The Life of the Party review, Menier Chocolate Factory

There's a reason that Noel Gallagher writes the songs and Liam sings them: they're different skills. Andrew Lippa, a successful composer of musicals, is blessed with a great ear and a great wit as Andrew Lippa - The Life of the Party attests. Across an evening of show tunes he's at his best when charming the audience with his witty narrative and fabulous piano. The real stars are the singers, particularly a stunning Summer Strallen and the surprising Caroline O'Connor.

The two women are dazzling, with Strallen doing terrific turns as a slinky dominatrix and an abandoned daughter, and O'Connor whose early torch songs are deeply moving, bringing down the house in a lesbian sequence. Their male counterpart, Damian Humbley is forced into a humbling position by Lippa's keenness to be The Life of the Party and sing the best numbers himself. Lippa's voice is good enough, but everyone else's is noticeably better.

Director, David Babani has co-created a warm and jolly evening that is a mix of cabaret and performance with a series of small scenes - including lively skits from Lippa's US hits The Addams Family and The Wild Party. None of the tunes was known to me or my companion and aren't the instantly memorable numbers one retains, but the content of the songs was clever and remains fresh. Lippa's lyrics are both funny and poignant, often at the same time.

In conclusion: You have to be into musicals to go to a show that's built around songs from productions that will be known to only a few UK punters. On that basis, nobody who buys a ticket for The Life of the Party is going to be disappointed. As with many parties the host is the facilitator and it is the guests who provide the entertainment, and it's a good night out.

References
The Life of the Party, Tickets

Menier Chocolate Factory, 53 Southwark Street, London SE1 1RU.  Run ends 14 June