Macbeth – Harold Pinter Theatre – Saturday 30th November 2024

(Rated 5/5) Of all of Shakespeare’s best-known plays, ‘The Scottish Play’ is my least favourite, though, ironically, I realise I have seen it a few times and I know Lady M’s sleepwalking soliloquy off by heart, and hold it in my heart too. So, why did I go yet again?! I mean, of course, Mr. David Tennant is always a draw for me – I have never seen him be ‘rubbish’! But that alone was not enough, and I only half-heartedly tried to get tickets at the Donmar, and didn’t feel that disappointed that I didn’t succeed. But, when the opportunity arose again, and my sister-from-another-mister together with her blood sister wanted to go, I gave my attempts at ticket-acquiring more energy and got row B stalls, before it all sold out very rapidly. I joked with my SFAM that the three of could be his three witches. And, as it turned out maybe so, as they were not physically present! Before I go on, there will be spoilers in this review. Not of the play and plot itself really, but of the production, because, in a way, it all needs saying to try to convey the impact of the ways the audience experienced it.

Once in your seat, you’re invited to put on headphones and test to make sure you hear sounds in the correct ears – very important for later – and yes, you literally cannot hear the performances properly without them. I later met up with my ‘Three Boys’ and A commented it was 8D sound – actually yes – noises of all varieties come at you from all directions, and in some cases it’s pretty crucial to be able to identify from whence they emanate 😉 Macbeth opens with the ‘Weird Sisters’ – no, not me, my SFAM and her sister lol – voiced by the ensemble directly into our ears, as though coming from everywhere and internally at one and the same time. Together with the smoke and candle-lighting you immediately feel like you’re in an other ethereal world, and that together with a minimal black set and a simple glass box at the back trapping at different points many of the cast, who are all – besides one – dressed in dark colours, provides a powerful sense of the sinister and feeling that you’re deep into the darkness of the psychology of this play. Being so immersed, and with tremendous performances hitting me, I genuinely felt more connected with this Macbeth than any other. When Shakespeare is performed with such perfect awareness of the meaning and skill at expressing the emotion of it by the actors, the audience cannot fail to ‘receive it’. David Tennant is certainly a master of the bard. He, and Cush Jumbo as Lady Macbeth, had me so fully engaged. And there is an interesting ‘twist’ in this particular production – He is all in black, She is all in white – unusually and unexpectedly, she is the light to his dark. David’s Macbeth put me in mind of him playing cold psychopath Dennis Nilsen in ‘Des’, and the pace of his delivery and character development too, reminded me of the way he gave us the fast-thinking 10th Doctor becoming all too power-obsessed in the ’Doctor Who’ episode ‘The Waters of Mars’. As many will know, it is normally Lady M, who encourages and even manipulates the couple’s dastardly deeds, but here she is the humanity and conscience to his apparent total lack of guilt. That said the headphones add to the intimacy of the turmoil of their interactions – he can whisper into her and we hear every little murmur. We feel trapped in the game of crowns too, which has to be played by adults and children alike. The presence and absence of children is very keenly felt in this – and again Lady Cush Macbeth poignantly conveys her lack and pain at never being a mother. It also put me in mind of the Tudor World of Hilary Mantel’s ‘Wolf Hall’ and the story of Richard III’s nephews ‘The Princes in the Tower’ and the unsolved potential crime; were they murdered? – both very present on our TVs just at the moment. We’d hope we had become less barbaric, but tragically innocents and children are dying even today in places around the world, simply because of politics! Have we not learned??!! Yet, this is of course exactly what good theatre does for us – it’s past, it’s present, it’s future, it’s showing us ourselves in all our glory and utter tragic insanity.

