Miss Atomic Bomb

[alece10]

Well it just shows that we cant all like the same things.
I went last night and really enjoyed it.
Very funny with some good musical numbers. If I heard the score once more then I think several would stick in my brain.
As my friend said at the end "that was bonkers" which it was and obviously that's the intention, not taking itself seriously, even though the subject matter of atomic bombs is very serious.
Great cast and some powerful voices.
I agree that a bit could be shaved off act 2, probably the slapstick routine with the guns.
Catherine Tate was very funny and her voice more powerful than when she did Assassins at the Menier.
Daniel Boys big number in act 2 was a gem with all the theatre references which only a section of the audience got, seemed to be most of the gays in the audience, and I had to explain it to my friend at the end who hadn't picked up on it at all.
Not sure if it could transfer to the West End but I had a great night.
And who knew that Simon Lipkin could tap!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[showgirl]

I'm definitely in the "positive" contingent on this one. My approach to musicals is different to seeing a play: when I go to see a musical, I'm simply hoping to have good time and I undoubtedly did.

[Steve]

I enjoyed myself. But due to it's diffuse story focus and inconsistent tone, the sum of this sometimes exhilarating, sometimes baffling, new production is less than it's many wonderful parts.

This is a Bing Crosby/Bob Hope Road movie crossed with Dr. Strangelove. Smooth Bing Crosby type, Joey (Dean John Wilson) deserts from the army to join his hapless brother Lou (Simon Lipkin), in Atomic-era Las Vegas. On the way, he meets his Dorothy Lamour, Candy Johnson (Florence Andrews) and falls in love. So when bumbling Lou needs to find contestants for the Miss Atomic Bomb contest, which he is fronting for the mob (ever at risk of having his feet shot off), Joey suggests his new fancy, Candy, for the part. . .

But that's only one take on the story, because this is not a show that settles on who it's lead characters are, or who the principal villains are, or what story it wants to tell.

You could just as easily describe Florence Andrews' Candy as the lead character, a sheep farmer unexpectedly landed with her deceased grandmother's debts, relentlessly pursued by evil debt collector, Mr Potts (Daniel Boys). Her bestie, gawky fashion designer Myra (Catherine Tate) urges her to disown the debts and leave town, but will she?

Is Potts the principal villain? Is it the Mob? Or is it the Army, who are conducting gung-ho atomic tests, while hunting down army-deserter, Joey? The madcap nature of the scattered premise makes it almost impossible to invest in any of the characters. Perhaps that's the point, that all these players are merely pawns in the USA's great game of Atomic Testing, that they all merely shards of the US Government's insane Cold War Atomic propaganda, like in Dr Stangelove?

Certainly the zany tone of the opener, "Atomic City USA," backs that up. And the Act 2 opener, "Cold War" is a marvellous satirical song in this vein, stompingly rhythmically compelling. But, oh, what a hasbeen target for a modern satire? Dr. Strangelove covered this ground 50 years ago, when this was actually topical and daring. It's a shame this musical never makes an effort to draw obvious parallels to all the endless Governmental deceit we are surrounded by today.

Other songs I liked reflect the haphazard tone; entertaining, but jarringly leading in different emotional directions:-
(1)"When Things get Rough" is a sensitive pretty duet, with Florence Andrews and Dean John Wilson singing over each other and together in harmony, as their characters bond and fall in love;
(2) "That Girl (is Miss Atomic Bomb)" is a comic tour de force, especially for Simon Lipkin, who steals the whole show and makes this song a highlight;
(3) "Where There's Sheep, There's Hope" is a silly comic song about sheep, reminiscent of Mel Brooks, rendered as a gospel lament;
(4) "The Sun Went Down" is achingly sincere, a too-late-attempt to give the show a genuine heartfelt resonance, where Florence Andrew's Candy reveals a soul as deep as the well of Andrew's big open eyes;
(5) "Sugar Daddy" is a brilliant comic counterpoint to the tenderness of the "When Things Get Rough" lovesong, a duet to be celebrated by beards everywhere, looking to pretend to the world that they are what they're not, which allows Lipkin, together with Catherine Tate, to hit comic nirvana again.

I loved the acting in this show: Simon Lipkin and Daniel Boys are hilarious, and Florence Andrews is the most sensitive and affecting, ably supported by Dean John-Wilson.

But overall, the story threads meander, none of them gaining the momentum to deliver the comic and emotional pay offs that such sterling songs, and acting, and singing deserve. The overall effect is overload and anticlimax, like a workout where you did ten different exercises for 5 minutes each, and you never quite hit the spot with any of them.

4 star performances in a 3 star musical: 3 and a half stars.

[David J]

Still in the lobby waiting to go in

Some unknown technical error apparently

[David J]

Finally about to start

[David J]

Well when I say about to start...

[David J]

So this started 20 minutes late

I confer with most that this is a zany enjoyable musical with a cast that putting everything into it

The story just lacks focus

The sheep song I could tell was going to be pointless every time the farmer tries to interject with the bad news

Did Catherine Tate's manequinn song go anywhere?

