Review: Tell Me On A Sunday (Tour)
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| By
Harriet Wilson
Tell Me On a Sunday, a one woman show written by Andrew Lloyd-Webber and starring Jodie Prenger, is embarking on a tour across the UK. I managed to catch the show at The Watermill Theatre in Newbury, where it played until the 20th February. Tell Me On a Sunday is short, subtle, and sincere.
The show is based on the story of a woman who struggles to find a relationship that makes her happy for more than a short amount of time. As she works her way through the wrong men, we catch glimpses of her optimism, flare, and determination to live life to its fullest.
Tell Me On a Sunday is a lovely piece of theatre – though, on the whole, there was not much to it other than its score. Which is not to criticise it – the score is divine, and Jodie Prenger delivered it wonderfully – but, if you are looking for a lot of action, this would possible not be the show for you. Personally, I really enjoyed it – the music was fantastic (it reminded me a little of Sunset Boulevard), and the show moved along at the just right pace so that it was never at all boring.
To say that the show is short would perhaps be a slight understatement. The performance itself lasts around 60 minutes – one act – and the second act is a post-show chat with Jodie Prenger. This, again, meant that the pace was never too slow: nothing was dragged out or over-indulged.
Jodie Prenger, as I have already mentioned, performed the score excellently. She slipped into her character with apparent ease, and the fact that she seemed to be really enjoying the show rubbed off a lot on the audience. To perform for 60 minutes with very few musical breaks and no other actors is certainly a challenge, and it is one that Prenger handled extremely well.
For a small, intimate performance, the Watermill Theatre is an ideal venue. I am not sure how different the show will be when it moves to larger theatres; hopefully, the closeness of the show will be sustained. However, Tell Me On a Sunday is the sort of show that tends to do a lot better in local theatres than in somewhere like the West End. Again, this is far from a criticism – although it is always exciting to see shows with huge 'wow' factors, it is also nice to see more down-to-earth productions.
In terms of pricing, Tell Me On a Sunday tickets are available at the Watermill for prices between £14.50 and £26.50 – a very reasonable price for a touring show. Particularly with this in mind, is definitely worth a watch.
I will keep this review, much like the show, as short as possible. All in all – if you want to see a subtle piece of theatre, with excellent, catchy music and a positive vibe, you will thoroughly enjoy Tell Me On a Sunday. The tour is running until the 8th June: it will almost certainly be coming to a theatre near you, so catch it whilst you can.