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France, 1940. Jacobowsky, a Polish Jewish intellectual, has been one step ahead of the Nazis for years. Stjerbinsky, an aristocrat, anti semitic Polish colonel, is desperately trying to get to England. Jacobowsky has purchased a car he doesn't know how to drive. The Colonel knows how to drive, but has no car. When the two meet at a Paris hotel, they agree to join forces in order to escape the approaching Nazis. Together with the Colonel's girlfriend, Marianne, they begin their perilous, challenging and adventurous journey on the road to freedom. Featuring one of Jerry Herman's most engrossing and heartfelt scores, The Grand Tour finds beauty, light and humour in one of history's darkest hours. Opening on Broadway in 1979, The Grand Tour marked Herman's return to Broadway after almost a decade away, and it finally makes its European premiere at the Finborough Theatre. |
Danielle Tarento Presents
The Grand Tour
"the great Tarento/ Southerland combination has found another little treasure from hidden Broadway and made it a triumph... totally unexpected, full of wry humour and heartbreakingly beautiful"
★★★★★
Remote Goat
"the crackerjack cast of 11 is brilliantly led by twinkling and tender Alastair Brookshaw"
★★★★
Sunday Express
"a grand achievement for this cheeky and dark-humoured gem. Surprising and sumptuous at the hands of Southerland and Tarento, it certainly was worth the three decade wait"
★★★★
Grumpy Gay Critic
"it's perfectly suited to the smaller space, beautifully produced, immensely enjoyable and with faultless performances from the trio of leads"
★★★★
Stage Review
"Thom Southerland's production of Jerry Herman's The Grand Tour defines all that good in fringe theatre today... yet another slice of theatrical genius"
★★★★
Jonathan Baz
"it's rare and special to discover such a beautiful musical for the first time"
★★★★
West End Frame
"an extraordinarily moving performance by Alastair Brookshaw as Jacobowsky"
★★★★
The Beast's Pen
"in the sometimes painful honesty of Herman's ballads there is real craft and sophistication at work...a little miracle of memorable simplicity like 'Marianne' comes from the musical imagination of a very gifted melodist"
★★★
The Arts Desk
"it's a spirited, creative staging, and its beating heart is a terrific performance from Alastair Brookshaw as Jacobowsky... soulful, battered and charming"
★★★
Time Out
"minimally but persuasively staged...an endearing evening"
★★★
The Times
"Thom Southerland's revival is a tale of life, love and liberty, ambitious in its conception and rewarding in its execution"
BroadwayWorld
"a lost gem, that is quite profound in its own right"
★★★★
The Londonist
"a slick, interesting and innovative production"
★★★★
Everything Theatre
"as you expect from a Southerland/Tarento show, ensemble casting is excellent and singing of the highest standard"
★★★★
Critical Mass
"a good deal of affection has been invested in crafting this intimate production"
★★★
Evening Standard
"Thom Southerland's intimate, warm revival is enchanting as well as unsettling, with wonderful, masterful staging and a beautiful set"
★★★
Musical Theatre Review
"this touching tale of one symbolic man's fight for survival, and of irrepressible optimism in the face of adversity, is well worth a visit"
TNT
"a minor creative miracle...worth seeing in its own right and not just by collectors of musical ephemera "
Jewish Renaissance
"ingenious...small theater taken over by large imaginations"
New York Times
Jan 1st - Feb 21st 2015
