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Ruthless People: Ruthless - Arches Lane Theatre

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What is it about the Madoff’s that writers can’t resist writing about? Sure, it may have been the largest Ponzi scheme to collapse (so far), but there isn’t much more to explore. Or is there? In Ruthless by writer Roger Steinmann, Ruth Madoff is imagined as a wronged, gun-toting woman anchored in the past while trying to move on with her life. It’s not entirely successful but a fascinating look at life and wig choices, It’s currently playing at the theatre now known as the Arches Lane Theatre in Battersea. Ruth Madoff, played by Emily Swain, is here wearing a wig. I thought it was an odd look until I reviewed how closely it matched the photo of her interview in  The New York Times .  Typically, it’s the sort of wig you might see worn by Ladies on a night out in central London, not someone who once had over $80m in assets. With Bernie in Jail and both her sons now dead - one by suicide and one due to cancer, she is setting a table for the men who have left her. And ordering p...

Life from the Front of House: Ushers The Musical @CharingCrossThr

Some inspired late night comedy is currently playing at the Charing Cross Theatre with Ushers The Front Of House Musical. It takes its story from the brutal reality that ushers on the West End are usually actors between jobs who often have more talent than the soap stars on stage.

The piece is full of in-jokes and bitchy barbs at theatre life (that is the life of an usher at a theatre). But what is most impressive that this young talented cast muster up the energy and dance moves to bring this show to life at the late starting time of 10.15pm.

The plot is a bit cliched and the production values are low, but the cast are enthusiastic and the music is inspired to make this a rather fun late night show to catch. Set at the theatre playing (s)hit Britney Spears jukebox musical, "Oops I did it again" the ushers learn the ropes and sell over-priced ice cream while dreaming of their next big break, finding love, or in the case of one usher, stalking the stars and posting photos on twitter of them. Its inspired and silly stuff

Ushers is the musical theatre writing debut for Yiannis Koutsakos (music & lyrics), James Oban (lyrics) - Search for A Twitter Composer finalists - and actor James Rottger (book). They have called it the Front of House's answer to A Chorus Line... Go grab an overpriced ice cream and see it while you can... And remember no flash photography...

Ushers The Front of House Musical runs until 19 April on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 10.15pm and runs for 80 minutes.

First impressions from a rather tired @johnnyfoxlondon and I en route to find some milk for  breakfast at the Coop supermarket follows...

listen to ‘Ice cream boo: Ushers the FOH Musical @charingcrossthr’ on Audioboo

Photo: production photo of the cast hot footing it... 

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