There’s No
Musical Like It
Carrie: The Musical
Southwark Playhouse
Until Saturday 30th
May 2015.
The musical that had
wreaked havoc in 1988 returns in a slimmed down and hungrier form and it wants
revenge. The end result is an amazing study on bullying and consequences.
Carrie
was Stephen King’s first major novel in 1974. Four years later Lawrence D Cohen
wrote his first screenplay for the cult hit movie that ensured everyone would
know Carrie’s name.
Fast
forward to 1981 and Cohen and Michael Gore are inspired enough by a performance
of Alban Berg's opera Lulu at the
Metropolitan Opera House to begin work on a musical based on the Stephen King
novel. Gore had award winning success with Fame
and soon his Fame collaborator Dean
Pitchford, fresh from success from Footloose
was on board. The final piece of the
jigsaw was that the Royal Shakespeare Company, looking for a sequel to Les Miserable, agreed to produce the
show. With that track record what could go wrong?
A
reported $8million later the show was shut down just 5 shows after opening
night and the musical entered musical history as one of the most expensive
flops. Mistakes included the RSC going for a Greece theme (with togas)
rather than a Grease theme. That, for most flops, would have been the end of it
but the birth of the internet kept Carrie’s flame alight. Books get written
about it and interest continues. The big question was: if the mistakes were
rectified – could Carrie work as a musical?
In
2010 the original team of Cohen, Gore and Pitchford announce that they would
resurrect Carrie for an off-Broadway revival. These shows had much more
positive reviews and lead to a cast recording. The resultant CD has, along with
Urinetown, been on heavy rotation at
Jowheretogo towers. We said if Carrie headed back across the Atlantic that we’d be there. We
had to find out what the fuss was about.
Southwark
Playhouse is a well formed theatre, that was worth seeking out, a short walk
from the Elephant & Castle tube station. I am surprised that none of the
signage at the tube station flags up the direction to the areas nearest theatre
as just about everything else was. The “large” space is incredibly intimate
with just a few rows of seats on 3 of the sides of the extended performance
space. The seats are tiered nicely to ensure a great view of the action.
A
discordant sound, as the audience enters the auditorium builds up the tension
like the opening theme on a 70s horror film. A single chair is in the centre of
a grimy spartan set which is about as far removed from the brilliant white box
set of the ’88 production as you can get.
The
new version of Carrie begins with Sue Snell (Sarah McNicholas) being
interrogated by unseen investigators. This is used as a narration tool
throughout the story. Reports of the ’88 show stated how the story was baffling
to anyone unfamiliar with either the book or the film. The addition of short
interrogation scenes add sufficient exposition to help the story make sense.
“We were just kids” says Sue as the ensemble enter the stage to sing the
opening number “In” which highlights the uncertainties of acceptance and
teenage life. From the start the singing is impressive and balanced. The unseen
band, led by Mark Crossland, don’t put a note wrong and reflect the mood
perfectly.
A
gym lesson introduces us to Carrie, an outsider whose upbringing makes her
socially awkward. Matters quickly get worse when, at the age of 17, she starts
her first period in the shower afterwards. She thinks she is bleeding to death
and asks her classmates for help and they respond cruelly and bully her. This
is the point in which the updated book by Lawrence D Cohen enters the 21st
century as a classmate films the episode on her mobile phone and uploads it to
the internet.
Gym
teacher Miss Gardner (Jodie Jacobs) tries to show
some compassion but doesn’t, upon reflection, handle the situation in the best
way. Carrie is sent home to recover which sets her up for more taunting by
bullies as she leaves the building. In response she bursts into her signature tune
“Carrie”. This is an opportunity for
Evelyn Hoskins to show off her perfectly tuned voice which is perfect for the
massive number.
