It’s 1955 and Marilyn Monroe is at the height of her fame. Despite this, she wants to be taken seriously as an artist, like the woman she most admires, jazz icon Ella Fitzgerald, who is also at the peak of her career. Even though she can’t quite believe her own success, Ella wants more too. She wants the kind of fame Marilyn has. She wants to be in the movies. But to break into Hollywood, she needs to meet the ‘right’ people like the producers and money-men who frequent the ‘living-room of the stars’ Mocambo night club. But Ella stands no chance of singing at the whites-only Mocambo... until Marilyn steps in and pulls strings like nobody else can! These two iconic women - both outsiders - come together in an evening of raw emotion and great songs. A true but forgotten moment of American showbiz history re-enacted live on stage.
Bonnie Greer's wonderful, original Marilyn and Ella has brought to life a neglected episode in the life of these two iconic stars. Telling the true story of when Marilyn helped Ella break the color bar and become the first black headliner at Hollywood nightclub the Mocambo, Greer challenges easy assumptions about both women, bringing out Ella's vulnerability and Marilyn's strength. Susie Kennedy offers a standout performance as Marilyn, moving well beyond the standard "breathy" impersonation into a strong, nuanced portrayal of an actress, not a blowup doll. Hope Augustus is a memorable Ella and the two powerhouse performances combine with Greer's intelligent script to offer a memorable evening of history, song, and sisterhood. Don't miss. - Sarah Churchwell - Joanne Thomas
23 Nov 09
This sunday, caught the opening night of Marilyn and Ella and loved it. The show opened with Ella walking in from the back of the theatre singing and it gave me goose bumps. Hope Augustus has an incredible voice and gave a beautiful performance. After Ella's introduction to the play, Marilyn Monroe came on stage. With a few gasps from the audience as if the real marilyn had entered the building, Suzie Kennedy went on to give a super performance. It was a delight to see both these characters brought back to life in a very convincing and heart warming way. An appearance from Stephen Triffit, AKA globally known Frank Sinatra impersonator made an appearance at the beginning and half way through the play which was a real treat. It was a wonderful evening out and speaking as a member of the pulic rather than an self rated critic, I totally recommend catching Marilyn and Ella before it disapears off to Broadway. - Joanne Thomas
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