The Gates @ Classic Grand

Described – quite rightly – as a mixture of West Side Story and Cabaret, The Gates is Rachel Jury’s musical based on the controversial bar in Chelsea called Gateways. Many of the characters who appear existed historically, but of course, artistic licence allows Jury to attribute her own characteristics to them. 

Costumed mainly in rich, decadent red and black, the resident lesbians of The Gates introduce the bar, and unravel the story. This is their haven, the place they feel safe, and the place they are most at home in. Constantly threatened by "the breeders" – aka heterosexuals who are portrayed as a sort of mafia threat – the bargoers are required to stand together and defend their haven when a romance breaks out between Jo (Seweryna Aga Dudzińska) and Judy (Jennifer Dempster), top dog Charlie's (Bobby Weston) girlfriend. 

With romance, murder, and near impeccable harmonies with a jazz-blues theme, as well as a talented cast, it is difficult to pick out any problems with this musical. It is a reasonably feel good show, yet seems to drag on a little too long, and appears to have a few issues with awkward scene changes involving the cast leaving the stage and coming back on again.

Furthermore, the bistro set up in the Classic Grand encourages a great deal of interaction – with the cast completely in character – yet the rapport built up with audience members as they shuffle into their seats seems to have been put aside in favour of telling the story. Of course, that is justifiable, as it is a musical and not an immersive theatre piece, but it feels a pity to waste that, especially seeing as the cast clearly know what they are doing.