An Inside Look: Falsettos at The Other Palace (London)
Last week, I had the chance to see Falsettos at The Other Palace in the heart of London! Falsettos is personally one of my favorite musicals, so I went into the theatre with high expectations (which were absolutely met). The show was sprinkled with vulnerability, touching moments, and pure theatrical magic.
At a Glance
🗺️ Location: London, England
📍 Venue: The Other Palace➝
📅 Dates: 8/30/2019–11/23/2019
🎭 Type of Show: Musical
🌐 Language: English
⏰ Runtime: 2hrs 40min
About Falsettos
Falsettos tells the story of a small family who goes through a string of breakups, familial changes, personality clashes, and power shifts as they each individually struggle to create happy lives for themselves.
Before the show started, the set was entirely black and white with colorless frames as a backdrop. But the moment the show started, color spilled into the frames. Throughout the show, video was also used to impose images into the frames that were hanging all around the set. And in a slight resemblance to the 2016 Broadway production, simple boxes were used throughout the night to create the furniture and props.
The cast as a whole was strong and worked seamlessly together. Daniel Boys was a vulnerable and believable Marvin, and Joel Montague a hilarious yet slightly smug Mendel. James Williams played a perfectly charming and loveable Jason.
One of the standout moments of the musical was Laura Pitt-Pulford’s rendition of “I’m Breaking Down”. Every moment was filled with honesty and beautifully suppressed rage. Somebody “give this girl her crown”!
Another fun surprise was the stunning performance by Natasha J Barnes and Gemma Knight Jones in Act II. Natasha is as cute as it gets in her portrayal of Cordelia. And Gemma’s professionalism as Charlotte was the perfect contrast for their relatable relationship. And a special little shoutout to PJ McEvoy for their ADORABLE costumes.
But the highlight of the entire night came right after the bows, when we found out that it was not only Matthew McKenna’s first time playing Whizzer as the standby, but that he basically learned the entire part that morning. The audience was on their feet and in tears, which was just the cherry on top of an already wonderful show.
About The Other Palace
The Other Palace officially opened in February 2017 and has since become known as the “home of musical theatre.” Alongside its main stage, the theatre also has a Studio for more intimate productions. One of its core values is creating a welcoming environment for everyone, while also providing a space where the next generation of theatre makers can develop and be celebrated.
What to Know Before You Go
The Other Palace is an intimate and well-designed venue, so almost all of the seats are going to give you a great experience.
The Other Gin Palace offers drinks and and snacks for you to enjoy either before or after the show. During our visit, they were even serving special Falsettos-themed cocktails!
* The featured image is by The Standout Company➝.
* A special thanks to The Other Palace for the invitation to the show!
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Author: Stacy Karyn
Stacy Karyn is the founder of Theatre Trip and the author of The Thespian’s Bucket List. She is also the creator of The Cast Album List. Her background includes a BA in Theatre, a TESOL Drama certificate, and professional experience in Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.