Just as the darkness and devastation may be getting too much, Jatinder Singh Randhawa distracts us away from the stage by appearing to our right in one of the boxes and teases us about wearing headphones, ‘Are you expecting a radio play?’, argues with an usher who is supposedly trying to throw him out and get him to buy a very expensive programme, and then gives us a stand-up show! At first, I found this very contemporary sketch – mentioning the likes of Suella Braverman and Trump – out of place and distracting, but it later occurred to me this is actually a History play even though it wasn’t called one, and with kings in it, it also needs a fool. Jatinder was a superb fool and made me smile so much. ‘Knock, Knock…’ And after such not entirely frivolous jollity we are back to knocking at the gates of the court of Macbeth! The ensemble cast are like trapped shadow-figures at many points, yet also very front and actively present at others. Standing out for me was Rona Morrison as Lady Macduff – aside from excellent acting she also had excellent red hair! 😉 As also did Gemma Laurie as Ross – we noticed she got extra applause from the cast, then realising she was the cover for usual Ross – an impressive cover 😊

I had a strange experience of time in this production. Even though in many ways it was obvious where we were in the play, I felt Lady M’s presence much longer than I have in other productions. It’s like she was very much there even when she physically wasn’t. I guess that was in part the power of the character’s influence, but also a little like the witches, she could be present in spirit and not in body. The ghosts of other characters continually haunted Macbeth also as the actor playing them was always present even if their character was absent. This, I’ve only just fully engaged with as I write about it now. Clever choice and effect! Our headphones delivered a great deal more than simply actors’ voices, together with wildlife and witchcraft, there was music… and also, we had dancing worthy of places on Strictly! Very enjoyable to watch 😊

As I mentioned earlier, I talked with my ‘Three Boys’ about this production afterwards and A said he had to learn and deliver one of the soliloquys. I started ‘Is this a dagger…’ He said ‘No, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and Tomorrow…’ I asked him why. Apparently, because it was the shortest 😉 I’d witnessed David Tennant joking with Greg Doran about that speech, yet in performing it, of course, David was ever the professional and we felt Macbeth’s utter brokenness and devastation at the loss of his Lady wife.

This production has given me whole new insights into and appreciation of The Scottish Play. Thank you, David, Cush, Will, Director Max Webster and the whole cast and crew!! Macbeth – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2024

Faust – Opera National de Paris – Sunday 29th September 2024

(Rated 5/5) I would say that now having been twice to the Opera National de Paris, with my wonderful classical-music loving Trobador Dad – first to Giacomo Puccini’s ‘Turandot’ (superbly impressive and – aside from exquisite arias etc - we really enjoyed Ping, Pang & Pong’s dancing), and second Charles Gounod’s ‘Faust’ – Opera is winning me over. I would still say the accessibility of Musical Theatre is my preference. As I discussed with Dad, I love too that in a musical each key character has their own song, which completely, utterly and immensely movingly encompasses literally everything about them and the part they play in the story. For me, Eponine’s ‘On My Own’ in ‘Les Miserables’ or Freddie’s ‘Pity the Child’ in ‘Chess’ are two perfect examples. Of course, there are also duets and ensemble numbers, but like in a TV show where a musical theme may be associated with a particular character – eg. Clara’s theme in ‘Doctor Who’ – that little song theme recurs when the character is singing in ensemble… ‘One More Day All On My Own’ – Eponine in ‘One More Day’, Les Miserables.

In Opera you have amazing arias, libretto, bel canto, cadenza, coloratura, obbligato, leitmotif (actually the Opera version of the musical phrases for a particular character), portamento, recitative, trills and vibrato all within highly-skilled beautiful classical music scores, and well, that’s the draw isn’t it?! As you can see, I’m on a learning curve here! And obviously, musicals developed over time from opera, so today, they are now quite close! It also really helps the accessibility of Opera, that these days the words are in captions – in this case in French and English – above the stage. The programme also includes an explanation of the story, characters and summary of each act, without giving away the power of directly experiencing the themes, music and philosophy of each piece in performance, so you’re not really getting ‘spoilers’, but rather an added understanding by reading all of that in advance.

As Dad said Faust takes himself far too seriously, and sacrificing spiritual or moral values for material gain, knowledge or power – or in Gounod’s Faust’s case to be able to enjoy intimacy with young beautiful women by selling his soul to Mephistopheles in return for his youth – is not going to end well! There’s also a strong religious component in Gounod’s Faust. So, in may ways, much that does not quite resonate with we two audience members, however we were blown away by it. The singing from all – but especially tenor Pene Pati as Faust, soprano Amina Edris as Marguerite and bass Alex Esposito as Mephistopheles – was exceptional! And for that alone it is well worth being there! Emmanuel Villaume took charge of the direction musicale to perfection. The staging was out of this world literally, not only using impressive stage sets, but film of Faust and Mephistopheles flying over, or riding on horseback through Paris and Notre Dame on fire! Mephistopheles devils plague the characters and we see that play out on the stage as well as in close-up film taken as the action occurs in situ. Poor Marguerite is even tormented by Mephistopheles on the Paris Metro – well we could sympathise with that having experienced travelling on the Metro lol!

