Newspaper Reviews
2009 West Wycombe
2008 Summer Concerts
- Liverpool Echo ~ 21/07/2008
Over the years that voice has matured adding richer, deeper notes and with them a seemingly never-ending amount of clout.
- The Stage ~ 21/07/2008
This was a quite astonishing performance from a true master of his art and one can only hope that it isn't a further three years before he graces the stage in this way again.
- What's On Stage ~ 21/0720/08
An absolute quality performance from an absolute star and his companions.
2008 Hairspray
2007 Hairspray ~ Press Night
- Broadwayworld.com ~ 12/11/2007
Musical theatre veteran Michael Ball also proves to be a stroke of casting genius
- IHT - 6/11/2007
The truth, of course, is that Ball was indeed there, giving his all in the guise of the Baltimore laundress and mother
- Classical Souce.com
"Michael Ball really makes the most of his chances "
- The Londonist ~ 05/11/2007
" Michael Ball dons the rather large brassiere of Edna Turnblad and he is magnificent "
- The Independent Online ~ 04/11/2007
"Michael Ball is having a blast in the Dame role as Tracy's mum"
- Theatrenews Online ~ 04/11/2007
"Ball acts the role with real maternal solicitude and sweetness"
- Times Online - 04/11/2007
"We were actually singing the finale as we stepped out into the street: “ 'Cause you can't stop the motion of the ocean, or the rain from above . . .”"
- Observer - 04/11/2007
" his (Mel Smith) ''Timeless to Me' duo with Ball is one of the unexpected showstoppers; when they kiss, it's more kind than camp."
- Western Mail 02/11/2007
"It is easy to see why it won practically every award going in New York and justice will not be done unless London follows suit "
- The Financial Times - 01/11/2007
"I struggled hard to resist being washed away on the wave of feelgood this show generates but, in the end, washed away I was"
- Variety - 02/11/2007
but the most pleasant surprise is Michael Ball's Edna. Getting into a dress has clearly released Ball -- his usual over-bright stage persona has vanished.
- The Herald ~ 01/11/2007
"Michael Ball has the part of a lifetime. Obese and camp, Ball is the best pantomime dame London has seen in years. "
- Bloomberg ~ 01/11/2007
"Ball turns in a funny and touching performance, resisting the temptation to go over-the-top."
- The Independent ~ 31/10/2007
"...the fat-suited Ball, who is appreciably better than John Travolta in the recently released movie version of the show, gives one of the warmest, funniest and most oddly touching performances in a musical that I have ever seen."
- The Times ~ 31/10/2007
"But when Leanne Jones's Tracy is bounding about the stage exuding all-American resilience and optimism — well, she brought out the inner cheerleader I didn't know I had. "
- Telegraph ~ 31/10/2007
"There's even a delightful vaudevillian routine for Michael Ball, who plays Tracy's corpulent mum in spectacular big-bosomed drag and looks as if he's having the time of his life, and Mel Smith as her devoted, joke-shop-owning husband. "
- The Evening Standard ~ 31/10/2007
"Michael Ball deliciously fattened up and dragged down in bland frocks and lurid gowns, majestically slips into the role of the fat, foghorned laundress, "
- The Stage ~ 31/10/2007
"a man plays Tracy's mother Edna, a role it appears Michael Ball was born to play and he is obviously loving every minute. "
- Daily Express ~ 31/10/2007
"It is only when she discovers big-haired glamour that Ball turns on the floodlights, knocking everyone else off the stage. "
- The Guardian ~ 31/10/2007
"...and Michael Ball is very funny as her muscular moll of a mum who once entertained dreams of being a designer. "
- London Theatre Guide ~ 31/10/2007
"Ball seems in his element in a frock, gaining much comedy value from his ample bosoms and behind, while Smith plays Ball's straight man, milking the pair's duet Timeless To Me with undisguised pleasure. "
2007 ~ Hairspray
- West End Whingers - 18/10/2007
"...so Ball's casting was a bit of a surprise, but he proves himself to be a first rate Edna with great comic delivery and he really, really gets Edna (and loves her) "
- Baz's Watch Out For: 18/10/2007
...but this London production is better than when I saw it three or more times on Broadway.
2007 ~ UK National Tour
2005 ~ Woman in White on Broadway
2005 ~ Patience
- NYTheatre.com (17/09/05)
"
Ball is, in short, a splendid leading man, of the sort in very short supply these days (and it doesn't hurt that he's still youthfully handsome).
"
- Columbia Spectator (15/09/05)
" Ball is best known for his powerhouse baritone belt (an untrained sound for an opera house, but one that is appealing nonetheless)"
- North Jersey (15/09/05)
" writer of verse so exalted and ethereal its preciousness is matched only by that of his personality."
- New York Post (13/09/05)
" delivers a hilarious term as the poet modelled to some degree after Oscar Wilde."
- Backstage.com (13/09/05)
"
He is the brilliant centerpiece of Tazewell Thompson's fine production"
- New York Times (12/09/05)
"We keep thinking, "Too much, too much," and then Mr. Ball and Mr. Burdette appear and charm the pants off us."
