Tuesday 9 October 2018

A Trip To The Theatre: Eugenius




Hey everyone, welcome back to my blog! So for today's post, as you can tell by the title, i'm doing another theatre show review. I don't make a secret of the fact I absolutely LOVE musicals and going to the theatre, it's definitely by far one of my favourite things to do in my spare time. Sitting in a theatre and watching a show just takes me to another place for a couple of hours and i'd probably go as far to say it's my "happy place". Anyway, i've been to see a particular show twice within two weeks now, Sunday 30th September and Sunday 7th October, and whilst it's still fresh in my mind and I have a bit of time, I wanted to sit down and tell you about it and my thoughts/opinions on the show. That show is Eugenius and I am currently listening to the soundtrack as I write this post.

If you've not heard of Eugenius i'll give you a quick backstory. It follows the story of a geeky boy named Eugene who has a genius creative flare for drawing and writing comic books inspired by his dreams who longs for recognition and with the help of his best friends, Janey and Feris, Hollywood comes calling when a producer wants to make a film out of his comic book called 'Tough Man'. This is where trouble begins and comic book fantasy mixes with reality. The show opens with the song 'Tough Man' which follows the story of 2 twin boys being born (Tough Man and Evil Lord Hector) but the weaker of the two (Hector) has to be sent away. During the filming of the movie, Hector finds himself coming to Earth in an attempt to find and defeat his brother Tough Man. The story isn't all fun and games and it does have it's twists and troubles that all tie in perfectly together to create a fun, energetic and happy ending. It is a very up-beat show with plenty of comedic factors but there are moments that can tug on the heartstrings but it's an all round wonderful show.



Eugenius has some incredible and up-lifting songs that you just can't help but smile at and sing along to. My personal favourite song is the duet between Eugene and Janey at the end of the show - "Comic Book Kind of Love". This may be quite an obvious choice but as the true power ballad it simply shows two people realising their love for each other. It's a very well written song and I can't help but smile anytime I listen to it and hearing it sung live by Rob Houchen and Laura Baldwin is mesmerising.
The song "Happy Endings Don't Exist" is definitely one that will tug on the heartstrings a little. It comes after Eugene realises he doesn't want the Hollywood lifestyle after his story gets changed and misses his life back home. Janey also appears on this song wondering how Eugene is getting on. This song reveals just how much they care for each other and they begin to wonder if there is such thing as a happy ending.
"Go Eugenius!" is the anthem of the show. It's a very upbeat and punchy song for all to enjoy and creates the perfect ending to the show with an energetic dance routine for the audience to join in from their seats.

Now, I need to mention the cast. The current cast in this show are INSANELY good. There's not one bad cast member and everyone gives 110% to their performance. It's so nice to watch performers who look as though they are genuinely enjoying what they're doing.


Rob Houchen - Eugene: I could honestly sing this mans praises all day. Rob is incredibly talented and has possibly one of the best and most versatile voices i've ever heard. Prior to this show I have seen Rob in Les Mis, Titanic the musical and at a few of his own gigs and every single time I see him perform, i'm blown away again and this time is no different. It's lovely to see him doing a more energetic show and see another side of him as a performer, especially with the dancing. He's just an incredible talent and i'm already excited to see what's next for him.

Laura Baldwin - Janey: Laura's voice is so beautiful and angelic. She plays the role of Janey with perfection and finesse. She fills the theatre with her infectious energy and smile whilst performing and i'm definitely excited to see what she does after Eugenius.
Dan Buckley - Feris: I think Dan is hugely talented and has the perfect comedy factor for playing Feris. His comedy is timed perfectly and is very witty and has the perfect filthy-humor that just fits this show so well.
Scott Paige - Theo: Scott is just brilliant. He plays out the campness and humour of Theo so well and he's a true joy to watch perform in every aspect.
Neil McDermott - Evil Lord Hector: Neil first came to my attention playing Ryan Malloy in Eastenders and i've loved getting the opportunity to see him perform in something different. Last year, I also got to see Neil play Chief Weasel in Wind in the Willows so to now see him in Eugenius is wonderful. He's another incredible talent and he plays the villainous roles so perfectly whilst also adding the comedy to Evil Lord Hector.
Alex Bourne - Lex: Alex does an amazing job of playing out villainous Hollywood movie producer Lex which contrasts and blends so well with Neil's Hector.
Simon Thomas - Gerhard/Tough Man & Emily Tierney - Super Hot Lady: Emily and Simon work so well together and offer a brilliant comedy value once cast in Eugene's musical and are both joys to watch on stage.


I also have to mention how incredible the ensemble members are. You have Tom Senior, Ben Darcy, Alex Tranter and Dillon Scott-Lewis who make up the high school jocks alongside Lauren Concannon, Amy West and Sasha Wareham making up the cheerleaders, followed by showing off some incredible dance numbers during their ensemble tracks. You also have Christopher Ragland who plays Lord Tough Man and Eugene's dad, Alison Arnopp who plays the Space Diva and Titus Rowe who plays Laurence (Evil Lord Hector in Eugene's movie). Every single cast member brings their own talents and they are truly what makes this show so amazing and heart warming to watch.

This musical really is a show about finding your place in the world and about love and acceptance. It's the perfect family show and perfect for a night out at the theatre. It truly deserves the West End Transfer it's just got and I can't wait to go and see it again. If you get a chance to go and see it, I highly recommend you do whilst you can, I can promise you now you won't regret it! If there's any lessons i'm taking away from this musical it's actually a line which appears in a couple of the songs, "don't shoot for the stars, shoot higher" - this inspires me to continue to reach for my dreams and it's definitely something i'll think of in everyday life.


Thank you to all the cast, crew and producers for this wonderful show. It transported me to a happy place for a short while and I wish it continued success. Also, a huge thank you to my two wonderful friends, Emily and Fleur who were my company seeing this show!

         Thank you for taking the time to read this post and hopefully i'll be back again soon!

                                                                  Love, Beki x




P.S - if you check out my twitter, I posted a short clip of the ending of "Go Eugenius" for all to see and enjoy! Twitter: @xo_beki