Outstanding production of a surreal Opera and we really enjoyed the ‘signing’ (upmarket stage-dooring) experience afterwards too!

Faust – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2024

Next to Normal – Wyndham’s Theatre – Saturday 6th July 2024

If Music Be the Food of Mental Health, Play On…

Singing is so well known now to help us access areas of emotion talking alone cannot reach, and the melodies, lyrics and vocal performances in ‘Next to Normal’ illustrate that in such a perfectly beautiful way. This is also a musical that reaches depths of psychology with revolutionary openness and honesty. It is not that other musicals don’t have poignant hidden themes, but they are so often just that, hidden in the midst of a fairytale like story. ‘Next to Normal’ is so explicit in its reality. The struggles and traumas of each character fully visible or indeed audible. Tom Kitt created the music, and Brian Yorkey the book and lyrics. ‘Just Another Day’ immediately presents us with a ‘normal’ day in the lives of Diana (Broadway & West End star and Olivier award-nominated Caissie Levy) and her family, who are husband Dan (highly experienced Jamie Parker), son Gabe (award-winner and nominated Jack Wolfe) and daughter Natalie (award-winner Eleanor Worthington-Cox). It rapidly becomes clear their normal is unboundaried chaos strongly catalysed by Diana’s bipolar disorder and, as we gradually discover trauma. They are all trying to manage the impact of that on them individually and the family dynamics in a wonderfully dysfunctional way. As we are introduced to the potential drug-treatment for Diana, with her psychopharmacologist played by yet-another award-winning performer Trevor Dion Nicholas, we enjoy the complications and humour of all the different medications and what might go with what or what might counteract what and the entire cast join in ‘Who’s Crazy/Psychopharmacologist and I’. There is just one other cast member – Jack Ofrecio, who plays ADHD-owning Henry, who is hoping to form a relationship with Natalie. As the production progresses, we also see Diana try psychotherapy (with her rock star therapist also played by Trevor Dion Nicholas) and dramatically too ECT. A link in the theatre programme provides resources of information and support in connection with ‘ApplauseForThought’ for anyone affected by the themes or content in the production. Weirdly, maybe, I was not. I fully recognised how good and powerful the story and performances were, and how ‘true’ they also were to the disorders, traumas, actings out, and all sorts else involved in all the characters journeys through the play. In addition, how open and emotionally connected the performers were with the audience – I appreciated all that, but with a sense of detachment, or as though I was a supervisor feeling empathy for everyone involved, but not falling into the pit. To be fair to myself, it was a kind of busman’s holiday – my day job is as a psychotherapist and I have experience of the whole kaboodle of the issues, which the piece explored, both professionally and personally.

Ironically, though, it was in peer supervision, when asked if the production did justice to bipolar, I felt cold chills going through my body, and the tears started welling-up. Yes, all so true to my experiences with Mum, her mental health challenges and their impact on me. I immediately heard Gabe & Natalie’s song ‘Superboy and the Invisible Girl’ in my head, and thought about how things had been with me and my brother. I won’t spoil this story by explaining why Gabe was ‘Superboy’, but my perception as a child was that my brother got far more attention, and was elevated into being more interesting and enjoyable to be around than myself. On his side there were reasons I won’t go into – on mine, I certainly did feel like ‘The Invisible Girl’ – unseen as everybody else was too occupied with their own concerns, yet also deliberately hyper-good so as not to attract any attention – hiding all within myself… and also, as I didn’t realise then, being the ‘blank screen’ therapist for Mum. All that has been processed in therapy and counselling training, but it does not make me immune from being triggered and that’s all ok – just heals another part of my herstory by revisiting it.

