Mandy Little
14 November 2012 – Review of Tell Me On a Sunday
Well, it has to be said that visiting the Q Theatre for the first time is exciting. It is a quaint venue, with a nice
bar layout, and a great location in Auckland, next to Auckland’s Town Hall. So, when the chance to see an Andrew Lloyd
Webber production came my way – I was in.
Although a lesser-known work of Mr Webber– Tell Me on a Sunday is powerful, and very enjoyable show. With a cast of one – Carly Binding – who I felt did a fine job in the role made
famous by Marti Webb who starred in the first production staged in London, back in 1979. It must be very difficult to
sing and act with no-one else on stage with you – and with numerous costume changes, even on stage! Yet, Carly did it
well. The band, I thought, took a while to warm up and sometimes overpowered the three backing singers, who themselves
had a few harmony issues near the start. However, it was, of course, opening night and therefore there as no doubt some
first night nerves. Once these were worked out of the system though, everyone settled down and, overall, I enjoyed the
performance.
Carly plays 'the girl' who arrives in New York City from Muswell Hill, UK. She talks to her friends and writes to her
mum during the performance updating them on her love-life – although she is the only one on stage. She wants to find
love. She falls in love but discovers he’s been cheating on her with numerous other women and she walks out. She meets
Hollywood producer Sheldon Bloom, who takes her to LA, but she becomes a trophy girlfriends – she walks out, back to
Manhattan. She meets a salesman, who sees other women when away on business - she walks out. She meets a married man who
can provide access to the green card she needs, and enjoys the noon-to-two relationship until he wants to leave his wife and marry her. She walks away.
Carly proved that not only has she got a great singing voice, but can act too. The play is no Evita or Cats – but well
worth hearing the song that made No 3 in the UK charts back in 1980 Take That Look Off Your Face.
Tell Me On A Sunday
14-24 November
Q Theatre
305 Queen Street
music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics by Don Black
Musical Director: Robin Kelly
Director: David Coddington
Starring: Carly Binding
ends