Reader Reviews
Whistle Down The Wind (Palace Theatre, West End)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | I saw Whistle down the wind twice on oktober 9 mat. and on oktober 10... it's a fantastic show with a great score. I enjoyed it so much and I really cannot unterstand why this show is only a "filler" between woman in white and spamalot. I could watch this show again and again. It's a very good cast especially Tim Rogers as "the man". With his voice he would be a great Jean Valjean in Les Mis or a "real" Jesus Christ in JCS. Claire Marlowe does a great job as swallow and the kids are veeeeeeeery good. Luckily I got the see all of them. Christopher and Henrietta on Wednesday on the 9th and Laurence and Emma on the 10th (Christopher you were in the audience, right?). They played their role so cute and very professional, hope I get to see them again sometime somewhere. The show on august 1 was officially filmed, right? Will there be a DVD of the show? Maybe someone knows? Please email me... ellbilly@gmail.com - 84.130.199.215) | 12 Aug 06 |
| A wonderful show with a very talented cast. I much prefer this production to the original... the sets are simple but far more in keeping with the story of a poor farmer and his family, and the small town nearby than all the electronic gizmos and retracting stage in the original production. Claire Marlowe is very appealing as Swallow, as are the two youngsters who play her siblings. All the cast have really good strong voices but best of all is Tim Rogers as The Man. Tim's performance is outstanding as the escaped convict... so full of rage and anger at the world outside, yet so gentle with Swallow and the children. His voice is truly amazing.. so powerful and passionate. Would love to see him in another leading role when Whistle finally closes. I will be very sad to see the show end and wish very much that it could be kept on in the West End at a smaller theatre. Bravo to all concerned! - 81.76.21.215) | 01 Aug 06 |
| Direction problems - and some simply awfull choreography! I barely remember the original production - except for the road rising up with the motorcyle which was stunning - in this we had dry ice blown from around the poor ol' musical director. If you like lots of kids singing gooey numbers then it's your bag. I thought Tim Rogers a real star - what a voice and he gave it his all. Claire Marlowe and Garrie Harvey fleshed out their charachters well too but it's a turgid show that simply gets worse. I fidgeted in my seat and I know that is not a good sign! LOL. I guess it gets bums on seats before Spamalot and there were lots of very young bums on seats in the theatre - who I may say behaved impeccably. I hope the repetitive music and dreary plot doesn't put them off going back to the theatre. - 195.93.21.39) | 26 Jul 06 |
| the show is absolutely amazing i recommend it to any. I think thay should keep it running perminately because its such a brilliant show. 10 out of 10 - 84.68.91.123) | 22 Jul 06 |
| I love the show. I think it has lovely songs in it. The Brat and Poor baby are fantastic including the other children. The cast are very good and The man and Swallow are BRILLIANT.I recommend you to go and see it. EMZ - 82.2.167.221) | 18 Jun 06 |
| the show is brilliant DEFINATELY go and see it 10 out of 10 definately the cast are BRILLIANT includding the talented children I love all the songs in the show "no matter what" "Nature of the beast" "when children rule the world" GO AND SEE IT!!!!!!! - 195.93.21.66) | 01 Jun 06 |
| I think the shw is brilliant go and wtch it !!!!!! - 84.12.12.212) | 28 May 06 |
| There are some nice songs in it but there is just not enough substance to make this a great musical. If it was re-written and the characters developed a little more it would be excellent. Its saving grace is that Tim Robbins as 'The Man' gives a wonderful performance and its worth going just to see him!! - 80.1.224.8) | 28 May 06 |
| sorry i would just like to say one more thing...those who cant criticize and those who can do...so all you who are slatin the show i would like to see you produce something better!!!! - 84.12.12.212) | 25 May 06 |
| HI...my name is emma hopkins and i play brat in the show... i dont no how many of u people who have wrote a review watched me but anyway i hoped you enjoyed it ....i think the show is fantastic and is the best company i have ever worked for the music by andrew loyd webber is fantasic ...so please come and watchn the show i hope you enjoy it Emma Hopkins - 84.12.12.212) | 25 May 06 |
| A lacklustre show (ALW's all-time weakest, to my mind) made worse by staid direction, panto scenery, embarrassingly clunky choreography and toe-curling miming from the children's chorus. My second star is for the outstanding Swallow, Man and Poor Baby who, between them, made this evening (18th May) just about bearable. - 82.34.196.137) | 18 May 06 |
