Anyone Can Whistle - Southwark Playhouse

If anyone is watching/listening for the first time the top tier songs are “there won’t be trumpets” “anyone can whistle” “me and my town” and “with so little to be sure of” in my opinion.

Well, this show is a bit bonkers isn't it. I was a bit sceptical at first, but ended up really enjoying it. Alex Young and Danny Lane had fantastic chemistry as the Mayoress and Comptroller. But generally the whole cast was really strong.

The show stop was only a couple of minutes, which I was quite pleased about as the cheese jokes were a bit much.

A few sound issues - I was sat on the far side and had trouble hearing quite a lot of lyrics at times. May have just been because it's the first preview, but hope they sort it out. From where I was sat I could also hear the sound desk guys talking quite a lot throughout - I get they may need to converse, but it's not a huge theatre and they weren't being overly quiet.

Overall, a really good night at the theatre and one I would recommend!

I like the water bottle it's one of those "if you know, you know" items which is fun.
Don't think other shows at Southwark have had merch before.

Saw this tonight, and the book really is a nonsensical travesty, while the songs are a delight, but what distinguishes this production is an hilarious performance by Alex Young as "antagonist," Cora, who is actually the only person you can relate to. . .

Some spoilers follow. . .

I had seen a production of this at the Union Theatre five years ago, so supposedly I should have an advantage in understanding the plot, but only the motivations of Alex Young's Cora and her sidekick, Danny Lane's Schub, made any sense whatsoever.

Everybody else were worried about who is and who isn't a "cookie" (a derogatory and insulting word for mentally ill people), and whether the audience were cookies as well, or indeed instead, of the people on stage; and whether the simplicity of being a cookie would or would not ruin the town's plot to create an economy out of a fake miracle.

Needless to say, even if it were possible to follow such crap, you wouldn't really want to.

Instead, you just delight in the infectiously energetic cast delivering rarely performed Sondheim songs, and taken apart from the plot, they are dynamic and fun to watch, using the full narrow but long central staging area, with the audience on both sides.

This show is the polar opposite of the Union Theatre effort, which built Cora up into a genuine villain, who you could join the characters of Fay and Hapgood in rooting against.

That does not happen here. If the Union's Cora was Cruella Deville killing puppies, Southwark's Cora is more like Dr Evil scheming for one billion dollars or like Rebel Wilson's Adelaide sex-positively determined to bed Nathan Detroit in the West End's somewhat recent Guys and Dolls. Simply put, like any basely motivated comic character, Alex Young's Cora wants sex and money, and who wouldn't want those things, especially when all anybody else cares about, except Danny Lane's Schub, is who is or isn't a "cookie."

Schub just wants to provide Cora with sex and money, thus forming the counterpart of a perfect comic double act.

And oh god is Alex Young's Cora a perfectly realised comic creation. Her childish comic campness, coupled with very real expression of relatable base desires, is so well done that she had the audience in stitches even when delivering some of the most awful script ever put to paper, simply by channeling the character's base desires as subtext to the entire script, no matter how awful the dialogue.

Anyway, I had a ball of a time, as Alex Young, her double-act with Lane, the cast's youthful exuberance and Sondheim's songs are all great. But the book is execrable and the concept of "cookies" is dated and insulting.

Overall, I loved this principally for Alex Young's comic turn, which lifted my enjoyment from a thoroughly baffled 3 stars to a laughing-out-loud 4 stars.

Saw the Matinee on Saturday and I am very happy to say I loved it. Completely bonkers and camp as anything. This was my first whistle (was due to see the Union production but was too hungover to face the train journey) and very pleased it was my first. I have seen a lot of people saying they couldn't understand the plot, or at least aspects of it. But I completely understood it all, yes ok, it isn't exactly an amazing plot and book but was simple enough to follow. Alex Young is an absolute delight, I took from her performance, an amalgamation of many iconic camp females.

I saw this last night and agree with almost everyone's assessment that the show is bonkers, but it always has been, that's why it is and always will be a cult item. A lot of the score is simply ravishing but 90% of the book simply doesn't make sense. This production specifically is enthusiastically performed and Alex Young is a delight but everyone else is just weird in their own individual way. If you've never seen the show before, you should see it just to tick that box on your Sondheim chart. But if you've seen it before in other productions, I don't think this one isn't going to illuminate the show for you in any way.

I was there last night too! ABSOLUTELY BONKERS. Alex Young looks like she's having the best time - utterly hilarious and I really hope she gets nominated for an Olivier one day. Chrystine Symone has a beautiful tone as well and enjoyed her performance. The sound mixing was a bit off at times didn't quite catch some moments. Glad I caught this one.

Saw it yesterday afternoon. Sound was a bit off, struggled to make out the singing a few times over the music, and yes, it is bonkers, but I really enjoyed it. I can see how it wouldn’t work in a big theatre, but I’m surprised it’s not done more often in smaller venues.

Will have to finally get around to reading the two ‘Hat’ books. Don’t get why There Won’t Be Trumpets was cut from the original, it’s a real stand out moment. Some knowing laughter at the mention of being alive, though it’s “you can’t judge a book by it’s cover” that made my ears Pr**k up.

www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/apr/06/anyone-can-whistle-review-southwark-playhouse-london-sondheim

Four stars from The Guardian, however, who nail some of the points I feel the Standard overlooked. I guess this show is such a strong flavour, it's always going to divide people. Just glad I'm not the only one who loves it!

Well I was not expecting to be asked to dance - but I wish I had now! Nice to meet Paul26 and I’m glad he enjoyed the show, as I did. It was certainly different from anything I have seen before but in a good way.

It's played on a long platform type stage with the audience on both sides so I'd say the view is equal from both ends though I always choose a central seat if available. Just avoid the front and maybe the second row if you don't want to be asked to speak, dance, have your hair touched or have someone sit on your lap !

I do agree with some of the points. 

BUT. 

I did enjoy it, in the sense I did laugh out loud so much just kinda rolled with it.