Manchester Theatre News & Reviews

REVIEW - Judy & Liza is joyous, emotional and everything a bio-musical should be

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On Wednesday, we were invited to Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester to see Judy & Liza. See what our reviewer, Lizzie Johnston thought about this superb show...

Judy & Liza, just by the name you’d probably know what to expect, and when I was invited along, I knew it wouldn’t be one to miss. The silver screen icons, Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli, have to be two of the most recognisable names with films that have played a key part in our childhoods - mine anyway! The mother-daughter duo is one of a kind and loved by so many, it was no surprise the varied ages of audience members who were in attendance on Wednesday.

When it comes to shows like Judy & Liza, my one hope is always that the actors do a good job playing them, and that it doesn’t become an impressions show. With these two as the characters, it could have easily become that way - but it really didn’t!

The show, which is now in its tenth year, reunites the duo as they tell the turbulent tales of their lives as Hollywood’s biggest stars against the backdrop of their infamous 1964 London Palladium concert. The way the story is told felt really organic, particularly between the mother-daughter duo, as they used a photo album to pick out their memories and iconic roles.

The set itself was nothing over-the-stop but it was glamorous enough for the production. A raised stage with lights sat in the middle with two microphones on either side, a bar stool was placed on one side of the stage and a travel trunk on the other. The backdrop was a shimmery gold curtain with a screen in the middle which showed the images from the photo album as well as iconic movie clips. It really brought to life the whole show, touching on what you would have expected the London Palladium show to be like, not forgetting the nods to all the glitz and glamour of the time.

Helen Sheals (Judy!, Merry Wives, Downton Abbey) takes on the role of Judy Garland, one she’s familiar with after playing her in the West End musical Judy! At The Arts Theatre. Paired together with Emma Dears (Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Grease) as Liza Minnelli, the duo were an absolute powerhouse! Their voices were spectacular and really had the right tone to play Judy and Liza, which just mad the whole thing feel special. Their chemistry was also brilliant which was the true heart of the show, they could be a real mother-daughter duo without question.

I can’t not mention the main part of the show - the songs, and my goodness what a great selection! Their greatest hits were included throughout, such as Over The Rainbow, Caberet, Maybe This Time, and plenty of others. The script was written to showcase the behind the scenes of their lives during the times of their success, with tales of The Wizard of Oz and Caberet, which I just loved.

I can’t ever watch anything about Judy Garland’s life and not think about how tragic it was and the production’s storytelling of her tough times was heartbreaking and thought-provoking. I overheard a gentleman on my way out describe the show as “chilling”, which I completely agree with.

Hope Mill Theatre is the perfect location for a show like this as it allows it to flourish at a smaller, more intimate scale, making it feel like an even more special experience. The format of the show felt almost like a cabaret and both Judy and Liza interacted with the audience at several points, which showed they never lost the audience’s attention.

Judy & Liza is a standout show and a great production for any lover of the silver screen. I’ve been singing the songs ever since and it’s left me planning a Judy & Liza movie marathon! It’s joyous and emotional, everything a bio-musical should be.

WE SCORE JUDY & LIZA...