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THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL

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As a regular theatre reviewer I have endured an overdose of juke box musicals over the past year – some good, some bad and some extremely bad.

Most of them have been just an excuse to wrap insignificant dialogue round a catalogue of hits and the majority have majored on insignificant facts and events taken right out of context and sprinkled with stardust so to speak.

But the moment I walked into the auditorium of Leeds Grand Theatre and saw a grand piano on stage I knew Beautiful was going to be different.

From the  sincere opening dialogue, where Carole quips about rising from playing the piano in her mother’s living room to playing it at Carnegie Hall,  I knew this was going to be an enjoyable production.

Beautiful uses King’s music to tell the story of her life but her’s where it excels it has depth and substance and the music has been painstakingly placed around its plot.

King was one of the most prolific songwriters of our time. Beautiful tells the inspiring true-life story of how Carole fought her way into the record business as a teenager. Merely a school girl she says “I want to be a song writer” to which her mum replies “Girls don’t write music they teach it”.

It tells how she was paired with Gerry Goffin and wrote songs for big name artists, and finally, after numerous heartbreaks, launched a successful career as a solo artist.

This production of Beautiful tickets every box. Technically its lit beautifully with some cheeky little scene changes that just happen right before your very eyes.

Director Marc Bruni has created a production full of pace and energy. Imaginatively staged it takes us through the decades from Brooklyn to 1650 Broadway, then the hub of the rock and pop music world, at break-neck speed with clever and smooth set changes.

Bronte Barbe is totally amazing as King. Barbe drives the whole show with her amazing vocal talent. She portrays King’s modesty and warmth and the tolerance of her wayward husband so well I almost wanted to shake her and say “look your husband is cheating on you”.

Between Barbe and Kane Oliver Parry, who plays Gerry Goffin, there is a certain chemistry and as a team they are pure gold. Parry is so smooth and natural in his manner hiding his womanising wants perfectly. In the vocals they blend beautifully and certainly more than excel.

Amy Ellen Richardson’s pushy Cynthia Weil is full of real business woman like determination. She is a woman on a mission and doesn’t take any prisoners on her way bulldozing the wimpish,  hypercondriac Barry Mann convincingly played by Matthew Gonsalves. Through her sheer strong will song-writing wise they become a force to be reckoned with but on Weil’s terms

Carole Royle’s Gennie Klein, with her motherly but strictly no nonsense attitude has some wonderful exit lines making her so believable; whilst Adam Howden as Donnie Kirshner is typical of the music business top executives of the time.

The small, talented ensemble play an major part in this musical singing, dancing and playing their way through multi-characters from The Righteous Brothers, Neil Sedaka, The Drifters, The Shirelles and even Little Eva with turbo charged energy and musical prowess.

Beautiful, is not just a tribute act show its a believable story, well acted and even more impressively sung – I can guarantee you’ll be singing King’s songs not just on  your way from the theatre but for the rest of the week!

Runs until Saturday 2 June at The Leeds Grand Theatre

Liz Coggins is a member of The Critics Circle.

For more information click here. 

 

 

 

 

The post THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL appeared first on Leeds Guide.


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