Theatre Review : On The Broadway Bandwagon

Play: Broadway And Beyond Directed by: Raell Padamsee Duration: 120 minutes Cast: Ramona Arena, Shahriyar Atai, Tara Sutaria, Siddharth Meghani & others Language: English Rating: 3.5
The Sound Of Music, The Phantom of the Opera, The Wizard Of Oz, Moulin Rouge, Mamma Mia, My Fair Lady… the list of timeless musicals from across the globe is never-ending.Closer home, recently, we witnessed opulence with India’s first Bollywood musical, Zangoora —The Gypsy Prince followed by Jhumroo. But for those of you, who’re keener on having a true blue Broadway experience, minus all the Bollywood brouhaha, Broadway And Beyond is definitely the way to go. Lavish and stylish — these are the best words to summarise this two-hour saga, which is an amalgamation of some of the most popular Broadway songs in the world. You get to watch bits and pieces of your all time musicals and songs. Favourites like Voulez Vous, All that Jazz, Cabaret, New York New York, La Bamba, Phantom of the Opera are performed, amongst others.
In the entertainment industry, Bollywood has always been lauded for everything glamorous and extravagant, so it’s heartening to watch an Indian stage performance, which has magnificent sets, enthralling costumes and props. After all, a visually appealing, stylish and well-conceived show ensures audience attention. The moment the first performance begins, you’re greeted with a troupe of young, good-looking dancers, who makes the stage come alive with their energetic performance and that sets the mood for the evening. The rest of the sequences are choreographed suitably, with the Phantom Of The Opera being the best.
The show focusses on a lot of audience participation, as the host, Advait Hazarat (well-versed with his musical history) intermittently interacts with the crowd and even performs Sway With Me on stage. VJ Ramona Arena pursues her singing aspiration by doing a number of group, as well as solo performances, and is the main attraction of the show. It’s not just her dancing-singing skills that are pleasantly captivating — her sex-appeal works wonders for the musical. 16-year-old Tara Sutaria’s angelic beauty and voice make for a terrific combination, as she makes for a pretty picture on the stage. But the most entertaining bit is by Shahriyar Atai, whose Bawaji audition is not only extremely endearing but hilarious as well.
There are minute discrepancies that are bothersome though. Like you’d wish some of the dance performances were more synchronised, as co-ordination, especially between the dancers, seems lacking at times. And for a musical, nothing is more exasperating if there’s an issue with sound execution. But if you overlook these technicalities, Broadway And Beyond is one of those performances, which should be a part of your Sunday family outings.