West Side Story...

I took the Missus to see West Side Story at Sadlers Wells at the weekend.

And, even though I am not the greatest fan of musicals the world has ever known, it was pretty bloody fabulous. The Bernstein score and Sondheim lyrics make it such a complete and coherent story and from a writing point of view the way the narrative motors along yet still makes total emotional sense never fails to impress me.

The musical ensemble number at the end of the opening act where Tony and Maria sing Tonight and the Jets and the Sharks sing their song about the rumble never fails to knock me on my arse as it all builds to a whacking crescendo, and the leads playing Tony, Maria and Anita were superb. The staging was also pretty inventive too.

I used to be a real community arts leftie then moved onto writing and directing in Fringe theatre but visiting Sadlers Wells and quaffing wine is rapidly becoming one of my fave things. And it's nice to see a story about race hatred involving gangs and stabbings to take your mind off life in contemporary London. Oh, hang on...