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For this production the Chocolate Factory has metamorphosized into a transvestite nightclub in 1980's St. Tropez called La Cage Aux Folles. You walk through a narrow corridor lined in crimson velvet and then enter the "club" to find chairs and tables at the front (for the ultra brave) and a mass of velvet swags and tails and ruched hot pink nylon.
Georges (Philip Quast) and Albin (Douglas Hodge), a couple who have been together 20 years, run the club. Georges is the smooth compere and Albin, an aging diva, is the star of the show but tonight there are problems. Georges' 24 year old son (whom they have both raised as their own) wants to get married - to a woman. As if that's not bad enough, his fiancée's father is an eminent Politian who's party loathes gays and anything vaguely untraditional. Albin, with his wiggles, flounces and coquettish ways, has got to go (or at least hide for 24 hours) along with any evidence of their gay lifestyle until the parental visit is over. But who's going to be brave enough to tell Albin?
This is a wonderful show for so many different reasons.
"Les Cagelles" (the transvestite dancers) look wonderful and are so talented. The choreography is some of the most challenging I've ever seen but whether it's modern, tap or the cancan, they make it all look effortless.
I loved the attention to detail in the staging and lighting - it was like looking at a living, breathing Toulouse Lautrec painting as they danced the cancan whilst the footlights cast absinthe green shadows on their faces.
The songs are great "I am what I am" being the best known and the book is laugh out loud funny.
Philip Quast is perfect as the smooth but somewhat weary Georges who continues to love Albin who is more high maintenance than an army of Hollywood "A" listers. Quast has the smoothest, richest voice that just makes you want to melt (I remember him bringing a tear to my eye in South Pacific at the National).
Douglas Hodge really succeeds in making Albin his own. He managed to look different throughout the musical, sometimes putting me in mind of Diana Dors and towards the end looking like an aging Princess Diana on acid. Through his performance you see that this is not really a play about being gay, it's about getting old, feeling insecure, being brave enough to be yourself and finding out who loves you and who you love.
