Friday 14 January 2011
End of the Rainbow, Trafalgar Studios
Having heard the hype surrounding this production I was very intrigued to go and see what it was all about. Having never been the to Trafalgar Studio's either, this was a completely new experience for me.
Everyone wants a piece of this show and sharing the auditorium with me was the Strictly Come Dancing dancer Matthew Cutler, one of the Dorothy's from the BBC's Over the Rainbow and the legend himself Ronnie Corbett.
The open set was a lavish hotel room and it looked rather set, so I wasn't expecting any scene changed. In row D I had a perfect seat being on the same level as the stage.
The story is set around the come back of the phenomenal Judy Garland, and we then go on a roller coaster along with her and the people closest to her; her fiance Mickey Deans and her pianist Antony. The contrast between the electrifying sudden performances to the dramas of the hotel room this had the audience rivetted from the moment it began.
Tracie Bennet's performance as Garland is probably one of the best female performances I have ever seen and she certainly deserves her Olivier award nomination for Best Actress. I have never seen such a physical performance and you can see she put her heart and soul into it. I was compelled and the audience laughed along with her and cried alike.
I think her performance was heightened by the clever subtleties of Hilton Mcrae and Stephen Hagan.
One of the most tragic stories around and I urge one and all to go and see this gem of a production.
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