West Side Story

Jamie and I love musicals, as I have probably said before, but we weren't planning to go to see West Side Story at MK Theatre, but when I got an email offering tickets for £10 a seat, I thought oh well why not. As it was last week of school it didn't matter too much if Jamie had a late night. So we collected our tickets, and also bumped into the step-Mum of a friend of Jamie's which was lovely too as we arranged a date for Jamie to see his friend. I thought we would have back row tickets, but they were pretty good, accepting the were in the upper circle and at £10 who could complain.

It turned out to be a 50th anniversary production, of the reworking of Romeo and Juliet set against the rival gangs in New York's Lower East Side. The show is a spectacular, the dancing was superb, and full of colour and action. For me it is the songs - all those so familiar songs - starting right at the start with 'When You're a Jet', 'Maria', 'America', and the wonderful 'Somewhere'. The singing and acting was good and the costumes vivid. One outstanding aspect was the stage set with the moving tenements which gave the feeling of a hot summer New York. I found it enjoyable but not outstanding, my opinion there are many who have raved about it and it has won awards.

There was a simplicity and naivety about the aggression and violence, maybe because we hear so much of it these days, and we hear of the gang wars, the stabbings and killings with such regularity that it doesn't have the ability to shock anymore, it is all to real any day, everyday these days when we turn on the TV news.

The lead performances were all competent Daniel Koek as Tony, Sofia Escobar as Maria, and Jayde Westaby as Anita. Yes I will rent the film, to give me a comparison, but I haven't listened to the songs on Napster over and over again, so maybe this isn't ever going to be one of my favourite musicals, but I did see why so many people do love it.

Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 4/16 - currently reading Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Jamie's Reading challenge 2/12 - currently reading Bed and Breakfast Star by Jacqueline Wilson

SLYMI - 1/52