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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,
Nicholas de Jongh'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
High note: Scarlett O'Hara (Jill Paice) and Rhett Butler (Darius Danesh) lack passion but Danesh's beautiful vocals are praiseworthy
After show: Darius and Jill at the first night party at the Waldorf Hotel
Connoisseurs of big, bad musicals must rush to catch Gone With The Wind in case it’s quickly blown away on gales of ridicule. Or is a small, well-placed tornado in the vicinity of the theatre too much to hope for? I found it a cruel, unusual punishment, being obliged to spend well over three hours watching Jill Paice’s attractive Scarlett O’Hara, parading in big dresses and even bigger displays of petulance. She sang her songs, or rather songlets, in a voice whose higher registers struck fearful sounds. How unfortunate for us that she should endlessly complain about her failure to convince Ashley Wilkes (impressively fraught Edward Baker-Duly) that he was the man for her, rather than Darius Danesh’s caddish smoothie, Rhett Butler.
Meanwhile the firing and destruction of Atlanta, the deaths or disabling of revolting Southern soldiers, proved occasional distraction to the main romantic event — for those of us who like a little light relief from the horrors of unrequited lust. This may sound an ungenerous response to a musical rendition of the 69-year old movie that turned the American Civil war into a seductive weepie and ravished countless millions of women in the process. This version, though, reminds us of the dangers of trying to cram a vintage film spectacular into theatrical confines, particularly with an absolute beginner as the adaptor. Most musicals are the work of several hands and minds. Here, however, book, music and lyrics are all attributed to Margaret Martin, who has spent 30 years taking preg-nancy classes for expectant parents in California, studied musical theory and now gives laborious birth to her first musical.
Martin’s liberal gloss on Gone With The Wind, supplying slaves with some attractive gospel songs and spirituals — “Blacks born to be free”— strikes hypocritical notes, though Natasha Yvette Williams’s black momma sings and acts with appealing ardour. For the musical, like the film, sympathises with Southerners who fight to keep slavery going and launch the Ku Klux Klan. Warfaring incidents serve as mere decorative backdrops,with wounded soldiers staggering ridiculously across the aisles like wounded models on a catwalk. Designer John Napier never attempts to conjure up the multiple locations of Martin’s overstuffed book. Even the firing of Atlanta and its flag looks a smouldering rather than flaming affair. Napier’s wooden, extended stockaded set, decorated with three leafless trees, exudes simple desolation.
Director Trevor Nunn’s Achilles heel is always the length of the heel in question. Having adapted the book he has left it in loquacious long-wind-edness. He unsuccessfully reprises the style of his Royal Shakespeare Company Nicholas Nickleby, making the actors serve as redundant narrators. The songs, brief, frail, tinkling things, sometimes having unusual instrumentation like a harp, often freighted by doggerel lyrics, with bland wisps and slithers of music, pass unremembered. Crucially, Paice’s skittish Scarlett musters no passion for the far from dangerous or demanding Rhett of Danesh, whose beautiful, high vocals are his best feature.
Frankly I do have to give a damn to the whole show.
WHAT THE OTHER CRITICS SAY
Daily Telegraph, Charles Spencer
When I emerged from the theatre after three hours and 40 minutes it felt as if I had spent several years watching Gone With The Wind and that I had probably missed not just the Beijing Olympics but 2012 as well.
Independent, Paul Taylor
The show is neither as bad as one feared nor as good as one has a right to expect ... I was left wondering whether, on the whole, this quixotic enterprise takes us any deeper into the inner life of Gone With The Wind.
The Times, Benedict Nightingale
Frankly my dears, I did give a damn but not as big a damn as I had hoped...Trevor Nunn's cast sometimes left me hankering for Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh. Sadly, I often found myself wishing the musical just wasn’t a musical.
