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Soho Cinders, Queens theatre, 9th Oct
Oct. 28th, 2011 09:51 pmSoho Cinders.
aka Stiles and Drewe *finally* sodding finish a show they premiered the first batch of songs and story for it at their anniversary bash a few years ago*, and stage it in concert-ish form with unbelievable names for charity. Cue most of the West End Wendys and half the gay community turning up. (oh, including one Mr. Stephen Fry who was clearly running late, who turned up at the theatre running at full tilt at 7, dodging through the crowd outside the theatre and into the bar to meet up with his boyfriend and some mates.)
As you may have guessed, it's a modern take on Cinderella. Set in Soho. Cinders = Robbie (Jos Slovick), a student who does side work as an escort who's seeing the Mayoral Candidate, James Prince (Michael Xavier). Who is engaged and is running his campaign on, er, honesty and no sleaze. Add: The candidate's fiancée, Marilyn (Hannah Waddingham), William George (David Bedella), Prince's campaign manager who is a bastard of the first order, Sasha his put-upon assistant (Richard David-Caine), Velcro (Amy Lennox), Robbie's best mate who runs a laundrette, Lord Bellingham (Clive Carter), one of Robbie's regular customers and a funder of the campaign, Clodagh (Suzie Chard) and Dana (Beverly Rudd), Robbie's vile stepsisters who run a titty bar, and Chelle (Sharon Clarke), a rickshaw cyclist. And a chorus of clubgoers, Soho tradesmen, the press and beautiful people.
And to top it off, Sandi Toksvig as the Narrator. Who as is the right of Ms. Toksvig, was fabulous, sarcastic, had a very large book and did look over the top of her spectacles at us. And we were grateful for the opportunity to be condescended to.
Anyway. It's about political spin, sleaze, falling in love with the people you shouldn't, and dreams for something just that little bit better. The shoe is Robbie's phone that he leaves behind at a fundraising party. With some of the best music Stiles and Drewe have ever written, and a so sharp it'll cut you book and songs containing some of the best belly laughs ever. (seriously, the Stepsisters' song 'I'm so Over Men' had to re-recorded at the end due to the audience laughing too hard). I'm serious about the songs. there's a song about internet dating, Gypsies of the Ether which is one of the most gorgeous love songs ever. And Velcro and Marilyn's song about not settling for second best, Let Him Go, was heart breaking. The only problem is that it's *so* site-specific that you don't know if it could sustain a decent run - most of the jokes and dialogue are a) London and b) theatre and gay culture. All the acting was brilliant - Robbie just sweet enough, Velcro scatty, Marilyn absolutely composed, James torn and somehow still noble, George completely skin crawling. A couple of the songs need tweaking a bit, and the loose ends were tied up by people running on stage at the very end with 'guess what' in the spirit of panto, but otherwise we nearly deafened 'em when it came to cheering at the bows.
*In which Robbie was played by Gareth Gates, miked to the hilt, and James Prince by Oliver Tompsett. One day we will get Daniel Boys to play Robbie. he's said he wants to.
aka Stiles and Drewe *finally* sodding finish a show they premiered the first batch of songs and story for it at their anniversary bash a few years ago*, and stage it in concert-ish form with unbelievable names for charity. Cue most of the West End Wendys and half the gay community turning up. (oh, including one Mr. Stephen Fry who was clearly running late, who turned up at the theatre running at full tilt at 7, dodging through the crowd outside the theatre and into the bar to meet up with his boyfriend and some mates.)
As you may have guessed, it's a modern take on Cinderella. Set in Soho. Cinders = Robbie (Jos Slovick), a student who does side work as an escort who's seeing the Mayoral Candidate, James Prince (Michael Xavier). Who is engaged and is running his campaign on, er, honesty and no sleaze. Add: The candidate's fiancée, Marilyn (Hannah Waddingham), William George (David Bedella), Prince's campaign manager who is a bastard of the first order, Sasha his put-upon assistant (Richard David-Caine), Velcro (Amy Lennox), Robbie's best mate who runs a laundrette, Lord Bellingham (Clive Carter), one of Robbie's regular customers and a funder of the campaign, Clodagh (Suzie Chard) and Dana (Beverly Rudd), Robbie's vile stepsisters who run a titty bar, and Chelle (Sharon Clarke), a rickshaw cyclist. And a chorus of clubgoers, Soho tradesmen, the press and beautiful people.
And to top it off, Sandi Toksvig as the Narrator. Who as is the right of Ms. Toksvig, was fabulous, sarcastic, had a very large book and did look over the top of her spectacles at us. And we were grateful for the opportunity to be condescended to.
Anyway. It's about political spin, sleaze, falling in love with the people you shouldn't, and dreams for something just that little bit better. The shoe is Robbie's phone that he leaves behind at a fundraising party. With some of the best music Stiles and Drewe have ever written, and a so sharp it'll cut you book and songs containing some of the best belly laughs ever. (seriously, the Stepsisters' song 'I'm so Over Men' had to re-recorded at the end due to the audience laughing too hard). I'm serious about the songs. there's a song about internet dating, Gypsies of the Ether which is one of the most gorgeous love songs ever. And Velcro and Marilyn's song about not settling for second best, Let Him Go, was heart breaking. The only problem is that it's *so* site-specific that you don't know if it could sustain a decent run - most of the jokes and dialogue are a) London and b) theatre and gay culture. All the acting was brilliant - Robbie just sweet enough, Velcro scatty, Marilyn absolutely composed, James torn and somehow still noble, George completely skin crawling. A couple of the songs need tweaking a bit, and the loose ends were tied up by people running on stage at the very end with 'guess what' in the spirit of panto, but otherwise we nearly deafened 'em when it came to cheering at the bows.
*In which Robbie was played by Gareth Gates, miked to the hilt, and James Prince by Oliver Tompsett. One day we will get Daniel Boys to play Robbie. he's said he wants to.
