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English translation kindly provided by Victoria
It's with a certain trepidation that I learned that the miniscule Menier Chocolate Factory theatre would be putting on La Cage aux Folles as its winter show. I have nothing but excellent memories of what I've seen there, to start with, of course, the grand production of Sunday in the Park with George which will be shown on Broadway in a few months. Then there was The Last Five Years, Little Shop of Horrors and Take Flight.
This production had been cursed from its first days because an important part of the cast was taken ill with a chest infection, which forced the producers to cancel many performances. Today it's still the understudy of Albin who plays the leading role (Douglas Hodges is still on the mend). From the start the official premiere was pushed back from 3rd December to 9th January… this isn't so good for a production who would normally shut their doors 8th March. I have the feeling, however, that the producers want to have all the luck on their side so that the play could eventually have a life in the West End after this series of performances.
And it largely deserves it, since, like everything I've seen in this small theatre, it is of a remarkable quality. It must be said that the subject matter is rich: the play by Jean Poiret became a cult work and the score by Jerry Herman is delicious (ah, the oboe!). La Cage aux Folles has the mark of distinction to have won the Tony Award for the Best Musical Comedy in 1984, along with Sunday in the Park with George, the first work to get people talking about the Menier Chocolate Factory.
The show is so well developed that that there's hardly any negative point to raise. West End veteran Philip Quast is absolutely sensational in the role of Georges. He acts divinely and he sings even better. Spencer Stafford largely rises above the level that one generally expects of an understudy: he is particularly remarkable in 'I Am What I Am' and in 'The Best of Times' (but below par in 'Mascara', my favourite song).
The Cagelles are fabulous: the small size of the theatre creates a quite different rapport with the audience, and they play it very well. They (5 transvestite men and one woman who passes as a male transvestite) are also perfect in their tap dancing number, their can-can and also in the numerous numbers in which they appear. We also have the surprise to see once again see a veteran from the London scene, Una Stubbs, in the role of Madame Dindon.
It was impossible to conceive very sophisticated scenery/props, but the production makes up for that with the magnificence of the costumes. My only reserve though, is the abundance of clothes the men wear without sleeves, which yields to the fashion of very muscley arms, which doesn't suit.
The small orchestra of 6 or 7 musicians succeeds in reproducing the essence of what makes the original orchestration so endearing.
The West End needs a great reprise of La Cage aux Folles. This small production would be perfect.
