It’s a powerful verbatim piece, linked by voice over’s and images of actual cases, people made homeless through no fault of their own, but falling victim to the greed of landlords and lack of social housing.
It has to be said: Marianne Benedict as Grizabella gives the best rendition of the infamous show tune that I have ever heard; with the climactic crescendo, her pipes burst with such raw integrity and the uninterrupted audience applause (which will undoubtedly be repeated at each performance) is whole-heartedly deserved.
Residents of Colchester are lucky to have on their doorsteps a production that punches above its regional theatre weight, and lovers of the musical would do well to travel and see it. I urge you all to attend the tale of this Sweeney Todd!
Bravo Zoe Cooper, you have written a memorable play, one of the best this year, that deserves the widest audience possible!
So, should one see this show? In my book, even if only for the closing minutes, then most definitely. Bateman and Hughes are major new talents and this is an indicator that much, much greater things can be expected of them. All they need now are the right scripts and productions to make that magic happen.
While the musical inevitably simplifies complex issues, it seamlessly integrates some of the debate about Britain’s attitudes towards refugees and asylum seekers. With these issues as relevant today as they were when the show premiered in 2012, Glasgow Girls is a powerful, compelling plea for seeing refugees as people rather than just faceless statistics.
This HMS Pinafore asks us to reflect on a society that has changed considerably, but must keep evolving and continuing to examine itself. Gilbert’s jeering satire of a Victorian society obsessed with class and hierarchy doesn’t seem a million miles away from the problems young people still face in modern Britain.
I can only highly recommend this piece and suggest that if it is coming to a theatre near you that you invest in a ticket and experience the play for yourself. I doubt you will see something more moving or a performance as strong from such a young performer any time soon.
