Review: USHERS - THE FRONT OF HOUSE MUSICAL, The Other Palace (Studio)
Craig Fuller
This year marks 10 years since Ushers: The Front of House Musical first opened in London’s West End. The show follows a team of Front of House staff at the comically named “Another Palace” theatre, where the curtain is about to rise on a preview performance of Love Island, The Musical.
The first number “Welcome” sets the tone for the show, it is high energy, brightly lit and very tongue in cheek. The cast of 6 tell a gentle story, interwoven with countless comical references to musical theatre shows, songs, well known cast members and legendary producers. Some of these nods have clearly been updated since the shows initial run a decade ago, with this weekends Olivier Awards being mentioned, along with recently announced show closures.
Daniel Page is a forceful presence as Robin Pockets, a sleazy theatre manager, who is only concerned with “Spend Per Head”, while letching over his younger female employees. Page brings a well observed humour to the role, and also appears in “training videos” which highlight Robins incompetence and lack of suitability for the role. Danielle Rose shines as Lucy, the new recruit to the team who gets thrown in at the deep end, with hilarious consequences. Christopher Foley plays Stephen, Lucy’s love-at-first-sight love interest, and his rendition of “The Parts I Could Play” provides a delightful whistle stop tour of some of the West Ends best known characters.
The talented cast is completed by Bethany Amber-Perrins as the fantastically ditzy Rosie, Luke Bayer as Ben and Cleve September as Gary. Gary and Ben are struggling to hold a relationship together while their lives are heading in different directions, and this is the only part of the story which has any real gravity.
The show is meant to be intimate and small scale, but the space in the Studio at The Other Palace does feel a little too cramped at times, particularly for some of the more energetic choreography. However these close quarters do lead to some lovely moments of audience interaction, and it is clear that director Max Reynolds has thought hard about how to work within these limitations.
The closing number “Goodbye!” is performed in sequined waistcoats, and is full of references to famous musicals, causing much laughter among the audience. It ends the piece on a real high, and there are happy endings and cheesy grins for all of the Ushers at Another Palace.
Ushers is the perfect show for anyone who is a Musical Theatre nerd at heart, complete with sequins, harmonies, and many theatrical in-jokes, it is a diverting evening’s entertainment, sure to bring a smile to even the grumpiest of Front of House Managers!
**** Four Stars
Reviewed by Sarah Brown
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