I am a theatre fan and not a professional critic at all, not even a theatre critic-wannabe - and what I want to share are simply personal impressions of the show and of Michael Ball's rendering of his role.

 

My impressions are of course influenced to a large extent by things which interest me and what I find pleasurable and emotionally-impacting. I do love musical theatre (dating back to the time of the traditional musicals), I like to travel, and I'm interested in different cultures and history, and I do love books ( although I don't read as much as I used to, to my regret). So, being a bit of an Anglophile - it was only a few minutes into the show when I found myself quite moved by the first few scenes of THE WOMAN IN WHITE. I knew I was going to like it ( here!)  .

 

THE WOMAN IN WHITE is so delightfully English - it is like reading all those famous novels ( maybe even including Agatha Christie's English village mysteries ... sorry, if I got my English period history mixed up ), with some which are Victorian in atmosphere and storyline. And I am talking from the perspective of someone who is non-English!

 

Sometimes I am disappointed when a musical is based on very thin plots and rely mostly on spectacle to move it along. Not so with THE WOMAN IN WHITE. I love the cloak-and-dagger Victorian-era story of family mayhem...I like delineating the different characters of the sisters ( Marion, Laura and Anne - two sets of siblings in a sense), and I thought that Walter gave quite a mixed portrayal of diffidence about declaring his love and of courage when he knew he was going to lose her to Sir Percival. As the lead character, Marion was a poignant figure for her unrequited feelings for a man together with her deep sisterly love for her sibling.

 

To move a story along fast in a stage production must pose a real technical and directorial challenge...Here is where technology comes to the rescue, with the use of concave computer image projections to provide the scenery backdrop. But, in this case, I liked how it was used to move the evolving story fast ...and not to become the show itself ( like some spectacles that other shows seemed to have become). It was fascinating to see the ever-changing scenery, which was very effective in conveying the atmosphere of the unfolding scenes.

After seeing the show, I now realize why the musical score exerts quite a compelling effect on me...Andrew Lloyd Webber uses the same format he employed in his arguably best musical score to-date, ASPECTS OF LOVE.

 

The music is lush, poetic, romantic, haunting, soaring, and sweeps the entire production. Hats off to Andrew Lloyd Webber for giving us once again another product of his musical genius! The show uses recitatives, much like an opera, to show a seamless integration of dialogue and music. Because it is basically sung-through, one is easily absorbed by the mood that the scenery suggests and the suspense that the sung-dialogue unravels. A number of standalone songs are compelling, insinuating themselves into one's subconscious... but to me, they are most effective as punctuations ( more like apostrophes) to the sung-dialogue. They are used to emphasize, to delineate, to keep one's mind focused on one particular thought or mood. One thing though, quite a few melodic strains linger in my ears even after I have returned home. While I find myself reliving the beautiful musical refrains from such songs as I BELIEVE MY HEART, ALL FOR LAURA, IF NOT FOR ME FOR HER, LAMMASTIDE ( very effective in changing the musical mood, much like HAND ME THE WINE AND THE DICE in ASPECTS OF LOVE), and Count Fosco's YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH ANYTHING, the melody that seems to have stuck to my memory cells the most is one haunting refrain which bestrides the musical score. I do not even know the title because it is used in a number of recitatives ( the first one is at the beginning when Walter sings :"Please you needn't fear me...truly you can trust me...I would never harm you...I'm no threat- I am Walter..." .

Ah, well - how often has Andrew Lloyd Webber done this to me - compose a really unforgettable melody which attaches itself to my musical soul!

This musical is very mature - from the way the plot is conveyed, the way the production is staged, and how the music of ALW captures the essence of the story. It has a soul! And I do acknowledge Trevor Nunn's solid contribution in shaping this memorable musical. Quite a contrast to recent personal experiences I have witnessed in musical theatre. Lately, bar some exceptions, I have been seeing musical shows on Broadway and the West End where the focus is gasp-inducing spectacle or laugh- a- minute dialogs, gags and gimmicks, even a mish-mash of musical pieces.

 

It is certainly a real pleasure to find a new and creative formula for restoring musical theatre to what I think it should be -- absorbing story -telling through an effective combination of book, lyrics, and music.

Come to think of it, watching the performance of THE WOMAN IN WHITE was like seeing a movie, with three-dimensional characters and wonderful live performances.

What about the performances --

 

Maria's singing is gorgeous, although I am sometimes unsure on how to view her acting ( sometimes too feisty...er...cutesy - maybe because she is performing a role that is probably about 10 years younger than her real age). But she is the catalyst in the show - and Maria is particularly effective in this.

The juvenile leads have the look and the acting and singing prowess, and their stories provide the hook of the story.

The other major characters, the uncle and the dastardly bridegroom, are likewise very good actors.

 

What about the deceptively charming but villainous Count Fosco?

 

Michael Ball -- you have provided quite a gem in my memory collection of musical theatre performances! Well done and Congratulations!

By way of comparison, I have always said that I love the performance in ASPECTS OF LOVE - for a lot of reasons -- he portrayed the role of the impetuous and love-struck young man very well, occasionally showing strong comic talents...And the second act is a counterpoint to the younger Alex - much more sober, emotionally-conflicted, and mature ( and, maybe, even on the way to becoming the bon vivant character of Uncle George).

 

As Count Fosco in WOMAN IN WHITE - his performance was more faceted -- comically continental, romantic to some degree, a dilettante on the surface, manipulative, sinister, and dastardly... .but quite philosophical on what life deals him with! He plays the caricature that is the Count in a serious manner, and lets all of the traits surface in one scene after another. It's almost like peeling different layers of the character, depending on the need of the moment. And to top it all, his singing was a real thrill! His baritone is full-bodied and throbbing while his tenor notes lead the song YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH ANYTHING to its thrilling climax. How he holds the note on the word "NO" is astounding and almost rivals his signature B flat note in LOVE CHANGES EVERYTHING.