[Ad-gifted] Last night we managed to get to review 42 Balloons from Global Musicals at The Lowry Theatre in Salford Quays.
It was a sell-out performance for this modern pop song-themed musical based around the strange but slightly true story of Larry Walters from California who set out with his girlfriend and a team of friends to fly with some balloons and a deck chair oh yes, and not forgetting his parachute for further safe landing later!
He made it 45 minutes in the air and went on to inspire films and of course this new musical by Jack Godfrey. If you’re already captivated by this fascinating story and curious about the modern music book that accompanies this show, keep reading to find out more about our latest theatre review.
What we thought of 42 Balloons
The show was a kaleidoscope of entertainment. The visuals were so unusual and made for an iconic watch, however, as much as I wanted to love 42 Balloons – directed by Ellie Coot – something didn’t quite hit the spot. The story itself is of course, fascinating with it being about Larry Walters, the famed Californian, that quite unbelievably flew 16,000 feet in the air on a lawn/garden chair and 42 (actually, maybe 43, according to Larry) weather balloons! Throughout the musical you learn of the life of Larry and his girlfriend Carol and how they followed through with the crazy flying scenario back in 1982. The characters were likeable and the musical talents of Charlie McCullagh as Larry and Evelyn Hoskins as Carol (Larry’s girlfriend) were formidable, along with an equally talented chorus/cast and accompanying band – who stood for the most part behind the set, that halfway through separated to dramatically reveal them.
But still the music perhaps just wasn’t quite right. There is no doubt that Jack Godfrey is a talent and managed to create a dramatic telling of this tale of ‘Lawn Chair Larry’ (as he ultimately became known through his short-lived celebrity) with warmth and sympathy, however, the format of the lyrics reminded me more of the format of opera, although fundamentally the songs were sung in the style of a modern pop song – they could have easily and perhaps more successfully lent themselves to an operatic style especially as the story itself has an element of tragedy about it.
I can’t fault the production of the show and ultimately it’s what gave this musical a cinematic edge, specifically, the creative elements from the sound design, music director, lighting designer video designer/animator and scene designer who enabled the show to have an immersive set appearing as though the cast were positioned inside a weather balloon. And within the balloon were projections of various images throughout the show that left us wowed. These compensated for the moments where the musical missed the mark and captivated you enough to keep you watching.
Ultimately the story is about dreams and how even the craziest dreams make an impact on the lives beyond those (like Larry) that fulfil them. Last night’s show got a standing ovation, so although, it wasn’t entirely my cup of tea, it clearly is entertaining and captured the hearts of many of those sat in the audience.
Cast
Evelyn Hoskins – Carol
Charlie McCullagh – Larry
Gillian Hardie – Carol’s mum
Lejaun Sheppard – Ron (Larry’s friend)
Simeon Anthony – Letterman
Jordan Broatch – Ensemble
Tinovimbanashe Sibanda – the kid
Athena Collins – Ensemble
Morgan Gregory – Ensemble
Matt Jones – Swing
Luke Latchman – Ensemble
Rebekah Lowings – cover carol
Jamie Pritchard – cover Larry
Laura Dawn Pyatt – Ensemble
Natasha Wilde – Swing
Creatives
Jack Godfrey – Book, Music and Lyrics
Ellie Coot – Director and Dramaturg
Joe Beighton – Orchestra, arranger and music supervisor
Alexzandra Sarmiento – Choreographer
Milla Clarke – scenic designer
Natalie Pryce Costume designer
Andrzej Goulding – Video designer and animator
Bruno Poet – Lighting designer
Pearson Casting CDG – casting
How much are the tickets?
Tickets are priced from £23 to £42. Recommended for Ages: 12+ as there are references to violence, sex, mild offensive language, mental health issues and death through suicide. There are also Flashing lights.
How do I book tickets to watch 42 Balloons?
To book tickets please call The Lowry at 08432086000 or via their website here. To book accessible performances, please email access@thelowry.com or call 0161 876 2183.
How long is the show for and what are the timings?
The show will be running at The Lowry Theatre until Sun, 19 May 2024 with performances at 8pm while the matinee shows will be at 3pm on Saturdays/Sundays. It will have an approximate running time of 2 hours and 20 minutes including an interval.
Where will the performance be held?
