Blues for an Alabama Sky ★★★★ National Theatre | Sep 21 - Nov 5, 2022


Set in Harlem in the 1930s, Blues for an Alabama Sky deals with the two contradictory currents that continue to inform the African American experience: a northern progressive, secular perspective and a southern conservative, faith-based frame of reference. The first act of the play seems rather like a long, uneventful introduction to a romantic comedy, and it fits uneasily with the second, an event-packed somewhat predictable melodrama. Pearl Cleage's work is probably best seen as an allegory for how individuals survive in a community torn apart by disparate and competing world views. Sule Rimi is excellent as the unconventional, liberal doctor who represents progressive values, and Osy Ikhile is both engaging and frightening as the southerner who comes north and is distressed by the value system he discovers. Cleage seems to see three ways that one can survive in this world torn by such antithetical points of view. Delia, beautifully underplayed by Ronke Adekoluejo, is a churchgoer who tries to gain acceptance for her socially reformist family planning agenda by playing within the rules. Angel, captivatingly portrayed by Samira Wiley, violates the moral taboos, but survives using a charm that thinly veils her manipulation and opportunism. Equally engaging is the aspirational and flamboyant Guy, played by Giles Terera. Terera lights up the stage whenever he appears, but Guy's dream is only realised by escaping Harlem. His fairytale success does not seem to offer a replicable hope for a divided and beleaguered community. The production values at the National Theatre are consistently first-rate, and in this production the set and costumes by Frankie Bradshaw are impressive. As a play, Blues for an Alabama Sky is somewhat uneven, but as an insight into the social history of the African American community it is quite fascinating.

Rated: ★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Marc Brenner.

Want to save on tickets? See our Tips page.

When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: Upper Ground, London SE1 9PX, UK

Most Popular

From Here To Eternity ★★★★ Charing Cross Theatre | Oct 29 - Dec 17, 2022

Image
James Jones' dark WWII story is set in Hawaii on the eve of the Pearl Harbor attack. This present version draws on both the movie and the book for its inspiration, but the basics of the story remain the same. Two idealistic young men try to behave honourably, one within the military culture and one in partial opposition to it. Both are involved in love affairs that make them question themselves and their place in the bullying, hierarchical environment that is the army. Jonathon Bentley does a fine job as Prewitt who is prepared to fight on the battlefield but not in the boxing ring, and Adam Rhys-Charles puts in a strong performance as Warden, the "soldier's soldier" who comes to question the regimented reality that informs his professional and personal values. Both performers bring a strong characterisation to their parts and their "Ain't Where I Wanna Be Blues" duet is a definite highlight. Also a standout is "Love Me Forever Today" which Be
Full Details »

The Mousetrap ★★★★ St. Martin's Theatre | Extended Run

Image
It's another astounding anniversary for the world's longest running play. The Mousetrap has become a national treasure and is a required stop on the London tourist scene, right up there with the Tower of London and The British Museum. However, what is really amazing is that this enduring West End fixture remains a great evening in the theatre. The definitive whodunit continues to beguile and puzzle audiences much as it did in 1952. Indeed, Agatha Christie's play stands up to the test of time and with each cast change it remains fresh and enduringly delightful. In the current iteration, Sara Lessore and George Banks convincingly convey the naïveté of Mollie and Giles Ralston – the new innkeepers who with their first intake of quirky and querulous guests get more than they bargained for. The strange and secretive group of visitors include the goofy Chris Wren impeccably played by Jonathan Tynan-Moss and the sinister Mr. Paravicini amusingly mugged by Rob Pomfret. Philip Chi
Full Details »

Top Hat ★★★★★ The Mill at Sonning | Nov 16 - Dec 30, 2022

Image
"If you're blue, and you don't know where to go ..." this show fits. It'll have you Puttin' On the Ritz! Apologies to Irving Berlin for mangling his lyrics, but this production of his classic at The Mill at Sonning is "super-duper." In addition to Berlin's great songs, there's lots of laughs and some terrific hoofing. Despite the relatively small size of the venue, Director Jonathan O'Boyle and Choreographer, Ashley Nottingham have managed to mount a big show that never looks squeezed in and never overwhelms the space available. The big production numbers work and are an absolute delight. We found Jason Denvir's set design first-rate and beautifully detailed, while Natalie Titchener's costumes were stunningly stylish. Indeed, everything is in place to support an excellent cast led by Jonny Labey. As Jerry Travers, the Broadway star who comes to London, Labey taps his way into the audience's heart as he deals with new-found lov
Full Details »

Love Goddess, The Rita Hayworth Musical ★★★ The Cockpit | Nov 18 - Dec 23, 2022

Image
Rita Hayworth was one of the most important stars of her generation. A talented dancer who was seductively glamorous, she lit up the screen in Hollywood's golden era. This musical tells the story of the creation of her persona – which unsurprisingly involved a domineering father and a series of exploitative men. However, it also sets up the contrast of this typical show business tale with the tragic loss of her identity to the cruelty of early onset Alzheimer's disease. The challenge with translating such a biography into theatre is how much information to include. It is a question of finding the essential theme of a life and not getting caught up in all the fascinating details. Unfortunately here, there is really too much dependence on chronology and a determination to squeeze in a lot of particulars. The performances, however, are generally strong. Imogen Kingsley-Smith is an excellent young Rita and her dancing is outstanding. We particularly liked the sequences with Joey Si
Full Details »