[Steffi]

I was there this afternoon too. I enjoyed it because of some brilliant performances the stand outs for me being Stephane Anelli and Simon Lipkin. Dean Jon Wilson does a good job too. Nice surprise to see David Birrell in the cast too.
The show itself is a bit pointless. Some nice songs but the story just seemed very random.

[terrylondon79]

Really wanted to like this. Just didn't quite work. Feels like the team just couldn't quite get it to work. One of the writers (his first piece) was in front of us the whole time frantically jotting stuff on his ipad. Checked online and it looks like this is now the third version of the show they've put on in less than a week!
Some good songs and after the start where there was a lot of off notes, the cast seemed to hit their stride.
Hopefully they sort our there problems and have success.

[anthony40]

So I caught a performance of this on Thursday night and actually quite enjoyed it.

I didn't know much about it in terms of the story lines, music, etc but was attacked by both the cast and the fact that it was a new musical.

They announce at the off set that this was the 5th preview performance.

I can only echo what a lot of people have already said. It's not perfect but it is a lot of fun. Sure they could trim and tighten Act 2 but all in all, all the cast are working hard, the costumes and dancing were great, sharp and on the era and in terms of the music I found myself tapping my foot. That beard song is just brilliant and HAS to be recorded!

The Miss Atomic Bomb fashion parade is quite amusing.

Whist I understand the role of the professor, I didn't quite get the role of the character with the red spikey wig.

I was sitting in the back row, to the right of the lighting box. With the exception of a seat or two, a full house and it appears to selling extremely well.

Catherine Tate, I liked her. She's a character actress and this role suits her. By the way that IS NOT an Australian accent. it was Southern And her voice actually wasn't too bad.

Simon Lipkin- after seeing him in Rock of Ages, Assassins and The Lorax this actor is really growing on me. He's a solid bloke and seemed to be enjoying himself. He taps (again) who knew?

Daniel Boys with a dodgy wig is suitably smarmy and is a role he's vey good in.

I also Dean John-Wilson and Florence Andrews look good together and vocally are a match

I also liked the projections but for me what was majorly lacking are sets.cast record

For me, tighten up Act 2, chuck some more money on sets and despite Gabriel Vick tweeting it wasn't going to happen, get out a cast recording.

I also arrived at the theatre straight from work incredibly early and whilst I appreciate they want to do the best they possibly can, what was good to see were the cast bonding, and Gabriel Vick running around frantically running though notes with Catherine Tate. Even throughout the show and intermission sitting along side Adam Long, each taking notes.

If you want to meet the cast, and they all seem very friendly and up for it, my recommendation is to either arrive early or just hang around for a bit after the show. I had a pic with Daniel Boys. So good to see him in another show.

[Deleted]

David Birrelll now taken over from Gabriel Vick in a bit of a coup. Really enjoyed this, but second act still a bit of a mess and too long. As much as lI oved the "beard" song, would it matter if it was cut?

[foxa]

Mar 11, 2016 0:18:11 GMT @jeanhunt said:

This didn't quite work for me. It's great fun, but the script quality is wildly uneven across the evening.

Poor Simon Lipkin has to wait AGES for his comedy gold moment, but he seizes it when it comes.

Some lovely voices (not just in the showy roles) and some great choreography. And kudos to the guy who was on after only 3 days' rehearsal!

 Saw this tonight and my thoughts were close to jean's above.  It's a lively show with a hard-working cast (the ensemble are changing costumes every two seconds) but it couldn't decide if it wanted to be satiric or silly and ended up just being the latter.  At the interval I heard a woman in the loo queue saying 'I think I like it - I just don't know what the point of it is.'  

Lipkin's really talented (I loved him in 'Assassins') but I wonder if having his character being injured didn't limit his movement too much.  The staging was a bit odd at times, loads of gyrating ensemble for some numbers and then just plonked down sitting for the duets.  (Maybe I minded that because that's when our view was worst. - we were in the £10 first row seats which were generally great, but a couple of the more static bits weren't blocked to our advantage.)  

It's one for collectors, I think.

[anthony40]

Mar 12, 2016 23:18:14 GMT @frontrowdress said:

As much as lI oved the "beard" song, would it matter if it was cut?

Well, yes it would because not only does it reinforce the conversation had between the two characters but from the joyrides you learn that these two will remain together and establishes the ground rules by which they will now live as individuals and as a 'couple'.

[showgirl]

Mar 12, 2016 18:59:25 GMT anthony40 said:

Catherine Tate, I liked her. She's a character actress and this role suits her. By the way that IS NOT an Australian accent. it was Southern And her voice actually wasn't too bad.

anthony40, I do recognise a Southern US accent when I hear one; I just said that at times Miss Tate's pronunciation sounded more Australian.  Though weren't those 2 characters supposed to come from Utah anyway?

[Deleted]

I was at yesterday's matinee performance too.

