A musical....no way!

I have been to a few plays at the Central Bank Auditorium, Naparima Bowl and one or two other locations.  One of my favourite play is called "Mary Could Dance",  which was warm and sometimes scandalous play as it looked at what happens when three dancers/prostitutes face the return of one of the group’s first love back from living years in the United States and features everything from HIV/AIDS, to exotic dancing, to cat fights, to romance, to the antics of the scandalous pimp/bar owner Mule. The play was written by local talent Richard Ragoobarsingh and received many awards in its 16 year run.  It is the best local play ever.  The play was directed by Raymond Choo Kong and features a stellar cast which includes Penelope Spencer, Cecilia Salazar, Richard Ragoobarsingh, Glenn Davis, Dionne McNicol and Roger Dickie. It was a very powerful play which remained my favourite play until I saw Memphis the Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London.

 

As much as I go to local plays from time to time and I love movies,  I am no fan of musicals of any kind...nope not me! I am sure I missed out on some really good movies because of this which is unfortunate.  Nevertheless,  when you're on vacation you tend to be opened to try things that you wouldn't otherwise,  I guess that's what vacation is all about.  When my cousin Donavan and his wife Natasha, invited me to a play I was nonchalant, as for me it was to be just another outing...but boy was I in for the surprise of my life!



In front the Shaftesbury Theatre



 

The Shaftesbury Theatre is majestic and rich in its history and architecture as it was evident by the walls and ceiling as you entered the theatre. It's the largest theatre I have been to to-date, with two or three floors which holds roughly 1400 patrons.  It was truly an amazing sight and experience for me.

Tasha, Heuy, Janelle and Delray!

The lights went out, the curtains rolled up and the play was about to begin...now let me just say, I went to this play clueless as to what the play was about or who was acting, not that I would know in any event.  The play was loosely based on Memphis disc jockey Dewey Phillips, one of the first white DJ to play black music in the 1950s.  Dewey fell in love with a beautiful African American club singer and became passionate and determined to make her a household name in America.  This would come with it many challenges since something like this, at the time would face cultural divides and spark a music revolution that will shake the world.

The characters were amazing,  the lead cast was Beverley Knight who played Felicia,  Heuy's love interest, Matt Cardle who played Heuy and Roland Bell who played Felicia's elder brother Delray.  The acting was epic and the singing was out of this world phenomenal!  All three leads brought down the house when they sang - it was powerful, emotional and very much alive with tempo.  If Donavan or Tasha had told me this was going to be this exciting I would not have believed them.  I mean,  I was on the edge of my seat, totally engrossed and clapped throughout the play. I'm not sure but I think I was one of the first one out my seat for a standing ovation! I remember saying to myself "I'm coming to see this again!" because I enjoyed it thoroughly and was given a new experience and view of musicals.

This "little" outing turned out to be one of the most noteworthy experience I had on my vacation!