Both Andrew Lloyb Webber and Tim Rice have made the treck to Stratford to see this production, and now that we have seen it we know why. Yes all the hype is true. This is a huge hit and you shouldn't miss this one. Webber was quoted as saying the show is “very probably the best acted performance of the show I have ever seen.
Paul Nolan & Josh Young do an outstanding job in carring the show. The strength of this production seems to be infectious because the rest of the ensemble carries the show with equaled strength of the leads. This show has a very fast tempo and drive. There are no pauses required for audience approval. There was so much energy on this set it seemed like the cast would have delivered the same performance even if there was no audience in the seats.
The set of this production is amazing. It isn't a lavish Shakespearean set, but a high tech set that one would expect to see at a rock concert. How this set is used, manipulated and worked is in itself a Tony award winning performance. The transitions and set changes are awe inspiring. The sense of speed, angst and purpose that carried every transition was almost palatable. The updated costumes and choreography were also a plus.
Act 1 flew by so quickly we thought it was minutes.
Yes I will admit it, I am gushing. Simply put, GO SEE THIS SHOW.
