Ad disclosure: We were provided with press tickets for the purpose of this post.
Each year, The Alexandra runs a two-week intensive masterclass of theatre that culminates in three days of performances. Young performers between the ages of 9 and 24 can apply to take part in Stage Experience, dedicating a fortnight of their summer to putting on a musical. This year, the chosen musical was West Side Story, and James and I attended its first performance yesterday evening.
West Side Story is based on one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, Romeo and Juliet. While I must admit that I’m not the biggest fan of his tragedies, finding the original story rather depressing, I can (and have) appreciate the many variations of the tale I’ve experienced. West Side Story is a Tony-winning musical with wonderful music and an interesting setting that remains incredibly relevant today, particularly given the current political climate surrounding immigration.
The cast and technical crew of the show are all made up of young Stage Experience participants, supported by a full orchestra and working alongside a production team of professionals with years of experience. Pollyanna Tanner, the director and choreographer, has been a part of Stage Experience since its inception, and this year they are celebrating 20 years of performances at the Alex.
The main cast last night were all wonderful, and their singing was superb. However, some of their accents were a little hard to understand at times, which meant I missed some of the dialogue. Despite this, I was astounded by the level of talent on display. Cree Henson’s performance as Tony was nothing short of amazing. He impressed us as Captain Von Trapp in last year’s Sound of Music performance, and his portrayal of the passionate Tony outdid even that, especially considering the challenging songs he sang.
Amelie Newton was fantastic as Maria, showcasing a wonderful soprano voice and bringing great energy to the role. Hudson Mansour-Webb also delivered a notable performance as Maria’s brother Bernardo, while Heaven Okah stole the show at times as his wife Anita.
Considering the performers are just at the start of their musical theatre journeys, James and I were very impressed by last nights performance. There were a few moments of mishaps, including a poor girl taking a tumble during a dance. However, the entire cast handled them professionally. The sound techs, however, let the cast down at times. Several missed mic cues resulted in missed dialogue and jarring moments in the songs. It was a bit confusing for a moment near the end, too, when the gun went off without a bang, leaving the audience unsure for a moment what was going on.
I firmly believe that this year’s Stage Experience participants should be incredibly proud of their accomplishment, and I’m sure we will definitely see several of the cast gracing the West End stage in the years to come. Putting on a show of this magnitude after just two weeks of rehearsals is an incredible achievement. It was a lovely evening of theatre, and I highly recommend grabbing a ticket to see this iconic show.
West Side Story is on at the Alexandra until this Sunday, the 17th August, and tickets are available from just £15 on the ATG website. The running time is around two & a half hours, including the interval.
