La Cage aux Folles, the third main production of the 2023 Regent's Park Open Air Theatre season, is an absolute humdinger of a musical.
The raptuous standing ovation it received would have flustered the gently roosting birds the length and breadth of the Royal Park.
La Cage aux Folles delivers on so many levels and is as rewarding an evening in (or outside) the theatre that one could possibly hope for.
The Best Of Times, one of the showstopping numbers from this glorious revival of the 1983 Broadway musical, reminds us :
The best of times is now.
As for tomorrow,
Well, who knows? Who knows? Who knows?
And it is no surprise that La Cage aux Folles meets the Open Air Theatre's underlying philosophy of tolerance, acceptance and inclusion.
It is Artistic Director Tim Sheader's swan song production at the Open Air Theatre and if there is ever the epitome of going out on a high this is it.
As Tim writes in the programme notes :
"La Cage aux Folles is a show that is bursting with joy, celebration, hope and love. Right now it feels like most of us need a good dose of all those sentiments".
And this is what La Cage aux Folles delivers from start to finish to an embracing audience.
Georges (Billy Carter) runs La Cage aux Folles, a drag nightclub in St Tropez, with his long-time partner Albin (Carl Mullaney) the flamboyant and tantrum prone star of the nightly cabaret.
The couple are comfortable with life in a well-worn relationship and homo-erotic apartment above the nightclub, and all the while being kept in check by 'maid' Jacob (Shakeel Kimotho).
Georges, Albin and their troupe of drag performers are also accepted without question into the local community.
All is therefore well in their world until Jean-Michel, the couple's straight son, announces he is engaged to Anne, who happens to be the daughter of Edward Dindon a far right-wing politician.
Needless to say, Dindon considers homosexuality, in any shape or form, an unnatural and unholy abomination and a corrupting influence on the whole of society.
Dindon believes it needs to be 'stamped out' and will be if he ever gets into a position of power.
And so, when Dindon and his wife Marie arrive to meet their future son-in-law's parents, Georges and Albin decide they must play 'straight' for a day, for the sake of their son.
It is not much of a plot spoiler to hint at the farcical inevitability that could and does ensue.
And so, over the next two and a half hours, La Cage aux Folles offers up absolutely everything one could want from an evening in one of our truly iconic theatres.
On first entering the auditorium, we are also taking our seats in La Cage aux Folles nightclub, a dormant, shabby chic, grande dame of a place.
But as soon as the band strikes up and the cabaret artistes take to the stage, everything explodes into exuberant life and what unfolds is a sparkling, joyous, uplifting and often poignant production.
The musical score is built around three stirring songs : I Am What I Am (We Are What We Are); The Best of Times and La Cage aux Folles itself.
These are played by a tremendous nine-piece orchestra who, thankfully and for a change, can be seen on stage for most of the performance.
Performing in front of them, we have a series of stunning, energetic and acrobatically mesmerising production numbers by an amazing ensemble.
I would list them all if I could, for each and every one deserves the highest praise for their individual and collective achievements (www.openairtheatre.com/production/la-cage-aux-folles).
And if the whole cast deserve level pegging star billing, it is Billy Carter as Georges and Carl Mullaney as Albin who stroll off together for the happy ending we all crave.
Within a musical theatre genre, they create a relationship of warmth, understanding and normality.
We have related so warmly to them and we so wish them well.
The other mention must go to Shakeel Kimotho for his bewitching performance as Jacob, and who steels whatever scene he is a part of.
La Cafe aux Folles so merits the many plaudits that will undoubtedly be heaped upon it.
But I will leave the last line to Tim Shearer who writes :
"La Cage aux Folles remains a delightful confection but also a reminder of freedoms and equalities that were hard won, threatened or still yet to be granted."
La Cage auf Folles runs until 16 September 2023.
www.openairtheatre.com/production/la-cage-aux-folles
What's on at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre :
www.openairtheatre.com/whats-on
See also : AllWays Traveller to the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre :
https://www.allwaystraveller.com/allways-features-home/the-open-air-theatre-regents-park-london
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