The Phantom of The Opera - London - Cast of 2013-2014

I've really been wanting to review The Phantom of the Opera for a while but I always feel like it's cheating as I've seen the show so may times before and it's one of my favourites, so in this case, I will be reviewing the cast of the 7th February 2014 and yes, the review will contain spoilers.

Christine at this performance was played by Harriet Jones who has a fabulous voice, reminiscent of the original Christine Daae, Sarah Brightman. It was a flawless performance in terms of both acting and singing and truly one of my favourite Christine's to date, performing the high notes in the title song effortlessly and a very sensual performance of Past the Point of No Return.

Sean Palmer as Raoul seemed unexciting to begin with, but his part in All I Ask of You was heartfelt, and by the time the show reached the cemetery scene and the final lair, Palmer showed his incredible voice and was astounding during the 3-part songs with the Phantom and Christine.

Andy Hockley and Martin Ball had huge shoes to fill after Barry James and Gareth Snook had played Andre and Firmin perfectly for so many years, and whilst I do miss the chemistry  of James and Snook, Hockley and Ball are still as likable and play the comedy element of the characters well.

Lara Martins as Carlotta and Jeremy Secombe as Piangi are always a joy to watch and incredibly talented. Their chemistry is spot on and their voices amazing.

Finally we come to Geronimo Rauch as the Phantom. Whilst Rauch has a stunning voice and tackles the tile song and Music of the Night with perfect vocals, I found the acting in the part to be underwhelming.

I know there are many debates regarding whether Christine should have chosen Raoul or the Phantom and I have to admit that I have a soft spot for the Phantom and every single time, wish Christine would have stayed with him. However, Rauch plays such a maniacal version of the Phantom that for the first time, not only was I glad that Christine chose Raoul, I was also routing for the cast to find him at the end and kill him.

Even for those who believe Christine and Raoul belong together, it is essential to feel both pity and empathy for the Phantom at the end, losing the love of his life, but for the first time, I felt nothing for him. You know there's something wrong when a musical that always leaves you in tears at the end just leaves you feeling completely unemotional.

Whilst I could happily listen to Rauch sing, I feel that his interpretation of the Phantom was a letdown and not one i'd rush to see again.

Mojo - London

When a play is advertised as 'an all-star cast' you know that either it's going to be incredible and hence why so many stars have signed up, or incredibly poor and the stars are to draw in crowds. Unfortunately it would appear to be the latter in this case.

The play follows a series of events between a small number of characters who work at a club.Advertised as a comedy, more of the laughs come from bizarre statements rather than something actually being funny and I just felt very confused as to what the point of a lot of the scenes were, and as for the 'twists' in the plot, I saw every single one of them coming and wanted so badly for something unexpected to happen but alas it was not to be. That says something considering I usually don't see twists coming at all when everyone else does.

Regardless of the story, I found that all the cast acted the characters incredibly well and each of them gave an utterly convincing performance well deserving of the standing ovation at the end.

The sets were incredibly simple yet effective and the atmosphere was perfect, I just wish that I had sat further back as the fumes from the cigarettes actually gave me a headache which combined with the shouting and breaking furniture left me looking forward to the interval to take paracetamol.

Whilst interesting to witness, I doubt I'd watch Mojo again nor recommend it for the story, though i would happily recommend the show purely for stunning acting.

Spamalot - London

Based upon Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Spamalot follows the story of King Arthur and the knights of the round table. Having seen the film recently, I thought I'd see the musical before it closes.

It's easy to see why the show is closing as the tiny theatre was only at about half capacity which was saddening to see, especially with such a feel-good show.

Whilst the story is exactly the same as the film, the songs give it a new burst of life and make it thoroughly more enjoyable, whilst meaning characters such as the Black Knight and The Knights who say Ni still make an appearance.

Joe Pasquale played the lead with an adequate singing voice but an unforgettable persona which really added to the comedy side of the show.

James Bisp as Sir Galahad had a stunning voice whilst Conan House played a very camp Sir Lancelot which was the comedy highlight of the night.

In a predominately male cast, it was lovely to see Carley Stenson as the Lady of the Lake and she played the part effortlessly. Along with James Bisp, 'The song that goes like this' showed off the vocals of the pair whilst mocking the conventions of musicals.

Spamalot is definitely worth a watch before it leaves the West End but I would recommend seeing some Monty Python comedy sketch first or the show may be a little too bizarre for you to appreciate the first time around. The cast may be small but seeing characters take on several roles does add to the comedy of the show.

The Book of Mormon - London

With The Book of Mormon being one of the more expensive shows currently on the West End, I was a little skeptical about whether it was worth parting with enough money to see at least two other musicals. I eventually opted for seats up in the circle, which have a surprisingly amazing view of the stage.

The show opens with the song 'Hello' and from the first few lines, I knew that I was in for an excellent performance. The Elders are all so happy that I found myself grinning along with them, and the song so catchy that it was difficult not to hum along.

The story follows two Mormons who receive their first mission, to go to Uganda and spread the word of the Book of Mormon to an African village, more interested in their problems with aids and a warlord. Whilst it's easy to see why people could find this an offensive show, it comes across with so much charm that you forget about the little digs at religion and instead just fall in love with the characters and their plight.

Songs such as Sal Tlay Ka Siti and You and Me show off the talent of the cast whilst Man Up and Joseph Smith American Moses are catchy and hilarious to the point of audience members literally crying with laughter.

In this production, the role of Elder Price was performed by understudy Ashley Day, full of charisma and such a strong voice that it was difficult to believe that he doesn't play the part every night.

Ashley played alongside Jared Gertner, who perfected the role of enthusiastic yet adorable Elder Cunningham who you can't help but wish every success and want to befriend.

In all honesty, the entire company were stunning and made this one of the most incredible shows that I have seen. I have to give a special mention to Stephen Ashfield as Elder McKinley for a fabulous yet also very camp performance of 'Turn it off'.

Whilst I had listened to the cast recording of the show before, the ending was still a complete surprise and left everyone with a smile on their face as well as humming as they left the theatre.

Overall, the story was incredibly funny yet still heartwarming at the same time, and for a matinee performance in one of the smaller West End theatres, the rounds of applause and cheers were incredible and very well deserved. The show was even better than I had thought possible and I would urge anyone to go and see it. I know i'll be back again.