★★★★★ Miss
Nightingale – The Joyous New Musical
Arriving at the Hippodrome Casino, I was amazed at the size and grandeur of the casino which you walked through to get to the more intimate cabaret theatre. It is a very interesting reimagining of Frank Matcham’s former Hippodrome circus variety theatre which was also home to the Talk of the Town in the 1950s and more recently Peter Stringfellow’s Hippodrome discotheque – the closest London came to having its version of Studio 54.
Arriving at the Hippodrome Casino, I was amazed at the size and grandeur of the casino which you walked through to get to the more intimate cabaret theatre. It is a very interesting reimagining of Frank Matcham’s former Hippodrome circus variety theatre which was also home to the Talk of the Town in the 1950s and more recently Peter Stringfellow’s Hippodrome discotheque – the closest London came to having its version of Studio 54.
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Cockpit Club |
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Hippodrome Casino |
The
cabaret theatre is a cosy 180-seat theatre on the first floor and is now rebranded as the Cockpit Club, the perfect venue for Matthew Bugg’s Miss
Nightingale’s arrival in the West End. Seating is at tables and chairs and Las
Vegas-style intimate booths with very attentive waiter service. Regrettably, it was very cold though as the air-conditioning
was super efficient, but this was rectified easily
in the second half.
The six-person Nightingale ensemble is led by writer,
composer, producer, director and performer, Matthew Bugg playing Harry. It is
the story of Maggie Brown (Laura
Chinery), an aspiring singer and her best friend George Nowodny (Mathew Floyd
Jones), a songwriter and Jewish refugee, who perform a dazzling act at the
newest nightclub in town, owned by wealthy socialite and RAF war-hero, Sir
Frank Worthington-Blythe (Oliver Mawdsley).
Maggie’s beau Tom Connor (Adam Langstaff) paves the way for the sexy and
charismatic ‘Miss Nightingale’ to be born, and the musical duo quickly find
themselves with a West-End hit! However, what the leading lady doesn’t know, is
that George and Sir Frank are hiding a secret and, as Miss Nightingale’s
success grows, so does a forbidden love
between the two men!
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Lauren Chinery |
Must
also give a special mention to the sixth member of the Nightingale family, Tobias
Oliver playing Clifford who seems to be very adept at keeping the whole piece
on course, while in addition playing the double
bass - he is also the producer and marketing guru behind the show!
Matthew
Bugg has clearly reworked aspects of the show
from last year’s incarnation at the Vaults, and
this is all to the good - I did notice a lot more sequins than last year! Laura
Chinery plays Miss Nightingale with lots of verve and drive especially during her saucy innuendo-laden cabaret numbers when
she gives us a world tour of sausages and the problems she has with her pussy. Silly,
maybe? But perfect in the context of the show!
Mathew
Floyd Jones and Oliver Mawdsley handle with sensitivity their clandestine
relationship at a time when their love was clearly forbidden and, above all,
illegal.![]() |
Mathew Floyd Jones |
Miss
Nightingale is, above all, a triumph for the multi-talented ensemble. Not only
do they act, sing and dance, but also play all the instruments numbering over
27 used in the show. They handle with style, the delicacy of aspects of the storyline beautifully and also enjoy the
raucous razzamatazz of the pure showbiz
numbers. I particularly enjoyed ‘Stand Up and Be
Counted’ which even involved tap dancing and shameless jazz hands too!
Allegedly,
after six years of touring, this is the last time Miss Nightingale will be seen as Matthew Bugg feels it is time to
move onto new projects. If, however, there is another incarnation, and as much
as the actors are brilliant musicians, I would love to see some of the
wonderful songs given a more orchestral treatment.
Miss
Nightingale will be at its new West End home only until 6 May, and is highly recommended as a unique, innovative, glitzy, glamorous,
thought-provoking production and a unique and
welcome arrival to the West End! Dare I add, come back soon but, in the
meantime, don’t miss Miss Nightingale now.
MISS
NIGHTINGALE
THE THEATRE AT THE HIPPODROME CASINO
21 MARCH – 6 MAY 2018
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY MATTHEW BUGG Performances:
Performances: Wednesday – Saturday at 7.30pm
Saturday Matinee at 2pm Sunday at 5pm
Address: The Hippodrome Casino, Cranbourn Street, Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7JH
Box Office: 020 7769 8888
THE THEATRE AT THE HIPPODROME CASINO
21 MARCH – 6 MAY 2018
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY MATTHEW BUGG Performances:
Performances: Wednesday – Saturday at 7.30pm
Saturday Matinee at 2pm Sunday at 5pm
Address: The Hippodrome Casino, Cranbourn Street, Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7JH
Box Office: 020 7769 8888
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