WEST SIDE STORY
Nottingham Theatre Royal

This will probably be one of my shorter reviews.Billed on the posters as the No.1 musical of all time, I'm very tempted to agree with that statement (I do still love "Blood Brothers"). Every one knows that this is based on "Romeo & Juliet" and the story of turf wars, prejudice and of course love across the barricades. Now I've got the story out of the way, let's get down to the nitty gritty!

I've seen a few versions of "West Side Story" and this is the best I've ever seen. Apart from a prop that wanted to upstage the unknown stars of this show, this musical was practically perfect.

A great set, amazing lighting, beautiful music, the mix of orchestra volume and singers volume was practically perfect, strong but passionate voices, fantastic choreography, some of the best accents for the Peurto Rican characters I have ever heard, so hats off to the voice coaches! The dancing was just out of this world, so tight, what choreography. Obviously the songs are some of best written for a musical by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Classics like "Tonight", "Maria", "Somewhere", "One Hand One Heart", "America", "I Feel Pretty" and of course the comic song "Gee Officer Krupke"

Maria is played by Katie Hall who has just the most amazing operatic voice which had you hanging on to her every note. Tony, Maria's short lived love is a star to look out for in Louis Maskell. Louis again has one of those voices that you could listen to all night and has an amazing control over his long notes, easily switching from the powerful notes to the whispery vocals in the song "Maria".

The gorgeous Dialenga Scott plays Anita, the fiesty girlfriend of Bernardo, played by Javier Cid. Some eye candy for both men and women! Riff is played by a young John Barrowman lookalike, Jack Wilcox.Cracking voices all round.

This musical is technically one of the best that I've seen, one of the most enjoyable with equal amounts of passion and comedy, and as I said earlier, probably the No.1 musical ever. there's nothing to nit pick or find fault with here.

I have it on good authority that tickets for two weeks that "West Side Story" is in Nottingham are scarce, and I can see why, so get your tickets fast as it's here until Saturday 17 May 2014. It's one NOT to miss this year!