What Sophie Said

I’m going to start by laying my cards on the table: I was not a huge fan of The Bodyguard the musical.  What I did like and enjoy was a tribute to Whitney Houston featuring one of my very favourite voices, Beverley Knight. I know people absolutely love this musical and I desperately wanted to feel the same way but I just didn’t. I came away happy because I saw Beverley Knight and Rachel John perform stunning renditions of classic songs. That was the part I loved. Beverley Knight (Rachel Marron) is a firm favourite of mine, a position confirmed further when I saw her in Memphis  last year. In Memphis her character, her songs and the rest of the cast were all fantastic. In this, she is one of only a couple of standouts, and the beauty of her role is not so much in the acting as it is in the music. She is a star, and she performs the role of a star well. One Moment in Time had me in tears, and I Will Always Love You was breath-taking. Rachel John (who, in fact, w...

As soon as I heard tickets for Tim Minchin’s latest project, Groundhog Day, had been released, I bought my ticket. I’ve not actually seen the classic film, so my thoughts are based on the musical as a standalone, having known nothing about the story. I have really mixed feelings about the show, which overall are very positive but with a few question marks left over. I’m going to start with the less positive thoughts and move through to the highlights. Firstly, it really was ‘a show of two halves’. Act One was fantastic: slick, laugh-out-loud funny, great staging and we spent the interval talking about how brilliantly the show had been done. Act Two retained the feeling of the show but felt incomplete. I think for me this was partly because I just wasn’t the biggest fan of the story. I like the concept but the context is a little odd and I found it very hard to identify with many characters. Even the main character I really enjoyed watching and thought it was played brilliantly...

I think I enjoyed my second visit to Matilda the Musical even more than my first a few years ago. I was worried that because I loved it so much first time round I’d have built it up too much, but it was every bit as brilliant as I remembered. I also saw it from a completely different perspective this time, sitting on the third row, rather than up at the top back of the theatre. I often describe Tim Minchin as a Roald Dahl for grown-ups, and I think his input is part of what makes the show so fantastic. It feels so authentically ‘Roald Dahl’, yet adds even more layers. The musical is all about Matilda’s love of stories and storytelling and I think this is what makes it so magical. The wordplay is very clever, and the lyrics fantastic. Just listen to ‘The School Song’, preferably watching clips to see the staging, and you’ll see just how clever every moment of the show is. What I love most about the musical is the added depth, and the story of the escapologist’s d...

I knew I was excited about seeing The Jungle Book. It surpassed all my expectations. Last night, I went to see the new film of The Jungle Book, both excited and apprehensive. The Jungle Book was THE film for me when I was younger. I watched it again and again. The new version could have been incredible or a disappointment. It was incredible. Visually, the film is just stunning. The shots of the jungle landscape, the animals, the huge expanses of land and tiny details of the jungle are beautiful. I loved the camera angles, pulling together sweeping shots of the landscape and jumpier shots, sometimes seen through the eyes of Mowgli, which built the moments of tension. The way the animals have been done is phenomenal. I have no idea how the CGI techniques work but they were all so convincing, and the way their mouths moved when speaking fit perfectly with the rest of the animal. Every face had a personality, and the movements of each animal were so majestic. Clearly a lot of ...

A few weeks ago, I had one of my very favourite weekends in a long time. The setting was Hertfordshire, activities included the Harry Potter Studio Tour and a wildlife park, and the sun had got its hat on. The venue was De Vere Theobalds Park Hotel, in Cheshunt, and that's what I'm writing about today. The approach was beautiful, with a long tree-lined drive leading up to a building which looked almost castle-like. It was a beautiful building, and set in lush, green grounds. The one thing I will say, which was a recurring theme, is the whole hotel needs a little bit of love. It was one of those places which feels like it maybe looked incredible 10 years ago, but little details are being ignored. Take the room, for example. The bed was big and comfy, it had all the usual comforts, but there were marks on the bedhead and around the TV that just made it all look a bit worn. There was also a tear in one of the towels in the bathroom, which I wasn't too impressed...

A few weeks ago, the New Wimbledon Theatre played host to my second viewing of Avenue Q. Currently touring the UK, the quirky, lively and hilarious show is as memorable as when I first saw it four or five years ago. It has a very distinctive style, and is so different to anything else mainly down to the innovative use of puppets. The actors, in blacks, are clearly visible - indeed, some characters have no puppet - but the puppetry and story are so fantastic you completely lose sight of the people operating them. The story follows Princeton, a fresh graduate with big dreams, and the people who live around him in his new home on Avenue Q. Touching on love, sex, racism, alcohol, homophobia and discovering who you are, the show leaves no stone unturned. With songs such as 'Everyone's a Little Bit Racist' and 'You Can Be As Loud As The Hell You Want (When You're Making Love)', Avenue Q is daring, outrageous, and has the audience in stitches. I felt the shock...

A couple of weeks ago, we headed for a weekend stay at The Lodge Hotel, Putney. Booked in December as part of a Christmas gift, there had been plenty of time to get excited about it! The hotel is only a 5 minute walk from South Putney tube station, and near to plenty of nice restaurants and bars if you want an evening out. There's a red telephone box by the entrance, which certainly makes it stand out as you walk down the road, and the entrance is clean, fresh and the look is polished and woody. The bedroom was fairly small, but roomy enough for the bed, a small table and armchair, a desk, television and wardrobe, Everything was clean and inviting, although there were no features to make it feel extra special - it very much did as it said on the tin. The bed was comfortable, and there was a simple, clean en suite bathroom. The hotel itself looks like it has been created from a couple of houses, and this feeling is consistent as you walk through to the bedrooms. Th...

