Stephen Ward Reviews

Anonymous from London,

STEPHEN WARD

As some reviewers have already stated Stephen Ward is not your average musical; the genre is- I suppose- tragi-comedy and the task of turning this grim tale into an entertaining musical required an exceptionally original and talented team of writers,choreographers,designers and producers.Lord Webber's genius is not only the ability to imbue this story with a strong and coherent musical identity but to employ the brilliance of Christopher Hampton to aid him with the lyrics and dialogue. The result is a musical that uses a variety of musical styles to mark different stages of the story- ensuring that the pace is varied: emphatic one minute, poignant in the Valerie Hobson solo 'I'm Hopeless When It Comes To You'...upbeat as in the 'Super Duper Hula Hooper'cameo,amusing in the characteristic Dylanesque backing sound of 'Black-hearted Woman'to give us the contrasting flavour of Notting Hill the next.Richard Eyre released the talents of the excellent cast to great entertaining effect

Barbara from Windsor

ENTHRALLING

I found this new musical completely enthralling and beautifully paced. I can see that this is a musical that will appeal to an audience that enjoys the shades and nuances of life rather than the broad brush storytelling of most musicals. But it does a great job of showing how change in society will always come with casualties as the old guard make a last gasp at control as the new generation take the upper hand. Some wonderful performances with Hanson perfectly cast as Ward, and a stand out solo from Profumo's wife.

Wendy from London,

NOT A PHANTOM BUT NOT A FLOP EITHER

From the poster advertising Stephen Ward, its pretty obvious that the production is not your typical family-friendly musical. And those arriving at the Aldwych Theatre hoping to see another Cats or Phantom will be disappointed. But from the opening song, it's clear that even though the subject matter tends to sit well below the belt at times, Stephen Ward definitely has that spark that separates a Lloyd Webber musical from the rest of the pack. Songs like "This Side of the Sky" and "You've Never Had It So Good" had the whole audience smiling from ear to ear - from the incredibly well choreographed antics on-stage, from the moving (and occasionally quite racey) lyrics, and from the knack Sir Lloyd Webber has of combining notes in a way that is so pleasing you just can't help but feel joyous. I would recommend reading up a bit on the Profumo Affair beforehand... it's not essential but might help you place the various political characters and understand some of the underlying plot.

Ros N from London,

REFRESHING WITH AN ENGAGING PLOT AND STRONG SCORE

Stephen Ward is thankfully very different to the crop of musicals that now dominate the West End. Whilst certainly not of the 'feel good' genre it is entertaining and also intellectually engaging. We are given an interesting plot and despite the score lacking a showstopper or 'hum along classic' it is well written and a good support for the story. The story here is the priority so it may not be an average musical theatre fan's cup of tea but more for those interested in serious shows. Alex Hanson is faultless as the lead, the other principal characters are not far off. The staging is simple but also beautiful: an understated but perfect backdrop that allows the audience to focus on the important elements of the character and story. It is regrettable that musicals are classed in a separate category to intelligent theatre and most that try to bridge the gap disappear almost immediately. Stephen Ward partially bridges the gap and should be appreciated as such.

John from London,

A STORY WELL TOLD BUT LACKING A HIT SONG AND GLAMOUR

This production is a great story well told with some clever touches of humour and several pleasant songs along the way, notably 'I'm hopeless when it comes to you' sung by Joanna Riding as Valerie Hobson (Profumo's wife). Alexander Hanson makes a fair fist of playing the leading role and Charlotte Blackledge is a feisty Mandy Rice-Davies. The infamous swimming pool scene is stolen by a terrific cameo by Ian Conningham playing the Russian spy, Ivanov. The remaining characters are efficiently played but rarely excite. An example of this is the key role of Christine Keeler, performed by newcomer, Charlotte Spencer. The London detectives are somewhat irritatingly played as stereotype 'bad cops'. An opportunity to provide some glamour in the night club is missed. A jazz band on stage and some more imaginative dance choreography would help. This and a hit song to hum on the way out would help raise the show above the ordinary. Try to watch the film Scandal before you go, but do go.

John gurnhill from Ravenshead, Notts England,

STEPHN WARD,

If you want to learn more about the events of 1963, then see the play Keeler instead. The musical diminishes the story because of the tendency to slow it down. I found the music unmemorable, except for the love song in act 2. Altogether I find the show, with its unimaginitive title, very disappointing. I was expecting more from the 4th performance I saw on Fri 6 Dec 13.

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