Having said that, for me, only a fraction of the whole range that bipolar can present was explored in the play. Diana lacked the extreme anger and hostility than can be exhibited, and, unlike my Mum, didn’t spend vast amounts of time hiding away in bed. But then that would make for a very boring experience for the audience watching! Then again would be a little like watching that first reality TV – ‘Big Brother’ – at night when everyone was asleep in bed 😉 I feel I did get most from witnessing Natalie’s story and how her attempts at relating with Henry, reflected – at times on stage literally – interactions between her parents Diana and Dan. I feel there are ever so many nuances in this production, and it would take several watches to take everything in. I may well try to go again, or at least listen to and study the lyrics and the music several times more 😊

My Mum was very resistant to psychotherapy and sadly in the main drugs actually made her worse. You’ll have to go see this musical to see if the same is true for Diana. Happily, for Mum her mental health improved vastly in later life, and she and I became closer as we healed the distance between us caused by the negative aspects of her bipolar. She even grew to respect psychotherapy after she asked me ‘Does it actually help’ and I replied ‘Yes, for some people, it really does’ 😊 Ultimately Diana does want to give Natalie a normal life, but she realises she has no idea what that is… As Natalie replies, ‘I don’t need a life that’s normal, that’s way too far away, but something Next to Normal would be ok, yes, something Next to Normal, that’s the thing I’d like to try, close enough to normal to get by…’

‘Next to Normal’ is way far away from being a ‘Normal’ Musical. It is Outstandingly Super-Visible, High-Flying, Gloriously Alive, Essential as Air <3 NextToNormal – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2024

Player Kings – Noel Coward Theatre – Saturday 8th June 2024

(Rated 5/5) In my youth I had two portly gentlemen who took on the roles of my Step-Grandad and my Self-Chosen’ Grandad; the first being married to one of my blood Grannies, and the second married to my Self-Chosen Granny! I loved their sizes – though my Step-Grandad with his twenty stone made my Self-Chosen Grandad look like a sylth, their cuddliness, their charm, their wit, their naughty cheekiness, their warmth, and, in a sense, most of all the feeling that with them I felt protected from the harsh world of responsibility. So, I can fully relate emotionally and psychologically to Prince Hal’s choice of his ‘other’ Dad – Sir John Falstaff – who for him provided a world ever so far removed from that of his Dad, King Henry IV, and the responsibility of his birthright to become King Henry V. Of course, my own life is also far removed from the much more heightened drama of Shakespeare’s ‘Henry IV, Parts 1&2’, except that I had to study that first part for ‘O’ Level English Literature, and at the time, that felt much more serious an endeavour, than watching Robert Icke’s adaptation of the two plays together, ‘Player Kings’. Not that I was thinking about any of that when I chose to go – Sir Ian McKellen was the draw, and though I felt somewhat anxious at the prospect of the length it might be with two plays combined – two full-length Hamlets together would be 8 hours – I decided to face it for the greater good 😉 – Oh, also persuaded by Michael Sheen’s comment that seeing Sir Ian McKellen give us his Falstaff would be a moment of theatrical history. And, I can honestly say, that for me Act I did feel like it flew by in the matter of moments – in reality 2 hours! (Act 2 felt a little slower, and some fatigue set in, but that can be forgiven, and no marks docked off as a result 😉)

My high school introduced me to the task of learning about ways to analyse and assess Shakespeare, and my Mum introduced me to a profound deep love, emotional experience and appreciation of it. Similarly, the ‘Newsreader’ characters in the opening of ‘Player Kings’ – courtiers to Henry IV – introduced us to the context of the history and serious politics of the play – with Shakespeare in prose mode – and then with a blast of intense, lively jollity (and a dash of almost nudity and crudity!), we are transported to The Boar’s Head Tavern on Eastcheap, whilst Shakespeare’s language is transformed to its highly expressive emotional poetic. In spite of once playing one of the ‘newsreaders’, (Salarino in ‘The Merchant of Venice’), I tend to struggle with the newsy or exposition bits in Shakespeare’s plays. And during that part of ‘Player Kings’, I was a little worried about whether I’d follow it. It’s oh so many years since those studies at school 😉. But, once ‘Plump Jack’ appears, slouched back in his armchair with his large, rotund belly presented to us in all its glory 😉, and Hal (Toheeb Jimoh) and fellow riotous reprobates dance around him, I knew all would be well 😊.

