đ Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World
đ The Main House, The Other Palace, 12 Palace Street, London, SW1E 5JA             Â
đ Saturday 27 July 2024
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GIRL POWER IN ALL ITS GLORY
After a long and tiring day and not thinking I'd even get to the theatre on time I took my seat at The Other Palace rather exhausted and dejected. This show however instantly lifted me and delivered an impressive fun-filled evening of entertainment.
FANTASTICALLY GREAT WOMEN WHO CHANGED THE WORLD follows schoolgirl Jade as she finds herself lost in a museum, in the unopened exhibition Gallery of Greatness, where she meets female heroines from throughout history.
Each of these inspirational women give Jade inspiration and encouragement to go out and make the world a better place in her own unique way. This is done in primarily through song and dance and an incredible ensemble of four bring these famous females to life in all their dazzling glory.
Adapted from the books by Kate Pankhurst, Chris Bush has created a glorious musical which is informative but never boring. There's always a danger that shows such as this becomes more like a lecture than a performance but this production effectively delivers its message without falling into this trap.
The soundtrack by Miranda Cooper and Jennifer Decilveo alongside Bush is uplifting and joyous. Mary, Mary and Marie is a work of genius and is possibly my favourite moment of the entire production, but the entire soundtrack is destined to be the soundtrack of an entire generation of musical theatre fans.
FANTASTICALLY GREAT WOMEN WHO CHANGED THE WORLD for me has parallels with smash-hit musical SIX, and I believe it has the same appeal and will attract similar audiences. Another similarity is that it is a fantastic gateway musical for younger and newer audiences. It has a shorter run time and also includes characters that everyone already knows something about so will have mass appeal.
The cast is exceptional and work tirelessly to deliver a flawless performance. Georgia Grant-Anderson completely embodies the wide-eyed innocence of Jade and is a well rounded performer who brings the audience willingly along with her characters journey.
Elena Breschi excelled in every role she played, with my favourite being her portrayal of Frida Kahlo. Meg Hateley is a wonderfully expressive performer who draws you to her whenever she's on the stage and Summer Priest oozes joy and effortlessly transitions between her various roles.
The standout performance for me personally came from Anelisa Lamola. Great in every role, it was her performance as Rosa Parks which utterly blew me away. She has the entire auditorium in hushed awe as she spoke her truth and the vocal control she displayed during Rosa's Lullaby was breathtaking.
The camaraderie on display by the company was beautiful to watch and the energy ang joy of the performers encapsulated and transferred to the audience members which created a wonderful atmosphere.
The staging was also incredible. Amy Hodge's direction and Danielle Lecointe's choreography didn't let the restricted size of the stage give them an excuse to be lazy and uninspired, but instead they ensured they filled every inch of the performance space.
The sets and costumes by Joanna Scotcher are creative and colourful, and the letters on wheels used in the finale are inspired. Zoe Spurr's lighting design rounds off a technically stunning production. Regular readers of mine will know that I'm a bit of a tecnical theatre nerd and this production wins on every level.
The live band which consists of Audra Cramer, Nicola T. Chang and Isis Dunthorne are visable throughout the show and even become a part of the production.
FANTASTICALLY GREAT WOMEN WHO CHANGED THE WORLD is an energetic feel-good show which is guaranteed to have you leaving the theatre in a good mood and singing the songs. I know this from personal experience!
I'm already thinking about booking a return visit and I predict a huge future for this production. If you want to get your hands on the hottest ticket in town, the production continues performances in the Main House at The Other Palace until Sunday 08 September. Tickets can be purchased from all the usual places you can find your London Theatre Tickets.
Neill Kovacic-Clarke
All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one reviewer. Â
My ticket for this performance of Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World was gifted by the Chloe Nelkin Consulting who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.Â
CAST LIST:
Georgina Grant-Anderson as Jade; Elena Breschi as Sacagawea / Frida Kahlo / Marie Curie / Miss Morris; Meg Hateley as Emmeline Pankhurst / Agent Fifi / Miss Johnson; Anelisa Lamola as Amelia Earhart / Mary Seacole / Rosa Parks / Miss Ashley; Summer Priest as Gertrude Ederle / Jane Austen / Miss Richards / Tannoy; Aaliyah Monk as Anne Frank
RUNNING TIME (approx):
1 hour 20 minutes, with no interval
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