Twelve Days of Christmas: Day #7

On the eve of 2011 it seems fitting to take a sneak peek at some of the theatre there is to look forward to in the next twelve months. This year has offered us yet more Hamlets in the form of John Simm and Rory Kinnear, the 25^th anniversary celebrations of the seemingly immortal Les Miserables, Judi Dench’s hotly anticipated return to the role of Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the shaggy, psychedelic Broadway import of Hair, and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s long awaited Phantom sequel, Love Never Dies – or Paint Never Dries as the West End Whingers famously dubbed it.

So a New Year brings new theatre. Or perhaps, as it happens, not so new. In the musical theatre world there is a noticeable lack of originality, with the main feature of the 2011 openings being the film adaptation. Firstly we have the musical version of Shrek, transferring from Broadway and starring Nigel Lindsay, Nigel Harman and Amanda Holden. Another major opening is Betty Blue Eyes, touted as Cameron Mackintosh’s first original musical in over ten years, yet this is based on the Alan Bennett scripted film A Private Function.  To complete the movie triumvirate, Ghost the Musical opens at the Piccadilly Theatre next summer.

This last show is my 2011 musical to watch. Ghost looks set to be a theatrical extravaganza with technical ambitions to rival the infamous logistics of Phantom, with plans for what should be some truly breathtaking visual illusions from expert illusionist Paul Kieve. Meeting the expectations of scores of devoted fans – and staging that clay sculpting scene – will prove a challenge but it is one that the creative team seem to be rising to. Unlike the unsatisfying carbon copy of Dirty Dancing, the theatrical Ghost experience will be a new and different take on the film according to writer Bruce Joel Rubin.

With the song writing team of Glen Ballard and The Eurythmics' Dave Stewart on board, the score promises to be fresh and exciting and the tunes previewed at the press launch have certainly whetted the appetite. What’s more, the beautifully soulful Caissie Levy, fresh out of Hair, has been cast in the lead role of Molly. For those who remember her heartbreaking rendition of ‘Easy to be Hard’, Levy’s voice alone should make the show worth a visit. Here is a little snippet from the launch to tide you over until Ghost opens in June:

Elsewhere, the plays coming up in the next few months look promising. The Donmar Warehouse brings us the first major London revival of Harold Pinter's 1993 play Moonlight, opening in April, and in the summer Felicity Jones will star in a new version of Schiller's Luise Miller, directed by Michael Grandage. Simon Stephens will be returning to the Royal Court with a new three-parter entitled Wastwater, which is to be directed by Katie Mitchell. My only experience of Stephens' work is Punk Rock, which appeared at the Lyric Hammersmith in 2009 and recently returned for a brief run preceding a national tour, but if this exciting, edge-of-your-seat play was anything to go by then Wastwater could be one to look out for.

There has been considerable buzz surrounding Keira Knightley's return to the stage in Lillian Hellman's The Children's Hour, following her West End debut last year in The Misanthrope. The starry production at the Comedy Theatre has a cast including Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss and American stars Ellen Burstyn and Carol Kane and is set to open in February. Other big names grace the stage at the Old Vic, with Anne-Marie Duff starring in Thea Sharrock's revival of Terrence Rattigan's Cause Célèbre and artistic director Kevin Spacey taking on the title role in Richard III for the final season of the Bridge Project, reuniting him with American Beauty director Sam Mendes. Big names do not necessarily mean brilliant productions, but the lure of famous actors can only be good for London's theatre and such plays may prove to be rare chances to see these stars tread the boards.

Eclipsing all of this, however (at least in my opinion), is the National Theatre's production of a new stage adaptation of Mary Shelley's Gothic novel Frankenstein. The new adaptation by Nick Dear comes to the Olivier Theatre in February, with a mouth-watering cast and creative team. Director Danny Boyle, of Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire fame, returns to the theatre for this exciting project and Jonny Lee Miller and the wonderful Benedict Cumberbatch will take on the two leads of Victor Frankenstein and the Creature, but with an enticing twist. Miller and Cumberbatch are set to alternate roles in what looks to be an intriguing move - and possibly an extremely clever marketing ploy. Here is Cumberbatch speaking about the play at the Evening Standard Awards:



This is of course only a very limited selection of the theatrical treats on offer in 2011. There is also a promising season coming up from the Royal Shakespeare Company, a star-studded revival of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit at the Apollo Theatre, the UK premiere of Broadway hit The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (some refreshing originality on the musical theatre scene) and Andrew Lloyd Webber's revival of The Wizard of Oz with Over the Rainbow winner Danielle Hope. For those feeling the strain on the purse strings with all this theatre on the way, Get Into London Theatre are offering discounted tickets to all major productions throughout January and February, and under 26s can continue to get £5 tickets to all National Theatre productions through the Entry Pass scheme.

