Simplicity shows off beauty

SIMON DUKE REVIEWS BEAUTIFUL, AT SUNDERLAND EMPIRE UNTIL SATURDAY

EVERY once in a while a musical comes along that really takes you by surprise. And for me Beautiful did exactly that. Now, while of course I’m fully aware of Carole King’s musical pedigree, I’m far from a connoisseur of all things Tapestry and the likes.

So I really wasn’t sure what I’d make of a show based around her own back catalogue, as well as the many hits she penned for other artists.

But boy, was I mightily impressed. The beauty of Beautiful is in its simplicity. It doesn’t rely on gimmicks or technical wizardry to pack a punch.

The rather basic set is the perfect canvas to let King’s award-winning music do the talking. And in the lead role of the celebrated singer/songwriter, Bronte Barbe is an absolute star.

I’ve seen Bronte in a number of productions since her days as a contestant on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Over The Rainbow, but never have I seen her deliver a performance on this level.

Everything from her naive yet driven presence as she holds your attention in every scene to her fantastic singing voice, showcased in stellar fashion in the likes of One Fine Day, It’s Too Late and particularly Natural Woman, was totally top drawer.

In the week that the nominations for this year’s Olivier Awards were announced, Bronte definitely deserves to turn more than a few heads with her often understated, yet commanding performance.

Beautiful is a show packed full of great performances.

Carole’s unlikely love interest turned long time songwriting partner Gerry Goffin is a very complex character and one that is unravelled in effective and angst-ridden fashion by Kane Oliver Parry, as Gerry ultimately fails to balance his young marriage with his own ambitions and desires.

I wasn’t aware of Carole’s life story and how she went from being the Sia of her day, writing songs for others before finally taking the spotlight herself, but her music was the ideal backdrop for the entertaining but intense biopic.

And the songs she and Gerry wrote for other artists were blended into the mix fantastically by a fine supporting cast of performers who brought hits by the likes of The Drifters, Little Eva and The Shirelles to life, meaning we were treated to fine renditions of Some Kind Of Wonderful, Up on the Roof, The Locomotion, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow and more.

Beautiful is, to borrow from Carole King’s famous album, a Tapestry of brilliance. Barnstorming performances, timeless classics, slick and subtle staging and a engaging script combine to make it a real joy to behold.

It’s on at the Sunderland Empire until Saturday and it’s a must-see.

Tickets from the Empire box office and online from ATG.