One thing you should know about me, I love the theatre. I have been going since I was 9 years old - with the first production being The Lion King. Since then I have seen loads from musicals to plays, amateur to big productions. I love it. This year, I have been really lucky to see several shows, including last week on Tuesday 26th September 2017 I went to see Follies at the National Theatre.
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Follies at The National Theatre
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Follies is a musical written by James Goldman, with the music and lyrics written by the genius that is Stephen Sondheim. Sondheim is my favourite composer and I have been lucky to see several musicals that he has composed the music for. When they announced that a production of Follies was to be at the National Theatre, for the first time - my uncle got us tickets to enjoy the production. I got even more excited when it was announced that Imelda Staunton was to be the lead role of Sally. It is set in New York, in 1971 and all set during one party, one night where the Follies girls have come back together for one last time as the Weismann Theatre is due to be demolished the following day. It has been 30 years since their final performance, but things that should remain in the past have come back to the surface.
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This is the first production I have seen which does not have an interval, the running time of the whole performance is 2 hours and 10 minutes. I have to be honest, the whole production moves seamlessly that I did not release that two hours had past. The entire cast were phenomenal portraying the storyline of Follies. This production including the well known songs Broadway Baby, Losing My Mind and I'm Still Here. The showstopper for me had to be Broadway Baby, performed by Di Botcher which even had some of the audience members on their feet even before the curtain came down.
As a designer, I have to touch on the set and the costumes. The set was phenomenal - it is on a revolve with part of the Weismann Theatre still standing and the rest already knocked down. I also liked that the other members of cast - who were the dancers, also doubled up as the people who moved part of the set, seeing as most of the set was on the revolve. The entire production was amazing, and well deserved the stand ovation at the end of the performance.
If I got the chance, I'd see it again and if you are a fan of musicals, in particular Sondheim musicals then you should really go and see Follies which is on until the 3rd January 2018 at the Olivier Theatre, National Theatre.
Until next time,
Becky xxx
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