Standing ovation for the Northern Ireland premier of “Follies.”

My excitement had been building all day to go and see this show. As a fan of the more popular musicals written by Stephen Sondheim, I have to admit I went into the theatre blind on the storyline of “Follies.”

What I watched on Saturday night was a story of love, longing and loss, we open at a reunion of Weismann’s Follies girls as they have one last party before the Weismann Theatre is set to be demolished. Phyllis, Sally and their husbands Buddy and Ben were all best friends and thirty years later it seems that unsaid feelings will be laid bare tonight.

James Goldmans book keeps the pace of this show moving, paired alongside music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, we are able to follow along the many twisting storylines with ease. As an audience member it can be so difficult with a cast ion such size however the direction of Cameron Menzies intricately intertwined past and present seamlessly.  

As we waited in the beautifully historic Grand Opera House auditorium for the show to go up we were greeted with the sounds of demolition work thanks to sound design by Andy Graham alongside the orchestral tune up to immerse us into the setting of the party. The bare bones of the opera house stage leant into the unused feel of the Weismann Theatre while the classical architecture leant a nod to the splendour of days gone by, this was all down to the set design of Niall McKeever and lighting design by Jake Wiltshire Soon we were greeted with diamond encrusted showgirls moving to a record style song before the orchestra, led by Greg Arrowsmith started up.

Although time has moved on it, the ghosts of the past are awoken and we see the side by side performances of the Follies girls from then and now, most striking being the “Mirror” danceof “Who’s that Woman” led by Stella, played by Pippa Winslow- we see the glitz and glamour of old paired with the nostalgia of a time gone by as the ex follies tap out their routine like it was yesterday.

Sally played by Anna-Jane Casey was truly spectacular. Her voice, paired with her heartbreaking performance really left me feeling so sad for a woman who never got the live the life she wanted, even through her own decisions. Most noteworthy was her hauntingly beautiful rendition of “Losing My Mind” which left the audience stunned. Her young counterpart played by Brigid Shine perfectly complimented Anna with her heartbreak at having to choose Buddy over Ben all those years ago.

Phyllis played by Annette McLaughlin was the perfect counterpart to Sally, serving us comedy through wit, she stood strong and proud as her life threatened to crash around her, her quiet grace as a performer shone through however blew the audience away with her phenomenal dance ability during “The Story of Lucy and Jessie.” Young Phyllis, played by Anna Violet contrasted wonderfully, giving us a glimpse into how naive Phyllis was and how much she gave up to please someone who never truly loved her.

Buddy played by Mark Dugdale was happy go lucky and I truly felt sorry for him until truths about his mistress came to light. Most noticeable performance was his breakdown into ruin during “The Right Girl.” His younger self played by Reece McGowan had the happy go lucky attitude of a boy in love which was the perfect contrast to Young Ben played by Chris Kane, who didn’t seem to care about how his actions would affect Buddy and Sally’s relationship for years to come

Ben played by Alasdair Harvey smoothed us over with his charming persona, and I delighted in watching such a versatile actor go from happiness to having his whole world crash around him.

A shout out to all the supporting cast and ensemble for bringing us right into the heart of their stories from past and present. Jaqueline Dankworth MBE belted out “I’m still here” with ease, reminiscing of her solo that was cut when she was a Follies girl, while Lesley Garrett CBE and Petra Wells voices blended perfectly together as both Heidi and Young Heidi performed their beautiful duet of “One More Kiss.”

While the first act secures the storyline and relationships of the couples, I couldn’t believe time had flown so quickly to the the interval. To my surprise it’s the second act that truly amped up a notch, as we enter into the fever dream of love land, with stunning sets once again from Niall McKeever. Each song seems to take on an homage to some of the best stage musicals and Jennifer Rooney’s choreography shines.

From vaudeville to 17th century aristocrats, to fiery fossé-esque routines, a heartbreaking big band ballad and then finding the “Lie” within Ben’s final realisations, you can truly see how versatile a choreographer she is. Costumes by Gillian Lennox and wigs, hair and make up design by Nuala Campbell are incredible and heightened the experience of the fantasy experience.

Bravo to all the cast and crew of NI Opera! Truly a spectacular show from start to finish. If you want to check out something new and exciting in the Belfast. Book your tickets via GOH.co.uk before they sell out!