La Cage aux Folles

La Cage aux Folles has stood the test of time. The original play, written by Jean Poiret in 1973 was adapted into a musical comedy by Harvey Fierstein, with an original score by iconic composer Jerry Herman. The musical won six Tony Awards following its Broadway run in 1983, including Best Musical and Best Score, and includes the recognisable tune I Am What I Am.

The protagonists are Georges and Albin. They are in a loving, gay relationship, but are forced to hide their lifestyle when Georges’ son, Jean-Michele announces that he’s marrying Anne (played by Alexandra Robinson), the daughter of a puritanical and politically active campaigner who seeks to shut down all the drag clubs, including La Cage aux Folles. This multifaceted show takes us inside the glamorous world of La Cage aux Folles located in St Tropez on the French Riviera. It is run by Georges (played by Adrian Zmed from T. J. Hooker and Grease 2), while the love of his life Albin transforms into the dazzling ZaZa the star performer at La Cage, played by the formidable John Partridge.

The play is an intricate mix of musical genius and morality tale looking at the division between parallel hetrosexual and gay worlds, but this separation imposed by an unyielding section of society is disseminated by friendship, love and humour. The raucous laughs from the audience are particularly noticeable in the second half when Georges, Zaza, and the butler, who prefers to be known as the “maid” try to fool Anne’s mum and dad.

The wonderful John Partridge steals the show as the camp Albin (and ZaZa). He was great in Chicago at Norwich Theatre Royal but he outdoes himself in this role, really belting out those show tunes, including the emotionally charged The Best of Times, which he performs with Marti Webb. He also brings a vulnerability to the role when he has to negotiate his partnership with Georges, and there’s a nice chemistry between the actors that makes the story all the more believable.

Marti Webb from Take That Look Off Your Face fame which reached number two in the UK charts, and the star of many other musicals including Evita, plays the part of Jacqueline, the owner of Chez Jacqueline. She is also a cohort of Georges and Albin, so when Anne’s bigoted dad Dindon (played by Paul F Monaghan) or Ding Dong as he’s humorously called, wants to bring down the club and couple, she comes to their rescue. I enjoyably spent the last fifteen minutes of the musical imagining Trump in the role of Ding Dong”

The set is glamorous: the couple’s apartment is stylish and garish with a nude statue that controls the wall lights, there are paintings of naked reclining figures adorning the walls, and the French promenade is chic. At times, we are the audience at La Cage aux Folles watching extravagant cabaret acts and ZaZa sing, look wonderful, and make jokes (with some contemporary offerings thrown in there). And if you let your imagination run away with you, you could really be there, in St Tropez.