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Blink Again!, Above the Stag

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On the publicity material for the third in ’s now-annual of songs from shows that flopped, The Stage is quoted as describing it as “a high quality evening”.

That quote came from my review of 2009′s first show. However, the section of that review that the quote comes from was not quite so equivocal:

The weakest elements come when the actors must drop out of character and narrate the history of the dud shows direct. While there is an element of humour to be had from their frequent fluffs, more work clearly needs to be done to improve what is already a high quality evening.

Annoyingly, I could use exactly the same paragraph in the review of 2011′s show. Which would be appropriate in many ways, since Again! itself recycles much from the previous two years.

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Blink Again!, Above the Stag2Scott Matthewman2011-07-27 12:42:00On the publicity material for the third in Above the Stag’s now-annual revue of songs from shows that flopped, The Stage is quoted as describing it as…

Blink Twice, Above the Stag

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In 2009, filled the usual torpidity of the summer fringe with Blink!, a collection of songs from musicals that flopped.

Unlike the shows it used as source material, it was a hit. It was not without faults, though: the spoken links that provided context weren’t executed well enough to adequately stand alongside the sung material. Also, there was something of an over-reliance on numbers from shows that, while possibly counting as on paper on their original run, have gone on to not insubstantial success (e.g., Chicago).

This year’s sequel has the confidence not to play it safe in such a manner, although it does include one number from a show that is currently running in the West End — the title song from Love Never Dies, albeit in its original form as Our Kind of Love from the Lloyd Webber/Elton mess of The Beautiful Game.

In a brave move for a show which is attempting to repeat its predecessor’s success, there is a continuing theme of demonstrating how composers repeatedly mine the same ideas. Jerry Herman, showcased last year for his drag comedy La Cage aux Folles, provides similar numbers from his flop, Jerry’s Girls. Adam Lilley’s scene stealing entrance in the second act’s opening numbers provides one of many comedy highlights, and ironically also gives him a vocal which is much better suited to his voice than many other songs which sit uncomfortably at the upper end of his range.

Ironic use of over-earnest choreography is used frequently to comically undermine songs which don’t deserve to be taken seriously, or to provide additional comedy to numbers which are nowhere near as funny as the writers clearly wanted them to be. The trio of Anna Gilthorpe, Ashleigh Jones and Emma Lumsden performing Glitterboots from Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens manages to transform an intrinsically silly number into something that lampoons the over-earnest choreography that has scuppered many a West End show.

Perhaps the strongest vocals belong to Reed Sinclair, whose renditions of Dear World (another Herman flop) and, in duet, First Lady of the Night from Bad Girls add to an impressive roster of numbers from all concerned.

There are so many bad musicals with odd little gems of songs in that the format has every chance of becoming a regular franchise. If any future incarnations improve as much as Blink Twice has over 2009′s original, they will be truly amazing.

Blink! – the double-take

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Last night, Paul and I went back to the Above the Stag theatre in Victoria to see Blink!, a about songs from musicals that closed early. For both of us it was our second time to see the show, although we’d previously seen it on different nights. My first was on press night, when I reviewed it for The Stage.

When I reviewed the show, I said:

The weakest elements come when the actors must drop out of character and narrate the history of the dud shows direct. While there is an element of humour to be had from their frequent fluffs, more work clearly needs to be done

Thankfully, those bits did seem to have improved since press night – there were certainly far fewer occasions where the actors dried. They still feel clumsy and stilted, though, and it feels wrong to ask a performer who’s just finished belting a number to then switch to a straight narration.

The core of shows like this is not the narration, though, but the performances of the songs. There were points which didn’t work quite as well as on press night, but then you always get variation from show to show. And although there was a full house last night, as there was the last time I saw the show, the audience wasn’t quite as receptive, which has a big impact on the onstage performance.

! is on at until August 16 — which means that current West End flop Too Close to the Sun, which will have closed by then, qualifies for inclusion…

To finish, here’s a YouTube version of Debra Monk performing one of the songs included in the show, Everybody’s Girl, from Kander and Ebb’s Steel Pier. In the show, it’s performed by Julia G Addison (and in the after party, Legally Blonde star proclaimed, “I’ve found my new audition song!”)

Blink!, Above the Stag

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A of songs from unsuccessful musicals will be made or broken by the selection of material. Save for a couple of misses, ’s repertoire provides for an evening packed with memorable and occasionally well-known numbers.

A flexible approach to the brief accommodates shows that succeeded in Broadway but flopped in London (or vice versa) as frequently as shows that anyone could see had no chance. This allows moments such as Tim McArthur’s rendition of La Cage Aux Folles’ I Am What I Am, which is easily on a par with the current West End version.

That number is the most effective of the ballads included. The cast are clearly more comfortable, however, with the comedy numbers which make up the majority of the running time. Whether it’s a jaw-dropping version of the Silence of the Lambs or an inspired medley of numbers gleefully ridiculing actor-musician revivals, there are numerous opportunities for belly laughs from an ensemble that is clearly revelling in the material.

The weakest elements come when the actors must drop out of character and narrate the history of the dud shows direct. While there is an element of humour to be had from their frequent fluffs, more work clearly needs to be done to improve what is already a high quality evening.

Reviewed for The Stage

Devised & directed by: Peter Bull and Tim McArthur
Management: Trilby Productions
Cast: Julia G Addison, Alexander Bradford, Nikki Gerard, Tim McArthur, Elena Rossi
Design: Prav Menon-Johansson
Lighting: Howard Hudson
Musical direction: Debbie Morris