Amelie the Musical @Captheatres #Review #LoveTheatre

Amelie the Musical

Overview

Nino will be played by Danny Mac ( Les Miserables (Southampton), Wicked (West End), Strictly Come Dancing (BBC finalist), On The Town (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre). Come and be inspired by this imaginative dreamer who finds her voice, discovers the power of connection and sees possibilities around every corner. Although times are hard for dreamers, Amélie is someone to believe in.

Hartshorn – Hook Productions, Selladoor Worldwide and Broadway Asia Company in association with The Watermill Theatre present Amélie. A story of an astonishing young woman who lives quietly in the world, but loudly in her mind. She secretly improvises small, but extraordinary acts of kindness that bring happiness to those around her. But when a chance at love comes her way, Amélie realises that to find her own contentment she’ll have to risk everything and say what’s in her heart. Amélie, played by the delightful Audrey Brisson (The Elephantom, Pinocchio and Pericles (National Theatre), The Grinning Man (Bristol Old Vic) and more), is a new musical based on the much loved five-time Oscar®-nominated film ‘something magical has happened in the journey from screen to stage’ (The Telegraph).

Review by Moira Cormack for Love Books Group

It was such a pleasure to be asked to review Amelie, the Musical. I was looking forward to it and wasn’t disappointed. The first half opened with all the musicians on stage. the double bass on a wheel, the cello on a shoulder. The musicians were all actors and singers in the performance and they were used to great effect. They concertinaed open and close around Amelie as the story unfolded both giving her the space and privacy she had set herself up with and the support that she needed showing how even when we believe ourselves isolated and alone we are always connected to others.

Amelie, played magnificently by Audrey Brisson, never learnt to play with other children and carried this into her adulthood until she falls in love. Danny Mac was the love interest and as shy and geeky as Amelie. That they made it over their own individual fears to love was an everyday miracle brought to the screen. The performance and score kept in touch with the stories French roots and I loved that

Audrey Brisson is French Canadian and her accent was true. The whole action moved its way through the music which told the story delightfully. There were moments of pure farce which were remained true to the telling of the story – giant figs and Elton John.The set had Amelie’s apartment high above everyone marking her life as even more isolated. However even she wasn’t above scrutiny by her neighbour who kept nudging her out of herself.

The tables in the cafe doubled as drums, the pianos as shops selling a variety of produce. I was enchanted by having the music so essential to the telling of the tale, and not just the songs but the whole ensemble.