They say times are hard for dreamers, but Amelie the Musical was a true dream come true as it takes to the stage on its UK tour. Based on the cult classic film, this wild and wonderful show is everything you could dream of as it twists and weaves through Parisian life following Amelie as she finds her place in the world. I headed to the Bournemouth Pavilion to catch it recently and all I can say is wow!
Amelie is the story of a young woman who lives a quiet life in Paris, yet has an imagination bigger than anyone else. She struggles to build connections with those around her, so starts to complete random acts of kindness for strangers to bring happiness to those around her. That is until she collides with someone that will change the fate of her life completely and has to stop meddling in other people's lives in order to focus on the potential to find love in her own.
It's a film that I remember watching as a teenager and absolutely loving for no reason apart from the fact that it was wild and wonderful and nothing and everything made sense at the same time. This quirky French girl that has these wonderful adventures and an even wilder imagination was just a dream to watch and I was excited to see how this would be transported onto the stage. Let me tell you that from the outset that it was beyond what I could have imagined and was a complete feast for the senses.
From the intricate staging that had something new to look at with each glance, to the fact that the orchestra were the cast, to the simple fact that the songs were sublime and the balance of comedy and sincerity were just so. Everything about this show ticked all the right boxes and I honestly couldn't get enough of it. To the point that I was looking at booking tickets again during the interval.
The cast were just wonderful, the ensemble did such a brilliant job of playing instruments whilst covering multiple roles. It just flowed effortlessly and added to the magic and whimsy of the whole show. With some brilliant physical theatre, it not only added humour, but also sensitivity to some parts and kept the whole show moving and kept the audience entranced the whole way through. There was some brilliant puppetry that really added to the idea of being trapped in the imagination of Amelie, whilst also replaying some of her childhood without casting a child actor. It worked really well and I loved how different they were.
Danny Mac was brilliant as the heartfelt and sincere Nico. With the perfect blend of vulnerability and curiosity, he felt like the perfect fit for this role. I was impressed by how brilliant he was on stage and how fantastic his voice was as I had only seen him previously on TV. But he worked opposite Audrey Brisson perfectly and I couldn't have picked a better couple for these principal roles.
Audrey Brisson was just the embodiment of Amelie. She was everything and more, and played the role in such a captivating and poetic way that I was just in awe of her performance. The way she commanded the stage yet played this perfect introvert was a work of a genius. It's worth going to the show to see her performance alone, let alone how she works alongside all the other fantastic cast.
With a soundtrack that feels like it's a blend of folk with classical musical theatre with a Parisian twist, you can't help but smile and tap your feet through every song. The vocal range of the cast was phenomenal and with songs such as 'Times Are Hard For Dreamers' and 'The Girl With The Glass' you will fall in love with the soundtrack immediately. My only gripe is that there isn't a UK cast recording yet!
If you want a show that is theatrical magic and will transport you to another world then this is the one for you. The perfect blend of crazy, hilarious, heart wrenching and sensitive, you can't help but fall in love with Amelie and the strange journey she faces on the way to find her place in the world.
Amelie the Musical is on tour at the moment, stopping at venues such as Bournemouth, Southampton and Reading before a short West End run at The Other Palace over Christmas. It's a show that I highly recommend you find time to watch. Times may be hard for dreamers, but this is a dream of a show.
*Note, my tickets were gifted but all opinions are my own.
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