Stereophonic (2025) (West End)

I missed Stereophonic on Broadway, but we caught it in its West End transfer, which apparently isn't selling so well anymore. We bought seats on the upper rung. We got upgraded to seats in the orchestra because they didn't open the balcony. With the room only half full, we benefited with excellent seats. I loved the single set, two levels, sound-canceling glass in between like a real studio. Sitting at the real sound board, the actors have their back to the audience. The music is written by Will Butler from Arcade Fire. He does a good job at imitating Fleetwood Mac; the band similarly falls apart. The music is actually something I might listen to. I thought there would be applause after the musical numbers but the audience was dead silent until the end. All that said, the play does not need to run 3 hours and 15 minutes. It's way too long for only one intermission/interval, being opera length. 

My Neighbour Totoro (West End) (2025)

My Neighbour Totoro is the classic children's movie by Hayao Miyazaki. The show feels like it's made for children but the audience was mostly adults, who were very into it. The stage adaptation was supervised by the legendary composer Joe Hisaishi, whose iconic score takes center stage second only to the delightful puppetry. We sat on the extreme far right side, next to the conductor, with a significant part of the stage obstructed. It's not a musical but there are a few songs, all sung by an onstage singer rather than the actors. The puppeteers are dressed in black veils, not hidden exactly but inconspicuous. Just like the movie, the show is quite slow. It lavishes in slowness, enjoying the wonder of the visuals and spirituality. There are a few different puppets we see before we catch the first glimpse of Totoro. The sheer size of Totoro is awe-inspiring, matched only by the inflatable cat bus, which as an inflatable isn't as impressive but does elicit laughs. The young children are played by full-grown adults, a 4-year-old to be exact. It's a little weird but honestly quite convincing. It's that Japanese kawaii cutesy anime voice. And the antsy running around. Dad may not admit to liking it but I did hear him react quite a lot. Maybe they're not Lion King-type artistic puppets but they're wondrous in their own way.

Oliver! (2025) (West End)

At the Gielgud Theatre, the seats at the back of the stalls/orchestra are sold as restricted view because of the deepest balcony overhang I've ever seen. For most of Act I, it's not really a problem. But in Act II, we do miss the climax which happens too high above the stage. The other British thing is that you don't get a Playbill on the West End like you do here. Not inherently a problem except the role of Oliver rotates between several kids and I'm not sure which one we saw. I also didn't realize that Oliver isn't technically the lead role. He wasn't even the second billed. Fagin and Nancy take their bows after Oliver. Nancy has the iconic As Long As He Needs Me which Ava Brennan sings powerfully, on Nicole Scherzinger level. I was expecting a showstopper standing ovation but she quickly left the stage to move onto the next thing. The orchestrations are beautiful. Oom Pah Pah and Consider Yourself are also fantastic high-energy scenes. This production by the way is directed by acclaimed choreographer Matthew Bourne. I wasn't all that familiar with the story of Oliver Twist but it's way darker than I expected. I knew he was an orphan but it's quite the downer. Who knew he lived in a funeral parlour and was trapped in a coffin?