The Lowry
Pier 8
The Quays
Salford
M50 3AZ
Manchester
Tel: 0843208 6000
Notes:
- The Lowry welcomes all visitors regardless of their disability and strives to meet all individuals needs where possible.
- They welcome assistance dogs.
- The Lowry website is fully accessible and features BrowseAloud. Browsealoud adds speech, reading and translation support, facilitating access and participation for those people who need support reading print, dyslexia, low literacy, mild visual impairments and those with English as a second language. To use this feature, simply click on the grey ear logo located in the footer.
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If you are driving to the show, we would recommend for you to park at The Lowry Outlet which is opposite the theatre, but be aware as there is lack of signage from the car park area to the theatre, so best to ask someone or use google maps to find your way.Pre paid car parking tickets can be purchased up to 24 hours prior to your performance. Please note they are unable to sell pre paid tickets on your performance date, and you will need to pay at the ticket machines in the car park. The tickets can be booked at the same time as your seats via their website, or over the phone on freephone 0343 208 6000.
About The Lowry Theatre
The Lowry is a registered charity committed to using visual and performing arts to enrich people’s lives. They present audiences with a diverse programme of theatre, opera, musicals, dance, music, comedy and visual art as well as events and activities to expand the horizons of audiences and artists alike. At the heart of their work is a commitment to the local communities and young people. Tapping into the work on their stages and in their galleries, they offer thousands of free creative participation opportunities each year. They are passionate about nurturing talent, developing creative professionals of the future and raising aspirations.
About Global Musicals
Global Musicals is an Olivier-award nominated and Tony-award winning UK-based production company led by Andy and Wendy Barnes, working with early career writers and artists to deliver innovative, contemporary musical theatre that appeals to a younger generation of theatre-goers, with current titles including international smash hits SIX and Choir of Man.
About Alchemation
Alchemation is headed by Kevin McCollum, who received the Tony Award for Best Musical for In the Heights (2008), Avenue Q (2004), and Rent (1996), which also won the Pulitzer Prize.
Upcoming projects include the Broadway productions of The Devil Wears Prada and The Notebook, and he recently produced the new movie adaptation of West Side Story directed by Steven Spielberg.
About Perfect Pitch Musicals
Perfect Pitch Musicals is a charitable organisation dedicated exclusively to creating, developing and promoting new contemporary British musicals and supporting emerging producers to develop their own new British musicals.
Perfect Pitch’s catalogue of titles includes Pieces of String by Gus Gowland, LIFT by Craig Adams & Ian Watson, Club Mex by John-Victor & Tamar Broadbent, Game Theory by Rachel Bellman & Josh Bird, Sunshine by Kath Haling, and many more.
We operate an open submissions process to discover new projects, and review every musical received that meets our criteria. Submissions are open now.
You may also want to read this:
Review: Agatha Christie’s ‘Love From a Stranger at The Lowry
Review: Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Beauty and The Beast at The Lowry Theatre
Review: Lunch at Pier Eight & We are Going On A Bear Hunt at The Lowry
Photo Credit: The Lowry Theatre
18 comments
This sounds like a fun one! It’s so crazy to me that this is based on something that actually happened. LOL.
Well loosely based, what what an interesting story line indeed
I have never been to a theatre show before, but it’s on my bucket list. This sounds like a fun show to watch.
I saw your post about in on Instagram so I headed over to read some more. I’d like to see this!
It’s a shame that the story didn’t quite mesh with you – the balloons and staging looks so fantastic.
Yes it was indeed and the cast were amazing
The pictures from this live show are amazing and I would love to see it myself! I have not seen a show in theater in forever!
Hope you do get yourself to the theatre soon to watch a show you like, as we love heading to the theatre
What a great review! It sounds like it was so awesome!
It was a great show and one worth a watch to see if you do like it or not
It sounds like a unique and captivating show, and your review gave a great insight into what to expect. Even though it might not have been a perfect fit for you, your detailed feedback helps others decide if it’s their cup of tea.
Thank you, I try to write a detailed review so our readers understand about the show and what to expect
I can definitely see through the images how lively and entertaining this performance was! Sounds like a great viewing ^_^
It was indeed, we had a lovely night out
Love that it focuses on “dreamers” and on how dreams impact others! Even though it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, sounds like it was really interesting and entertaining.
Extremely entertaining and yes, a story for dreamers to keep dreaming
The show seems awesome! I love going to theaters. I would love to watch this one, it is great.
It is worth a watch and the cast are so talented