What are you looking forward to in the next twelve months? Leave a comment with what you think will be the theatre highlights of 2011. A very happy New Year to you all!

Twelve Days of Christmas: Day #6

One of this year's theatrical highlights and indeed one of the biggest musical theatre events of the century was the 25th anniversary of Les Miserables, celebrated by a new touring production and culminating in the spectacular concerts at the O2. I have made no secret of the fact that I am a massive Les Mis fan and in fact marked the anniversary of the musical with my own musings on the occasion. My theatrical offerings for this festive season would therefore not be complete without something to celebrate one of the most important events of this year's theatre calendar.

So feast your eyes and ears on this video of John Owen-Jones, who played the role of Jean Valjean in the anniversary tour cast, giving a stunning rendition of 'Bring Him Home'. Unfortunately I did not see the touring production and I will be limited to experiencing the concert from my living room sofa as I watch the DVD recording. I was, however, lucky enough to see John Owen-Jones as Valjean a few years ago when I first saw the musical at Queen's Theatre and his is the performance that I will always associate with the character. I should warn readers before watching this video that you may need your tissues at the ready! Enjoy.

Twelve Days of Christmas: Day #5

The Christmas season is traditionally a time when theatre turns its attention to the younger generation and this year is no exception. One children's show that has appealed to grown-ups as well as the youngsters is the Royal Shakespeare Company's musical version of Roald Dahl's much loved novel Matilda, currently running at the Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. The production has received rave reviews and rumours abound about a West End transfer - rumours that I sincerely hope are true so that I can have the opportunity to see this show. Aside from a childhood love of Dahl's witty prose and delightfully grotesque characters, I am intrigued to hear the songs penned for the show by comedian Tim Minchin, an oddly fitting choice with a quirkiness to match the story itself.

My treat to readers today is an interview with director Matthew Warchus in the Guardian, speaking about the challenges posed by this production as well as discussing his past experiences, including the gargantuan project of transferring literary epic The Lord of the Rings to the stage. Warchus seems to like a challenge, as his next project, Ghost the Musical, may prove almost as difficult to bring to life visually on the stage as Tolkien's trilogy. This interview provides an interesting look at a diverse directing career and I find it hard not to admire a man who admits to growing up loving Brecht, Beckett and Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals.

Matilda runs at the Courtyard Theatre until 30 January 2011. For anyone wanting more reasons to see it, have a look at what the critics said in Whatsonstage.com's review round-up.

Twelve Days of Christmas: Day #4

For the sake of nostalgia, today's offering takes a wistful look back at Spring Awakening. Despite a short-lived run at the Novello Theatre in the West End, this show about adolescent angst and sexual awakening based on Frank Wedekind's nineteenth-century play remains one of the most exciting examples of new musical theatre writing in recent years. My selected video is just one of the many entertaining cast blogs recording the production's highs and lows, which can all still be found on the show's YouTube channel. This is Chris Barton's hilarious performance as Adult Woman, although admittedly the joke will be slightly lost on those not familiar with Spring Awakening. Any fans of Chris Barton can currently see him in The Sound of Music tour as Rolf.

Twelve Days of Christmas: Day #3

Nicholas Hytner, who topped
The Times' 'Luvvie Power List'

As we near the end of another year, list-mania has struck. Journalistic institutions everywhere are compiling their highlights of 2010, be it theatre, film, music, sport - we can even turn to ITV to discover what is the best advert of the year should we so wish. One important list that has made waves in the theatre world is 'The Luvvie Power List' of the top 50 most influential figures in theatre, published in The Times recently. Therefore today's post takes a look at some of the responses to this particular list, providing links to a couple of the more interesting articles on this topic.

