Whether in London or Paris, here is a list of the theatrical moments that have moved me this year.
Among my 76 theatrical outings of the year, here are 10 shows that moved me and / or made me think.
1. Come From Away
It is, I think, the spectacle which marked me the most in 2019. The account is poignant: while the terrorist attack of September 11 touches the United States, 38 planes are diverted and land in Gander, a small city in Canada. It is a story of solidarity between the people of Gander and the 7,000 passengers from around the world who unite in this tragedy.
Not only is the subject terribly touching but the scene is impeccable. The musical lasts less than 2 hours and there is not a second of respite. The staging is of rare precision, almost choreographed: with very minimal sets, we are transported to all places of the action. It's moving, it's funny: this show has it all!
Come From Away it's 12 actors, who all play at least 3 or 4 characters, 4 musicians on stage, 1h40 without interruption and the fastest standing ovation in the West End! My favorite of the year!
2.Hadestown
Anaïs Mitchell's musical is a real gem. The score mixes folk and pop tones.
Out of its 14 nominations (a record!), The musical has won 8 Tony Awards!
To Hadestown baseball cap, Anaïs Mitchell reimagined the myth of Orpheus and Euridyce.
Here, the young Eurydice and muse of Orpheus, winds her soul to Hades when winter and famine come. Orpheus, goes to the Underworld in the hope of saving his wife. Everything is narrated by Hermes, played by André De Shields (who received a Tony Award for his performance).
The show has a 5-star cast: we find Eva Noblezada, Reeve Carney, Amber Gray, André De Shields and Patrick Page.
The staging is dark and powerful. The stage consists of a turntable which descends below the stage to symbolize the descent into hell. Large lamps hover above the actors and the band, present on stage and fully integrated into the story.
The show is visually and musically breathtaking and inspires reflection on the value of art and love.
3.Funny Girl
If there was a show in Paris this year, it is this one. Stephen Mear strikes again. The choreographer and director of 42nd Street, Guys and Dolls et Mary Poppins offers us a superb show at the Théâtre Marigny. The strength of this show is the interpreter of Fanny Brice (played in the cinema by Barbra Streisand). It's Christina Bianco who plays Fanny Brice and she is sensational. The 1,50m American actress is bursting with energy. She is known for her celebrity knockoffs (who are hilarious). She takes us on a real emotional journey of the character and dances and sings with a powerful and limitless voice.
We find the arias "Don't Rain on my Parade", "People" and "I'm the Greatest Star". All accompanied by choreography as always fabulous and a British company that amazes and inspires the Parisian public.
4 Mary Poppins
The magic show is back in London and he plans to stay there. The Sherman Brothers musical with additional songs by Stiles & Drewe thrills London audiences. In a few seconds, we are transported into the world of the English nanny, impeccably interpreted by Zizi Strallen. The magic is really present on stage through its sets and choreographies (signed Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear) always so inventive. The show is full of ideas: we will even find Bert (played here by Charlie Stemp) tap dancing with his head upside down and of course Mary Poppins soar above the audience.
We leave the theater with our hearts filled with songs like “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and “Spoonful of Sugar” which accompanied our childhood.
If you want to know more about this show, I reviewed it here!
5. Dear Evan Hansen
Dear Evan Hansen is a hit on Broadway as well as in London. The show deals with suicide, mental health, adolescence. The strong point of this show is the dramaturgy of the musical. The libretto and the songs sway perfectly. They expose the whirlwind of lies in which young Evan finds himself trapped.
What makes the show so poignant is its human character. We follow a real emotional evolution of the characters in their relationships and in what they are and try to be. The songs are so beautiful and gripping that it is hard to hold back our tears. A topical musical comedy treated with accuracy.
I have reviewed this show in more detail, you can find it here.
6. Emily
Margan Lloyd Malcolm's play took the West End by storm earlier this year. The play is a romanticization of the life of Emilia Bessano, poetess and lover of Shakespeare. Three actresses play the character at different times in her life. Emilia refuses court games and the inferior position of women in society. She is rebellious and thirsts for recognition for her literary work.
The particularity of the show is that all the characters are played by women. This helps to put into perspective the absurdity of the oppression that men imposed on women. This piece is a real feminist appeal that crosses the centuries and calls on women to fight for their rights. Poignant and moving.
7. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
With a little delay, I finally went to see the show considered the eighth part of the Harry Potter saga. The plot takes place eighteen years after Voldemort's defeat when Albus Severus Potter enters Hogwarts. So we follow the adventures of Harry Potter's son struggling to find his way into school and his unexpected friendship with Draco Malfoy's son, Scorpius Malfoy.
First of all, what is most impressive are the magic effects on stage. Each illusion is mastered and we only see fire. The show takes us back in time and different scenarios: the show is very inventive. Another point that I adored is the fact of discovering other facets of the characters with whom we grew up; here we find Harry Potter as an anti-hero and we have compassion for Draco Malfoy.
During 5 hours of show, we are hyptonized. A must-watch for all fans ofHarry Potter!
8. The Lehman Trilogy
Where to start for this show? The lehman trilogy was one of my surprises of the year. Because if the summary does not look very glam, the show is incredible. Three men, perfectly interpreted by Simon Russell Beale, Ben Miles and Adam Godley, trace the fate of Lehman Brothers, the investment bank, from its creation in 1850 to its bankruptcy in 2008.
These are the three actors, all dressed in black suits, who tell the story and who in turn will play all the characters necessary for the plot. Everything takes place in a large glass cube, like in a New York bank office. This cube turns on stage and the actors write on it, allowing to see the evolution of Lehman Brothers. It's an absolutely remarkable spectacle, the three actors bring us to life nearly 175 years of history, three generations and the incredible evolution of an immigrant family that will become the fourth most powerful bank in the United States.
The show is so incredible that it will be on Broadway from March 2020 at the Nederlander Theater.
9. Amelie
If, like me, you love The fabulous destiny of Amelie Poulain, then this show is for you! What particularly pleased me about this show is the fidelity to the details of the film but while being very inventive. I loved feeling the company spirit of the show. All the actors are still on stage and narrate and punctuate the adventures of Amélie Poulain. All the actors are also musicians and fill the stage with their music. It's fabulous to see how the instruments have been incorporated into the show. The show is really very funny and we find the well-liked characters of the film. Finally, the most wonderful of this show is Audrey Brisson, a young Canadian actress who offers us a crisp Amélie.
I have besides review this show here. We hope one day to see him in Paris!
10. Follies
Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman's masterpiece was back in London in 2019. As a Broadway theater is about to be demolished, the former Weismann Follies performers reunite, 30 years later, and remember their youth. Each character has a double, like a ghost that represents the person he was 30 years ago. The show includes some of the most beautiful pieces written by Sondheim: “I'm Still Here”, “How Could I Leave You? ". We travel through time with these characters and we understand that we never know where the future will take us. The show is moving in the themes they tackle but it is also of a terribly strong visual impact. It's a heartbreaking tale of love and each other's dreams.
2019 was rich in theatrical discovery and we hope that 2020 will be even more!