Before moving to London, I'd never set foot in a Wahaca. After being introduced by friends, it's now reached my favourites list. The concept is Mexican street food - lots of small tapas-like dishes, which arrive to your table and and when they're ready. Always fresh, the food is of delicious quality. I've been to the Oxford Circus and Covent Garden branches, but recently headed into the Westfield Stratford branch for the first time. The Westfield branch was much quieter than the other two usually are, although it was a Friday evening, and we were seated immediately. It has the usual colourful, distinctive decor and huge menus on the table. Drinks-wise, they offer a huge range from the bar, but  personally always go for the apple juice. They juice about 5 apples there and then in front of you at the bar, and it tastes amazing. Time for what we ordered. On this trip, our list was made up of:- Grilled British steak tacos Pork pibil tacos Tender ma...

January is a long month. It can also be a pretty miserable one – payday was ages ago, the weather isn’t summery, and people are struggling to stick to their resolutions. So when Hotels.com offered up an amazing January sale, it seemed rude to ignore the opportunity for a bit of luxury to help the journey to the end of the month. Doubletree by Hilton, Docklands Riverside is a beautiful hotel. I’ve stayed at the London Ealing Doubletree before, and have to say my second visit to the hotel group was no disappointment. The hotel comprises of two of three separate buildings, right by the river, joined by tunnels that feel like you’re on a luxury cruise ship. The communal areas are huge, with enormous windows letting in natural light, complete with exposed brick walls and wooden details. My reservation was for a Queen room, and I have to admit I was unimpressed to find a bed you’d barely call a double in the room. On returning to the check-in desk, it was confirmed the b...

Let me start by saying that yesterday’s trip to see The Woman in Black wasn’t my first. Or my second. Or my third. According to my last count I think it was viewing number six. But I've never seen it in its West End home, never before sat three rows back from the stage, and not been for the last three years, so managed to justify another trip. The Woman in Black is one of those shows many people have seen; it’s got a (well-deserved) fantastic reputation, and is celebrating 25 years in the West End. Stephen Mallatratt’s adaptation of Susan Hill’s wonderful novel manages to maintain the tension and atmosphere of the original tale and delight and terrify audience after audience. I feel like it’s one of those shows you have to see to understand its impact. When I tell people it’s effectively two men and a wicker basket, and really scary, I can see why some just look a little confused. But the way this script is put together, and the way that combines with sl...

Today’s theatre review moves away from the world of musicals and into some classic Harold Pinter. I bought tickets for the 50 th anniversary production of The Homecoming for my dad for his birthday, and yesterday was the day we took our seats at Trafalgar Studio One. Produced by the Jamie Lloyd Theatre Company, directed by Lloyd himself, this production is a masterpiece. Pinter’s style is so distinctive, and his characters so precise, that it’s easy to do wrong, but phenomenal when ‘done right’. This production has a cast of the highest calibre, and I believe we saw them doing some of their very best work. Ron Cook’s Max was just perfect, bristling with tension and complaining like a man who has lived his life hard-done-to. His monologues in particular were superb, and his heavy breathing after a particularly violent moment was eerie. Sam, played by Keith Allen, juxtaposed his brother excellently, providing light relief and a depth of chara...

I went to Elf the Musical fully aware I wouldn’t be seeing the best musical ever written, but ready for some Christmas fun. And that’s exactly what was delivered. I wouldn’t give it any awards when pitched against other musicals (not even close), but Elf the Musical is probably the most unapologetically Christmassy entertainment you’ll find on any stage. The musical is incredibly true to the film, which is potentially both what makes it great and what lets it down. Was it ever really going to beat the film so many name as their favourite at this time of year? Especially a film so well-known and so ‘quote-able’. However, all of the classic lines and the heart-warming story are there. The musical had a huge cast, considering there are only a few named characters, and this really added to the ‘party’ feel of the bigger, Christmassy group numbers. ‘Christmastown’ was a great opening, and set the mood for the show ahead. The elves were hilarious, with each actor giving their ...

I can’t quite believe it took me so long to see Billy Elliot. Despite the fact I love musicals, and go to the theatre so often, I hadn’t seen a classic which ranks highly in many people’s favourites. I put that right a few weeks ago, when my lovely friend Anthea came for a day trip to London, and we headed along to a matinee. I think I was slightly apprehensive pre-show for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I love the film so much, and it’s so fantastically made, that I wondered how the stage version could compare. Secondly, having heard people rave about the show for years, I wondered whether my expectations had been set too high. It’s safe to say my apprehensions were unnecessary. Billy Elliot the musical has all of the heart of the original film, and manages to sustain that same juxtaposition of beautiful story of a young boy’s dreams against the political backdrop of Maggie Thatcher and the miners’ strike. The show opens with Billy watching news reel clips, placin...

Having missed out on seeing Ghost, the Musical when it was in London and touring, I was excited about getting the chance to see it performed by the third year Musical Theatre students of Guildford School of Arts this month. The Ivy Arts Centre at the University of Surrey boasts a lovely auditorium, and the stage was set with some industrial-looking steps at the back, and three hanging gauzes, or curtains, all of which were moved around and used as set throughout the performance. Other items, such as bankers’ desks, and the sofa and fridge in Molly and Sam’s apartment were swiftly moved on and off the stage by cast members. For a show hosting so many scenes and locations, the set design and props had been carefully thought through. As expected, the cast as a whole put on a stunning performance. The culmination of their years at the university, this musical showcased the standard of talent that will be moving forward into the industry. Choreography by Claira Vaughan allowed chor...