Review: LOLA at Skandiascenen Cirkus

Tommy Körberg is perfect as Lola (dress rehearsal 21st of September)

Tommy Körberg has now reach the age of 70 so he has a long career in Sweden as a singer as well as a musical artist. He's been playing in Les Miserable, My Fair Lady, Sound of Music to mention a few. He is probably most famous for originating Anatolij in Chess, both in the concert version as well as in the original cast on West End in London. He was also Anatolij in the Swedish version of Chess a few years later. Since then "Anthem" is one of his key songs.

Tommy is now back at Cirkus and the Skandiastage in the musical monologue Lola where he plays the aged artist Lola who just performed his very last show. He returns to the stage in order to pack his kaftans and other personal items and finds that there still is an audience in the seats. First he asks us to leave, but then he offers to sing a last song. He then tells us about his childhood, how he started to enjoy getting dressed in dresses and high heels as little boy hiding the cloths in a box under his bed. His father did not approve and he had to move out quite early in life. He travelled around Europe and start to sing and made himself a name as Lola. However he still wanted to be accepted by his father as the person he is, but did not get any approval not until very late in life. The story of Lola is both spoken and sung by Tommy. The songs used in the play are all famous song from the 40ths till current time with a range of Swedish songs, Leonard Cohen, Charlie Chaplin, Randy Newman and a quite new song written by Björn Ulveaus and Benny Andersson. Most of the songs has a new translation or lyrcis by Björn Ulveaus, Peter Dalle or Thomas Andersson Wij. The new text are really good and brings the story forward. All songs are in a style which is perfect for Tommys vocal register. It's a real pleasure to hear him sing songs like "Smile". Tommy is playing Lola with a lot of love and care. The character is a bit arrogant and self centered. Tommy is perfect as this old man dressed in women cloths. There has been a lot of sequins used in the very colorful and nice kaftans designed by Camilla Thulin.

Carl Flemsten plays the piano throughout the play in a very tender and soft way. Sunil Munshi came up with the idea to the play and is also directing the show. The message in the play is important, why can't we just be accepted as the persons we are?

The play is about 90 minutes long with no interval and I did really enjoy the dress rehearsal. I think it is one of the best performances I've seen with Tommy Körberg when he's been on his own. The story is good and touching and Tommy sings the songs perfectly.

Lola is played 22nd of September till the 3rd of November 2018.

Tickets can be purchased at:

https://www.blixten.se/blixten-co/lola

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