|
|
Rent The Old Joint Stock Musical Theatre Company The Old Joint Stock, Birmingham **** A TERRIFIC young cast have the Old Joint
Stock rocking with Jonathan Larson's powerful musical based on Puccini's
famous opera La Boheme. This is the three-year-old company's biggest
challenge to date and the first night audience clearly loved every
minute of the story set in a New York apartment block where impoverished
bohemians are facing eviction through rent arrears. An outbreak of AIDS is another problem worrying
the tenants and one of the friends, Drag Queen Angel, played with great
humour by Mike Bentley, eventually dies from the disease. The Tony Award winning rock musical revolves
round two key characters, aspiring film-maker Mark and his roommate and
best pal Roger, a musician. The pair are played splendidly by Karl
Steele and Richard Haines whose acting and singing is top quality. An emotion-charged performance, too, from Patison
Harrigan as Collins, the warm-hearted gay friend of the tragic Angel,
while Hannah Kilroy and Sarah Haines excel as the sexy Mimi and Maureen. There are a string of fine songs in both acts of
a musical that rocks from start to its joyous finale. The cast of 16 and a livley band prove that big
things can be achieved in small theatres. Produced and directed by Karl
Steele, Rent plays on to 14-12-13 and the whole run was sold out before
opening night. Paul Marston |
|
|