Big Fish

{Spoiler - click to view}
This is a damn good show! I went into it not knowing anything of the story at all. I won't spoil the story itself as it is fun to watch it unfold before your eyes.

The cast is uniformally excellent. Jamie Muscato pretty much walks away with the whole show! I mean wow, what a performance. Kelsey gives a very subtle, sentimental performance that really touches you when appropriate. Landi and her big solo really was a show stopper and Dean Nolan brings a sweetness to his character, as well as humour and a stunt moment that had the audience cheering like the gays at a RuPaul finale! Clare Burt gives a truly devestating performance, especially toward the end and Matthew's voice is just a dream. Sophie Linder-Lee and George Ure also provide their usual dose of cuteness and stealing attention when needed. You just can't help but watch them! The whole cast though, are uniformally brilliant, not a weak link in there.

The set was surprisingly impressive. It is completely static as a hospital room at first glance, and stays as that the whole show, but then, once the bed is moved, witht he clever use of video and projection, as well as smoke and haze where appropriate, the entire wall and proscenium become video walls, that project moving set pieces. It sounds tacky, but they are so effective, especially in the scene where Jamie is fired out of a canon and is flying through the sky, with the physical actor lifted into the air and the video around him moving. Another really effective use is the cave sequence, where as Jamie walks through the cave, he only walks a few steps back and fourth, but the video wall moves at a normal walking pace to give the illusion of getting deeper into the cave. Its hard to explain but it works beautifully. Other than that, the only times the curtain is closed is the opening scene, which went on a tad too long for me, but it'll be trimmed and the scene in the Circus. Note with the Circus, someone in the audience is almost made to get onstage! And in Act 2, Kelsey and another cast member run though the walkways of two rows (Kelsey the front row, the other cast member a middle row of the Stalls). There is a fair bit of cast running up and down the higher numbers stairs too. Matched with the fairy lights hanging down from the ceiling, its a beautiful sight.

Speaking of illusions, there are some really impressive ones, from a simple use of a fan and some confetti, to a simple bag trick. It was really magical!

Once you are in it, it is a magical show that has alot of heart, a stunning finale in both acts and a cast to die for. A couple  of tweaks here and there, especially in the first scene or two, but that is what previews are for, and even then the tweaks needed aren't because its bad or unenjoyable, just a bit of re-jigging. Any questions, feel free to either inbox or ask me on here.