The captions like scene headers in a script giving us time and place in lights above the action on stage really help the audience as well, together with just a few modern expressions being allowed in. We are placed now as well as then, so to speak. This is a modern dress version of Shakespeare. For me that felt fine, but I know others disliked it. Staging-wise, I also really liked the use of the arras/curtain to change scenes - each time one or other of the performers drew the arras just enough to conceal one part of the stage, whilst doing their ‘business’, giving time for actors and props to get in place behind it, so when drawn back again, you’re in the next scene. Really simple yet really clever and effective. I also love the use of music – Countertenor singer Henry Jenkinson is exceptional in his performances of ‘I Vow to Thee My Country’ and ‘Jerusalem’ and other themes, whilst composer Laura Marling created a wonderfully haunting soundtrack to the battles and chases including – and there’s a long story around my trying to identify this lol – sections from Massive Attack’s ‘Angel’, and similar tracks.

Robert Icke’s adaptation is very Falstaff-heavy – no pun actually intended – but, I am certainly not complaining, and I think it was deliberate to really give as much meat – and maybe beloved sack – as possible for Sir Ian to use in his performance. I honestly don’t remember, Henry IV being more about Falstaff than anybody else, though Henry IV has always felt like a bit part as the titular character. Prince Harry/Hal does feel like a supporting role to Falstaff in this production, though, for me, the essence of the play was always around the future Henry V growing up and coming of age whilst facing the huge conflict of choice between his two father figures and a life of fun & frivolity or a life of serious responsibility. Toheeb Jimoh’s Harry is gently calm, whilst giving us a sense of all sorts of emotion lying beneath. His smile is so engaging and hints at secrets he might be teasing us with and he handles Shakespearean poetic language with ease. Sir Ian McKellen is exceptional, an exquisitely attentive master to every single detail of Falstaff, including all the mannerisms and bodily noises from an overweight sack-addict performed so naturally, as well as the acerbic wit, pomposity and wonderful, engaging, yet at times shocking confidences with the audience. He gives us a figure we might love to hate, which in some ways is a bit of a shame. Like my overweight, cuddly grandfather figures, I remember Falstaff as being more endearing somehow. That doesn’t in any way take from the tour de force of Ian’s phenomenally impressive performance, but does take something from the power of Hal’s rejection of him at the end. Or, could it be after all that I know the play too well. I certainly never forget – in part as my Mum used to ‘perform’ it for me – the two-chair therapy session with Falstaff playing Hal and Hal his own father the King and the lines from Falstaff, ‘… Banish Plump Jack,… and You Banish The World…’, with Hal -supposedly as Henry IV – replying ‘I do, I will’. It somehow feels actually he is speaking for himself, which takes away from the drama of what should be an emotional shock at the end. That said, Toheeb and Ian were a supreme double-act, which I will treasure having seen for the rest of my life.

I feel I have really neglected the rest of the cast of characters in this. Richard Coyle played a very serious, troubled Henry IV very well indeed. Clare Perkins was an excellent Mistress Quickly, and everyone else ably played their parts (for some actors multiple parts), but were somehow outshone by that extraordinary star presence on stage. Robert Icke’s direction did produce one shock for me. Hal discovers Falstaff on the battlefield and believes him to be dead. Hal exits, and the curtain starts to come down. I was thinking ‘Oh goodness, he really is dead… but surely not… but yes the curtain is coming down… but…’ And then Sir John-Ian Falstaff-McKellen rises up repeating one of the endearing insults Hal has piled on him thinking him gone. Just as – contrary to his own concern and worry about playing Falstaff - Sir Ian McKellen rises up as the supreme star of this production, made so clear at the final, true, curtain call. As a friend said, William Shakespeare himself would have given him a standing ovation.

PlayerKings – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2024

Johannes Radebe: House of Jojo – New Theatre, Oxford – Saturday 30th March 2024, Sheffield City Hall – Saturday 27th April 2024, The London Palladium – Saturday 4th May 2024 & Cliff’s Pavilion, Southend – Saturday 11th May 2024

(Rated 4/5 or in Strictly Language 8/10) As Johannes Radebe’s Star has risen – and oh my goodness has it risen so gloriously, that he genuinely has become the brightest sunshine in human form for ever so many people, and arguably the sparkliest and best pro dancer on the Strictly ballroom floor – I have felt gradually more disconnected with him. I hasten to qualify that immediately - it’s not remotely that he is any less glowing with humanity, compassion, empathy and pure joy - but he feels more out of reach, less accessible, and that somehow less has to be more, when I/we actually want more and more.