The Guardian, Michael Billington
Does no one ever learn from the past? The problem is structural: how do you cram a 1,000 page novel into three-and-a-half hours of stage time? The answer is “with great difficulty”.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
A very good performance - but don't expect an easy going, light-hearted show! The actors (especially Jill Paice & Darius) gave admirable performances with considerable feeling and emotion. It is a difficult show to perform and convey and all involved did a wonderful job. The set has been well constructed and the effects are well achieved. Solos by a number of the artists were well sung and contrary to what the critics have said, Jill Paice has a delightful voice.
I would highly recommend this production.
- Andrew, Gloucestershire
All nostalgia has its limits. Generally nostalgia is a form of deprivation whether felt on the psychological or cultural level. To cut a long story (3 hours 40 minutes) short nostalgia should not develop into torture. The GWTW rumpus violates the Convention for Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms which in Article 3 bans torture.
- Albert J. Wittine Jr. Md, Lagos
Thanks goodness that Sean Bartley has added the comment about the first GWTW musical - I too was in the show [I played one of the Tarleton twins along with Andy Norman] and we did indeed run at Drury Lane for a year [11 months to be exact] and I agree that it was a good musical! It had some stunning theatrical moments. However I was annoyed when I read comments in the Daily Mail that the show had closed in 'five minutes' - wrote a letter, but it was ignored!!I wish critics and journalists would get their facts right.
I suppose the basic problem with GWTW as a show is that the first act climaxes on a high and then the journey is all downhill thereafter. At least at The Lane we had a spectacular burning of Atlanta!!
But my best wishes to the New London cast - some of The Lane reviews were as down-beat as yours and as I have said we ran 11 months - a respectable run for a show in 1972. Ignore the buggers and keep on in there!
- Christopher Beeching, Vamos, Crete, Greece
My husband and I saw the play in preview and thoroughly enjoyed it.
It is not easy to take on such an iconic classic but I think the ambitious production was great fun and the costumes were fabulous. It is always a thrill to relive this epic tale - especially in a new genre.
- C Tomson, USA
My husband and I went to the opening night and really enjoyed the evening. I think those complaining about the length of this musical should remember the film lasted for well over three hours, what did you expect to happen? If they cut it to shreds to enable you to get a 10.00pm bus home, you would still be moaning because half the story was missing! Well done Darius and Jill, both perfectly well played Rhett and Scarlet and with beautiful singing voices. The critics must have missed the extended standing ovation at the end! Bravo.
- Kim Salmon, Ilford, England
With regard to the musical *gone with the wind* does anyone remember the last musical at Drury lane in the 70`s? It ran for a year and it was quite a good musical.(I was in the said musical.) Bonnie Langford appeared.
- Sean Bartley, London
Saw it in preview - and felt privileged, not because it touched me in any way, but because surely, this will fold in the very near future.
Major problems: no discernible dramatic structure, rank amateurism in the book, lyrics and music department. Had hoped Nunn & Napier could vitalize it, but they seemed to have given up. The directorial touches were confined to the totally irritating and redundant ploy of having actors step out of the "action" to comment on it... Napier's set was a barren waste. Acting and singing varied from the horrible to the acceptable.
The only high point of the evening was when the gentleman in front of me in the bar queue was informed by the bar attendant that she did not have a five pound note to give as change, but that she had to give him coins - and the gentleman replied "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn..!."
By the the end of the evening I did not either...
So go and see it - if only to be a member of a very small club...
- Erik G. Andersen, London
We went to the opening last night and actually thought this was a very good production! It is difficult to follow such a successful film but I think they succeeded in bringing their own version to life.
Definitely would see this again!
- Deepali Barde, London
Why oh why didn't I take up the offer of leaving in the interval? Darius is the perfect 2008 Rhett Butler, but sadly the rest of the cast is forgotten about, before you hit the pavement.I was so looking forward to this production. Sadly it let me and more to the point it's self down. It really is a waste of an evening. Sorry but stay in and knit, it will be more enjoyable.
- Selwyn Channon, epsom
