(Thu. 16/07/98)

Seeing Whistle was an interesting experience. The brilliant opening of the show "The Vaults of Heaven" made the hair in my neck stand up (great singing by Gerard Bentall).

Then it's as if you sit looking at the movie "Independence Day": a magnificent "flying" set by Peter J. Davison marks the difference between the children's playground and the "grown ups".

Swallow, played by Lottie Mayor, sings some great songs in the first act (e.g. Whistle Down the Wind, If Only), with as far as I can judge an authentic slang of Louisiana. James Graeme as her father Boone was a bit disappointing, mainly because his voice showed no strength at all. Walter Reynolds sings a wonderful (sort of Poppa's Blues of Starlight Express) number "Cold".

The Man, played by Marcus Lovett (who looks just like Davis Gaines) has a great number "Nature of the Beast" (which has been moved from the Finale of the 2nd act to his first number). He doesn't deliver it as well as I imagine it can be, but you get the feeling of hearing "Memory" for the first time. It will become a standard song for many singers !

The children are surprisingly good and give the show an unseen freshness and authenticity. "When Children Rule the World" is a tune you'l be whistling days after you've seen the show. I especially liked "Annie Christmas", which is a brilliant mixture of good lyrics, good acting and a great tune.

The finale to act 1 is another showstopper, although I have the feeling it comes a bit too early.

The 2nd act is more consistent and has more coherent numbers, with a trio (Amos, played by understudy Mark Powell, Swallow and The Man), called "A Kiss is a Terrible Thing to Waste" wich will go into musical theatre history !

"Wrestle With the Devil" (with 4 live snakes) failed to hold my attention and the last love duet between Swallow and The Man doesn't feel right at all.

The ending of the show is brilliant in its simplicity (although the "Fire Scene" is quite stunning and spectacular) and the last images are really great.

I still feel the show needs some reworking (maybe the parts of Amos and Candy should be made clearer) and the overall rythme of the show could be more stable.

Anyway, I think you should see this, because you'll be in for a totally different aspect of Lloyd Webber !

(Tuesday eve (15/09/98)

I saw Whistle Down the Wind again. I sat a bit more in the middle of the Stalls, which is better to see the people on top of the platform, but you miss a bit of the detail you get from sitting in the first rows. Anyway, Marcus Lovett and Lottie Mayor were both on that night and I must say, they were in much better voice than last July. I heard the cast album was taped this week, and I’m really looking forward to it.

I saw Dean Collinson this time as Amos, who has a nice voice and really looks the part. Candy was played by understudy Louise Marshall, who has a great voice (very deep as well) and it’s a pity she isn’t really a beauty, but she was great.

Jim Graeme was Boone and Walter Reynolds was Edward again. They were both very good, especially Jim was in good voice this time.

Unfortunately Rohan Tickell was singing “Vaults of Heaven” this time and it was simply awful. He shouldn’t be singing this great song.

Anyway, as far as I can see, there are no new things or changes, so I think Lord Webber thinks the show is as fine as it can get now, but I don’t think it has the best book in the West End (to say the least), and some things are pretty dull, but Marcus really is doing a great job, although he has not the most beautiful voice in the world. It’s still sold out, so I think it may have a bit of a future in London, but is it a Hit ? No !

(Thursday 4th March eve): Marcus Lovett, Lottie Mayor, Dean Collinson, Veronica Hart, Jim Graeme, Walter Reynolds.

This was my third visit to see Whistle, this time from the Front Row. The opening has been changed now, to have the Gospel flavour Tom Jones puts in on the "Songs from Whistle" album. I can't say I'm really happy about that. "Cold" has been restaged as well, with a very nice dance number in it now. Actually, most of the show is restaged, with the most obvious changes now in the Nature of the Beast, where Swallow is now almost on the edge of being raped by the Man. Very interesting !

I must stress the fact that Lottie keeps getting better and better as Swallow: really very very moving and incredibly well sung now. Brava ! Marcus was having a bad night, not really going for it, and he was joking with the kids in the Finale to Act 1. The voice was incredible though... Dean was doing Amos a bit differently now, and really giving a very nice performance ("Kiss is a terrible thing" was wonderful). Veronica Hart was simply amazing again as Candy, and really makes "Tire Tracks" one of the highlights of the show. Graeme did Boone in a very sympathetic way, and he makes the confrontation with Swallow near the end a real showstopper... Walter Reynolds has a voice like a rock and just keeps getting better. Other notable performances by John Turner as the Sheriff, Louise Marshall (now in the kids songs, understudying Vikki Coote) and Carol Duffy.

I can't wait for the cast album to come out, which should be on the 29th March.

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