Hey Hobos,
My friend Donal has send in this fabulous review that, I’m aware I’ve placed in the ‘musical’ caragory because I can’t put it in any of the others, sorry. I need a theatre catagory. I’ve got a crazy week so I will put this in the proper review format over NEXT week, I’m really sorry!! Anyway, here goes!! Thanks Donal!
Jo x
Name of Show: End of the Rainbow
Date: 3rd March
Starring: Tracie Bennett (Judy Garland), Hilton McRae (Anthony), Stephen Hagen (Mickey Deans).
Theatre: Trafalfar Studios 1, London
Seat: Stalls E25
Seat Review: Excellent. There’s only one level and the seat rake is very high so perfect views where ever you sit.
Seat Price: £29.50 (Standby ticket)
Visit Number: 3rd
Recommend: Yes, outstanding performances expecially by Tracie Bennett.
Rating out of 10: 10/10
Describe it in 5 words: Heartbreaking, Tragic, Witty, Sad, Moving.
Donal’s Review:
End of the Rainbow is the story of Judy Garland during a 5 month tour of London in 1968, the last year of her life and ultimately her downfall from a lifetime of drink and drug addiction.
It opens with Judy (Tracie Bennett) arriving in her hotel room at the Ritz with fiance Mickey Deans (Stephen Hagan) and pianist friend Anthony (Hilton McRae). The play opens with a very highly strung Judy complaining that the room is too small and that it’s shrunk. There are many comedy moments including a hilarious scene where an acid tongued Judy throws a ton of expletives at the hotel manager over the phone after he complains about her not paying the bill. She then orders Mickey out on the streets of London to get her some roast beef – “just drive around until you smell gravy!”. We learn that “Judy’s back!” to which a bewildered Anthony adds “again!”.
It isn’t long though before we see what an emotional and physical wreck Judy really is as she frantically pulls the room apart searching for booze and drugs. “Whenever I drink water I feel I’m missing out on something. There must be a pill somewhere” and we begin to see what a pitiful and tragic figure she really is. We learn about how she was used and abused by her previous husbands and ultimately her desperate need to be loved. Anthony asks her “do you miss them?” to which Judy replies “No, I miss being loved”. We see that despite the fact that she was adored by millions of fans, she has never received the unconditional love she has always craved.
Each scene of Judy’s utter desperation, fear and loneliness is balanced by her razor sharp humour, wit and sarcasm. When trying to decide which shoes to wear for her show Mickey tells her to wear the brown ones he bought her, to which Judy replies “I gave them to the maid and even she hated them!”. We learn about her growing dependency on drugs to help her sleep and sing and how easy it was for her to obtain these. Even as we learn all this, it is all punctuated by her sharp wit – “uppers, downers all washed down with alcohol, you could have plugged me in and powered Manhattan!”. We learn more about the explosive relationship between Judy and Mickey as he tries to keep her off the drink and pills and how Judy has never had any control over her own life. “When was it ever about what I want? Even my own mother insisted I took everything they gave me”. Once again a pitiful Judy reminds us of her need to be loved – “people never stay around, they go when I’m not even looking. I don’t need it to happen again, I won’t lose you, will I?”.
Eventually Mickey in his desperation to get Judy back on the stage at any cost, ultimately her life starts supplying her with pills. After Anthony discovers that Judy is back on the pills he tells her “you’re on your own up there now” to which Judy replies “I’m always on my own up there”. Judy high on drugs finishes the shows and as she experiences the worst coming down ever vows that she’s never taking pills again. In a very moving scene between Judy and Anthony they discuss living together. Anthony tells Judy that he can provide her with unconditional love. They’ll stay inside, comfortable, watching the waves, looking out at the world. “You’ll be happy”. This one heartbreaking scene where Judy really dreams that she can live a normal life and be unconditionally loved by another human being is interrupted by an increasingly manipulative and controlling Mickey to which Judy informs him “Anthony and I were just saying goodbye”. Did we just catch a fleeting glimpse of the real Judy Garland?
As we learn about Judy’s death from a drug overdose, time rewinds back to an interview Judy gave to the BBC where the interviewer informs her that she will live forever through her music. Judy responds “Well you know, immortality would be very nice. Yes, I like that. Immortality might just make up for everything”.
End of the Rainbow is one of the most heartbreaking plays I have ever seen. You actually want to cry for Judy as you experience her highs and lows from years of drug abuse, how she was manipulated and abused by everyone in her life who should have cared for her, how she yearned for a normal life where she could be loved for herself, where she could control her life and destiny and you wonder what extra greatness she could have achieved had she lived longer. The performances are flawless. Tracie Bennett doesn’t act the part of Judy, it’s like she has been possessed by Judy and basically is her. Amazing acting. Hilton McRae is excellent as the long suffering Anthony and Stephen Hagan very good as initial protector but ultimate manipulative 4th (or is it 5th?) husband. The performances are accompanied by Judy singing some of her most famous songs such as “The man that got away”, “I can’t give you anything but love” and “Over the Rainbow”. The amount of energy that Tracie puts into each performance (both acting and singing) is nothing short of phenomenal. Go see it before it closes!
