Stage: A mi manera

Copla: A Spanish Cabaret
writer-performer Alejandro Postigo
musicians Violeta Valladares, Jack Elsdon
director Sergio Maggiolo
video design Ricardo Ferreira
The Other Palace, London • 14-26.Jan.25 ★★★★

Entertaining on several layers, this terrific show explores a specific strain of Spanish music that evokes big emotions, provoking audiences for over a century with implications that subvert what's considered traditional morality. It's performed by Alejandro Postigo with charm, wit and a sharp political undercurrent that continually elicits laughter even as he makes important points about sexuality and immigration. And while it sometimes feels like a Ted Talk as it uses a large video screen to teach us about copla, the show is also strikingly personal, which makes it deeply moving for anyone who feels at odds with the status quo. And the music is simply gorgeous.

In The Other Palace's studio space, the stage looks like a dressing room, with hats, shawls, fans and dresses on the wall plus some glittery flourishes, all of which come into play. Violinist Violeta Valladares and keyboardist Jack Elsdon serenade us as we enter, and then Postigo arrives with a conspiratorial grin, explaining his qualifications before launching into a bracingly enjoyable tour through copla's history in Spain and Latin America. Strong resonance emerges everywhere, such as the tracing of an early copla classic written in French as Mon Homme, performed in Spain and then popularised as My Man by a string of divas from Fanny Brice to Billy Holiday, Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross and Whitney Houston.

Copla is distinguished by its big drama, telling stories of love outside what is considered proper, so it has always appealed to outsiders, most notably drag artists. In between gorgeous performance numbers in which he cleverly mixes Spanish and English lyrics, Postigo speaks intimately about how this music captured his attention as a child, then became more important to him as he discovered his queer identity. So the way the music was censored in the Franco era becomes a running theme, and it's driven home beautifully in clips of Postigo interacting with his lively 101-year-old grandmother.

Over the course of this hour-long show, Postigo reveals himself as he explores the universal impact of copla, which crosses cultures and subcultures powerfully revealing a deeper identity and a sense of belonging. Postigo's performance involves several evocative visual gender shifts, mixing masculinity with femininity both in his ever-changing outfits and his soaring voice, climaxing with a show-stopping performance of My Way before a joyous karaoke-style singalong. It's a cheeky, informative and hugely entertaining show that carries a lovely emotional kick.

For information, THE COPLA >

photos by Jake Bush & John Kentish • 17.Jan.25

 

Stage: Hear our voices

Millennials
by Elliot Clay
dir Hannah Benson
with Luke Bayer, Hiba Elchikhe, Hannah Lowther, Rob Madge, Georgina Onuorah, Ivano Turco
orchestration Auburn Jam
choreography Tinovimbanashe Sibanda
set & lighting Andrew Exeter
The Other Palace Studio • 8.Jul-4.Sep.22

This world premiere show calls itself a "pop song cycle" rather than a musical. Indeed, it features neither a narrative nor defined characters; it's a collection of impassioned musical numbers that express the emotions of people who have been labelled as millennials. Writer-composer Elliot Clay has clearly been inspired by Jonathan Larson with these Rent-style rock numbers, a mix of powerful anthems and soulful ballads that describe this generation in their own words.

This is a reflective and defiant cry for understanding, as most songs explore issues of self-doubt that young people experience even as they are fiercely proud of their individuality. It's perhaps a bit repetitive, and not as deep as it seems to be, but then that's also part of the point. Millennials are generally defined as young people who have struggled to find their identities, putting off big life decisions like buying a home or getting married due to a combination of personal, cultural and economic issues. And both the writing and the design work remind us that they also popularised avocados.

The six cast members burst with energy throughout this performance, moving among the audience and encircling the avocado-shaped stage with its trampoline stone. They have a terrific sense of camaraderie between them, and each boasts a belting singing voice, while their colourful costumes help them play knowingly with a range of queer sensibilities. Both the solos and group numbers pulse with soulful electricity, conveying the inner desires of these young people to both find their place in the world and make themselves known.

Impressively, the entire space has been reshaped as a playroom, with the audience sitting on beanbags, in a ball pit, a bathtub or on blankets and cushions scattered around the glittery, shiny room. The effect is like being at a garden party as a raucous performance unfolds around you. And while the feelings are resonant and the songs infectious, perhaps some clearly constructed characters or storylines might have made it even more memorable. That said, it's a striking reminder that this particular generation isn't facing anything new: older or younger, we all have to come to grips with the same things.

For information, visit THE OTHER PALACE >

photos by Mark Senior • 14.Jul.22

Stage: So in love

Love Is Only Love
by Sam Harrison
director Jason Morell
with Sam Harrison, David Seadon-Young
lighting David Howe
choreography Nicky Griffiths
musical director John Reddel
The Other Palace Studio, London • 29.Apr-15.May.22

Returning to The Other Palace after its pre-pandemic sold-out run, this buoyant two-man show is a personal memoir expressed through the prism of iconic Broadway musicals. It's wonderfully comical and evocative, a reminder of those yearning expectations about love that are so superbly expressed in song on stage. Writer-performer Sam Harrison recounts his story with energy, humour and deep emotions that are never sentimentalised. And it's the refreshingly positive story of a gay man who ultimately finds true romance.

With only two chairs on the stage, Harrison begins at age 6 with his discovery of Hello Dolly, which awakened something inexplicable inside him and sparked a desire to find a love of his own. His father begrudgingly accepted that he wouldn't follow him as a rugby star, so instead enrolled his son in ballet class. As the years pass, Harrison is joined by David Seadon-Young, playing a variety of other people in his life, including several boys he found attractive for many different reasons. This leads to depictions of a few extended relationships as a teen and later.

Throughout the show, key moments are heightened with classic Broadway numbers, performed in a lovely stripped-down style by Harrison, Seadon-Young and pianist John Reddel. Nicky Griffiths' exuberant choreography inventively fills the small studio stage, most memorably as Seadon-Young performs a hilariously over-confident number as a very young dance student. Even with the minimalist staging, there are lovely little touches along the way as Harrison contextualises love for family, friends, crushes and lovers.

Harrison has terrific presence, conveying his hopefulness as he seeks for meaning and understanding in the world around him. Thankfully, darker issues like coming out and homophobia remain deep in the subtext, as the script focusses on connections and understanding. Harrison creates delightful textures in the various relationships played out with Seadon-Young, who rises to the considerable demands of each role with layered explosions of sparky comedy and emotion. Both actors have soaring voices and easy physicality, providing likeable details that make this show unusually resonant. What lingers is the celebration of the joy of falling in love. And how beautifully classic Broadway composers expressed that in song.

For information, visit THE OTHER PALACE >

photos by Manuel Harlan • 4.May.22