Although it did start late, allowances ought to be made for it being in previews. That is, after all, why tickets are reduced prices for previews, because it's still in it's trial stages. That said, the husband overheard one of the creatives  saying to another "That's it. That's the one."

We both thoroughly enjoyed it, and sincerely hope they change their minds about a cast recording. I'd love to have the title song and Sugar Daddy to hear over and over. 

The strongest element here is clearly the exceptional cast. Every one of them is perfect in their roles (although I too felt that Myrna did slip into a Kath & Kim like Australian twang on occasion).

Altoghether we were very happy that we'd seen it, and as we saw Cleansed in the evening, it proved to be a nice counter balance in terms of show! I sincerely hope this transfers at some point, with as much of the original cast as possible (as I know that DJW is moving into Aladdin).

[Deleted]

I really liked it. The story is a bit all over the place but the music is catchy (as most people have said, the "Beard" song is fabulous) and the cast is sensational. Catherine Tate is simply glorious - yes, she's Catherine Tate but she has this absolute star quality about her that's really entrancing and there are few actors around today who have the same talent for hinging a laugh or a tear on the phrasing of a single word. Plus she has a fabulous figure! Simon Lipkin is great and his chemistry with Tate is great, Dean John Wilson is a handsome leading man (I can see him taking all of the Ramin Boogaloo parts in years to come) and Daniel Boys was terrific in a small-ish but scenery chewing performance - very funny. The revelation for me though was Florence Andrews - she's gorgeous in a Miranda Raison way (which is a good thing), a great actress and a knockout singer. I have to say, if Sheridan Smith pulled out of 'Funny Girl' she'd be an absolute sensation as Fanny Brice.

Plus there's a tap routine which is always a bonus in a musical I find. Hoorah!

[alece10]

Mar 14, 2016 9:32:48 GMT @ryan said:

I really liked it. The story is a bit all over the place but the music is catchy (as most people have said, the "Beard" song is fabulous) and the cast is sensational. Catherine Tate is simply glorious - yes, she's Catherine Tate but she has this absolute star quality about her that's really entrancing and there are few actors around today who have the same talent for hinging a laugh or a tear on the phrasing of a single word. Plus she has a fabulous figure! Simon Lipkin is great and his chemistry with Tate is great, Dean John Wilson is a handsome leading man (I can see him taking all of the Ramin Boogaloo parts in years to come) and Daniel Boys was terrific in a small-ish but scenery chewing performance - very funny. The revelation for me though was Florence Andrews - she's gorgeous in a Miranda Raison way (which is a good thing), a great actress and a knockout singer. I have to say, if Sheridan Smith pulled out of 'Funny Girl' she'd be an absolute sensation as Fanny Brice.

Plus there's a tap routine which is always a bonus in a musical I find. Hoorah!

It should be made law that every musical has to have a tap number in it.

[mrbarnaby]

I thought it was a noble mess.

It won't have a life beyond this production as I'm pretty sure the reviews will kill it.

Some good performers having to polish a turd. Too many songs.. All of them sound the same. The lyrics couldn't be heard due to the crazy loud sound.

Florence Andrews has star quality and a great voice.. Maybe she could do SideShow?

Catherine Tate is.. Catherine Tate. I didn't get Aussie from her accent, but it was all over the place. I'm not sure her costumes were very flattering either.. Unless she's pregnant?

I tip my hat to them for trying to do something new.. But I fear it may have been wasted time.

[showgirl]

PN last night. The only review I've seen so far is a grudging 3-star one from Libby Purves, who, incidentally, remarks that Catherine Tate plays her part "with an unaccountable semi-Australian accent and a lot of trademark mugging." She also mentions Oppenheimer - well, if that was the serious version, this is the entertaining one and I know which I enjoyed more.

[alece10]

Oh dear. I feel its all going to end badly.
2 stars from the Daily Mail and 1 star from The Stage.

Well I had a blast (pun intended)

[mrbarnaby]

Sadly I'm not surprised..

[Deleted]

One star from Daddy Shenton in The Stage www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2016/miss-atomic-bomb/

[freckles]

Ouch, Shenton really didn't like that, did he?

I'll make my own mind up when I go in a week or so, I can't believe that cast can be ALL bad.

[Steffi]

I enjoyed this because of the talented cast. Liked the Songs, though the story was quite random and a bit all over the place and some of the jokes seemed forced. But I didn't find it as bad as the reviews make it look. Thought Simon Lipkin, Stephane Anelli and Dean John-Wilson were great and really liked Florence Andrews too. Not too fussed about Catherine Tate I admit. She was good but didn't stand out for me.

[Deleted]

Mar 15, 2016 8:27:08 GMT freckles said:

Ouch, Shenton really didn't like that, did he?

I'll make my own mind up when I go in a week or so, I can't believe that cast can be ALL bad.

Maybe he was too distracted thinking up more ghastly merchandise to slap his and Terri Whatsonit's face on for his website to concentrate properly on the show.