After recently leaving the West End , Beautiful has gone on its first UK tour that started off in Bradford at the start of September. Beautiful is a Jukebox musical and I love musicals that combine 'normal' music and the theatre so it creates a story. Jersey Boys and Sunny Afternoon are just two of my favourite musicals that both tell the stories of how the bands career. Beautiful tells the story of Carole King and how her career took off. Carole is played by Bronté Barbé who was a finalist in Over The Rainbow , which was the Andrew Lloyd Webber TV show to find the next Dorothy.
From when the show started and Bronté walked onstage as Carole tears started to form in my eyes. The show starts with Carole at Carnaby Hall singing a song. We are then taken back to when Carole was 16 and sold her first song. The show also goes into her relationship with Gerry Goffin who was also her writing partner. We are also introduced to Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann who were good friends of King and Goffin and also song writing rivals. It was interesting to see what would have happened in Carole's life all the way up to the recording of Tapestry.
The set design was spot on. Im a bit of a sucker for a good set design ok as I was really interested in that sort of thing when I was a kid. What I liked about this set design was how the piano really played a key part in the show and it hardly left the stage. It really showed how important the piano was for the growth of Kings career. I also loved the use of set change overs. They were pretty constant but they were smoothly done. The ensemble were also another key part to the show. They were playing different roles from office workers to singers that King , Goffin , Weil and Mann wrote for.
Bronté really stole the show as Carole for sure. It was great to finally get to see her in something since I watched Over The Rainbow all those years ago. I was definitely the youngest in the theatre again but thats what happens when you go to a matinee show on a Wednesday. Its not a musical for older people though it really is for everyone and I really enjoyed it. Its one of those musicals that you also learn something from that you probably didn't know too. I had no idea that Carole and Gerry had written some huge songs that I've listened to countless times so that was pretty cool.
I believe the show has only just started touring at the start of September which means you can catch the show if its coming to a theatre near you. I highly recommend seeing the show if your a fan of musicals like this , really like Carole's work or a big music fan then this is definitely the show for you !
Speak soon ,
