Showtune - a ★★★★★ musical theatre gem!

★★★★★ Showtune

There was a rumour that Bette Midler would be bringing her Broadway production of Jerry Herman's Hello Dolly to London this summer. Sadly this turned out to be untrue, but don't stress! Showtune has arrived at the Union Theatre, and it features all of Jerry Herman's most celebrated songs in a musical revue. And yes, there's even a soupcon of Dolly!

Debutant director and choreographer, Luke Byrne - who I recall as a Cagelle in the recent production of La Cage aux Folles - has fashioned a musical gem of a show. With a stunningly strong ensemble of ten - Aidan Cutler, Alex Burns, Daniel Wallage, Ella-Maria Danson, James Molyneux, Charlotte George, Michael Bowie, Jasmine Hackett, Gabriel Hinchliffe, Samara Rawlins - under the assured musical direction of Henry Brennan, no great Broadway anthem or quintessential Herman lyric goes unsung! It is impressive the richness of sound that Brennan manages to achieve from his single piano, albeit at times slightly overpowering the voices.

I look forward to seeing him, baton in hand, fronting a fuller orchestra sometime soon.

Set in a series of cleverly-designed, backstage dressing rooms, Showtune features all Jerry Herman's greatest hits. Not only songs from Hello Dolly, Mame, and La Cage aux Folles, but also Dear World, The Grand Tour, Milk and Honey, and Mack and Mabel.

I have added below what I hope is a definitive list of the forty or so songs and their provenance featured in the show. As the blurb for the show says, 'no lyric is left unsung in this top-notch retrospective of Herman's phenomenal career in songwriting'. And it is difficult to argue with that!

Special mention must go to Ella-Maria Danson and Alex Burns for their Bosom Buddies duet from Mame. While Daniel Wallage captivates throughout, especially in Little More Mascara and the Song of the Sand duet with Michael Bowie - both from La Cage aux Folles. But this truly is an ensemble show, not least in the guaranteed showstopper Tap Your Troubles Away from Mack and Mabel. If you are not uplifted by this piece of showbiz razzmatazz and ensemble tap-dancing, I suggest you check you're still alive!

Producer Sasha Regan has once again put together a superb production. Luke Byrne has embraced the myriad of classic Herman show tunes and crafted a smart, coherent and totally enchanting confection of Broadway classics. We may be missing Bette Midler this summer, but Showtune delivers Dolly and a lot, lot more in a joyous, what's-not-to-like winner!

Scene and Song List

Act I It's Today! (Mame) Big Time (Mack & Mabel) We Need a Little Christmas (Mame) Put On Your Sunday Clothes (Hello, Dolly!) Little More Mascara (La Cage aux Folles) The Man In The Moon (Mame) I Am What I Am (La Cage aux Folles) Song On The Sand – Prelude (La Cage aux Folles) I Won't Send Roses (Mack & Mabel) Ribbons Down My Back (Hello, Dolly!) Dancing (Hello, Dolly!) It Takes A Woman (Hello, Dolly!) Wherever He Ain't (Mack & Mabel) Hundreds Of Girls (Mack & Mabel) So Long Dearie (Hello, Dolly!) It Takes A Woman – Reprise And I Was Beautiful (Dear World) Kiss Her Now (Dear World) And I Was Beautiful / Kiss Her Now – Counterpoint Time Heals Everything (Mack & Mabel) Before The Parade Passes By (Hello, Dolly!) One Person (Dear World) Open A New Window (Mame) Counterpoint March Before The Parade Passes By – Reprise

Act II "Hello, Dolly!" – Entr'acte (Hello, Dolly!) Movies Were Movies (Mack & Mabel) Look What Happened To Mabel (Mack & Mabel) That's How Young I Feel (Mame) Look What Happened to Mabel – Reprise My Best Girl (Mame) Nelson (A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine) Just Go To The Movies (A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine) It Only Takes A Moment (Hello, Dolly!) What Do I Do Now? (Mame) Tap Your Troubles Away (Mack & Mabel) Bosom Buddies (Mame) I Don't Want To Know (Dear World) I Don't Want To Know – Reprise Song On The Sand (La Cage aux Folles) Shalom (Milk and Honey) I'll Be Here Tomorrow (The Grand Tour) If He Walked Into My Life (Mame) I Promise You A Happy Ending (Mack & Mabel) Mame (Mame) The Best of Times (La Cage aux Folles) It's Today! – Reprise Hello, Dolly! – Encore

Tickets: CLICK to Book Here

Music and lyrics by Jerry Herman

Book by Paul Gilger

Direction/Choreography - Luke Byrne

Assisted by - Emily Stanghan

MD - Henry Brennan

Lighting - Matthew Swithinbank

Producer - Sasha Regan

Associate Producer - Maison Kelley

Casting: Adam Braham

Photography: Jamie Scott - Smith 

Running: 10th August - 24th August 2019

Tuesday - Saturday Evenings 7:30pm

Saturday & Sunday Afternoon 2:30pm