Dreamgirls - Savoy / UK Tour

Of the two Effies I've seen, Amber was miles better. In retrospect I wish I'd have booked for Amber on my second visit, as it's unlikely I'll squeeze in another trip now before she departs.

I thought so too- even seeing her in the show twice. Marisha is good, but I think unnecessarily pushes herself, and when she can't sustain (see what I did there?) and can't hit it, she ends up screaming it. I think she'd be much better if she calms down.

I haven't seen Karen, but she kinda sounds pitchy and short of breath during the WEL One Night Only.

Saw this for the first time yesterday, with Amber, Jocasta and Asmeret on.

I must admit that Dreamgirls isn't really a show that I've been longing to see, unconvinced it was my kind of thing, but it completely surpassed those expectations. The final ten minutes of the first half in particular - just WOW! Not really felt it when I've watched And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going on TV but being there to witness that voice and emotion first hand, good grief! Absolutely incredible.

The second act has something of an impossible act to follow after that, though One Night Only came close to scaling the same heights. Jocasta was fabulous as Deena and I adored Asmeret as Lorrell. Great work from Joe Aaron Reid too - he's such a likeable performer who makes Curtis a villain you can't help but love to hate.

So glad to have seen the show and to belatedly understand what all the hype is about!

I would've left at the interval if that's what I'd heard. She clearly has a great voice but she was overdoing it way too much - so much growling.

I can only assume that something was off, either not feeling 100% or trying too hard to sell it.

Anyway, who were The Dreams? From left to right it was Kimmy Edwards, Lily Frazer and who was the right Dream? It didn't really look like Jocasta Almgill?!

Asmeret.

I'm surprised at the Jocasta comments. The few times I've seen her on for Lorell or Deena I've thought she was really pitchy, especially in the title song, heavy and the argument scene. Maybe by the end of Act 1 she's exhausted and her tuning goes?

Let's hope she doesn't sing it so Ruth-y.

Kimmy Edwards making her debut as Deena tonight.

Why does Liisi miss so much? Is she ill?

Oh OK. I was just quoting what I read on Twitter. Can't find it now, maybe it's been removed.

I have seen Marisha and Dreamgirls twice and was at WEL on Saturday. Just wanted to say that please don't be put off by Marisha's WEL performance, you really do have to see Marisha live to experience the energy she gives as it adds a whole new dimension that you just don't get on video. Having said that, she does it a lot better in the show than she did at WEL - either she was ill and struggling a bit vocally or was feeding too much off of the live crowd. Don't get me wrong her performance in the show is equally as passionate and intense but vocally is much better. For a better representation, take a listen to the recording on YouTube of Marisha doing AIATY at the Magic Night at the Musicals concert at the Albert Hall, or even her Sunday performance or I Am Changing - she really is a fornce to behold, and it's a shame about the bum notes at West End Live!

As an aside, my third trip to Dreamgirls coming up on 13th - with any luck, miss Amber Riley will not be indisposed this time!

I thought Karen was dull and a tad pitchy at WEL and didn't seem to have any of the fire that makes the character, I did wonder if that was at least partially down to not doing the show in full in the theatre and just the one song, so I'm glad that she's getting more positive reviews recently in the show.

It was both of them. Karen did One Night Only.