Mrs Henderson Presents - Noel Coward Theatre

Emma and Traciee are just stunning. That final number is a showstopper if there ever was one. Emma is surely giving Lara a run for her money for that Olivier?! She has to win!

This show was brilliant. I loved it, from the music, to the design... everything was just delightful.

And the audience in the packed stalls seemed to agree. Eruptions of laughter and applause throughout, with the cast treated to TWO standing ovations from many members of the audience at the end. Emma even shed a few tears from the response.

I can't wait to go back!

Agreed completely, the actor playing Bertie was fantastic tonight! He needs to be a permanent fixture on the West End!

Whereabouts were you sat?

I was sat with someone who was friends with the Musical Supervisor and apparently the Overture was written this morning just to try it out tonight and see if it is needed.

I feel like I'm forever a few rows away from a fellow forum member!

More of us in tonight than I expected. Well done forumites on the support we showed.

Sadly I don't see much they can do with the comedian, maybe better material to work with if they can think of jokes that'll make the audience laugh.

I knew I wasn't going mad about the overture. I liked it, it should stay. I think every show should have one.

I liked the Overture too, I had no clue it was new until the interval when the woman told me!

But that last scene, the If Mountains Were Easy To Climb scene, holy crap I had chills, shed a few tears and my jaw nearly hit the floor with the level of belting coming out of those two women!

Thanks for the first reviews, keep 'em coming.

Maybe I should ask them to move me to 3rd or 4th row as originally booked.

I just realised that I've never been to the Noel Coward before. Another first and one more theatre to tick off my list...

The Olivier is pretty safely Lara's. Mrs H isn't eligible until 2017, so Emma can be a contender then. Hopefully people will remember the show by the time nominations for 2017 are revealed.

I need to get my booking in for this. Out of interest what are the sight lines like? I think we normally end up in Box M at the theatre which is at the end of dress circle on left side. Works fine as long as stage use not too deep.

So here are my thoughts from last nights first preview - for what they're worth!

Overall I enjoyed this. It's great to see a new musical in the WE that isn't some juke box show and a pleasure to support it! Some lovely songs and witty lyrics from George Fenton and Don Black. Terrific performances from Tracie Bennett and Emma Williams and Samuel Holmes (who has a lovely bottom for those of us who are interested in that sort of thing!) All three had great voices and Tracie Bennett leads the company with gusto!

The show was in very good shape for the first preview with only minor sound and scenery issues which I am sure will be sorted. It needs a little trimming - the first act runs 1.15 - just a shade long.

The show was received rapturously by the (slightly partisan?) audience at the first preview with lots of laughter and applause one minute and rapt silent attention the next.

One of the best moments of the show for me was when Mrs Henderson on complaining about the huge costume bill for the review suddenly has a "light bulb" moment when she comes up with the idea of having no costumes for the girls at all! Plus of course the scene where the girls refuse to strip at the rehearsal until the guys strip as well with a very clever choreographed scene preventing them from showing too much!!!

However, the show not without its longeurs and faults. The narrator/compere character is dreadful. Poor material delivered badly. Jamie Foreman struggling to land the material. It needed Roy Hudd a few years ago to pull off this role. Played like a Max Miller (cheeky chappy) type one minute playing to the Windmill audience and then having to play narrator playing to the Noel Coward audience the next. It simply did not work at all! I would have preferred perhaps a radio announcer in clipped BBC English to announce times/places/events etc. I could not decide if it was the material or the actor which did not work for this role.

Incidentally there was a man next to me in the mid stalls who had brought a small pair of binoculars with him and kept squinting through them at opportune moments - rather creepy!

Running time 2.40 - this will tighten a little I suspect. I do hope this show finds an audience.

3.5 stars.