REVIEW:
La Cage Aux Folles, UK Tour, Leeds Grand Theatre
25/03/17 - 2.30pm
Reviewed by:
Koala: 🐨🐨🐨🐨🐨/5
30th March 2017
Koala: 🐨🐨🐨🐨🐨/5
30th March 2017
I have been a fan of John Partridge since I was about 8 years old. I have wonderful memories of loving Rum Tum Tugger in Cats, as I watched it week after week with my Grandma. I have since seen him live multiple times and I lost count of the amount of times I saw him in A Chorus Line; that show will stay with me for a long time. So, when I heard he had been cast in the current UK Tour of La Cage Aux Folles, I was ridiculously excited and the production didn’t disappoint.
La Cage tells the story of Albin (Partridge) and his long term partner, Georges (Adrian Zmed). Georges is the manager and compere of the nightclub where Albin is the star act, Zaza. However, trouble hits when Georges’ son, and Albin’s in everything but name, Jean-Michel arrives home to announce his engagement to the daughter of a rather conservative politician. He wants his fiancée and her parents to meet his family but that can’t include Albin and definitely can’t include Zaza.
For me, Albin/ Zaza is Partridge’s best role to date. He plays the character with the bolshiness yet vulnerability it requires and his rendition of ‘I Am What I Am’ had me in tears. In a time when things are so uncertain, this song rings out loud and clear and resonates far more than it ever, ever should do. The heartbreak when he realises the boy he had brought up to be his son is ashamed of him is clear on Partridge’s face and makes you wonder if they can ever get back from that moment. One of my favourite parts of the show was Partridge’s ad-libbing as part of Zaza’s act in the night club. The front row got picked on quite a bit and I found myself desperately trying to avoid eye contact!
Zmed plays the part of a man torn between the man he loves and his son, never quite knowing what to do for the best, and ‘Look Over There’ was one of my favourite moments of the show. It is such an understated song compared with some of the shows bigger moments but it is this that makes the scene so compelling.
I have also got to mention Dougie Carter and Marti Webb, who play the roles of Jean-Michel and Madame Jacqueline, owner of the restaurant the family go to and frequent visitor to Georges’ nightclub. Carter plays the part of Albin and Georges’ son so well, I spent most of the show wanting to shake him. This is a compliment as Jean-Michel spends most of the show being so ungrateful to all that Albin has done for him. I wanted to cheer when he final grew a back bone and stuck up for his second dad. The scene where he apologises and asks for forgiveness was a very touching moment. Webb is a performer I have admired for so long and it was wonderful to finally see her live. She has a small, yet important, role in the show and she showed just how powerful her vocals are during ‘The Best of Times’.
This is an absolute gem of a production and I loved every second. I would urge everyone to go and see this production if they get the chance and I would love to see it again if I could! Although, if you’d rather not be insulted by a drag queen as part of the show, I’d recommend steering clear of row A!
La Cage tells the story of Albin (Partridge) and his long term partner, Georges (Adrian Zmed). Georges is the manager and compere of the nightclub where Albin is the star act, Zaza. However, trouble hits when Georges’ son, and Albin’s in everything but name, Jean-Michel arrives home to announce his engagement to the daughter of a rather conservative politician. He wants his fiancée and her parents to meet his family but that can’t include Albin and definitely can’t include Zaza.
For me, Albin/ Zaza is Partridge’s best role to date. He plays the character with the bolshiness yet vulnerability it requires and his rendition of ‘I Am What I Am’ had me in tears. In a time when things are so uncertain, this song rings out loud and clear and resonates far more than it ever, ever should do. The heartbreak when he realises the boy he had brought up to be his son is ashamed of him is clear on Partridge’s face and makes you wonder if they can ever get back from that moment. One of my favourite parts of the show was Partridge’s ad-libbing as part of Zaza’s act in the night club. The front row got picked on quite a bit and I found myself desperately trying to avoid eye contact!
Zmed plays the part of a man torn between the man he loves and his son, never quite knowing what to do for the best, and ‘Look Over There’ was one of my favourite moments of the show. It is such an understated song compared with some of the shows bigger moments but it is this that makes the scene so compelling.
I have also got to mention Dougie Carter and Marti Webb, who play the roles of Jean-Michel and Madame Jacqueline, owner of the restaurant the family go to and frequent visitor to Georges’ nightclub. Carter plays the part of Albin and Georges’ son so well, I spent most of the show wanting to shake him. This is a compliment as Jean-Michel spends most of the show being so ungrateful to all that Albin has done for him. I wanted to cheer when he final grew a back bone and stuck up for his second dad. The scene where he apologises and asks for forgiveness was a very touching moment. Webb is a performer I have admired for so long and it was wonderful to finally see her live. She has a small, yet important, role in the show and she showed just how powerful her vocals are during ‘The Best of Times’.
This is an absolute gem of a production and I loved every second. I would urge everyone to go and see this production if they get the chance and I would love to see it again if I could! Although, if you’d rather not be insulted by a drag queen as part of the show, I’d recommend steering clear of row A!