April 12, 2002

West End Theater

I'm back in London, arranging to have our flat renovated, and after working hard all day I look forward to an evening at the theater. In many ways, attending a musical in the West End is like attending a community theater. Not because the quality is amateurish (quite the opposite is true--I think West End theater is far superior to Broadway now, with New York's starstruck emphasis on tv actors and movie stars playing the boards between shoots) but because the actors are so familiar to me. After 15 years, I recognize not only the stars but the chorus line from previous plays, and they begin to feel like old friends, smiling just for me.

Last night I saw "My One and Only," a revival of a Gershwin remake (how's that for degrees of separation?) The songs were written by Gershwin for about half a dozen different plays, and then rearranged for a new story written by Peter Stone about 20 years ago. Now it's been revived on the London stage, and I was delighted to see that my favorite dancer, Tim Flavin, was playing the lead. (I first discovered Flavin in 1985, in a revival of Rodgers and Hart's "On Your Toes." His elegant lines, long legs, and rattattapping were so captivating that I took a train to Hammersmith the following summer to see him in a musical version of "Dracula"!) I also recognized Janie Dee, who won an Olivier for her wonderful Carrie in "Carousel" a few years ago, and three of the original "Five Guys Named Moe" played the Rhythm Boys. And last night I discovered a new "Tim Flavin": Kevin Brewis, a chorus dancer whose high kicks, flamboyant taps, and devilish smile were reminiscent of Tim Flavin 18 years ago. I wasn't surprised to read in the program that Brewis is Flavin's understudy.

Another reason that the West End often feels like community theater is that the theaters themselves are small and cozy, built in the days before mechanical amplification made it possible to fit 2,000 people into cavernous barns. There is an intimacy to London Theater that you don't find anywhere else. Adding to that intimacy is the fact that London actors tend to change clothes quickly after a show ends and then head to a restaurant nearby, so true theater buffs can "eat with the stars," if they want. I've actually had the experience of meeting with an actor before a show and an actress for dinner afterwards. In fact, I should have sent Tim Flavin a note last night. After all, how many people have seen him in "On Your Toes, Kiss Me Kate, Crazy for You, My One and Only, AND Dracula the musical? How many people even know there was a musical Dracula?

Rats. I missed my chance!

This is London, so I'll be seeing a play every night. Hope you enjoy my little theater reviews.

-- Jo Ann Skousen

email: jaskousen@mskousen.com

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