REVIEW: Rent at the Everyman Theatre
This was a new production celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the award winning musical by Jonathan Larson, and its arrival in Cheltenham was obviously much anticipated as it opened to a full house.
Rent is the heart-warming story of a group of young artistic New Yorkers and their struggles with life, love, coping with the effects of Aids, all while trying to keep a roof over their heads. The play is centered around two flatmates – Mark, a struggling film maker played by Billy Cullum, and Roger a HIV positive musician struggling to write one memorable song before he dies.
The cast proved to be a well oiled musical machine, all with amazing vocal talents and dance capabilities. Layton Williams was excellent as the happy-go-lucky drag artist Angel Schunard. He put on a fabulous performance and the audience loved him. I’m still slightly in awe of some of his high kicks! Philippa Stefani was also a pretty hot mover and her performance was outstanding as Mimi, the troubled on\off partner of the equally talented musician Roger, played by Ross Hunter.
The industrial looking set is used to its full potential with seemingly minimum effort as it is transformed from New York loft to a city street and is a superb prop for the dancers. This is a fast paced musical with a great musical score that will leave you singing all the way home.
Our performance saw two changes to the cast with Christina Modestou stepping effortlessly into the shoes of Lucie Jones to play Maureen Johnson, and Kevin Yates playing Tom Collins. (You may recognise Christina as a former Aladdin in the Everyman panto in 2013).
This was a truly fabulous night out and judging by the standing ovation received from the audience the whole house was in full agreement.
Rent runs until Saturday 15 April.
Explore Gloucestershire
12 April 2017
For further information.
OTHER NEWS
