Yo blud,. listen up, innit! - Aaaagh enough!!
A Musical written by and for Mancunians about life on our streets? On the surface this would sound rather like 'Coronation Street: The Musical', and in certain aspects, that is what we were given. But there was a lot more heart in this show too, with only one main storyline (and a believable one at that!), and before you ask, no they did not all have those irritating and unintelligible contemporary Manc accents either, thank goodness!
Written by NWTAC's owner and director Prab Singh with music by Ross Johnson, this was a traditional book musical with songs a-la current MT mode, peopled with characters who were relatable and with whom we could emote. Set on a - what a one time would undoubtedly have been called a 'slum' - working class estate (unspecified), a family of five arrive from their upper-middle class existence in Cheadle, and the musical chronicles their eldest daughter's love affair with a local lad, Olly, whilst we understand that their father was born and brought up in this neighbourhood himself and learns that he also has more than just his roots here! It's a story of resilience, of acceptance, of love, reconciliation and ultimately understanding. Using a large cast, many very young and some appearing on stage for their first time, the quality of the acting overall was absolutely exemplary, whilst the cumulative choral singing was lyrical, tuneful and I loved the few harmonies and "Greek Style" choruses that entered into the music. Most unfortunately, some of the principal's didn't truly have the requisite singing voices to truly shine in this regard, but their acting and characterisations carried them through.
Performing on the best set I have thus far seen on the tiny (but very deep) stage at this venue, we were given an open composite set which included a street, a front door, a playground and park bench, a cafe interior, and a bedroom, and there was still room for them all to manoeuvre through. One wall was on casters and opened up to reveal the interiors of the two protagonist's houses too, a nice touch. Sadly the lighting was not sufficient to cope with all these areas, and especially the bedroom at the rear of the stage - which was used many times throughout - was in almost darkness, meaning that scenes on this area were more shadow than actual sadly, and we only truly got to see young Lucy Wilcox and her grandma when they came to take their curtain call! Sound levels were good throughout, and pre-recorded professional backing tracks were used since goodness knows where a band would have fit too!
'Streetz' it turns out isn't just the Manc slang for the streets / area where one lives, but in this show Streetz manifests itself in human form too (Mark Barnes-Moran). What starts as a truly interesting idea (albeit not original) to use the personification of the area to narrate and continue the narrative where characters wouldn't or couldn't articulate their own thoughts and actions, somehow dissipated and diluted as we went along, giving the dialogue more and more to the characters themselves making it rather stilted and unnatural at times. He perhaps could have been used more in order to truly be 'Everyman', more in the 'Blood Brothers' or 'Into The Woods' mould.
The Streetz main protagonists comprised three families. These were a) the Bennet family; Karla Clarke ably portraying a mum on the edge of losing it and despairing with her two older siblings, Tasha (played with heart and mettle by Lilly Taylor), and Olly (played with simple sincerity by Szymon Tomczyk); b) The Wilcox family; Lucy,(Poppy Evans) having lost both her parents finding herself caring for her elderly grandma with dementia, whilst struggling to keep her own life together, and her aforementioned gran (played with a glint in the eye and a comedic bent by Jenny Powrie) and c) The Turner family. Elaine (Jes Astley), single mum and foster mum runs the local cafe, whilst her eldest daughter Olivia (Shauna Turner) is the mainstay and voice of reason for the family. Ginger-haired Connor (Harry Gardner) is the more wayward and perhaps slightly unhinged eldest sibling providing much of the comedy for the show; and the family is completed with Courtney (Hattie Healey), Max (Lexie Mullen), Kara (Amelia Zatorska) and Theo (Klay Turner).. The incoming 'posh' Thompson family comprised of parents Andrew and Julie (both played with realism and sensitivity by Billy Morrison and Melissa Grimes), and their three daughters Sam - the beautiful but stubborn and single-minded love interest of Olly, whose love for her provides not only the main storyline but a wonderful unrequited love triangle of 'Les Mis' proportions between them and Lucy - (Stephanie Canavan), Amy - seemingly unable to tolerate her descent into such squalor by playing up to her own poshness - (played with skill by Lily Ife), and the youngest daughter Laura, who easily and readily adapts to the change in her circumstances and quietly helps to bring about her sister's turn-about (again played with skill by Miley Kennedy). And as if that wasn't enough, there were several other smaller and cameo parts too as well as a chorus of 10!
'Streetz' is a celebration of (Mancunian) life, and, like all true Mancunians, each and every one involved put energy, commitment, determination, grit, dedication and creative talent into this show in bucketfuls making this new musical most enjoyable and I left the auditorium humming the final song whilst walking to the bus stop! Job done! Mint!
Reviewer - Alastair Zyggu
on - 17.7.25
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