Ten years in the pipeline the production team have thrown everything at this brand-new musical, including the kitchen sink. From the multi- actor/singer/musician/dancer cast to the huge revolving set (designed by Foxton), The Royal Court Theatre is packed to the rafters with big song and dance numbers. The newly restored 1938 revolve is in use for the first time in forty years and revolves so rapidly, for some very brief scenes, in the first act that the performers have to jump off and back on to front of stage. All which makes for very entertaining viewing especially as the back-stage team also manage additional set changes to the three sets already on the revolve.
The new writing by Bob Eaton, who also directs the show, revolves (sorry, couldn’t resist) around fictional character, Irish convent girl Margaret/Maggie (Christina Tedders) who typically sets sail from Dublin searching for a new life in New York only to find that the ship docks in Liverpool. Set in Georgian Liverpool just before the first world war, the city does not come off well. Liverpool, depicted by a background of Liver birds, becomes the twelfth character in the ensemble, displaying all the wrongs and prejudices of the era from xenophobia towards the Irish to capitalist rule and the worst poverty imaginable in the shape of the dreaded workhouse.
Maggie’s swift fall from grace seems inevitable, despite her best efforts, as she falls prey to the charms of her wealthy employer having been robbed of all her possessions and having to work as a housemaid. The story follows the outbreak of WWI as it takes all the young men to war leaving the women to work for half the men’s pay. The second half is a little slower but does not lose pace with vibrant songs and music played live by the versatile cast.
The huge songs keep the energy high but for my taste the musical Cabaret style song ‘They’ll Have To Pay’ that ended the first half was one song too many. The style didn’t gel or fit with the period costumes and felt out of place even if it was intended to indicate the radical change that was coming with the outbreak of war. The second half became much more political which went down well with the packed, enthusiastic audience. Themes touched on equal rights, equal pay, prejudice, unionisation, capitalism and shell-shock which is now referred to as post traumatic stress. Themes that sadly did not seem out of place today. Perhaps this is what Eaton means when he states in the programme that now seemed to be the right time for this production.
The cast left nothing in the dressing room and are a force to be reckoned with. Cheryl Fergison from London was outstanding in her roles as dour housekeeper Mrs Bird and prostitute Cast Iron Kate, bringing great characterisation and humour to the stage. Christina Tedders as Maggie held her own throughout with quality acting and singing that was a feature of the whole cast. My favourite was the petite Barbara Hockaday as brothel keeper, Polly Gates who managed to switch from playing a madam to playing a double bass with consummate ease.
The audience gave a standing ovation as the cast performed their finale routine and I felt like Simon Cowell at six chair challenge as an elderly man in the next seat turned to me and said, ‘are you a critic?’. He’d noticed my notepad. I suddenly found myself slightly unnerved as I felt the eyes of the surrounding fellow audience members bore into my head . ‘Well I’m reviewing the show’, I replied. ‘Well there’s only one word for it’, he said, ‘Stu.pend.ous, write that!’.
Reviewer - Barbara Sherlockon - 19/10/18
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