Burlesque at the Savoy Theatre
★★★★
From Manchester to the West End the Burlesque Lounge has certainly had some reworks, but none as drastic as I went in expecting. As someone who loved both iterations of this show at the Manchester Opera House, I was excited to see how this show would take on the West End, and I thoroughly enjoyed the production that was staged at the Savoy Theatre. It's big, it's fabulous, and I can't wait to see what the future has in store for the Burlesque Lounge!
*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*
Content Warnings:
There were not any warnings on display that I could see, but these are some I thought should be mentioned:
Artful Partial Nudity - true burlesque performance as a solo
Strobes
Loud Music
Themes of Abandonment
Estranged Family Dynamics
My Review:
Burlesque is big, but is it still fabulous… that was the thought going through my mind before watching the West End version. In my opinion, it is still fabulous and a thoroughly enjoyable show; however, I preferred more of the choices from the Manchester 2.0 run than this version. Other choices were certainly welcome additions, such as the solo performances throughout, highlighting the talent and skill of various members of the ensemble. It was wonderful to see many performers have their chance to shine, and the implementation of these mini-performances allows the audience to feel more immersed into the Burlesque lounge, as if they themselves are watching the Burlesque performances from the comfort of the on-stage seating.
The show opens with Todrick Hall as the Emcee of the Burlesque lounge, Sean, accompanied by the Burlesque performers, as well as Orfeh as Tess. The audience is drawn in by the Burlesque lounge and then quickly transported to Ioha, where they meet Ali, played by Jess Folley. I was pleased to see that this opening remained fairly unchanged, as I always felt the transition from the Burlesque Lounge to Ioha acts as the first moment in the show where the intertwining of the lives of Ali and Tess is shown to the audience, almost hinting at what is to come before the audience can be told.
Returning to play Ali Rose once again was the start that is Jess Folley. The first time I saw her in this role, I said that she was a rising star, and she continues to deliver time and time again. Her voice consistently left me speechless, as not only her range but the control that she has as well is insane. She tackles Christina Aguilera's riffs as if they are nothing and shines on that stage from start to finish. It was a joy to see how she has further understood and developed her characterisation of Ali, and this was shown through her performance, which was more considered and allowed the audience to more deeply connect with the character and her emotions throughout her experiences during the show.
The only change that I watched and preferred the Manchester choice was the portrayal of the love story between Jackson and Ali; however, this was one of the only alterations where I felt there was a noticeable difference regarding how it impacted the story. Their romance was still well-considered and well-portrayed; it is simply a matter of personal preference that I preferred the original portrayal I saw more.
Playing the other ‘non-serial killer’ member of the duo, that is Jackson and Ali, was Callum Bell, whose debut in the role of Jackson was nothing short of fabulous. I was shocked when I found out it was his debut as his confidence and performance in this role was nothing short of fabulous. The addition of the song ‘Natalie’ for this character is humour and welcome as the idea of presenting Jackson as this boyband-esque performing is such fun to watch. I also thought it was such a good change to have Jackson as a member of the Burlesque ensemble at points throughout the show as it allowed him to shine on the stage even more and added more layers regarding his character and his relationship with Ali.
I was delighted to see that Sugar Daddy Diet was not cut, as this and Copykitty, which was sadly removed, were two of my favourite songs from both times I saw the show in Manchester. Asha Parker-Wallace was delightful as Nikki with her focus on characterisation, allowing Nikki’s full arc to be followed by the audience. This understanding of the role is so important to portraying Nikki as a character that the audience is able to connect with, allowing her redemption to be followed and essentially sought after throughout the performance, which makes her actions at the end of the show more pleasing and actually rewarding to see. Past characterisation, Asha Parker-Wallace was brilliant in all aspects of her performance, with her vocal and dance skills shining throughout. It is her skill that makes moments such as Sugar Daddy Diet and her duet with Jess Folley, Good Girl/Bad Girl, where both performers shine and complement each other, all the more enjoyable for the audience to watch.
Todrick Hall leads the Burlesque Lounge with a wonderful humours nature that carries the show from start to finish. Since becoming a Director & Choreographer for the show his overall stage presence has been reduced but he is still a noticeable and enjoyable addition to show. I enjoyed how this change was able to occur through the additional of solo performances for select members of the ensemble, the Burlesque Girls. It was wonderful to see a range of skill-sets highlighted from true burlesque to opera and Todricks choices as a Director & Choreographer were welcome additions. Todrick Hall has mastered stage presence and captivates the audience every time his character is on-stage. His voice is brilliant, especially during Big.
Orfehn plays the owner of the Burlesque Lounge, Tess, who shines throughout especially however during her solo You Haven’t Seen The Last of Me which was brought back after initially being replaced in the West End production of Masterpiece. I am very glad that this song was added back as it allows Tess’ motivation to shine through and highlights the vocal skill of the person playing Tess. Orfeh has a brilliant range and power to this voice which adds to the impact of this song. Her understanding and performance of Tess added to the story and allowed her to be understood by the audience throughout.
Countering Tess is her leaching ex-husband Vince who was played by Callum MacDonald. He truly shines during his solo, Ammo, which I am thrilled to have seen remain in the West End production after being one of my favourite songs during both Manchester runs. Without giving away too much he gave an absolutely hilarious performance at the end of the show and it’s a such a fun addition to the show that adds rather than undercuts the importance of the ending of the show. Rather than feeling like cheap comedy it allows the audience to be entertained and humoured whilst also highlight the female empowerment and general importance of the final outcome and ending of the show.
The burlesque girls are comprised of Sophie Cracknell (Daphne), Jake Dupree (Trey/Chardonnay), Charlotte Jaconelli (Queenie), Billie-Kay (Sophie), Alessia McDermott (Summer) and Jess Qualter (Spring). Their individual performances were all fabulous and I loved how they were personalised to each character and then the one duet highlighting the twins individually and as a pair. The performance for Billie-Kay was so well-considered with the choice of it being ‘Bump & Grind’ which had me in stitches due to the obvious comedy of the situation. Charlotte Jaconelli showed her insane range and skill with an operatic style number ‘Pretty Girls Only’. Jake Dupree does a traditional burlesque performance and as an international burlesque performer themselves this is nothing short of incredible. The wins Alessia McDermott and Jess Qualter perform ‘Dirty Martini’ showing their ability to stay in sync whilst highlting both their vocal and performance skill. Sophie Cracknell perfoms ‘What Are Clothes’ which was originally performed by Nikki in the Manchester runs however it fit brilliant to have one of the Burlesque Girls perform it as a transition scene and Sophie Cracknell blended the humour and vocal challenge of this song seamlessly. I thoroughly enjoyed how all of these scenes were able to transition between scenes in the story whilst also highlighting the talent of the various performers.
The ensemble was made up of Michael Afemaré, Courtenay Brady, Pàje Campbell, Marlee Jay, Deja Linton, Hollie-Ann Lowe, Liam Roodhouse, Janine Somcio, and Daniel Wijngaarden. The swings are India Thornton, Angus Good, and Elly Jay. This entire team is the backbone of the show and they are brilliant to watch making the experience all the more immersive and entertaining to watch from fabulous dancing to being in scenes using on-stage seating to heighten the realism of the show being set in a Burlesque Lounge for the audience.
This is such a wonderful show that I hope has a future past its West End run.
Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope this review has proved interesting and helpful for you :)
- AnxiousTheatregoer
