Allegra at Richmond Theatre Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Debbie Kingsland
Firstly Richmond Theatre is absolutely beautiful and has over 100 years of history. If you are looking to book choose middle seats, we had end of row seats and had limited vision to the right hand side of the stage. We also found it difficult to hear at some points during the show but this did not stop us having a fabulous time.
Allegra was written by Peter Quilter who Maureen is a close friend to and have previously worked together in the past in plays such as Rose. Directed and choreographed by Stephen Mear who has many awards from directing plays such as Hello Dolly and Funny Girl and his expert skills really shine through in this production. Maureen worked with Stephen previously in his production of Oklahoma in 1998 and they have remained close colleagues ever since.
The play is uplifting, funny, witty and portrays the wonderful real and imaginative colourful life of an elderly woman that found happiness in music and singing and refused to have her light dimmed by anyone who she came into contact with. This could be the local police station who received numerous complaints from her neighbours and shops alike. Sometimes her devoted brother Ronen and carer Anna happily joined in with her theatrical behaviour and other times they were frustrated at how to tame her unashamedly bouts of singing. She really has no boundaries or self consciousness and is almost childlike.
All of the songs were ones that most of us would know so it was great to sing along at some parts of the play. Singin’ in the Rain, Happy Days are Here Again and Dream a Little Dream Of Me were just a few I remember.
There are only four actors in the play but they worked tirelessly to entertain and were equally funny throughout the show which became infectious with continual roars of laughter and rounds of applause.
Staring with the iconic Dame Maureen Lipman who plays Allegra who they could not have picked a more perfect fit. Everyone was in awe of her energy and at eighty years of age she moves with the agility of a woman less than half her age. She has starred in theatre and TV since 1967. Maureen may be remembered in 1987 where did the BT advert as a Jewish grandmother whose grandson failed his exams she responded with “He gets an ology and says he’s failed… you get an ology, you’re a scientist.” This was where mine and others may have first fell in love with Maureen’s humour. From then on she played various roles including Lillian in Coronation Street.
The other actors were John Middleton who plays Ronen who you may remember from being the Vicar in Emmerdale. Elizabeth Bower who plays Anna and has been in Mid Summer Murders to name a few. Patrick Bailey who plays Officer Rogers who has been in TV shows such as Casualty and East Enders
Rating: 4/5 due to seats
In my opinion the show would be best suited to 40 plus age group and that was the main demographics of the audience
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Where to purchase tickets – https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/allegra/
Ticket prices –
Show duration – Two and a half hours with a twenty minute intermission.
Dates – until Saturday 13th June at Richmond theatre
Accessibility – limited seating for wheelchair users so worth calling in advance as no lifts.
Times – Matinee 14:30 Tuesday and Sat and evening performances 19:30 Tuesday to Saturday.
Ticket prices from £15.50 – £26
Getting there – 5 – 10 minutes’ walk from Richmond station.
The venue has both a bar and a waiter service bar too along with refreshments and small shop but there are 100’s of restaurants and bars within a couple of minutes walking distance.
Other dates – Glasgow 22nd – 27th June and London 8th July to 8th August.