bend it like beckham

Stage Screen Drop – Bend It Like Beckham

Bend It Like Beckham, is the feel good, colourful theatre production that opened up in the West End in May 2015. I could not convince my daughter to come and see it with me, she cited that she had not enjoyed the film and has no interest in football. This is where she was totally wrong.

You don’ t have to have seen the film, Bend It Like Beckham to understand this light-hearted theatre production or need to like football.

Bend It Like Beckham is a story about dreams and living your own dreams.

Jess, played by Natalie Dew and Jules played by Lauren Samuels capture their leads roles with ease and all their years of training sees them onto a West End stage.

Here’ s a short interview with the lead characters Natalie Dew and Lauren Samuels about their role in Bend It Like Beckham

 Bend It Like Beckham tells the story of Jess whose love of playing football is certainly not the career choice her strict Hindu parents have in mind and tell her she is wasting her time following idle dreams.

They are determined to steer her in the right direction, but Jess has other ideas and sneaks off to football practice ending up playing with her local team and travelling abroad with a twist.

She finds herself falling in love with the white good looking coach and just to add to her woes her best friend and co football player, Jules is also in love with the coach.

There is nothing like this on the West End at the moment.

Bend it Like Beckham Theatre show, portrays the cultural aspects of a young Asian woman living in Britain faced with cultural and societal realities.

But it is not all woe. In comes the fun loving sister with her distinctive chavvy dialect, with sights on getting married bringing a light-hearted humour, there is Tony the gay Asian man – is there another side to life in Britain for Asian families. Don’ t miss out on all the lights — that’ s all I’ m saying.

The deeper messages are conveyed in a light hearted way with the songs like ‘People Like Us’ , combined with the Bhangra and contemporary fusion of dancing , everyone on stage looks like they are having fun and this fun transfers onto the audience.

This is a great feel good theatre production, if you have a dream then follow it is the essential message of this show as the father laments his own decision not to follow his dream he helps his daughter not to make the same mistake.

What didn’ t I like about Bend it Like Beckham at the Theatre

The only area I didn’ t like was the scene with the make believe Beckham and Beckham and Posh — totally unnecessary and cringe worthy.

What are the highlights of Bend It Like Beckham – Theatre

The technical aspects of this show with the use of digital imagery, impressively the ball moves around the theatre, the slow motion football and sets were all professional and showed just how far the digital age has become part of life in the theatre.

Sometimes the Digital World Lets Us Down

I have to say I was totally annoyed by a woman seated in front of me who for some reason decided that it was a good time to start reading her Facebook messages during the production.

Why she came to see Bend It Like Beckham but then chose to spend her time on her little device beggars belief.

There was a feast of gaiety and joy in front of her very eyes; she was missing out on the moment to watch things that had passed in other people’ s lives.

There are times when the digital age does let us down.

It is at times like this we need to switch off those devices and be part of the moment. Thankfully the usher soon put her to right and asked her to put her device away.

Overall review rating of Bend It Like Beckham Theatre

Be prepared to be entertained — and don’ t miss this great performance – Bend It Like Beckham.

It is on at the Phoenix Theatre and is booking until February 2016.

Five stars *****

Here’ s to living your digital life

Spreading the word about the Digital World

Because there is another way!

The Digital Mum

 

 

Images: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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