Review: Rope Drop: The Unofficial Disney Parks Comedy (The Other Palace Studio)

Review by Sam Waite

⭐️⭐️⭐️

For fans of the various Disney amusement parks, and especially those who make repeat visits to re-experience the magic, there can be a specific joy in rope dropping. Simply put, this activity is waiting at the entrance before opening time in order to storm the park the moment it opens, likely with the plan to stay until closing. In Rope Drop: The Unofficial Disney Parks Comedy, the audience in The Other Palace’s studio space were welcomed into a full day at the most magical place on earth.

Jordan Li-Smith and Ayesha Patel are dear friends, holiday companions, and definitely not “Disney adults,” even though they have made sure to spend every second of their day in their favourite park. Well, her favourite is in Paris and his Orlando, but at least they can agree that the parade is all-important and that the sight of the castle brings a tear to their eyes. With a pair of special guests at each of their three Other Palace performances, the Disney-loving duo blend humour, personal history, a some of their favourite songs.

Unsurprisingly, given the onslaught of references to Disney’s media empire, there is a hefty list of credited lyricists and composers, some of whose work is better represented. The Sherman Brothers provide a great source of both comedy and intensity with a rousing rendition of the endlessly familiar “It’s a Small World (After All)” which proves both writer-performer Ayesha Patel’s vocal abilities and the sheer joy of hearing it delivered as an epic ballad. With music being so central to the Disney brand, and therefore to the show, it’s a shame that only a few moments truly stand out in Rope Drop, in particular a boisterous act one closer courtesy of Cars classic “Life is a Highway.” Yes, the song was a cover, but I said what I said!

Even if the music doesn’t always make a lasting impression, the performers certainly do. Co-writers and co-stars Jordan Li-Smith and Ayesha Patel have a breezy, likable chemistry and a pair of fine voices. Each can turn on a dime from characterful singing to undeniably impressive vocal feats, showcasing a refreshing vulnerability that falls away when they vanish more fully into these songs. The pair were joined by special guests for each performance, which the chaotic energy and strong vocals matched on press night by a hilarious Henry Calvert and by Esme Bowdler’s phenomenal vocals on her Little Mermaid medley.

Li-Smith also acted as arranger and orchestrator for the show’s music and does a marvellous job of playing alongside a lively trio, with Simon Spies, Ellen Goodyer and Charlie English filling the studio space with those ever-familiar tunes. This live band brings a terrific energy to the performance, nicely matching the endearing acting work from Li-Smith and Patel. When their performances delve deeper and mix autobiographical elements with a fantasy, these musicians have helped to entrench us so firmly in the world of a magical theme park adventure that it’s difficult not to find yourself smiling.

Tara Noonan’s direction keeps the story on track well enough, although the first act does take a while to truly settle in. In Rope Drop’s stronger second act, both Noonan’s direction and the leading duo’s writing feels sharper and more clearly aimed, leaning more firmly into the life-story elements and seeming more off-the-cuff and authentic even as it is clearly more carefully structured. Interestingly, Rope Drop becoming more settled into its identity comes with the performers’ fictionalised selves gaining more security in their own, keeping the show and its stars in a compelling tandem.

There are moments where Rope Drop could stand to be trimmed, or to be given a sharper, more direct focus, but there’s never a second when Patel and Li-Smith are anything short of captivating. Likability is a skill of its own, and one that both of them has in spades, alongside some fantastic vocal abilities and a knack for translating genuine enthusiasm into a fictionalised take on their habits and their friendship. A dream is a wish your heart makes, and it’s lovely to see two people living theirs together.

Rope Drop played at The Other Palace on September 5th and September 6th

For information on future performances follow Rope Drop Productions on Instagram

Photos by Harry Hope