The musical is based on an earlier farce, Birds of a Feather, the bones of which lie close to the surface of the present production. The core structure is a love quadrangle: boy/girl, boy/father, (gay) father/transvestite ‘wife’, transvestite ‘wife’/’son’. The complicating factor is the ultra-conservative parentage of the girl, the (sexually inadequate for some reason) father being, partly for reasons of his political ambitions, particularly anti-homosexual. Whilst much has changed in society since the 1970s to remove the inverted commas and by the same token the moral and sociological edge of the story, as a plot enough survives the translation to musical to carry our interest.
Without the mechanical gusto of the original farce, the musical relies on some high camp antics and some catchy songs, not least of which is the defiantly self-affirming, I Am What I Am. Like a stiletto it does it’s work without you really noticing. Thus love of and by someone who does not fit neatly into society’s norms comes out to trump all other concerns and proves to be life affirming – a worthy outcome even in today’s less censorious climate.
John Partridge exuded a swaggering charm as Billy Flynn in the recent tour of Chicago, here, as Albin, the nightclub drag queen, he shows another side of the coin. The wigs and makeup almost inevitably lead to a parody of femininity behind the veil of which is an aggressive sexuality of indeterminate nature – behind which again is another layer of sensitivity. Whilst his voice is only slightly fey much of the characterisation comes from a conscious physicality. In the musical numbers he likes to be expansive whilst letting his voice drop a gear allowing a flow into a powerful crescendo. The final phrase of La Cage aux Folles is delivered with a kind of snarl more tigress than pussycat.
Adrian Zmed, as Georges, is the father of Jean-Michel (Dougie Carter) and partner of Albin who is faced with the dilemma of presenting himself to Anne’s parents as a normal father without insulting and upsetting his long-time lover who it is proposed should be sidelined for the occasion in favour of the birth mother. Completely unflappable, Georges, is played as one for whom the whole domestic setup is quite normal. With little to give away his sexual orientation (Jean-Michel being a one off) – even a glittery jacket can be excused amongst theatricals – his problem is not one of a convincing lie for the moral guardians, but of protecting the feelings of Albin’s heightened sensibility.
Gary McCann’s red and gold set has sumptuous interiors with the Art Nouveau exterior of the Promenade scenes giving a flavour of France. An array of fabulous costumes (also by Mr. McCann) add plenty of flounce to all the high-step strutting and swirling of Bill Deamer’s ‘showtime’ choreography. This is lavish entertainment by a highly polished cast and that both wittily and sensitively reaffirms the case for acceptance. ★★★★☆ Graham Wyles 24th May 2017
