REVIEW: Frankie Goes to Bollywood at New Theatre
Frankie Goes To Bollywood is playing at the New Theatre this week, and we were invited to last night's (Thursday 18 July) press night.
This is a story about a young woman called Frankie from Milton Keynes who gets the opportunity to follow in her mother's footsteps and be a Bollywood star. She creates films and feels closer to her mother, which is all she’s ever wanted, but at what cost? And is Bollywood all she signed up for?
As well as being a show about the highs and lows of Bollywood, there is also a common theme of home, and friendship which was a lovely addition. I think this made the show more rounded and heartfelt, and it brilliantly portrayed how friendship can stem from different places.
The part of Frankie is played by Laila Zaidi who has such a powerful voice. She brings to life the hope and longing Frankie has to feel like she belongs somewhere. And the chemistry between her and her 'cousin sister' Goldy, played by Katie Stasi, is perfect. If you’ve ever had a person who is a home from home, then you will appreciate the dynamic of these two.
The rest of the principal cast features Helen K. Wint as Malika and Maa, Navin Kundra as Prem and Young Raju, Gigi Zaharia as Shona and Shakil Hussain as Raju King.
The best word to describe this production is beautiful. The set design, the costumes, the songs, it’s all so beautifully colourful. The use of the woman’s saree throughout the show is clever. They use it to add elegance and what feels like layers to the show. The shape of the main set as well just adds an almost fancy, rich, vibe to the show which is very in line with a lot of the show.
Personally, this was the highlight for me, I was amazed with how much they managed to do with the set to transform from Bollywood glamour to typical everyday life, but also the way they did it. It felt very different but worked perfectly to create the right tone for the scene.
Music is a big part of Bollywood and theatre, so as you can imagine, Frankie Goes To Bollywood certainly delivers on that. There is a resemblance to traditional Bollywood music mixed with the best of western musical theatre. Although not typically well known musical theatre songs, I promise you they will stick in your head!
Frankie Goes To Bollywood continues in Cardiff today (Friday 19 July) and tomorrow - so hurry if you want to catch this amazing performance. Tickets are available by ringing 0343 310 0041 or by clicking here.
Review by Sophie Platt
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