Amour
Having seen and reviewed a slew of rather more serious theatrical productions recently, the timing of Amour at the Charing Cross Theatre could not have been better, this being a warm hearted musical relentless in it’s mission to entertain. Though it’s story can possibly be best described as a fairly frivolous confection, this was more than just a mere amuse bouche, as what it might have lacked in depth it more than made up for in the delicious wordplay of the lyrics, the energetic performances of an outstanding cast and the highly enjoyable score by the late, multi award winning Michel Legrand.
It’s clearly a musical that has divided it’s audiences in the past as despite originally being a hit in Paris in 1997 it didn’t fare so well during a Broadway run, closing after just two weeks in 2002, despite it being nominated for five Tony Awards. Whilst Jeremy Sams, who adapted the lyrics from the original French by Didier Van Cauwelaert, puts it down to this being more a ‘chamber piece for actors and musicians, rather than being a Broadway show’, it in no way hampered my total enjoyment of this production, as I find myself willingly transported along with the rest of the audience to 1950’s Paris where the shy, unassuming civil servant, Dusoleil (Gary Tushaw) finds himself not only in love with the beautiful Isabelle, (Anna O’Byrne) kept locked away by her controlling husband (Alasdair Harvey), but he has also become ‘afflicted’ with the power to walk through walls.
This quirky, eccentric story is told on a modest traverse stage, the set consisting of little more than an old style gas lampost, a few chairs and the occasional bicycle, but director Hannah Chissick deftly manages to bring to life the intoxicating hustle and bustle of a Parisian street in the 18th Arrondissement where the story takes place, and through the movement of these few set pieces, plus the impressively imaginative lighting design by Rob Halliday throughout, it does what good theatre does best… create a world not only for the cast to inhabit but which the audience is happy to be taken on a journey to as well. (On a personal note, as a photographer I would have loved to have shot the stills for this production, so good were the multiple visual atmosphere’s Halliday’s lighting managed to conjure up). The moment Dusoleil first discovers his ability to walk through walls is a tour de force in creating the magical illusion through lighting, although thinking about it now, this might have been one of the few moments where the level of enjoyment was dependent on what side of the stage you were sitting.
Their are plenty of brisk, witty songs throughout which are delivered pitch perfectly by the exceptionally fine voices of the cast, the epic pre-interval close-harmony finale having enough power to carry us all the way to the bar. With not a bad performance amongst the flawless nine strong cast, there’s no denying the affectionate response Claire Machin received from the audience for her dual roles as Clair and ‘a whore’, and Gary Tushaw is beyond impressive being a part of the action for the majority of the show. Having also previously seen Keith Ramsay in his recently unleashed cabaret persona, (as well as having the pleasure of interviewing him for issue 11 of Jack The Lad magazine), it was good to see him in a number of alternative guise’s (Bertrand / Guard / Painter / Communist) having returned to the same theatre where he previously won the hotly contested Prides Got Talent competition two years beforehand, the slightly surrealist quality of this production being a suitable vehicle for this rising stars talent.
Ultimately Amour is a remarkable musical about an unremarkable man who can walk through walls in this absolute gem of a feel good show. It’s not often I actually find myself leaving the theatre feeling this good… but I can highly recommend it.
★★★★★