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It seems fitting that a box of delights such as La Cage aux Folles should be showing at the Menier Chocolate Factory. And delightful this production is, leaving one with such a warm feeling that even the January darkness cannot permeate it upon leaving.
George and his lover Albin or 'Zaza' are the owner and star attraction of 'La Cage aux Folles' a drag nightclub attended by '‘Old friends, new faces and old friends with new faces.' When Georges son Jean-Michel falls in love with the daughter of Edward Dindon, the head of the "Tradition, Family and Morality Party," whose stated goal is to close all local drag clubs, George and Albin are asked to hide who they are in order to win the Dindon's over. Although painful, this they attempt to do, and even if it is not as Jean-Michel had intended, somehow a seemingly impossible happy ending is achieved.
Although this sounds as though it could be a sickly sweet tale, it is a triumph of love over cynicism and the production is more akin to a raucous cabaret evening with heart, than a Hollywood love story. This is not to say that it lacks any Hollywood glamour however, with an exquisite yet practical set encompassing a number of locals, glamorous chorus ‘girls' and a lushly romantic score, this piece is nothing if not spectacular.
As soon as we walk in we are welcomed by the charmingly smooth and debonaire George, who leads us into 'We Are What We Are'. This opening number which with it's twirling and sparkling chorus of Cagelles', displaying masculine strength and virility with sequins, peacock smiles and legs that any woman would be jealous of, perfectly sets the tone for the evening. We are in for a treat.
Lynne Page's choreography within the production is a beautiful mix of cabaret rawness and the strength and elegance of ballet, drawing you into a wonderful, vibrant world and. At one point the Chagelles perform a dance dressed as their name sakes. Caged in a gold bird cage but always in control these male ballerinas perform feather tutu poses, perfectly combining breathtaking athleticism and beauty. They are as slender as jaguars and as light as butterflies portraying beauty with a spiky edge.
The live music is also a vital component of the uplifting musical numbers which pepper this piece. Seated on either side of the stage the band push the action onwards in a whirlygig of pleasure, lifting and dipping the mood of the piece beautifully.
In the midst of all these delights however, is the true heart of this story; George and Albin's love for each other and that which they have for George's son, Jean-Michel. It is this which roots this wonderful menagerie of live music, chorus pieces and barbed comedy together. Douglas Hodge and Philip Quast's performances are detailed, flamboyant and yet completely believable; Hodge's fabulous posing, and postures as he delicately and always dramatically drapes himself over George and Quast's wonderful mix of manly restraint and feminine understanding work wonderfully well together. You feel that there is a genuine affection between these two and this translates into one of the most touching songs of the piece, when George sings to Albin to re-assure him with '‘Song On The Sand', their song from long ago.
Terry Johnson has brought together a marvelously vibrant and colourful production and this is the perfect show to lift your spirits in the midst of a very bleak mid winter. When, at the end of it all Albin states: ‘If we have done our job probably you will leave with more than a folded program and torn ticket' I can't help but agree - I certainly did.
