The Upcoming
  • Cinema & Tv
    • Movie reviews
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Show reviews
  • Music
    • Live music
  • Food & Drinks
    • News & Features
    • Restaurant & bar reviews
    • Interviews & Recipes
  • Theatre
  • Art
  • Travel & Lifestyle
  • Literature
  • Fashion & Beauty
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Competitions
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureTheatre

Dogfight at Southwark Playhouse

Dogfight at Southwark Playhouse | Theatre review
14 August 2014
Sarah Milton
Avatar
Sarah Milton
14 August 2014

Tarento Productions does it again – brings a storming, relevant, fresh piece of theatre to the Southwark Playhouse dotted with electrifying new talent and edge. This time, after the success of the Titanic musical last year, is European premiere of musical Dogfight.dogfightboys

Set in 1963, the night before a group of young marines are deployed to Vietnam, we meet the three Bs – Eddie Birdlace (Jamie Muscato), Boland (Cellen Chugg Jones) and Bernstein (Nicholas Corre): a trio of friends who take part in a final night of debauchery by bringing the ugliest girl they can find to the party to win a pot of money. Corre’s virginal Bernstein stirs an empathy in his enthusiasm and naivety in his final jumps to manhood. Chugg Jones’ Boland is aggressive and hungry, and his energy as a performer informs the pressure to conform for the other lads.

Muscato’s Birdlace is terrific, what a journey this character has, and Muscato eloquently finds his strength in every step. The chemistry developed on stage with the most sensational debut performance from leading female Rose (Laura Jane Matthewson) is heart-warming and -breaking all at once. Matthewson’s accomplished vocal and lyrical grace swells on stage with sensitivity and elegance.

Fluid choreography and apt direction from Lucie Pankhurst and Matt Ryan ensures the show weaves without a blip. Musical director George Dyer has hosted a band that play with the show, rather than for it and this is soothingly complementary and charming. The ensemble are just exquisite, with some lovely moments from Emily Olive Boyd and Joshua Dowen particularly.

Despite some muffled sound with dialogue in some places of play, assuming this is just a technical hitch, just serves as a reminder that this is live theatre and the fact that this ensemble has come together and created such power and truth is a testimony to the entire team. The second act feels that it could be fleshed out a little writing-wise, particularly when we see the Marines in Vietnam, but this is minor – Benj Pasek and Justin Paul’s music and lyrics are nothing short of beautiful and Peter Duchan’s script is littered with charm, hope, bite, humour and heartbreak all at the appropriate intervals. A true triumph.

★★★★★
 

Sarah Milton

Dogfight is on at Southwark Playhouse until 13th September 2014, for further information or to book visit here.

Watch lead actress Laura Jane Matthewson perform Pretty Funny here:

Related Itemsdogfightfreshrelevantreviewstormingtheatre

More in Theatre

Beauty and the Beast: The Musical at London Palladium

★★★★★
Cristiana Ferrauti
Read More

Evelyn at Southwark Playhouse

★★★★★
Jim Compton-Hall
Read More

Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World at Theatre Royal Stratford East

★★★★★
Natallia Pearmain
Read More

King Lear at Shakespeare’s Globe

★★★★★
Michael Higgs
Read More

This Is Not Who I Am/Rapture at the Royal Court Theatre

★★★★★
Jessica Wall
Read More

“Flamenco is a race where there is no end – you never stop learning”: An interview with Manuel Liñán on ¡Viva! at the Sadler’s Wells Flamenco Festival 2022

Jessica Wall
Read More

Jitney at the Old Vic

★★★★★
Jonathan Marshall
Read More

“The fact a play as relevant as Jitney is not known outside of the US is criminal”: An interview with Sule Rimi on starring in August Wilson’s Jitney at the Old Vic

Jonathan Marshall
Read More

The Car Man at the Royal Albert Hall

★★★★★
Jim Compton-Hall
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Theatre review

Dates

8th August - 13th September 2014

Price

£12-£22

Links & directions

WebsiteMap

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Africa Fashion at the V&A
    ★★★★★
    Art
  • Beauty and the Beast: The Musical at London Palladium
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Netflix Walking Tour: From Bridgerton to The Crown, a free walking tour through the filming locations
    Cinema & Tv
  • St Vincent at the Hammersmith Apollo
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Minions: The Rise of Gru
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • The Railway Children Return
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Eric Ravilious: Drawn to War
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Beauty and the Beast: The Musical at London Palladium
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • The Terminal List
    ★★★★★
    amazon
  • Baymax!
    ★★★★★
    disney
  • The Railway Children Return
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Beauty and the Beast: The Musical at London Palladium
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • St Vincent at the Hammersmith Apollo
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Netflix Walking Tour: From Bridgerton to The Crown, a free walking tour through the filming locations
    Cinema & Tv
  • Africa Fashion at the V&A
    ★★★★★
    Art
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why
With the support from:
International driving license

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

The Duchess of Malfi at the New Diorama | Theatre review
Childhood – Lacuna | Album review