Whatsonstage.com's Michael Coveney congratulates the website's own editor Terri Paddock for making the list but bemoans the persistent use of the term 'luvvie', a word that he considers to be derogatory and trivialising. Coveney also speculates about who might take over from Nicholas Hytner, the list's number one, when he leaves the National Theatre, suggesting that perhaps some of the female directors on the list might rise to the challenge. I agree that it is about time more women were recognised and rewarded in this field, as female directors are often overlooked in both theatre and film. The tide appears to be turning in the movie world thanks to Kathryn Bigelow's Oscar win this year, so it can only be hoped that theatre will follow.

Meanwhile, Mark Shenton of The Stage shifts the spotlight to some of the lesser known and under-appreciated people behind this country's theatre. The very nature of this form of entertainment means that the majority of the work is done behind the scenes, by faceless names in small print in the back pages of your theatre programme, so it is both refreshing and enlightening to see these unsung heroes recognised and praised. Working in theatre is to a large extent a labour of love, done for the rewards of the job rather than any significant financial remuneration; in that sense of the word, if no other, we might then see the term 'luvvie' as justified.

One notable disappointment of the list, highlighted by Shenton, is the absence of theatre critics from the ranks of theatre's movers and shakers. Surely critical reception is a significant barometer for the success of a show starting out, and productions without the might of large financial backing and big names can sink or swim on the back of reviews. It is encouraging for bloggers everywhere, however, to see the West End Whingers listed, illustrating just how influential non-professional reviewers can be, hopefully the sign of a shift towards greater respect for bloggers in the theatre journalism community.

For those partial to a bit of list-mania at this time of year, there are round-ups of theatre's best bits of 2010 on The Stage, The Independent, Spoonfed and The Telegraph, among many others.

Twelve Days of Christmas: Day #2

Christmas just isn't Christmas without a good pantomime. Oh yes it is! - oh no it isn't! (see what I'm doing here?). This quintessentially British tradition still holds a very special place in the hearts of millions, young and old, up and down the country; it seems we can't get enough of soap stars in tights and men dressed as women. This is usually the first exposure to theatre that we receive as children and people continue to go back year after year to indulge their inner child. Where else can you see a little old granny standing up in her seat and yelling at the top of her voice 'he's behind you'?

Pantomimes are having something of a renaissance at the moment. Rather than being viewed as a vehicle for Z-list celebrities trying to resuscitate their failing careers, panto has carved out a place for itself on the British theatre scene and many respected musical theatre stars can now be seen donning silly outfits for the festive season. This year Daniel Boys is appearing in Snow White in Stevenage, John Barrowman is the eponymous hero of Aladdin in Glasgow, and Over the Rainbow's Steph Fearon stars as Jasmine in another production of Aladdin in Buxton, to name just a few.

So in celebration of the great British pantomime, here is a wonderful article from Lyn Gardner looking at just why pantomimes have been so enduring. There's also a fun blog on A Younger Theatre about why panto may be tacky but there's nothing else quite like it. And for those of you getting panto cravings, I've found a video to keep you going until you can get down to your local theatre. Here is a feature from BBC Breakfast with long-time dame and pantomime favourite Christopher Biggins:

Twelve Days of Christmas: Day #1

To kick off my Twelve Days of Christmas theatre-fest I have a lovely stocking filler of a video to get you all in the festive mood. The first day of Christmas is officially Christmas day which is tomorrow (as if I needed to remind anyone!) but Christmas is a bit of an internet-free zone for me so I'm posting this today instead - think of it as an early Christmas present.

A Christmas themed treat is of course obligatory, so I scoured YouTube for something suitably seasonal and what I came up with was this little gem of a video featuring the very beautiful and talented Jonathan Groff and Lea Michele. Not only is this one to keep all the Glee fans happy, but any Spring Awakening geeks out there like me will know that this pair were also the original Melchior and Wendla on Broadway. Here they are singing at a Spring Awakening Christmas benefit - many festive tidings and enjoy!

Twelve Days of Theatre

Merry Christmas one and all! The big day is nearly upon us and to celebrate this festive season I have decided to treat all my readers to twelve days of theatre-related goodness. On each of the twelve days of Christmas I plan to post a theatrical gift gathered from around the internet; this might be a fun video, an interesting article or a link to a theatre website. I will also write a related post each day for your reading pleasure (or pain, depending on your personal opinion!).

