Caroline McDonald

Rusty's Review : The Heights. We had the opportunity to see the pre-release preview of the movie musical, The Heights over the weekend. I wasn't sure how His Lordship would respond to this one, but I needn't have worried - he loved it! Lin-Manuel Miranda's depiction of multicultural magic is a joyous celebration of dreams & determination to survive the trials of a struggling migrant neighbourhood. Anthony Ramos' uniquely named character Usnavi's rhythmically driven dialogue as the story's protagonist, delivers a heart-warming story of the friendships, lives & loves of his community. Christopher Scott's creative choreography contributes to the celebratory feel of this joyous romp, helped along by his assistants Eddie Torres Jr. & Princess Serrano. The dance numbers range from intimate duets to huge production numbers. The "96,000" scene is simply a blend of joy & genius. Speaking of genius - keep an eye out for the clever scene with the pigeons... & for the soft hearted - take this as your cue to pop out the tissues. Like any life story, some subject matter touches the heart, and it is beautifully handled. Overall, The Heights delivers a tale of "family" & fate, with spectacular energy & style. ***** A firm 5 stars (even from His Lordship) - Caroline "Rusty" McD.