Velcro, Robbie’s best friend and confidant, is played with much zest by Brett Warner Hurt. Normally, a character like this would be disliked by the audience, but Henry makes him sympathetic. His inner conflict on breaking society’s norms by taking on a “rent” boy is genuine. Lord Bellingham is played by Francis (Hank) Henry. Vocally he’s quite expressive and is able to capture a wide range of emotions with his tone. It is easy to see why James Prince and Lord Bellingham fall in love with his character. Peter DiCesare plays the lead, Robbie, with such an infectious and genuine enthusiasm that he charms the entire audience from the moment he steps onstage. For what is supposed to be a contemporary musical, the choreography is reminiscent of the boy band choreography of the late 90’s and early 00’s. I am a great admirer of his choreography work but in this production the dancing lacks variety and don’t always reflect the various musical styles that the show encompasses. Though not credited, de los Santos is also responsible for the choreography. It also helped that her costumes and wig aged her. Lutz’ portrayal brings gravitas to the show and is the strongest performance of the entire cast. Her poise, gestures and movements are that of a thirty eight-year-old woman. The only performer that is able to overcome the obstacle of her youthful age is Janelle Lutz who plays Marilyn, the fiancée to the mayor. Ian Mead Moore plays the political advisor William, and while he attempts to be Machiavellian, physically he is too youthful to come across as a seasoned political veteran. While Burroughs has strong stage presence, a glorious voice, and does his best to make his character believable, he simply is too young for the role, looking like he’s in his early twenty’s while the character, per the storyline, dialogue and lyrics, is closer to forty. Sean Burroughs plays mayoral candidate James Prince. While there isn’t a bad performer in the cast, the choices de los Santos made are strange. However, as directed and choreographed, the two acts are very similar in tone and lessen the impact of the story.Īnother problem is with the casting. Act 2 is more serious because it shows the consequences of some of the hastily-made decisions by all, and the music is mainly ballads which serve as monologues and soliloquies for the characters. Act 1 is very much a romp, and it contains panoply of musical numbers which parody different musical genres. John de los Santos is a very talented director, but in this production there’s a lack of focus. There is abundant talent in the cast, but where the show falters is in the direction. Uptown’s production is solidly good and quite enjoyable but it is not perfect. The musical is at times a satire, a farce, a slapstick comedy, yet it also has heart. It skewers political grandstanding, the tabloid press, and the hypocrisy of the upper classes that pretend to not succumb to baser instincts. The production is zesty, fun, and full of wonderful tunes. Instead of a glass slipper, a cell phone serves as the item left behind at the “arty. The story uses a narrator that also serves as commentator and at times appears as a character in various scenes. The fairy Godmother? None really exists in this production but the person closest to this character is his best friend Velcro who doesn’t perform any magic but simply encourages him to believe in himself. His two stepsisters are ladies of the night, and his prince is a London mayoral candidate engaged to a woman. Cinderella is actually a fella by the name of Robbie who works as an escort in order to pay for his college books. The difference is that the action takes place present day in London’s Soho district. Soho Cinders is a modern re-telling of the Cinderella story. This is quite a coupe for the theatre company and it’s clear to see by their production why it’s been so popular across the pond. debut of London’s West-end hit musical, Soho Cinders. Reviewed by Mark-Brian Sonna, Associate Critic for John Garcia's THE COLUMN By George Stiles, Anthony Drewe and Elliot DavisĮnsemble – Clinton Greenspan, Kelly Holmes, Drew Kelly, Sara Shelby-Martin, Nikki McDonald, Steve Robert Pounds, Blake Rogers, and Molly Welch.
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