2014 Year in Review: Kevin Sherwin's Picks

While perhaps not a vintage year, 2014 brought with it several theatrical delights and at least one colossal stinker. And as always, there was a handful of shows I wish I'd seen but never quite managed to. Productions that stood out this year, for one reason or another, are as follows:

The Best

Cool Rider Live (Lyric & Duchess): To put it simply, I will never forget being at the first performance of Cool Rider. Being a Grease 2 fan is a lifelong vocation, and to be rewarded like this was more than I ever could have wished for. (And if that reads like it's meant in any way sarcastically, it's absolutely not.)

Memphis (Shaftesbury): I don't think anybody would have predicted the acclaim Memphis has received when it was first rumoured to be transferring, but happily, the show has been enjoying rave reviews and stellar word-of-mouth. Not unlike Legally Blonde, the West End production has been boosted by its terrific cast: the chemistry and sheer talent on display from leads Killian Donnelly and Beverley Knight lift this from being a rather good musical to something very special indeed.

In the Heights (Southwark Playhouse): It's become a cliche to see a review quote saying something along the lines of "This cast has enough energy to power the national grid" but it's hard to imagine a company more deserving of that compliment than that of In the Heights. While the book and score have their lulls, the dancing was the main draw here, and it provided audiences with a most exhilarating evening earlier this year.

Honourable Mentions

Assassins at the Menier Chocolate Factory and City of Angels at the Donmar both had a major impact at the end of the year, thanks to equally thrilling design and casting, though perhaps my single favourite performance of the year was provided by Imelda Staunton in the captivating Good People at the Noel Coward.

The Worst

There were a few shows that didn't quite hit the mark for me but that I broadly enjoyed (Urinetown and Let The Right One In spring to mind), but plumbing depths of wretchedness I'd never even considered was the disastrous I Can't Sing!. Somehow the recipient of some kind reviews and some ardent and vocal fans, this was perhaps the worst thing I have seen in my whole life and at various points I found it far preferable to look at the floor rather than the stage.

The Ones That Got Away

A Streetcar Named Desire, The Drowned Man and The Pass sold out far too quickly for my liking, and I've had to make do with reading the script of the latter instead, which just isn't the same. Also, must get around to seeing Miss Saigon...

Looking Ahead

As far as I can make out, 2015's main attraction is the West End return of Gypsy. Elsewhere, the Tony-winning Beautiful: The Carole King Musical arrives on a wave of acclaim in February, and the Southwark Playhouse may well have another Fringe hit on its hands with January's Bat Boy.

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