‘The House of Jojo’ is an absolutely superb show – all stunningly flawless and polished – yes, he has really done up his House from the highly colourful rough corrugated iron sets from ‘Freedom’ and ‘Freedom Unleashed’ - and with dancing and singing of exceptionally high quality – all the more impressive as Jojo selects new performers to help them make their marks on the theatrical scene – the show itself definitely does merit a very full 10. Ideas for themes, choreography and music selection are all by Jojo too, so they really are ‘Dancing and Singing to His Tunes’. Jojo appears in ever more flamboyant costumes, yet with more costumes, comes less dancing from HIM. The Kids of the House of Jojo do the lion’s share, and either they, or his singers – and again, yes, they are all wonderful – entertain us making time for ‘Mamma’ to extricate himself from one dazzlingly impressive outfit and climb into another – before entering amongst his performers for sometimes what feels like just a few seconds. In fact, one of my favourite parts of the show is Jojo, alone on stage, dancing along all too briefly to ‘What A Feeling’ from ‘Flashdance’. Another when all he is wearing is a loincloth – stripped of all the glorious outfits – and yes he does have a very fit body, but that’s not the reason – it is because, exactly as he notes himself – he is kind of derobed of the trappings of fame – and is there true, raw, arguably vulnerable and so honest. And, that is how so many of us have grown to love him. BUT, I also completely get, how much he personally loves those sensational outfits and stiletto-heeled-red ‘Kinky Boots’ and yes, I’m thrilled for him that he is going to be playing Lola in the touring musical version next year – Chiwetel Ejiofor’s part in the film – and of course, absolutely, I’m right there!

So, I’m having a mini-moan, but only because, Dearest Jojo, yes you did pitch this show as less about you, but I simply can’t get enough of you!!!! So much so, that I went four times (though that is minimal compared to some other of your fabulous fans 😉) First visit: Oxford on my Mum’s Birthday, so that she could dance from Heaven with me and Dad and Johannes Radebe, as Dad and ‘I Danced in Heaven (nightclub) with Johannes Radebe’ – hey that would look good on a T-shirt all sparkly – Oh, yes, it does 😉 – really Fab-u-lous party for you Mum!! Jojo made a point of thanking those who had been with him from the beginning and said ‘I see you’ <3 😊!!! Second visit in Sheffield, which happened to be on Jojo’s birthday and we all sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to him 😊. This visit’s companion and I waited at the stage door for Jojo – much later turned out he had already left via another exit, maybe even the main one – but we did get to see his singers and dancers come out and I shouted well done to the beautiful Lowri Evans – his dance captain, who later sent me love and appreciation for doing that 😉! Then, the London Palladium – had to do it to see Jojo reunited and dancing – just as he had promised long after their Strictly journey ended - with the gorgeous Annabel Croft – was such a superbly special few minutes. (Jojo talked about having FOMO when Graziano got to dance with her on the Strictly tour.) And, having her appear alongside Jojo and cast at the curtain call also just so lovely. Annabel also responding (on social media afterwards) with love and appreciation of the warmth of the greeting she was given. They truly are fabulously firm friends for ‘the life’. Last, but not least, as aside from the London Palladium was the most emotional I saw Jojo, Southend – Jojo explained to us how he had ‘driven into the sunshine’ on his approach to the new city. As with all his shows, Jojo spoke to the audience about all sorts – will do Strictly as long as his bones allow and then will take Craig’s job (joking apparently haha), how there is a beautiful theatre culture in this country and by attending we are keeping him and his cast all employed, how he now has his British citizenship, though he is sure we wouldn’t be able to answer many of the questions right from the stone age 😉!, how he dances in his new home in his kitchen to music from his motherland, how he wants to bring joy and help everyone escape from the awful news and bring some healing to the world in his way, how his Mamma would be in the front row at The London Palladium – then when she couldn’t get her visa instead in Liverpool – though maybe he could Facetime her, how he’s working on the film of his book, now going to be doing ‘Kinky Boots’, asked the house lights to go up so he could see us in all our sparkles and thank us, have the prosecco and popcorn ready as he takes us to the movies showing us the parts he’d like to play, and about being free to be himself and how we have given him that in spades and shining loud and proud. And ever so much more than isn’t coming to mind just now, so I may end up editing more in…

