty, the Grammy®, Oscar®, Emmy® and Golden Globe® award-winning Queen of re-invention has conquered all of it. It’s now time to show again time with this fiercely fabulous kick-ass new musical. The Cher Show tells the unimaginable story of Cher’s meteoric rise to fame, flying within the face of conference at each flip. Six many years of stardom, over 100 million information offered. Legend, icon, Queen. She is Cher and that is her present.
For The Cher Show director Arlene Phillips (Grease, Starlight Express), directs three West End stars as Cher through the span of her iconic profession; Millie O’Connell (SIX, Rent) as Babe, Danielle Steers (Bat Out of Hell, SIX) as Lady and the Olivier Award nominated Debbie Kurup (Prince of Egypt, The Bodyguard) as the last word diva, Star. Joining them are Lucas Rush (Evita, Rock of Ages, American Idiot) as Sonny, Jake Mitchell (Snow White and The Happy Ever After Beauty Salon, Flunkey in The Tailor Of Gloucester) as Bob Mackie, Sam Ferriday (Heathers, The Wedding Singer, Rock of Ages, Bonnie & Clyde) as Greg Allman/Rob Camilletti/Phil Spector and John Southall and Tori Scott (Tori Scott is Thirsty!, Better Nate than Ever) as Georgia. A big ensemble assist together with Jordan Anderton, Jasmine Jules Andrews, Carla Bertran, Catherine Cornwall, Áine Curran, Sam Holden, Samantha Ivey, Ingrid Olivia, Aston Newman Hannington, Clayton Rosa, Chay Wills and Guy Woolf.
Playing a number of characters, Sam Ferriday as Greg Allman/Rob Camilletti/Phil Spector and John Southall is a whole lot of enjoyable all through donning totally different costumes and accents as he performs 4 males who’ve been instrumental in a technique or one other to Cher’s profession. Relishing in Bob Mackie’s bigger than life character, Jake Mitchell is a delight as he brings the famed Broadway costumier to life. As Sonny, Lucas Rush is impeccable. Wearing hippie garb and that well-known Sonny haircut, Rush portrays the sophisticated character with finesse and a twinkle of their eye. Our three main girls have been distinctive, giving maybe the very best performances of the yr. Millie O’Connell as Babe portrays Cher from a younger age by means of to when she meets Sonny and up till her Sonny and Cher Show days, gaining fame with the hit music I Got You Babe. O’Connell’s Babe is nice, harmless and a bit of naive at occasions as she grows into the short witted star everyone knows and love. Danielle Steers as Lady portrays Cher as she turns into extra unbiased by means of cash and relationship troubles up till the early 80s and her efficiency of Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) was an emotional and vocal spotlight of Act One. Debbie Kurup as Star portrays Cher from the early 80s by means of to her brief stint on Broadway, her movies and up till her Believe album launch. Kurup performs with such reverence and love, her Star is a masterclass in character appearing and her vocal completely elegant. Unapologetically Cher from the highest of the present, all three portrayals of Cher are sensational and fully embody Cher’s method of talking, singing and her mannerisms- that well-known hair flip!
Rick Elcie’s very intelligent guide sees all three Cher’s onstage all through the present commenting on the motion from their life and becoming a member of one another in music. At one level throughout Act Two, Kurup’s Star tells Babe to “Snap out of it!” (a reference to Cher’s efficiency in Moonstruck) and O’Connell’s Babe replies “So we’re quoting our own movies now?!” Along with Cher’s imposing character and with absolute reverence to its namesake, The Cher Show takes on an virtually loving parody and cult present with-a-huge-budget feeling. Tom Rogers set design is great and really efficient. With a grander usually not seen in a touring manufacturing, Rogers glowing set has Cher’s wigs and costumes adorning both sides of the stage all through and two giant doorways as the principle entrances on the again. Trucks are introduced on to depict totally different locales with giant numbers in-built so the viewers all the time perceive when the occasions are happening. Oti Mabuse’s choreography was efficient, if a bit of uninventive. At one level, her dancers got here on solely to be advised to depart as a part of a lyric which may have been averted all collectively and nonetheless had the identical emotional influence. Scenes have been usually overcrowded with dancers who gave the impression to be onstage solely as a field ticking train. Arlene Phillips on the helm as director achieved a slick and sharp manufacturing with the emotional and comedic moments by no means lacking.
This new UK manufacturing of The Cher Show options performances by three main West End ladies on the high of their sport, fabulous units and costumes, a intelligent guide and impressed course. Easily changing into the very best touring manufacturing I’ve ever seen, lets hope this fabulously off-beat musical will get a West End switch so extra audiences can reply that essential query, do you imagine in life after love?
Reviewed by Stuart James
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