End of the Rainbow at the King’s Theatre Glasgow Review
End of the Rainbow
King’s Theatre, Glasgow
26-30 April 2016
Reviewed by Emily Crombie
We were welcomed to the King’s Theatre in Glasgow last night and made to feel at ease with their lovely staff. We were directed to our seats in the Grand Circle with excellent views though I was surprised that it was not a full house on the opening night of End of the Rainbow.
End of the Rainbow is written by Peter Quilter and premiered at the Sydney Opera House in Australia in 2005.
End of the Rainbow is set in the last few months of Judy Garland’s life during the time she is in London for the Talk of the Town tour until her untimely death from an (unintentional) overdose in June 1969 aged only 47.
Born Frances Ethel Gumm in 1922 in Minnesota, Judy and her sisters performed as The Gumm Sisters until 1934 where they changed their name to The Garland Sister and thus Judy Garland was created. I many senses of the word she was a creation of her past, her life being blighted by insecurities over her appearance which lead to her addiction to drugs and alcohol and many attempts to take her own life.
A tragic as the life of Judy Garland was, End of the Rainbow has many light-hearted moments, the favourite of mine being the dog scene… if you see the show you will understand!!
Lisa Maxwell as Judy, Gary Wilmot in the role of pianist, Anthony Chapman and Sam Attwater as Mickey Deans, a club manager who was to become Garland’s fifth husband are on stage for most of the show as it is a small cast of only four. Maxwell was amazing, her expression, comic timing and voice are fantastic as she blasted out many hits such as Get Happy, The Man That Got Away, Me and my Gal and of course Over the Rainbow.
End of the Rainbow is one of the best shows I have seen, a mix of theatre and musical- do go you will not be disappointed!
Rating: 5/5 
Tickets cost from £11.90 to £40.40 (plus £2.85 transaction fee).
End of the Rainbow is at the King’s Theatre in Glasgow until 30 April 2016. For more information or to book tickets click here or call the box office on 0844 871 7648.
King’s Theatre, 297 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4JN | 0844 871 7648