I’m next going to write on show content (as it serves to help me feel back ‘there’ – at Jojo’s House Party in years to come), so if you do not want to know here is your SPOILER ALERT: The lights on the House of Jojo flash as we hear clips around the rise of Jojo’s Star. Jojo - in voiceover – welcomes ‘Ladies and Gentlemen and My Beautiful Friends Beyond the Binary’, then introducing ‘The Kids of the House of Jojo’, who come on dancing to ‘Fame’ and ‘Sweet Dreams’. Jojo enters last, of course, in a fabulous black leather skirted outfit, which is gradually removed to leave him standing in just a brown loincloth as we him his voiceover again, ‘Here I stand before you, stripped of the garments of fame…’; two of his dancers bring on tambourine shoe things for him (sorry, can’t think how else to describe them!), his fellow dancers all return also in tambourine shoes and all dance together – terrible description of a wonderful dance haha! Jojo talks about the awful state of the world and how he wants to give us some joy for a couple of hours as he presents his ‘Heal the World’ section – just so beautiful – everyone dancing in grey flowing skirts, which become capes, and then reverse to message ‘MAKE A(Jojo) CHANGE’. This then followed by a kind of ‘Bringing the Sunshine’ dance with yellow/orange outfits and scarfs – I absolutely adored how this looked on stage. Brain fog is not allowing me to recall how part 2 started. But, somewhere there was a jazz/swing section with everyone in black top hat and tails, then Jojo in red top hat and tails, looking stunning. There were some beautiful dance interactions involving partner swaps, especially the lovely Lowri, who was also at some stage lifted by either Kofi Aidoo-Appiah or Ebby Sama in an amazingly skilled hold – back in the day Jojo would have been doing that himself!! Just one of Jojo’s Strictly partners was honoured with one section devoted solely to her, with Jojo explaining in voice-over how he had had a difficult year of highs and lows, but had met his incredible special soul-mate Miss Annabel Croft – and in essence they saved each other. At the Palladium, Annabel appeared as herself to be greeted with rapturous applause. As she danced with Jojo, with other dancers backing them, we were taken into a very special place, being able to witness their beautiful, exceptional bond. At other venues, lovely Lowri represented Annabel.

A big shout out to Lovely Lowri – Jojo’s Dance Captain and such a delightful dancer, whom he found to be his partner in his solo shows, standing and dancing by his side for three straight years now. All other performers for each show were ‘new’, being given a boost, by the man who always puts others before himself. Other newbie-dancers – not already mentioned – Ann C. Beck, Shali Bordoni, Kieran Curtin, Jack Dargan, Erica Martinelli, Charles Tatman and Elle Taylor.

