[New post] Treason The Musical – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh
Dominic Corr posted: " https://youtu.be/KxkbKuB8sXY Music & Lyrics by Ricky Allan Book by Charli Eglinton Directed by Hannah Chissick Tickets from £22.00 ★★★ Treason heavily reminds us that history is constructed by those who emerged victorious" Corr Blimey
Treason heavily reminds us that history is constructed by those who emerged victorious. And they only have one story to tell: theirs. Ricky Allan and Charli Eglinton's new musical offers a richer depth to the opening lines of the rhyme "Remember, Remember, The 5th ofNovember".
It frankly points out how familiar we all are with the saying and celebration but know little of the context. Audiences are given a small glimpse of the history beyond the bonfire, of the plot to annihilate King James VI, his male heirs, the royal court, and the leaders of government and the Protestant Church following the push for James to reinstate Penal Laws, pushing Catholics back underground after the promise of a fair and just union when James ascended the English throne.
Instantly there is a recognition of the thought and care placed into Treason: no doubts about this. Visually, Philip Witcomb's set design hits with force; spectacular presence upon entering the Festival Theatre at the encompassing design wraps around the entirety of the stage. It's a grim, dark and shadowed behemoth of a set piece which goes well beyond the visual – its metaphorical use, often tied into Jason Taylor's storytelling lighting design, is superbly effective. From small, flickering candle-lights of hope, to scorching, crimson and vermillion pulses which remind us of Fawkes' eventual fate.
Where comparisons for the enthusiastically dubbed "British Hamilton" rear, there's as equal a familiar ring within the composition to Claude-Michel Schonberg or Alain Boublil as with Lin Maneul-Miranda's sung-through R&B and Hip-Hop style. The productions' structure seems to stand on uneven footing, at least musically, switching between elements of rock opera, folk, and speak-sung-through spoken word. A principal issue with the production, for now, is there remains a lingering discomfort with the pacing and beat of the lyrics that often raise ears to attune to Allan and Debris Stevenson's lyrics. But the very same can be said for those discovering the global sensation of the American historical piece for the first time.
The stronger numbers are often the ones with a more commonplace style, with a focus more on repetitive chorus or audience-favourite ballads, greatly benefitting Oscar Conlon-Morrey and Nicole Raquel Dennis, who walk away with the production's catchiest and most attuned numbers. Standing firm in a heavily male-identifying cast, Raquel Dennis and Emilie Louise Israel bring terrifically pitched and rounded characterisation and presence as Martha Percy and Anne Vaux. Amidst all the bluster, intensity, and roles with a more familiar historical presence with the audience, Raquel Dennis and Louise Israel perform perfectly – captivating, and fuelled with a clear passion for the production.
As our principal antagonist, Conlon-Morrey's bureaucratic and conniving Robert Cecil is a stand-out performance, their solo number a highlight of the show, and performed with a tremendously slimy and enjoyable glee. While Joe McFadden's King James IV makes a sterling effort at capturing the hopeful man who sees a new world ahead of him, broken and manipulated by those with sway around them. Vocally adept, but let down by the narrative's flippant structure, McFadden carries his usual strong stage presence, changing their form throughout as the King is gradually broken down by his fears of witchcraft, daemonology, and ironically, plots on his life.
The remainder of the plotters, comprising historical figures played by Same Ferriday, Kyle Cox, Alfie Richards, Lewis Edgar, and Connor Jones with a superb Robert Catesby (financier and arguable leader of the plotters) all perform admirably. There's a kinship, and both Jones and Ferriday are offered a more significant slice of the story – with Ferriday's stage chemistry with Nicole Raquel Dennis capturing the humanity and heart at the centre of this, as well as delivering some of the scores more impressive moments. A strong unit, with a terrifically rousing chorus with Barrels on the Water and Digging Down Deeper, there are just a few too many breaks and glazes in the plot to allow everyone the opportunity to perform to their highest.
No performer on stage isn't giving it their darndest on the stage. No more so (physically) than the movement-orientated elements of the show; dubbed 'The Eyes'. Time and have as equal a role in Treason as any of the principal cast, Tom Marshall's sound design features a lengthy and consistent use of ticks and clock-winding. Almost always on stage to serve as an eternal presence to judge what has been, Taylor Walker's choreography works to transition between scenes as it does to offer ties to the more nostalgic and spiritual elements of the show. The Eyes act both as the audience gazing into history, as well as ensemble background roles to stoke movement and push momentum. Occasionally, it can be a touch distracting or elongated as the pacing and synchronicity of the music catch up.
But what of the Guy themselves? The name everyone in the room knows. Guy Fawkes may be the emblem, the scapegoat, of history, but there was a much longer fuse leading up to his involvement. Performed as a spectre revisiting the events leading up to the Gunpowder Plot, Gabriel Akamo's presence is immediate. They lace themselves throughout the production, never interacting with the cast until one final moment. Akamo's final swansong atop the pyre is a remarkably crystalline assault from the past into the ignorance of today – delivered with verve and conviction which one rarely finds. These aren't just Allan and Eglinton's words – this is a voice, the voice the production needs to channel throughout the show. This sequence of spoken word is carried with an eternal weight and delivered with precision and harrowing accuracy by Akamo: commendable.
The production's early cries that surely, once the deaths of children enter the conflict something must change rings painfully accurate nearly 418 years later. There's a spark of something special here – an ambitious scheme, a superbly keen idea which has captured its garb: but there's still room to find its voice. Where Treason hits the mark, a fuse is struck and its embers kindle as poignant a message which communicates to the audience in spirit, but not entirely in construction. But there is no question about the production's longevity and success – it has found an audience, it will inspire, and yes, it will be remembered well beyond the fifth of November.
A Spark of Something Special
Treason The Musical runs at the Festival Theatre until October 28th. Wednesday - Saturday at 19.30pm Running time - Two hours and fifteen minutes with interval Photo credit - Danny Kaan
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