- Newsday (14/09/05)
" the insufferable Bunthorne benefited not only from his good looks and easy, charming voice, but from the canny stage instincts of a genuine West End star. "
- The Star Ledger (12/09/05)
So Ball's appearance as the "ultra-poetical, super-aesthetical" Bunthorne is something of a sneak preview of his comical gifts.
- New York Sun (12/09/05)
"The costumes of Merrily Murray-Walsh were interesting and appropriately colorful and Mr. Ball used his fur-collared cape to great effect. "
2005 ~ UK Tour
- Life! magazine, The Gazette ( 28 May 2005 )
"Michael Ball has enjoyed an enormously successful career as the UK's top male musical theatre star and million selling recording artist."
- Evening Post ( 1June 2005 )
"...
he has consistently proved he has the voice, the charm, the acting talent and the charisma to be rightly described as the best of the best.
"
2005 ~ Woman in White
- The Stage
"...gloriously completes his journey from juve and romantic lead to ornate, hilarious character actor here..."
2004 ~ Singular Sensations
- Financial Times
"... Michael Ball may still not be my particular cup of tea but I realise that I had underestimated him."
- Times (29/98/04)
"Ball manages to eclipse Edith Piaf on the insistent, foot-stamping refrain of Padam and turns There's No Business like Show Business into something approaching a reverie "
2004 ~ Salt Lake City
2004 ~ Australian Tour
2002 ~ Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
- The Daily Mirror ~ A bitty Chitty
Chitty magic for Charlotte
- This is London ~ comes the day
after the musical's hugely successful world premiere
- Guardian ~ half an hour after
the scheduled curtain up the cast and capacity audience were sent home.
2002 ~ Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Premiere Night
- The Mirror ~ Michael Ball is the large
cast's only genuinely impressive singer
- The Times ~ The show is cast to the
hilt, with Michael Ball as an attractive, open-faced Caractacus Potts...
- Theatre Now ~ The curtain call itself
had been one of the longest and liveliest in recent memory
- Sunday Times ~ with Michael Ball
as an attractive, open-faced Caractacus Potts
- Rainbow Net ~ plenty of charm and
a relaxed stage presence
- Times India ~ Chitty ,
the ridiculously lovable car with wings
- Guardian 2 ~ this Chitty Chitty Bang
Bang is in almost every respect superior to the original
- Guardian ~ Last night was a full glamour
frocks and rocks first night such as the RSC has not seen for some time
- Financial Times ~ I am bewildered
by how much I love the new stage version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
- Evening Standard ~ Michael
Ball's powerfully sung, soulful Caractacus
- Ananova ~ "We still adore it today,"
he said
- BBC ~ Mr Ball sings Hushabye Mountain,
the best ballad, with real charm and relish
- BBC 2 ~ Michael Ball is a likeable Caractacus
Potts
- BBC 3 ~ Emma Watson: "There
was lots of magic. It was very cool."
- What's on Stage ~ top-notch cast including
Ball
- Sheridan Morley ~ be careful,
very harsh review!
2002 ~ Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Pre-Show Reports
- Evening Standard
~ "Another challenge is that I have to dance - I've never danced
on stage before.' And how's it been? 'I've never known pain like it,'
he sighs."
- BBC ~ Producers say audiences are
in line for a treat
- BBC ~ about the Dog-Casting
- Virgin ~ Richard O'Brien Interview
- The Independent ~ Richard O'Brien
Interview
- This is London ~ Interview
with Emma Williams
2002 ~ Charity Gala Premiere
- BBC website ~ invited guests were
Joan Collins and new husband Percy Gibson, Sir Cliff Richard, Shirley
Bassey and ex-EastEnder Martin Kemp.
2001 ~ Donmar, Christmas Tour
- Evening Mail ~ Michael Ball is
simply a magnificent performer.
- The Daily Telegraph ~ Still,
it's a finished artist who can make something new of There's No Business
Like Show Business, sung here very slowly, almost as a lullaby until
the inevitable wow finish.
1999 ~ Tour, Summer concerts
- News of the world ~ The stage
idol couldn't wait to explore for spooks after appearing at an open-air
concert at creepy Glamis Castle, Angus.
- Sunday Mercury ~ Musically, he's
been there, seen it, done it and probably has a collection of T-shirts
to prove it.
- Birmingham Post ~ Never mind
chocolate eggs and bunnies - Michael Ball was the Easter treat..
- Evening Mail ~ For
his marvellous voice was enough to inflame the passions of the mostly
female sell-out audience.
1996 ~ Passion
1994 ~ Tour
- Such a nice boy, and what a good voice:
...or standing nonchalantly with his hand in his trouser pocket, as
self-conscious as the male models you see on the front of patterns for
chunky-knits
1985 ~ Les Mis
- Daily Telegraph ( 10/10/1985):
(...) with Valjean's death after his ward's wedding to her wounded student
lover. It left me doubtful about the whole ponderous exercise.
- Time Out (17/10/1985): (...) their
world is that of the showman - they are concerned to shock, rarely to
provoke
- Spectator (19/10/1985): (...) The
songs are unmemorable save for one, quite rousing, beer-hall number
which buzzed about in my head for a couple of hours after the performance.
1984 ~ Godspell ~
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