"Bend it Like Beckham"

You know you're watching a West End show when the production values are insane, the performances are top notch, and the script is memorable. "Bend it Like Beckham," a brand new musical making its debut on the West End and which is currently in previews, is one that, disappointingly, does not possess all of the aforementioned qualities necessary in order to be a lasting West End production. The group and I saw it last night after having been given the privilege of meeting with the lighting designer of the show, who gave us some insight on the process (and difficulties) of lighting the show, as well as a tour of the set and backstage, which was a really incredible experience. It's a shame that such a unique set was held prisoner to such a lackluster show; one whose lighting design was indeed the standout among a story that was riddled with cliches and predictability, as well as songs that were mostly forgettable. The musical is an adaptation of the 2002 film of the same name, and was written and directed by the same woman who directed the film. The lighting designer gave us some insight into the struggles of working with someone who has never worked in theatre before, and he also said that it created an interesting duality between the directer and the lead choreographer; a person who had plenty of theatre experience. While the show itself was admittedly entertaining and did provide for a number of laughs, it was very clear that it was directed by someone who didn't have a firm grip on the art of theatre and ultimately created a show which at times felt like an amateur production. The sound design offered some awesome beats that really resonated through the theatre and was overally really effective, but it's a shame that the songs accompanying the beats were marred by bad lyrics. As mentioned, the set itself was very impressive overall, with lots of scenery changes that were eye-popping to look at and impressive from a mechanical standpoint. Sadly, the poor script and directing have lead to a musical that will most likely receive poor to mixed reactions from critics, and likely won't last long in West End's harshly competitive atmosphere.