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End of The Rainbow
Malvern Theatres
**** THE tumultuous twilight years of Judy
Garland's life make for quite a story with the drugs, boozing, husbands
and most importantly, her acerbic wit. When I say twilight, I'm sadly referring to the
mid-40s as the legendary film star and singer died in London from an
overdose of sleeping pills 12 days after her 47th birthday.. The lead up to that premature death is dramatised
in this beautifully
Moving between their suite in a London hotel and
The Talk Of The Town stage, it's a glamorous, easily adapted set and
shining bright at the centre of it all is actress Lisa Maxwell.
She has impressively mastered Garland’s
mannerisms, addiction and vulnerability, but the talented actress has
years of experience in impression sketches dating back to early on in
her career on the Russ Abbot Show and her own vehicle, The Lisa Maxwell
Show, in 1991. She not only acts
beautifully but recreates Garland's singing voice for the smattering of
songs that intersect the drama, none more poignant than the finale of
Over The Rainbow. The plot focusses on the relationships between
Garland, her lover and gay piano player Anthony Chapman, who idolises
her. Gary Wilmot is well cast as the likeable pianist,
who wants to rescue Garland from the tragic demise he can foresee; while
Sam Attwater adds another dimension to troubled fiancé Deans, who is out
of his depth coping with a self-destructing Garland. There is a lot of swearing and screaming matches,
but it seems true to how Garland would have been as an addict. The script is sharp and filled with gloriously
witty moments, usually at Garland's darkest moments, but that makes the
production feel very fresh. It's as funny as it is sad - which in some ways
finds itself in common with Garland herself - and it's that yo-yo of
emotions that makes for a great show. To 09-04-16. Alison Brinkworth 05-04-16 Lisa Maxwell talks about her role
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crafted
play by Peter Quilter which chronicles Garland's stay in London with
her young fiancé Mickey Deans to perform at The Talk Of The Town
nightclub in the London Hippodrome in 1969.