I would love feedback and suggestions for other theatrical treats to be found around the web so please feel free to leave comments. I look forward to searching the internet for some exciting videos and links and hope that you will all enjoy my festive offerings. Check back in a few days time for the first post and make sure that you take a look at the blog on each of the twelve days of Christmas so that you don't miss out.

Any Name Will Do?

Sheridan Smith in Legally Blonde (left);
Samantha Barks in Les Mis (right)

In a matter of hours the tears, the tantrums and the ever controversial sing-off will be over for another year. This weekend marks the X Factor final and by Sunday night one successful contestant will be walking away in a fog of confetti with a record contract clutched proudly in hand. What then of the other finalists? If previous years are anything to go by then we should expect to see at least one rejected contestant treading the boards in Chicago or Les Miserables before the Christmas turkey has gone cold. But is it time for us to vote off stunt casting?

In recent years the practice of casting celebrities in West End musicals has become a matter of hot debate. Helienne Lindvall addresses the issue in the Guardian's Theatre Blog this week, suggesting that it is 'a gravy train that may soon run off the rails'. The reasons she cites for such a prediction are compromises of quality and a noticeable decline in the behaviour of audiences drawn in by starry names, treating an outing to the theatre in the same way they would a night in front of the television. Lindvall also bemoans the consequences for talented performers who are being passed over in favour of minor celebrities. Her opinion on the matter is unambiguous, but for me it is not quite so clear cut.

There are of course some considerable downsides to filling major West End roles with celebrities. Merely by taking a quick glance at the casts of current West End musicals it becomes evident that experienced performers are being somewhat frozen out by 'names'; Sheridan Smith in Legally Blonde, past X Factor contestant Lucie Jones in Les Miserables and Jon Lee soon to go into Jersey Boys, to name just a few. Meanwhile shows such as Chicago and Grease have long been known as 'revolving doors' for celebrities as Lindvall puts it, where it seems that a television appearance is a vital qualification for bagging a lead role. Clearly none of this is good news for the performers who have been grafting for years and are losing out.

What we have to remember, however, is the vital bums-on-seats factor. It cannot be denied that well known names reel in the public and shows ultimately rise and fall on the shoulders of the punters; there has been many an excellent show in the past that has had to close prematurely because it simply does not pull in a big enough audience. Celebrity casting is becoming something of a necessity for a new show starting out in the West End and although it is not ideal, bringing in a recognisable name is surely preferable to a show going under.

As for the downturn in audience etiquette, I am not entirely convinced that this is connected to the casting of celebrities. Although inevitably the inclusion of certain personalities in the cast will attract a different audience, the correlation between this and audience misbehaviour has been exaggerated. Unfortunately there always have been and always will be those who cannot stay quiet for a couple of hours, no matter whether a soap star is up on the stage or not.

The most significant factor that has been neglected in this argument, however, is the calibre of the performers themselves. Celebrity and talent, despite what the harbingers of despair may have us believe, are not mutually exclusive. Although I have not had the luck to personally see Sheridan Smith in Legally Blonde I have heard uniformly positive reviews of her performance and the critics seem to agree. When I saw Jon Lee in Les Miserables a few years ago he more than held his own and in the same musical this year I was impressed by Lucie Jones, who even made me warm to the usually ineffectual character of Cosette.

Another casting practice that has come in for a lot of criticism recently is Andrew Lloyd Webber's series of television searches for the West End stars of tomorrow. Although they arguably steal the limelight from other performers, there is no doubt that talent flocks toward these shows and it is not necessary to win to make a mark on the West End. I saw the wonderful Daniel Boys twice in Avenue Q, bringing warmth, humour and charisma to the stage in a stand-out performance that would have been wasted in Joseph, while Rachel Tucker is an excellent Elphaba in Wicked. Samantha Barks, meanwhile, has improved vastly since she first charmed audiences on I'd Do Anything, delivering a breathtaking performance as Eponine in Les Mis.

