(seen at the performance on 16th February 2025)
The London Coliseum was built not as a home for opera and ballet, but as the grandest Variety Theatre ever constructed. Its fortunes ebbed and flowed over the years as it bent first to the new popular entertainment, cinema, then Broadway musicals, before settling into its current role.
For those who believe theatres have souls (the monkey does), it could feel palpably the venerable auditorium relax and smile playing host to arguably one of the most remarkable entertainers ever to grace its vast stage.
Of the very few current, undisputed, Broadway Greats; Patti LuPone’s autobiographical concert show arrived in London for one sold-out hyper-electric night only.
A child of the 50s and 60s, rock-and-roll to the hippie era shaped her beginnings in Northport, Long Island. We “Come On-A My House” to hear her early musical influences, and celebrate the joyous release from school “Summertime, Summertime.”
Her mother’s delight in attending a good fender-bender leads into the fabulously kitsch “Teen Angel,” one of many teen car-death numbers of the time. It’s a clever transition into a jaw-dropping (literally, for the monkey) doo-wop “We Kiss in a Shadow.”
“The King and I,” and that song in particular, the monkey will argue with anyone are the greatest musical and show tune yet written. Her (Joseph Thalken credited) arrangement and performance are unforgettable.
Young Patti moves to New York for professional training at Julliard, life training with an older man (27 to her 19) and woozy numbers like “Lilac Wine” (only Elkie Brooks perhaps edging her on this one) heard through a cloud of “herbal” haze.
There’s a rousing “Some People” (‘Gypsy’) in her dreams of getting somewhere in the profession, and a fabulous “Alfie” – the lady needs to record the entire Bacharach songbook – before a reminder of summer stock “Saratoga Summer Song” and romance “The Man That Got Away”.
Act one closes as she reminds us “Those Were the Days,” act two opening with her hopes of making it big “On Broadway.” The brilliant Brad Phillips then picks up a guitar and picks out a Latin rhythm for her breakthrough Eva Peron. “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” is the biggest lie in musical theatre... and she tells it with ringing truth.
Musical arranger, director and on-stage pianist Joseph Thalken rejoins Phillips and transports the monkey (and, it later learned on social media, many other followers who were there) right back to the Barbican / Palace Theatre for “I Dreamed a Dream.” True time-travel, the monkey was suddenly 17 again, hearing the song for the first time and sobbing hysterically inside to its very core.
No better way to follow one ovation than with another. Cocktail glass in hand, everybody rise, rise, rise for “The Ladies Who Lunch.” Boozy, blousy, uninhibited and soaking the (fortunately empty) orchestra pit in salute.
A tribute to various “Stars” before we are reminded that “Anything Goes.” Sticking with the era, hearts melted to “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” – the Covid era when all in the theatre world were forced to do so.
Three songs about time, dedicated to her family, emerge deep in the second half. “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” is yearning, “Time After Time” out-Lauper’s Cindy before “Make You Feel My Love” underlines the sentiment.
Appropriately, noting that she does have more time behind now than ahead, “Forever Young” closes act two, setting up a triple encore.
A yodelling country twist followed by a jump to Liverpool for the magical Beatles “In My Life.” Reminding us that that “Those Were The Days”, the standing ovation for Ms LuPone and her two accompanists was prolonged and hugely deserved.
Two history-defining hours in London entertainment. The monkey has nothing further to add.
6 stars. 3 standing ovations given.
Photo credit: Theatremonkey.com. All rights reserved.