| As I sat down to watch “Whistle” at the Palace I awaited the usual crescendoing overture, but it never came. Instead of an uplifting 3 minutes of music I was greeted with a few bars. This abrupt start kicked the musical into action, although there was no buzz of an opening number and movement was nearly non-existent. The only movement occurring seemed to mimic a physical theatre piece and in general the musical lacked any big show-stopping dance routine. The only traditional big show-stopping number was “Cold”, with Ed (Tee Jaye) and Sam (Leroy Ricardo Jones) leading the number with an air of professionalism. The number ends with the Sheriff (Aaron Shirley) breaking up the merriment by announcing a killer is on the loose and that certain members of the town should return home. It was refreshing to see a musical incorporate an issue such as the apartheid, but this was its only real mention and I felt it could have been developed much further, especially as there is a mixed race relationship between Amos and Candy. Shirley must also be commended on his portrayal of the sheriff. He was one of very few actors to pplay their part convincingly, alongside Swallow and The Man, played by Tim Rogers. With the opening well and truly over and the show in full swing we were introduced to three motherless children: Swallow, Brat and Baby. Claire Marlow (Swallow) must be commended on her wonderful singing voice. She marks her West End debut in “Whistle” and I am sure that she has a healthy career ahead of her. Indeed many of the actors were making West End debuts and, unfortunately, it showed. Too many of the chorus overplayed their parts, making them appear like caricatures. Amos, played by Garrie Harvey, seemed to resemble an over the top character from “Happy Days”, although he did have a good singing voice, as did his girlfriend Candy played wonderfully by Debbie Korley. Many of the songs were recognisable, but some of the lyrics were a little odd – such as Steinman unsuccessfully rhyming “ear” with “there”. Lloyd Webber’s music was, overall, effective, although too often had he used the same “Whistle” refrain which became tedious. He also seemed to mash songs together. “No Matter What the Outrage/Tower of Fire” at times sounded like a nursery rhyme mixed with the Prodogy’s “Firestarter”. Each night approximately twenty children appear on stage, but for some reason a backing track is played for their songs. This spoils the musical. Theatre should be live and the children were ‘robbed’ of a voice. Overall the evening was an enjoyable one, with many audience members humming along to songs and getting drawn into the story. One did feel transported back to the 1950s, mainly due to fantastic design from Paul Farnsworth; definitely a musical where the set stole the show. It is a shame “Whistle” is only a ‘filler’ for ‘Spamalot’, as given time, it could mature into another strong musical from Lloyd Webber canon. - 134.219.103.193) | 18 May 06 |
| I SAW TE SHOW IN THE WEST END ORIGINALLY AND THE TOUR WHICH OFCOURSE I NOW HAVE SEEN AGAIN AT THE PALACE. I MUST SAY IT WAS NOT WITHOUT FAULT BUT THE SIMPLICITY IT BRINGS TO THE INTEGRAL SCENES IS TRULY MESMERISING. NOT A MUSICAL FOR ALL BUT A MUSICAL OF TASTE HENCE I LOVED IT. THE PERFORMANCES OF MARLOWE HARVEY AND RODGERS WERE MESMERISING. VOCALLY OUTSTANDING AND TRULY DESERVING OF THE WEST END STAGE. HARVEY AS AMOS I HAVE SEEN BEFORE IN HIS ROLE OF TOBIAS IN SWEENEY TODD I ADORED HIM THEN AND NOW. A SENSITIVE YOUNG MILDLY TORCHOURED PERFORMANCE. MAGNIFICENT. MARLOWE, GRAPPLED WITH A VERY DIFFICULT ROLE AND PULLED IT OFF WITH EASE. ROGERS OOZED CHARM AND PASSION. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE GO. AND GO AGAIN. THIS REALLY HAS GROWN ON ME. ARTIE. - 84.9.48.186) | 12 May 06 |
| well what a show it has every thing you whant i was blown a way totaley great - 195.93.21.74) | 05 May 06 |
| Saw the show on a Saturday matinee. I really enjoyed this show,the cast are obviously committed to it and it has a great score. The kids are charming, not sickly, and unlike other comments made, they seemed to be singing live to me! The second half builds on the first as the emotions of "The Man" and his inner fight come to the fore. A role well sung and acted by Tim Rogers and,as was obvious from the reactions of the females in my group, played with smoldering sex appeal as well. It's comfortably easy to buy into the storyline and be moved by it. Also check right at the end when "The Man" has supposedly perished in the barn - notice a stanger handing the bible to Swallow! Don't expect something deep and intellectual, but be prepared to be superbly entertained! - 81.19.57.138) | 02 May 06 |
| well had the great misfortune to see this particular production of the show again last night and was so unimpressed . before west end i saw it at the wimbledon theatre and it was by far so much better there than it is at the palace . the original production i thought was very good , the set was fantastic and the use of real snakes in live theatre was very interesting and the children all sang their own lines and the scene in the tunnel with a real set piece of a train was quite impressive . this production rarely moves out of the barn , snakes borrowed from what seems like london zoo gift shop an orchestra made up of synths and choreography from a man in his 60s (side steps and jumps ) and the kids and dare i say adults miming ,i only know as the sound wasnt spot on and they messed up big time overlapping the click track at the wrong time . tire tracks and kiss is a terrible thing to waste always gives me a bit of a chill 2 of the best songs in the show (if sung well ) . the original production in my own opinion was very very good although not recieved well and i much prefer it to this production . just not quite sure how a second rate touring production made it in to the west end without being up to the standard which it should be . - 195.224.116.2) | 26 Apr 06 |
| good show go and see other shows this a very verygood show well worthgoing to see swallow was great the man allso in all exerlent - 195.93.21.2) | 25 Apr 06 |