Inevitably there will be some stunt casting that brings people to the stage who should never have strayed from the stalls - I will refrain from naming and shaming - but we should resist the temptation to tar everyone with the same brush. The casting process may be evolving, but the pool of talent has not drained. Despite the conveyor belt of excruciating auditions that X Factor presents to satisfy our warped fascination, there is no dearth of talent to be found on these reality shows. Approaching the theatre via an alternative route does not necessarily make such performers less qualified or deserving. We are, after all, the Big Brother generation, bred on reality and talent shows, and for many young people this is as valid an entry point as any.

In The Stage this week Mark Shenton's blog asked who we might consider to be the stars of London's musical theatre scene and looked for those waiting in the wings to fill their shoes. Will our next generation of musical stars be spawned by stage schools or television talent shows? The answer, I suspect, is both.

Review: Christmas Cabaret Ding-Dong, Lauderdale House, Sunday 5 December 2010

Originally written for The Public Reviews.


Lauderdale House’s Christmas Cabaret Ding-Dong, concluding their current cabaret season, did exactly what it said on the tin, delivering classy cabaret together with a heavy dose of seasonal silliness. The cabaret portions of the afternoon showcased the talents of Helena Blackman, Nancy Sullivan and Emma Odell, while the other performers donned Santa outfits, elf hats and fairy wings to bring us a series of Christmas surprises. An eclectic blend of music, comedy and festive cheer, this performance was an enjoyable winter warmer to kick off the Christmas season.

Katie Ventress and Ellen Verenieks, responsible for compiling and directing this festive treat, introduced more than a hint of pantomime to the traditional cabaret format. The performers brought an infectious sense of fun to the proceedings, appearing to have as much of a laugh as the audience as they pranced about in pantomime gear and sang us into the seasonal spirit. Admittedly the afternoon lacked polish, with some transitions feeling clunky, and the interweaved pantomime humour and cabaret did not always sit entirely comfortably side by side. Yet the performance’s flaws were oddly endearing and in the intimate setting the audience felt invited into the fun, even coaxed into singing along at the conclusion of the festivities.

All the stock pantomime characters – the dame, the villain, the prince – made appearances, although Ventress and Verenieks inserted some witty twists. I doubt that there is another pantomime in which the fairy godmother sings Lady Gaga’s 'Bad Romance' and Santa gets a visit from the health and safety inspector. A playful Glee-inspired number concluded the first act in side-splitting style and a cheeky, hilarious reworking of 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' provided one of many laugh-out-loud moments throughout the afternoon.

The pantomime larks were punctuated by some excellent turns from the featured performers, with Nancy Sullivan as one of the highlights delivering simple and heartbreaking renditions of 'To Make You Feel My Love' and the Judy Garland classic 'The Man That Got Away'. Emma Odell brought smiles to the audience with her delightfully comedic version of another Judy Garland favourite, 'The Trolley Song', while Helen Blackman rounded off the afternoon with an exquisite vocal performance. The material was well selected and all three performers shone, but I would have liked to hear more from these talented women, who had regrettably short slots in the performance.

The evening was concluded with a good old Christmas sing-along to warm even the coldest of hearts and send everyone home brimming with Christmas cheer. I could have done with more of the cabaret and less of the ding-dong, but only a true Scrooge could leave such an afternoon without a smile on their face and if the performances of Blackman, Sullivan and Odell are anything to go by then next year’s cabaret season at Lauderdale House could be one to look out for.

Review: Pins and Needles, Cock Tavern Theatre, Saturday 27 November 2010

Originally written for The Public Reviews.

What better way to change the world than through the power of song and dance? Pins and Needles, in attempting to sing ‘a song with social significance’, brought tap dancing and jazz hands to political theatre in its record-breaking original Broadway run. Over 70 years after its conception this witty and intelligent musical revue is no less in tune with society, its Depression-era satire taking on new meaning as we are in the grip of recession and staring down the barrel of government spending cuts.

First created and performed by a labour union in 1937, this entertaining collection of musical skits and sketches has a timely British premiere at the Cock Tavern Theatre. Satire about 1930s American politics and society, far from appearing distant and outdated, is strikingly resonant with the world of today; its comments on right wing politics, big business and manipulative advertising remain current and biting. The Cock’s production has smartly updated the production with some small twists to make explicit the show’s relevance for today, with a certain well known politician making a hilarious appearance.

