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It's
a musical, and if you like musicals then you'll love it. If musicals
aren't your thing you'll wonder how such a flimsy plot can be strung
out to two and a quarter hours (and then you'll realise how it's through
the use of repetitive songs and fancy dancing).
OK,
so I'm no fan of the musical, but I can see the appeal; the costumes,
the dancing, the singing along, the spectacle of it all. Copacabana
has all of the essential elements, but it isn't one of the most
striking of the genre.
Manilow
admits it was a case of expanding a three minute long 'novelty song
聟 into a two act stage musical'. He did it, but Copacabana
wavers on being bland and the drama doesn't start soon enough.
The
songs aren't as memorable as those in other musicals and the dancing
was out of time occasionally, but audiences for this production
at the Empire will be leaving with smiles on their faces. It's the
old adage: end on a sing-a-long and you're guaranteed the audience
will go home happy.
Capturing
the feel of Broadway in the 1940's is the intention, but the first
act starts slowly, and it isn't until an hour into the show that
the drama really gets going. The second act is much more dramatic
and if you find yourself in a particularly lively audience there
may be some booing and hissing and cheering of the characters.
The
frequent appearance of a translucent stage curtain, reminds the
audience that it isn't just Copacobana, but 'Barry Manilow's Copacobana'
and sadly brings the story into the modern day, with a reminder
of performance rights and copyright laws. Considering that the audience
knows he wrote it, it seems pointless and undermines the fact that
we are supposed to believe in the story created on stage by one
of the characters, not Manilow.
There
aren't any big names or well know faces in the lead roles, but the
show is selling well. And it all bears very little resemblance that
that novelty song. Lola does not yet drink herself half blind, and
Tony is very much a part of her life, but like they say in the script
for Copacobana, no-one would want to go and see that.
Well,
no-one who likes happy, family friendly musicals, anyway.
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