Glorious! at Oxford Playhouse Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Joanna Woodburn
The trailer for Glorious! claimed that Florence Foster Jenkins ‘is about to blow your mind’, and ‘quite possibly your ear drums!’, which was not the usual promise of any production but very apt for this fun and lively revival of Glorious!, which is now showing at the Oxford Playhouse.
Written by Peter Quilter and directed by Kirk Jameson, Glorious! tells the fascinating true story of American socialite, Florence Foster Jenkins who was famously dubbed ‘the worst singer in the world’. A keen soprano singer, what Jenkins lacks in talent, she more than makes up for in self belief, enthusiasm and money as she can afford to put on recitals for invited (and interviewed) audiences to see her unbelievable performances.
The original West End production of Glorious! opened in 2005, starring Maureen Lipman and the story of Florence Foster Jenkins also inspired an acclaimed film adaptation starring Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, the production is now on tour, following a short run at the Hope Mill Theatre.
Florence Foster Jenkins became renowned for her flamboyant costumes, confident performances and terrible singing. Regardless of Florence’s shortcomings, at the heart of this production what comes across is a warmth and a certain admiration for her enthusiasm and dedication. Heartwarmingly, audiences come to love and admire her for her passion and conviction, which culminates in her legendary performance in 1944 at Carnegie Hall. The clever ‘performance within a performance’ concept works well as we, the audience, whilst constantly amused, also form a genuine connection and feel we would all like to be a bit more like Florence!
Wendi Peters is perfectly cast as Florence, delivering a stellar performance full of energy and vigour. It can’t be easy to sing badly in a production on purpose but Peters does so effortlessly and with such skillful precision that those high notes are gloriously wrong and her facial expressions are laugh-out-loud hilarious throughout! Florence’s appeal is enigmatic and we never quite get to the bottom of whether Florence lacks self-awareness or simply chooses to ignore it, perhaps it doesn’t matter in Florence’s world of following your heart.
Matthew James Morrison has charisma and presence as Florence’s new and bewildered pianist, Cosme McMoon. With strong acting, Morrison narrates Florence’s story and strikes just the right balance of sincerity and comic timing, as he comes to feel embraced by her kindness and in turn, becomes protective of her and a true believer.
Alongside the super performances from the hard-working cast and a fascinating story, there is also a cracking pace to the show which draws it all together tightly and adds significantly to its success. As we left the theatre we could still hear the audience chuckling, which is always a good sign of an evening well spent.
Gloriously entertaining and a fitting reminder that we can all have dreams – Glorious! at the Oxford Playhouse is a warm, funny and mood-lifting production.
Rating: 4/5
Glorious! is at the Oxford Playhouse in Oxford from Tuesday 14th to Saturday 18th April, for more information https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/glorious or to book tickets, visit or call the box office on 01865 305305
The Oxford Playhouse, 11-12 Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2LW