As noted above, instead of taking us to the musicals as he did in ‘Unleashed’, Jojo took us to the movies this show. This trip started with ‘Goldeneye’ (with no Jojo, but would he like to play James Bond, or a Bond Girl?!), then ‘Le Jazz Hot’ with Jojo miming to ‘Victor/Victoria’ aka Julie Andrews, as he danced with - and was lifted by, Kofi and Ebby – those three dancing together such a tremendous sight. ‘Pure Imagination’ was beautifully sung, while we can imagine everyone else changing backstage; in Oxford by Dalton Harris, whilst everywhere else, where I attended, Paige Peddie. The other sensational singer was Anthonia Edwards. Following on, if memory serves, ‘She’s a Maniac’ - with all dancers in 80s dancercise outfits - from ‘Flashdance’ led into ‘What A feeling’ to which Jojo enters in lead character Alex Owens’ welding outfit, and is then stripped off to his own dancercise outfit, in which he dances solo for us – yes, a definitely favourite bit of mine!! One of my most beloved songs – sung initially just by the two live singers – ‘He Lives In You’ leads us into ‘The Lion King’, in which this time, Jojo comes on as zebra Sukari (in ‘Unleashed’ he was Simba) – the entire cast later singing together was so beautiful and moving in this one. Next, everyone in pink, and it was time for Barbie! Jojo is brought in standing on a glitterball stage with glitterball picture frame! Such a great Ken!! Annnnd then, the ABBA/’Mamma Mia’ medley – just as it appeared in ‘Unleashed’, yet this time starting with Anthonia (I think) singing ‘The Winner Takes It All’ (superb) leading into ‘Money, Money, Money’, Jojo entering in his Donna outfit in white, complete with frilled bottom trousers and huge-rimmed hat, appropriately to ‘Gimme, Gimme, Gimme’ and then some ‘Voulez-Vous’; oh yes we do, or did, and would Voulez some more 😉. We got some more with Jojo raising the brim of his hat to reveal his grinning face to chat to us once more. At some point, between sections, and/or while outfit changes were going on – which did all happen at an almost incredible pace – Dalton/Paige sang ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, with many of us in the audience accompanying, as we’d been invited to do. The finale was Loud & Proud – both its title and description – including ‘Vogue’ with Jojo as a lady as if from the 18th Century French court. We had ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’, ‘I Am What I Am’, ‘It’s Raining Men’ and some umbrella dancing, ‘We Are Family’, Jojo on the glitterball stage again as the glitterball, and then in a glorious red outfit to end and tell us “This is not the last dance”.

Phew… and I’m pretty sure I’ve missed some, but that is what I remember after FOUR FAB-U-LOUS FROLICS from JOYFUL JOJO and the KIDS PARTYING IN HIS HOUSE! Johannes Radebe: House of Jojo – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2024

Johannes Radebe: Freedom Unleashed – The Peacock Theatre, London – Saturday 8th April 2023 & Brighton Theatre Royal – Saturday 29th April 2023

(Rated “It’s Still a Ten from Pen”) This Restricted Review is being compiled over a year after the event! My emotions in April 2023 were so taken over by my meet & greet with the man himself, which felt too personal really to be ‘hiding behind’ the mask of my alter ego The Restricted Reviewer. But for completion’s sake, I am borrowing from my otherwise noted down reactions at the time and sharing them here.

Peacock Theatre: Mine & My Jojo-Bestie's Easter Saturday Treat: Johannes Radebe's 'Freedom Unleashed' Bestie said the best £55 she's ever spent I might put it a different way involving fun and clothes :) 'Freedom' was extremely brilliant. This was off the scale Fab-u-lous, Darhlings Act1 as in his first show, Jojo dancing to his own South African tunes. Act2 - very Strictly dance inspired and with much gratitude to said TV show and including references to many of the roles he's been given to play - including a Casualty nurse asking Doctor Ellie Taylor how to revive a mannequin and Priscilla, Queen of the Dessert. My absolute favourite parts an ABBA medley with Jojo as Donna from 'Mamma Mia' and another 'Lion King' medley with Jojo as a very golden Simba :)<3

Brighton Theatre Royal: Johannes Radabe's 'Freedom Unleashed' was even better in Brighton (Saturday 29th April) Well according to Jojo it sold out first in Brighton. And anyone who knows anything about Brighton will know it would suit Jojo very well. I was crying during the whole of the first act all related to Jojo's South African heritage. So full of celebration and joy and I'm increasingly falling more in love with Afrobeats and dancing style. Full of messages around being strong with kindness and freedom! And shine as yourself! And goodness has Jojo lived that Then there's his Love, Acceptance and Unity section with songs to match including 'Imagine' and of course Being Gay & Proud The Strictly-inspired showtime section with 'We Go Together' from 'Grease' and a soupson of Jojo singing 'But now, there's nowhere to hide since you pushed my love aside...' and his Pink Ladies, going into ABBA's 'Gimme, Gimme, Gimme' and 'Voulez-Vous' and Jojo as Donna then into 'He Lives in You...' from 'The Lion King' and golden Jojo Simba :) The whole show inspires such utterly joyful campness and living your best life Pure Fun :) :) P.S. Jojo's playlist courtesy of another Jojo fan

Johannes Radebe: Freedom Unleashed – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2023