When
poor Carrie gets home her mother is busy earning her keep doing clothing
alterations for others whilst singing along to a religious programme on the
radio. Kim Criswell has a superb voice and when she duets with Evelyn Hoskins
their voices couple in perfect harmony. But it is not just their voices which
are melded together as they have onstage stage chemistry which reflects a
loving mother daughter relationship. When Carrie tells her mother about the
shocking events at school she doesn’t get sympathy. “And Eve Was Weak” is a
powerful number which quickly demonstrates the nature of this unusual maternal
relationship. Ultimately Carrie is pushed through a trapdoor and told to pray
for forgiveness for her sins.
Back
at school Sue has second thoughts about how the bullying but her best friend
Chris (Gabriella Williams) is unrepentant. “The World According To Chris” works
well as a number to set up Chris as a teenager for whom offence is the best
form of defence.
When
her boyfriend Tommy (Greg Miller-Burns) suggests that Sue apologises he quickly
finds that instead of inviting Sue to the prom, he is going to ask the initially
reluctant Carrie instead. Chris, who by
this point has been banned from the school prom, decides to wreak revenge on
Carrie and so the stage is set for the night no one will forget.
Carrie The Musical is as much study of the problems of teenage relationships as it is
a look into a fanatical religious upbringing. The major difference from ’88 is
that the story now makes sense – Sue adds important narration and Carrie’s
telekinesis is given a chance to be explored rather than suddenly be unleashed
in the final scene without explanation.
The
singing is very strong and lacks any weak links in any of the harmonies. The
acting was also a pleasure to watch. The mother daughter relationship feels
believable. Sue and her boyfriend Tommy
come across as well-meaning whilst Chris and her boyfriend Billy (Dex Nolan)
are suitably repugnant without being over the top. In short Carrie is finally a
production which is as least as good as the original novel.
The
special effects from Jeremy Chernick and Floyd Hughes add to, rather than
detract from, the story. Sparks are not the only things
to fly around the stage. The lighting design by Tim Oliver does a great job of
picking out the action and setting the mood.
The
only minor glitch is the programme. For £3 one would expect more than a list of
the team. Why is there no context behind either the story or the production?
Given that books have been written about “Carrie The Musical” surely someone
from either the venue or production wanted to say a few words about the
musical?
This
is simply one of the best musicals I have seen.
It is Wicked for those who have grown up from the ‘Cbeebies’ tale
currently in the West End. Gary Lloyd has directed an intelligent,
powerful and entertaining study into teenage life and it is well worth seeking
out. I hope it tours around the UK as it deserves much
greater exposure. The cast and creatives should be proud as Carrie stands tall
above the rest.
This
review was written by Stephen Oliver for Jowheretogo PR (www.jowheretogo.com).
Follow Jo on twitter @jowheretogo, Stephen @panic_c_button or like Jowheretogo
on Facebook www.facebook.com/Jowheretogo
On The Web:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarrieMusicalUK
Tickets:
Paul
Taylor-Mills Ltd by arrangement with Bill Kenwright Ltd presents Carrie - A musical based on the novel by Stephen King
Music
by Michael Gore
Lyrics
by Dean Pitchford
Book
by Lawrence D. Cohen
Carrie
The Musical appears at The Southwark Playhouse from 1st – 30th May 2015
Show
Starts 7.30pm Matinee Starts Sat 3pm/Thu 2.30pm
Running
Time 150 minutes including interval
Price
£22 | £18 Concessions | All previews £12
This
production is recommended for those aged 16+.
Licensed
by arrangement with R&H Theatricals Europe.
Special
Event:
THURSDAY
7 MAY – POST SHOW DISCUSSION with Mark Shenton, original cast
members Sally Ann Triplett and Linzi Hatelely, Kim Criswell (Margaret), Evelyn
Hoskins (Carrie), Gary Lloyd (director) and Paul Taylor Mills (producer).
Breaking News is the new EP from North East
band Peculiar Disco Moves. The new video is a portrayal of celebrity life,
where red tops will sell their Granny to get a picture of a Z-lister parking
his car one minute, then drop him or her like an anchor in the sea the next.
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