Elf The Musical ★★★★★ Dominion Theatre | Nov 14, 2022 - Jan 7, 2023

Image
One of the loveliest Christmas stories to come along in some years is back in a musical version, and it completely delivers a wonderfully fanciful theatrical experience. The story of Buddy, a human baby who accidentally gets raised as an elf and who then goes to New York City to find his birth parents, was a huge cinematic hit, and the theatrical treatment of it lives up to the film's high standard for family entertainment. The big production numbers are suitably impressive. There's roller skating, snow falling and a sleigh flying. If these don't inspire a sense of fun and Christmas spirit one would have to be as grumpy as Buddy's human father. Tom Chambers plays the wonderfully irritable and overworked Walter Hobbs, and he is beautifully matched by Rebecca Lock as his long suffering wife, Emily. However, the show belongs to Simon Lipkin as Buddy. He manages to capture the would-be elf's childlike naïveté without ever becoming cloying. It is not an easy turn for an
Full Details »

A Sherlock Carol ★★★★ Marylebone Theatre | Nov 18, 2022 - Jan 7, 2023

Image
If part of your annual Christmas tradition is a dip into Dickens' great classic tale, you'll definitely enjoy this new version with its Sherlock Holmes twist. Since the death of his arch-enemy, Moriarty, the great detective has lost his way and the joy has gone out of his life. Not only has he abandoned his passion for solving crimes, but he seems to have no Christmas spirit. On top of this, the supreme rationalist, Holmes, is faced with the mysterious death of the elderly, now-reformed Ebenezer Scrooge while at the same time being haunted by a spirit whom he refuses to believe in. This is all great fun and the show combines the convoluted plot of a Dickens' novel with all the twists and turns of a Conan Doyle mystery. Ben Caplan does a wonderful job as the grumpy and obsessive Holmes who is gradually lured back to the world of detection and into the spirit of the season. He is well supported by Richard James in a wide variety of roles, from Dr. Watson to Scrooge's hila
Full Details »

Richard Mosse: Broken Spectre ★★★★ 180 The Strand | Oct 12 - Dec 4, 2022

Image
This impressive, not-to-be-missed exhibition deals with a momentous subject. The Amazon rainforest is often referred to as the lungs of the earth, and Richard Mosse's record of what is happening to that organ vital to human survival on this planet is devastating. The images and film in the exhibition are the result of three years documentation of environmental crimes happening in the Brazilian Amazon. Logging and burning, illegal mining and industrial agriculture are all contributing to the death of the biome, and Mosse's chronicle of that catastrophe brilliantly shifts from the micro to the macro perspective. There is fluorescent microscopic imagery that captures the details of environmental interdependence with a close-up view of plant and insect life, and there is airborne spectral footage that offers maps which expose the extent of the destruction on the large scale. Ironically, both sets of images of this ecological tragedy have a haunting beauty, and are presented in dece
Full Details »

Glory Ride ★★★ The Other Palace | November 14 - 16, 2022

Image
Gino Bartali was a Tour de France winning cyclist and a national hero in Italy. This is the chronicle of his heroic, but little known, participation in a scheme to rescue threatened Jewish children during the Fascist regime. It is inspiring stuff and could be the basis of a terrific musical. Glory Ride certainly has some good material to work with but it remains a work in progress. The arc of the story doesn't really work. Bartali goes from amateur rider without a bicycle to retired star in the first twenty minutes of the show. The focus of the story is also unclear. The main narrative turns out to be the struggle between Bartali's individualistic vision which allows him to act according to his conscience as opposed to the philosophy of his mentor and friend, Mario, whose commitment to being a team player leads him to support a fascist political agenda. It reminded us of the Jean Valjean and Javert conflict that forms the basis of Les Miserables, in that case a forgiving hum
Full Details »

The Massive Tragedy of Madame Bovary! ★★ Jermyn Street Theatre | Nov 17 - Dec 17, 2022

Image
Gustave Flaubert's 1856 novel was a sensation, and it went from being the subject of an obscenity trial to becoming a classic of French literature. Emma Bovary is a young woman who marries a doctor and lives in small provincial town. She longs for a more romantic and exciting life, and her dissatisfaction leads to an indulgence in both reckless extravagance and a series of love affairs. Her story ends in both despair and death. The current production approaches the narrative from three different perspectives. Like any 19th century morality tale, Emma's story is good material for parody and much of this show goes for broad humour at the expense of the 'outdated tale of a fallen woman.' Unfortunately, the humour wears thin as what might work as a short skit is drawn out and becomes repetitive. Indeed, one whole slapstick scene is repeated for no apparent reason. The second approach to the narrative is to take it seriously, and this is the predominant tone of Act II. Unfor
Full Details »

The Lavender Hill Mob ★★★★ Richmond Theatre | November 14 - 19, 2022

Image
It is no small challenge to bring one of Britain's best-loved Ealing Studio comedies to the stage. The original is imprinted on the minds of a generation of filmgoers, as are the performances of its incomparable cast. Nevertheless, we thoroughly enjoyed the theatrical version of this caper classic starring Miles Jupp as Holland, the anonymous bank employee who masterminds a gold heist from the Bank of England. The chemistry between Jupp and Justin Edwards who plays Holland's accomplice, Pendlebury is perfect. The rest of the cast are equally adept in their roles as partygoers who take on various roles to act out Holland's criminal coup. They all manage to capture the whimsical spirit of the piece while never falling into the farcical or the cloying. This is not an easy line to walk. There is a simplicity and innocence about this type of comedy that is not easy to reproduce, and it is often incomprehensible to generations reared on the harsher, almost brutal, humour that is
Full Details »

The City Life Magazine | Reviews & Ratings