| The show was good but the cast when i saw it on tour were better, not to mention to two child leads i saw Brat ( Kirsty Kober) & Poor Baby ( Ashley Lloyd), they could actually sing unlike the children playing them i witnessed. Also the children chorus were miming and very badly to which to my suprise sounded like the tour click track!! Tim Rogers was still great but i do not understand why the changed the song 'The Gang' to 'The Tribe' , the gang was defintalty more impressive. - 84.65.211.204) | 19 Apr 06 |
| Excellent. A much better version of this musical than the original. The cast are superb. - 152.163.100.68) | 16 Apr 06 |
| To put into one single word: B O R I N G !!! This musical is a whole waste of time. - 195.93.60.39) | 14 Apr 06 |
| One of the funniest productions I have ever seen, but for all the wrong reasons. You couldn’t help but cringe at Amos every time he was on stage it has to be the worst James Dean impression ever! I also felt really sorry for the kids in the chorus who had to mime the speaking parts. This surely defeats the purpose of live theatre? The rest of the cast really save this from being a complete disaster and as someone else said you can only feel sorry for them. In summary thank God its not on for long!!! - 82.110.109.212) | 11 Apr 06 |
| absolute rubbish. cant believe I stayed to the end. save your money., - 88.106.93.108) | 29 Mar 06 |
| Truly, utterly and completely awful. The main problem is the show itself - everything about it is dreadful - plot, music, lyrics, script etc. There are a few talented performers in this cast, who one feels sorry for - they should be somewhere better. The girl who plays Swallow is clearly a big talent, who I hope to see again in something better. The guy who plays the Man, again was pretty good - although for my money he lacked a little charisma. However, I would highly recommend the production for lovers of the 'so bad it's good' school of theatre. There were moments which had us in tears of laughter, such as Amos riding his bike with Swallow on the back at the beginning of act 2. Genius. Incidentally - how did the guy who plays Amos ever get cast in anything anywhere ever, let alone a West End production? He's even worse than the material he's working with - and that's saying something! The children's chorus quite obviously mime. The opening number is sung by a man who forgets he's supposed to be American. Oh god it's all so bad! - 132.185.144.122) | 29 Mar 06 |
| I loved the show..it was uplifting and emotional yet plenty of touches of humour...the kids were great . - 212.54.184.150) | 29 Mar 06 |
| WDTW was never one of ALW's better shows (as always there are catchy tunes aplenty and a satisfying emotional punch, but the whole thing doesn't quite hang together plus the Deep South setting destroys much of the original tale's charm) but it provides an enjoyable and undemanding evening's entertainment in Bill Kenwright's efficient production. Lacking the high budget and theatrical wizardry of Gale Edwards' original W/end staging, this version works well although the new ending is over-sentimentalised. The set is simple but effective, the lighting is lovely, and the cast perform with commitment. Tim Rogers as The Man gives a stunning performance: suitably tormented, sexy and powerfully sung. Opposite him Claire Marlowe sings sweetly as Swallow although she looks a bit old and oddly lacks the sense of awakening sexuality that Lottie Mayor and Laura Michelle Kelly so hauntingly gave her. By far the worse aspect of the show is Henry Metcalfe's dire choreography: unintentionally funny and pitifully unimaginative, it has no place on the W/End stage. Or any stage come to that. For a family outing this will undoubtedly be very popular. - 195.82.123.181) | 28 Mar 06 |
| Saw this production on tour a couple of years back. It's ok, if slightly farcical. Couple of decent songs. BUT can I just say two things. 1) - i work in theatre marketing and I wish profesional reviewers would give such deliciously quotable comments as above: "appropriate for both adults and children alike...except for those who do not like snakes. The performance does contain snakes... a truly heart warming production". Charm itself. 2) People on this site seem to go to the same muscials time after time. is that becasue they can afford to see all musicals at least once, or they just revisit the same few..? - 86.129.153.149) | 28 Mar 06 |
| When you have seen a show before you tend to compare it to previous casts that you have seen - well after seeing Tim Rogers as The Man I have forgotten the previous Men! He was fantastic. The show is still as good as ever but he was extra special - 88.108.120.225) | 27 Mar 06 |
| Absolutely brilliant. A wonderful show, spine chilling music. - 86.134.10.195) | 21 Mar 06 |
| I went to see Whistle Down The Wind not so long ago when it first appeared on stage and I still believe that it is one of my favourite musicals. It is appropriate for both adults and children alike...except for those who do not like snakes. The performance does contain snakes but besides that it was amazing. A truly heart warming production. - 81.153.165.92) | 14 Mar 06 |
| One of the most brilliant shows I've ever seen. The Original production in the Aldwych theatre was great and I'm looking forward to see it once, twice or more often at the Palace theatre again. Romantic ballads, rocking songs, gospel and an overflow of powerful feelings recollected in tranquillity make this musical a marvellous hit in the WestEnd. - 89.53.10.189) | 06 Mar 06 |