Director Rachel Grunwald has successfully adapted the piece to the intimate space, with the actors’ every movement carefully executed and economic, while choreographer Nicola Martin’s small scale dances prove surprisingly effective. The small and simple staging is apt, taking the show back to its amateur labour union roots and allowing the music and the sharp, witty lyrics to speak for themselves without being obscured by the kind of flashy theatrical extravaganza lampooned in the Federal Theatre Project sketch.

Grunwald’s ensemble cast breathe life into Harold Rome’s sparkling lyrics and perform the various sketches with vigour, enthusiasm and comic skill. Among the most effective skits are those targeting the exploitative world of advertising, simultaneously succeeding both as hysterical musical numbers and as disturbingly accurate indictments of our image-obsessed society. The hilarious Matthew Rutherford, Adam Walker and Mark Gillon have us in stitches prancing around as the devils of advertising, while the insecurities of cowering Elizabeth Pruett and Elain Lloyd’s lament that ‘nobody makes a pass at me’ reveal uncomfortable truths about the way in which the media makes us view ourselves.

In the tiny Cock Tavern Theatre there is nowhere to hide and the cast do well in overcoming the challenges posed by such a space. Their performances are infused with humour and wit throughout, although there are a few vocal weak links that cannot be covered up in such an intimate setting. Pruett and Lloyd stand out in particular with some stunning solos and Walker steals the Four Little Angels sketch with a brilliant turn as a hilariously camp Hitler. Some of the more forgettable songs fade away beside uproarious numbers such as 'Sitting on Your Status Quo', but the diverse range of sketches are neatly pulled together by the final song, with a clever added tweak that highlights once more for us the significance of its political jibes. Managing to be both entertaining and politically on-the-button, Pins and Needles is an ideal musical for current times.

Young, Glossy and Sexy: The New Face of Theatre Journalism

Flicking through the magazine racks at the newsagents there is a glossy (or not so glossy) rag dedicated to every mainstream, niche and downright weird interest out there, from Vogue to Angler's Mail. Except, that is, for a fresh and fun publication for young musical theatre fanatics like me.

Theatre journalism is far from a new phenomenon; as long as there have been plays there have been those who have turned their pen to writing about them. Every broadsheet has pages dedicated to the most recent theatre openings and publications such as The Stage cover all aspects of theatre. What is missing, however, is a magazine about musical theatre written by young people for young people. Missing, that is, until now.

M. Magazine, a new online publication launched by a small group of young theatre professionals and enthusiasts on 18 October 2010, hopes to change the face of musical theatre journalism. It calls itself 'musical theatre skewed' and an exciting new twist is exactly what it puts on traditional musical theatre reporting. This is arts journalism as you've never seen it before.

M's editor-in-chief and self-professed 'Anna Wintour' Chris Clegg states that the aim of his editorial team was to create a magazine that is 'high-fashion, beautiful, glossy and fun'. Although the contributors admit that they do not have journalistic training or experience and the writing is not without its flaws, it is the overall concept and the strikingly different approach of this publication that is so refreshing.

Instead of the same established formats and conventions that readers of arts journalism have come to expect, M brings us eye-popping spreads and sexy photo-shoots and even dares to tiptoe across the line into the risqué. Its features unashamedly cater to our internet savvy generation, with the latest issue pointing readers to exciting finds on the web and favourite YouTube videos.

The fresh approach of M points the way for the future of arts journalism if it is to attract young people. Clegg and his team have created a publication that they themselves would want to read and encourage readers to tell them what they want to see in the next issue. There is no shortage of high-quality arts journalism, but it is rare to see writing about theatre that specifically targets a young audience.

One website that does dedicate itself to connecting with young theatregoers and giving us a platform to voice our opinions is A Younger Theatre. A recent article on the website attempts to diagnose the problem of why so many young people do not go to the theatre, something which may be attributed to a myriad of different factors. The root of the problem, however, lies at the level of fundamental attitudes.

Plays are rarely marketed to young people, creating a perception that theatre is aimed at an older section of the population, a perception only perpetuated by the media. To change such attitudes we need websites like A Younger Theatre and exciting new publications such as M which follow a format aimed at young people. Hopefully the success that M has enjoyed so far shows that this kind of magazine has an audience and will encourage others to follow in a similar vein.

Theatre journalism, as M demonstrates, can be fun, exciting and even - dare I say it - sexy.

Read the latest issue of M here.