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New Moon is nothing if not an international advertisement for the hungry virtues of virginity and young people can’t get enough of it
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Theatre
A smart, prickly and rewarding view of sexual and emotional confusion
Cock
Restaurants
Kitchen W8 is a bargain for this area, if such sophistication is what you crave
Kitchen W8
Too long and drawn out but very entertaining with excellent special effects
This is a peculiar play and does not work for me. Some of it is very funny but there are real flaws
Alex has a strong powerful voice and was faultless, she is far better now than she was on the X-Factor
London,
Nick Curtis's rating
Reader rating
Dir: Trevor Nunn, David Bolger (choreographer).
Cast: Darius Danesh, Jill Paice, Edward Baker-Duly, Madeleine Worrall, NaTash Yvette Williams, Jina Burrows
Description: A musical adaptation of the famous American Civil War-set novel by Margaret Mitchell, composed by Margaret Martin, adapted and directed by Trevor Nunn.
Trains: Tube: Covent Garden/Holborn 
Phone: 0870890 0141
Website: www.rutheatres.com
Unknown territory: Darius Danesh as Rhett and Jill Paice as Scarlett
In musical theatre, Trevor Nunn once told me, no one ever knows what will work. This was just after he’d directed Acorn Antiques the Musical, a palpable flop, and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Woman in White, at best a partial success.
But, Nunn could quite rightly counter, he didn’t do too badly out of the unpromising material of singing felines and starving French people in Cats and Les Misérables. Which may explain why he has signed on as director and coadapter of the first stage musical of Gone With the Wind, a project where every advantage could just as easily prove a drawback.
Margaret Mitchell’s exploration of the American civil war through the romance of Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler was a bestselling, Pulitzer Prize-winning book. Victor Fleming’s 1939 screen adaptation became arguably the most popular and successful film ever, thanks as much to the mythology surrounding it — the wrangles over script, director, casting and censorship, the old MGM sets burned to simulate blazing Atlanta, the awarding of the first Oscar to a black actress, Hattie McDaniel — as to the magic onscreen. Many of its most famous lines are engraved in the public memory.
Nunn has to cram all this baggage, and an awful lot of the Deep South, onto the stage of a concrete 1970s theatre. With tunes. What’s more, the show’s writer and composer Margaret Martin is an expert on maternal and child health with no theatrical track record, although the fact she persuaded Margaret Mitchell’s estate to let her adapt the book must count for something. The casting of the film was eclectic — David O Selznick wanted Gary Cooper as Rhett, Leslie Howard felt far too old for Ashley, no one had heard of Vivien Leigh. Nunn’s is similarly unusual with Pop Idol star Darius Danesh as Rhett and relative unknown Jill Paice — she played Laura Fairlie in The Woman in White — as Scarlett.
And yet, and yet ... nobody knows what will work. Gary Cooper, having turned down the part of Rhett, predicted that “Gone With the Wind is going to be the biggest flop in Hollywood history”. I don’t think I’ll offer a similar hostage to fortune about Nunn’s production here.
Previewing now, opens 22 April. Information: 0870 890 0141; www.gwtwthemusical.com.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Show was fab and enjoyable. It's such a shame that critics have been so quick to slate it, go with an open mind, and you will enjoy it for what it is- a good piece of entertainment ! Music although not memorable, was lifting, costumes superb, acting great, Darius, Jill , Prizzy, Mamma and the rest of the cast give you their all....we as a family have been to many productions over 30+ years and thoroughly enjoyed the whole time we spent at the theatre!
Worth every penny....very emotional, standing ovation and might go again before it closes...such a shame! I applaud Trevor Nunn for at least trying something new, not everyone can enjoy all plays/musicals but at least give new ones a chance before condemning them- let the audiences decide- it was booking till September....
- Mrs M Guest-Naharnowicz, LONDON, ENGLAND
As a major fan of the movie I was a bit apprehensive about it being turned in to a musical. But this was a major success. The songs were terrific and the every single member of the large cast could sing.
I thought that the adaptations that they made really worked and it felt like it should have been a musical all along. The intimate atmosphere of the theatre really made you feel a big part of it and when the fire of Atlanta started there was a bit of panic in the audience.
The rest of the audience seemed to really appreciate it to and I hope that people ignore the bad reviews it seems to have got and check it out for themselves.
- Becky, London
A lovely idea, a lovely talented cast but too long! I agree with Mikey's comments above about the lyrics. I am afraid the songs are totally forgettable - I went on Saturday and today on Wednesday, I can't remember one of them.
I love musical theatre and the rush you get when the show is finished and you skip out singing the songs (not always in my head I fear!).
So much effort has been made to make the set as authentic as possible and I like the fact that the actors walk around the audience and thing it makes for a more intimate performance.
It breaks my heart to think that all the effort both front and back of house may be crushed by a short run of this performance - I don't think it is going to run and run.
- Eva Davies, Barnet, UK
It's dangerous (and unfair) to judge a show by its previews. Having seen it twice now, I can report that within a week the show has improved greatly, better paced, slightly rearranged, a little shorter, and importantly much more involving. Last night there were cheers from the audience and I overheard "brilliant" as I left the theatre - it will be ready for it's official opening next week.
- Mikey, Kingston upon Thames
The cast is great and do a fine job with some truly poor songs. The theatre is a bad choice too - too intimate. The show needs a big stage and the cast shouldn't be making their entrances and exits through the audience. It was difficult to concentrate with some audience members around us sniggering and laughing at some of the song lyrics. And quite a few audience members had to leave before the end in order to catch a train home and so missed the ending. It is far too long and needs a good 30 minutes trimmed at least.
- Paul, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
We saw the show last night, didn't really know what to expect but it was fantastic. Both the leads were truly believable and captivating and the set and supporting cast were superb!
(Be warned the musical is based on the book - this definitely works in its favour though)
- Kathy, London
We went to the Saturday evening show, not really knowing what to expect from a musical adaptation of such a well known story. And although there were times when the movement from speech to song felt slightly false, in all the production was excellent. The real show stealers being Mammy (Natasha Williams) and Prissy (Jina Burrows), who both demonstrated amazing voices. Indeed, the plantation workers' often surpassed the two leads in delivering some spectacular and moving vocal ensembles. Also notable was Gerald O'Hara (Julian Forsyth), who delivered a spirited timeless performance.
Darius Danesh made a surprisingly believable Rhett, and Jill Paice a determined Scarlett - their relationship almost capturing the explosive dynamic of Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh.
A couple of the directorial choices hindered the emotional immediacy of the drama (e.g. when their daughter Bonnie dies, the 'slow motion' effect felt like an unnecessary distraction). But the epic proportion is captured vividly, clever use being made of a quite unusual stage area (the space having been designed for Cats originally).
The musical is well worth a viewing.
- Sarah, Surrey, UK
TERRIBLE - worse show my family and I have seen in years
They can't sing, can't act some of them, the scenery broke down it was too long at 3.5 hours.
They didn't engage the passion that is the story
Don't Waste your money!
- Annie, London
I went to see the first preview on Saturday. It was very long, the first half was not quite as good as the second half, which was brilliant. I can't wait to see the final version. It was very, very good. The cast worked well together and had great voices.
Jill is a good Scarlett, Darius is a surprisingly good Rhett. His voice is so good and mature now. This couple make a very plausible Rhett and Scarlett. Edward Baker-Duly played an Ashley I started of liking and ended up despising. Very well done. I could go on and on.
Well worth a visit to.
- Meg, Surrey, England.
