Bare- London Palladium

*This production was a one night only staged concert*

Bare: A Pop Opera, first premiered in Los Angeles in 2000 and has played multiple productions across the world since, including a sold out Broadway run. Having amassed a dedicated cult following since its UK debut, at The Vaults in London in 2019, it's West End debut has been long-awaited, due to its relatable themes and strong score. Set in a Catholic boarding school, Bare centres on the lives and struggles of its various students during their senior year. Jason (Jordan Luke Gage) and Peter (Laurie Kynaston) are in a secret relationship, with Jason reluctant to embrace this, due to both societal and religious pressures, whilst Peter no longer wishes to hide. Themes of love, self acceptance and the search for the truth are explored, as the students prepare for the school play, aptly Romeo and Juliet, with tensions mounting and secrets revealed, culminating in the confrontation of the consequences of living in denial and the importance of embracing one's true self.

With a star studded line-up of some of the West End's finest performers, Bare could have been Lambert Jackson Productions' finest staged concert offering yet. Semi-staged, with minimal props and simple yet effective choreography, it was an ambitious choice to bring as intimate of a production to the grandeur of the London Palladium. Unfortunately, as seems to be the nature of these one-night-only concerts, this production was sorely let down by technical issues. Particularly evident during Act 1, multiple missed cues and poor mixing created a real struggle for the cast to make the impactful dialogue and lyrics heard. One notable example is the admonishment of a character for their ignorant comments; the impact of which was completely lost on the audience, as it was not heard from the stage. The lighting design also appeared rather erratic, with characters randomly plunged into darkness or creating unnecessary strobe-like effects. These two elements are crucial for any production and could be cited as possible reasons as to why this particular staging didn't quite resonate as intended.

Having said that, however, the incredible cast more than made up for this and produced a production of the highest calibre. Kynaston absolutely excelled as Peter, with some great believable chemistry alongside Gage (the titular number was absolutely stunning), and a stellar voice to boot. Gage once again proves why he is one of the West End's most sought after leading men; he commands the stage with his unmistakeable, incredible voice and powerful, yet tender performance, as the conflicted Jason. It was also a real treat to see Gage working alongside his Bonnie and Clyde co-star Frances Mayli McCann, who plays insecure popular girl Ivy, to create a beautiful romantic connection.

As Ivy, Frances Mayli McCann fully captivated with the standout performance of the night (and left me in tears on numerous occasions), showcasing both a hidden vulnerability under a carefully crafted persona in 'Portrait of a Girl', to coming full circle through an ill fated romance with Gage's Jason (whom Ivy harbours secret feelings for) and demonstrating huge emotional depth and the signature powerhouse vocals she is known for, in the show-stopping 'All Grown Up', which completely brought the house down.

Other notable performances include Claudia Kariuki's rousing rendition of 'God Don't Make No Trash', as the sharp-witted and compassionate Sister Chantelle. Katie Ramshaw's Nadia mixes impeccable dry comic timing with a sombre darkness in her solos 'Plain Jane Fat Ass', 'Spring' and 'A Quiet Night at Home', whilst the slightly underused Cassidy Janson (Claire) shines through in the highly emotionally fragile 'Warning'. The supporting cast filled with the West End's finest, Ed Larkin, Jack Ofrecio, Adrian Hansel and Chrissie Bhima, all shone in their roles and came together beautifully, to create the hauntingly stunning finale 'No Voice'.

Overall, Bare combines a highly relevant and emotionally heavy storyline with Damon Intrabartolo and Jon Hartmere's eclectically powerful rock-soul score, which is elevated to the next level by such a talented and accomplished cast, who were sadly let down by poorly rehearsed tech. However, whilst this production was not perfect by a long shot, there was plenty to love about the narrative, cast and music which has left me longing for a fully staged production of Bare, to return to London in the not too distant future.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