The Shaftesbury Theatre London has said goodbye to the fabulous ‘From Here To Eternity’ (it ended all too soon for my liking) and moved on with a little fun interlude (on a short run) with ‘The Pajama Game‘!
I was invited to come and see it last week and had a splendid evening with a friend checking out the show which is set to run until only 13th September with its strictly limited season!
I was super excited because it meant I got to see Peter Polycarpou, the first actor in Lonodn to play the role of John in Miss Saigon! Polycarpou is a stalwart of the West End yet I’ve never actually seen him live myself; I wasn’t too fussed what the show was like, I just wanted to see him!
He didn’t disappoint in his role of Vernon Hines with his incredible on stage girl friend Gladys played by Alexis Owen-Hobbs to great hilarity. She actually stole the show as far as I’m concerned with her incredibly accomplished routine! She was funny, sweet, lovable and sharp as a tack on the dance floor!
I was slightly disappointed by the lack of complication in the choreography however a couple of numbers were very interesting and the singing was superb! For me, and this is going to sound rather un sisterly I know, Joanna Riding was a touch too old to play the role of Babe. I felt she just didn’t quite fit with the ‘girl’ she was supposd to be portraying and the much younger leading guy, Michael Xavier. As Sid Soroken, in charge of the factory under owner Hasler, Michael gives the perfect amount of brooding good looks and charisma mixed with a fabulous voice. He was perfect and Joanna was, hmmm… Just not really… She didn’t miss a step or sound terrible but I do think looking the part goes a long way.
Aside from that the fluffy story is incredibly watchable and entertaining. It’s loose but it doesn’t need to be a tightly woven yarn because the songs stick it together nicely while the individual performances make it a strong show.
I loved the character Mae who was played by Jennie Dale and as Mabel, Claire Machin had her role down to a tee. Much laughter and light hearted smiles with toe tapping numbers and a very pleasing on the eye leading man. This is an easy watch, completely different to the gritty and heart breaking ‘From Here To Eternity’. It’s just what the Shaftesbury needs after saying goodbye to such an amazing original musical.
I would absolutely make the time to go and see this before September and if you need any more convincing, a couple of the New Congress Club Girls (from FHTE) are in this also and with it they bring some fabulous dancing, I recognised them and it was all down to their moves! Fabulous even if I think the choreography could have been a smidge more interesting!
The Pajama Game is on at the Shaftesbury Theatre until 13th September. For more information and to book tickets please see www.thepajamagamethemusical.com
I saw the show as a guest of the theatre.
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