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TOM SHARAH - THAT 90S SHOW
Review

TOM SHARAH - THAT 90S SHOW

July 14 2014

TOM SHARAH - THAT ’90s SHOW, One-Eyed Productions in association with Hayes Theatre Co, 6-13 July 2014 (look out for future touring dates).

Tom Sharah is having one hell of a year and it’s only July. He is growing and developing as a performer before our eyes and it’s a thrilling thing to witness. Barely into his 20s, Sharah has always had chutzpah to spare as well as humour, charm and charisma - and talent, of course. 

Now, these sometimes overpowering qualities are being tempered by maturity and wider experience. The latter gained most recently and most notably from his first “straight” role as Adolpho in Squabbalogic’s smash hit production of The Drowsy Chaperone (also at the Hayes Theatre).

The discipline of the scripted character role in the musical has made an obvious and huge difference to Sharah’s stage presence in this new show; and also to the scripted links - written by him too. They are discursive, personal, funny, touching, often surprisingly frank - but never self-indulgent nor too long. Coupled with the contribution of long-time collaborator and musical director Nigel Ubrihien, the result is a sharply and sweetly entertaining 75 minutes of theatre-cabaret. It will please any fan of the genre - as well as those who fondly (or otherwise) remember the pop culture and music of the 1990s.

Sharah’s childhood was profoundly influenced by The Little Mermaid and The Spice Girls, in particular Gerri Halliwell. The audience is treated to glorious original arrangements of songs such as Who Do You Think You Are while hearing the heart-rending story of how his mother (my long-time friend and fellow theatre critic Jo Litson, btw) broke to him the news that Gerri was leaving the group. We also hear how he coped with the trauma of not being able to wear a mermaid tail for his sixth birthday party and having to dress as a squid instead - because the party entertainer woman said that’s what boys did.

Although played with a wicked glint in the eyes and tongue firmly in cheek, Sharah also serves up a reminder that there was some great music and wonderful performers in the 1990s. He opens with a robust version of Robbie WilliamsLet Me Entertain You, for instance. And when he pays tribute to Whitney Houston and the soundtrack of The Bodyguard, he chooses a song that is both subtle and touching - and has not been done to death like the one you think he’s going to sing.

The dramatic and vocal highlight of the show, however, has to be his version of the Alanis Morisette heart-stopper You Oughta Know - it’s a song reinvented and there were tears in the house on Sunday night. Tears and laughter too when he is joined on stage by singer-guitarist and younger brother Oscar to do the “boy bands” in close harmony.

TOM SHARAH - THAT 90S SHOW

Underlining his coming of age as a performer, Sharah has the nerve and the ability to close the show, not with a rah-rah big finish, razzamatazz number, but to still the laughter, steady the enthusiasm and increase the emotional connection with a couple of slow ballads, ending with Wendy Matthews’ classic The Day You Went Away.

The ’90s Show is a lot of fun, musically rich and extremely entertaining; it’s also got heart and soul and remarkable depth. It’s bound to tour and when it comes your way - don’t hesitate.

A digression: a lot has been said recently about the current Belvoir production of Hedda Gabler, and very little of it has been good. It focuses mainly on the bizarre casting of drag star Ash Flanders in the title role. Bizarre because there is nothing in the production to explain or justify such a choice and bizarre because, as an actor without his normal props, he seems sadly out of his depth. 

Thought: if you’re going to cast a male performer in one of the great female roles in the repertoire at least give it to a performer who could bring acting chops, charisma and dangerous sex appeal to the role - and at least make Hedda comprehensible. In other words - what a pity Tom Sharah wasn’t considered for the role.

 

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