Thatcher The Musical
It ain't over ‘till the iron lady sings says InSITE reporter Amy Nicholass.
LI didn't know what to expect when I went along to The Courtyard to see the first night of 'Thatcher the Musical'. My fear that it may be a history lesson from hell was exaggerated when I realized that all the audience were much older than me. If you're going to do a musical about anything, the serious figure of the first female Prime Minister wouldn't immediately spring to mind, especially as the formidable lady is still very much alive and kicking! What would be the most fitting entrance for such an iconic lady? Arriving on stage in a giant handbag of course! This was a stroke of creative genius and set the tone for what was to come!
This was no ordinary musical. The all female cast of Foursight Theatre brought a stripped down, fast paced, abstract but impeccably impersonated Margaret Thatcher to life in all her guises. Minimal props and costumes cut down the cheesy glitz and glamour of a typical west end musical, yet the performers were still able to pull at the heart strings with atmospheric lighting, good old fashioned skillful acting and spot on comedy timing.
The performers we so skilled and morphed in and out of characters effortlessly. The small cast wore very simple, navy tank tops and trousers throughout the whole production. Black jackets, bowler hats and handbags were then added to create all of the many characters that played their parts in Margaret's life. Nine of the cast played Thatcher at different stages of her life and I enjoyed the interaction between them as if it was Maggie against the world with only herself for support when things got tough.
You didn’t need to be a student of politics or even a fan of musicals to enjoy this theatre production. I admit some of the ‘in jokes’ went over my head but I could still follow the narrative. I left with slightly sore cheeks from laughing, and a really catchy tune in my head.
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