Reviews: Grand Hotel at the Southwark Playhouse

A reviews round-up for Grand Hotel at the Southwark Playhouse.

Grand Hotel is the surprise hit of the season. A minor-musical with a chequered history, the Southwark Playhouse revival of Grand Hotel, under Thom Southerland’s direction has style, speed and in the tiny space of the Southwark Playhouse manages to give the allusion of the hustle and bustle of a deluxe Berlin Hotel.

Lee Proud’s fabulous choreography keeps the show moving with a great opening number followed by a Foxtrot and Charleston which memorably evokes the style and largess of the roaring 20’s. Given the 17 strong cast, there is little opportunity to develop characters fully however the very nature of hotel’s and their revolving guests is that you are only ever see snapshots. The cast are excellent with notable performances from Scott Garnham, Christine Grimandi and George Rae. Sound at the Southwark Playhouse has always been an issue but thankfully Sound Designer Andrew Johnson has cracked it and I could hear every line. Grand Hotel is definitely worth seeing!

Grand Hotel plays a strictly limited season from 31 July 2015 until 5 September 2015 at the Southwark Playhouse.

Average rating score for this production

REVIEWS ROUND-UP

“staged with glittering panache, perfectly drilled dance, stunning vocals and stylish direction”

“slick staging and excellent cast, up close and personal like a luxurious night of room service”

“an exhilarating production”

“first-rate work…a sophisticated, melancholy snapshot of turbulent lives”

“the determined euphoria of the foxtrots and the febrile sang froid of the charlestons summon up a world of frantic hedonism, dangerously balanced on the brink of a crash”

“magnificent…an absolutely unmissable fringe take on an ambitious Broadway musical”

“everything is glorious”

“The pocket size of Southwark Playhouse makes this more of a budget B&B with one chandelier than a truly grand hotel, but it is to the director Thom Southerland’s great credit that this musical, based on the 1932 movie starring Greta Garbo, still makes a huge impact.”