REVIEW: Aspects of Love at the Lyric Theatre

Whilst theatre takes on many guises nothing can match the unbridled splendour of a West End production. The bright lights of Shaftsbury Avenue now play host to a revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Aspects of Love. With such a formidable creative line-up there was no doubt this musical would deliver the goods. The multi-award-winning Don Black contributes lyrics as does Charles Hart, who collaborated with Lord Webber on the wildly successful Phantom of the Opera. The show first aired in 1989 and hit Broadway the following year. It has enjoyed periodic revivals and national tours since then, but this sumptuous new production raises the musical to new heights.

The story concentrates on love, life and romantic dramas we call affairs of the heart. Alex Dillingham (Jamie Bogyo) meets and instantly falls in love with the beautiful and charismatic actress Rose Vibert (Laura Pitt-Pulford). However Rose becomes smitten with Alex’s uncle George (Michael Ball), who has an occasional mistress Giuletta (Danielle De Niese) in tow. Rose and George later have a daughter Jenny (Anna Unwin), who falls in love with her older cousin Alex. The lives of the five principal characters are traced over a seventeen-year period. Relationships ebb and flow as they weave a tangled emotional web.

REVIEW: Aspects of Love at Southwark Playhouse

‘Aspects of Love’ is a lesser known Andrew Lloyd Webber hit which stormed the West End 30 years ago, opening in 1989, running for 1,325 performances and elevating Michael Ball’s career with the soaring anthem ‘Love Changes Everything’. Since then it had a London revival at the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2010, and then this production stormed in Manchester at the Hope Mill Theatre, so I was excited to watch this production in London.

The story follows three generations of lovers starting with Alex Dillingham and older actress Rose Vibert, who have a steamy, passionate affair at Alex’s uncle’s villa, but when his Uncle George arrives it changes everything forever.

Pocket Size Theatre | Whats opening in 2019

There's a lot of things going on next year in the world of theatre; revivals of much loved shows, Broadway transfers, UK transfers, returns of shows previously in London, new writing and so much more! So here's our guide to the theatrical highlights of 2019! Get your diaries out... 

Aspects of Love | Southwark Playhouse | 7th January 

Six the Musical | Arts Theatre | Opens 16th January