Review by Daz Gale
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Ushers – no, not the R&B singer, not even the character from A Strange Loop – I’m of course talking about a vital ingredient in theatre and often the unsung heroes – those hardworking front of house staff who deal with everything a show has to offer including unruly audiences. They may not always get the credit they deserve but that’s all set to change with the return of a show that sees them swapping front of house to be front and centre stage in their own musical. Could Ushers: The Front of House Musical battle the complexities of this industry we call theatre to pull off a showstopper of their own?
Ushers: The Front of House Musical returns to celebrate its 10th anniversary, having premiered in 2014. The show is centred around one shift in a West End theatre and the lives of five front of house staff members and their questionable manager as they navigate the necessities of the job before, during and after the latest performance of ‘Love Island: The Musical’ (not a real thing and for that we should all be thankful) as well as problems in their own personal lives, romances and opportunities.
Written from the perspective of the ushers, the musical attempts to take a deeper dive into what makes them tick in a show that will prove instantly relatable to anyone who has ever worked front of house in a theatre. While James Rottger’s book is a fun look at these behind the scenes antics and full of laughs, it does suffer from feeling underdeveloped in parts with one-dimensional characters not as fleshed out as you would hope. The through narrative of characters individual storylines doesn’t always tie together and has the tendency to feel inconsistent or shoehorned in at times, which prevents Ushers from getting to the next level in its storytelling – something it definitely has the potential to do.
Where the book does succeed, however, is in its fun factor. Full of sharp observations and quick-witted comedy from the absurdity of the video sketches that pepper the show to the incessant musical theatre references, you may not always be belly laughing, but you will be smiling. Speaking of those references, Ushers has been updated to feature contemporary references – some as recent as this week, with references to the soon to depart Opening Night and even Tom Francis’ spectacular Oliviers appearance (I haven’t been able to stop talking about it so it’s no surprise it’s found its way into this show too).
Musical theatre lovers are going to howl all of the little in-jokes and niche references from people’s names to fictional shows and nods to events from theatre past (of course Bad Cinderella gets a mention). This is a show designed very much for theatre obsessives – that may mean some jokes fly over the heads of those who are not up to date with the off-stage dramas in theatre, but if you are the kind of person who finds themselves in a Theatre Twitter (x) hole, there is going to be a lot here to keep you entertained. I will say Ushers does these references better than another show I saw in the very same space last year, with genuinely satisfying and funny punchlines and a deep knowledge of the industry – the attention to detail is a great strength of the show, with the “Theatre Nation” logo being an amalgamation of other theatre companies designs a fine example of this. With the script being heavily revised to include references to current shows including Two Strangers and Standing At The Sky’s Edge, and a glorious bit of self-referencing from the talented cast, you’re never far away from your next laugh.
One strength Ushers has in its armour is its wonderful cast, with six fabulous performers on hand to deliver playful portrayals of their characters, no matter how caricature-esque these people may be. Danielle Rose gives a star turn as new employee Lucy, with an exceptional singing voice playing out in full force on her big number ‘Dreams & Ice-Creams’. Christopher Foley suffers somewhat from having the most under-developed and paper thin of characters in Stephen – his only purpose seemingly serving to be a love interest for Lucy, but he makes the most of this with an accomplished turn. The exception to this under-utilisation is in his solo number ‘The Parts I Could Play’ which proves refreshing and is performed fabulously, making me wish we could have seen more of him.
The show many include the self-reference of “I think this is Luke Bayer’s best piece of work” and while this doesn’t quite reach the dizzying heights of his soon to be returning Diva, it provides a vehicle to demonstrate what an exceptional talent he really is, once again showcasing Luke’s abilities as an actor and singer, best utilised in his character Ben’s big solo number and undoubted standout ‘(It’s Time To) Let Go’. Cleve September gives a sweet and understated performance as Gary, forming a beautiful double act with Luke Bayer’s ben as the volatile lovers that form one of the more prominent storylines in the show.
Bethany Amber Perrins is a comic highlight as the loud and proud stagey ninja Rosie, delivering some of the most comical elements of the show, and clearly having a lot of fun in the role. Her musical moment ‘Leading Men’ is ridiculously over-the-top in the best possible way, amping up the silly factor to its maximum level. The cast is completed by Daniel Paige in the larger-than-life role of Robin. In pre-recorded video and on stage, he proves a dominant force and manages to play the role consistently even when his character veers too close to panto villain in an unnatural escalation. His comedic ability and timing is second to none, ensuring the biggest laughs are reserved for him.
The songs in Ushers are pleasant enough albeit not all consistent. While there are a few highlights – namely the aforementioned numbers as well as Gary and Ben’s gorgeous act two duet ‘Loving You Is All I Know’, the show does suffer from numbers that aren’t as memorable and differ in quality drastically. The biggest issue that stops the songs ability to soar is in the inconsistency of the lyrics. With three people credited for the lyrics, they can at times lack cohesiveness with some questionable rhymes and lines that don’t flow naturally. There are exceptions to this throughout, but the line between comedy and effective storytelling are at times hampered by these.
Max Reynolds’ direction makes a good use of the very intimate space of The Other Palace Studio with the cast members fittingly milling around the audience in an almost immersive nature. He manages to make the most of the story to create magic, though at times it can feel a little rough around the edges and may use tightening up slightly (though it is also important I mention this review is based on the final preview performance the day before the official press night). There are some enjoyable moments to be found in Adam Haigh’s choreography and Reuben Speed’s set design works well with Jack Weir’s lighting to create a pleasing visual aesthetic.
Ushers: The Front of House Musical has all of the right elements needed to make a great piece of theatre, but not everything is where it should be as yet. A brilliant idea for a musical, even if it may be a bit niche, a wonderful cast and some great one-liners mean there is plenty to love about this show, especially if you are clued up on all of your up to date theatre references. Though a bit more of a consistent narrative and tightening up could take this show to the next level, as musical number ‘Half Finished Story’ provides a fair summary of where Ushers is in its current iteration. While it may not be its best version of itself at the moment, this is still a highly enjoyable show and one I’d encourage all theatre obsessives like myself to check out.
Ushers: The Front of House Musical plays at The Other Palace Studio until 19th May. Tickets from www.ushersmusical.com