Reviewed by Jess Green at Southwark Playhouse Elephant
Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review.
Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review.
I settle in to watch the scene be set on a pastel clad stage,filled with chirpy teenagers off to a summer camp for young writers. I wonder if I’m in for a High School Musical type experience, the man next to me’s knee bopping along to the beat of the upbeat and optimistic opening number. Thirty minutes later… I’m sat in a pool of my own tears.
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Photo by Craig Fuller |
Robyn Rose-Li plays Malia beautifully and believably, making the audience feel her denial turn into heartbreak as she watches her mum diminish before her eyes. Keala Settle leaves her beard behind to portray an agonizing battle, that had half the audience audibly sobbing. Her vocals stunned in this small auditorium as much as they stunned audiences worldwide in her most notable role, in The Greatest Showman. She is supported by Cavin Cornwall who plays her strict, but likeable husband in his attempts to cope with a teenager daughter he doesn’t know how to raise. His performance was solid and safe, though I thought he could perhaps do with a little more subtly at points. That though, is often true of musical theatre performed at closer range, in a small auditorium.
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Photo by Craig Fuller |
A young, talented group of triple threats make up the ensemble who are subtle in their supporting roles, yet quick to fire up their characterful personalities in the, genuinely very funny, teenage spirit scenes. Max Gill’s performance as Caleb is superb, ranging from a camp and hilarious duet with Malia right through to being a soft and nuanced support to his grieving friend. Maddison Bulleyment too, is impressive as her character of Willow the bird, whose fictional tale runs alongside the human storyline, as a metaphor for Malia’s true feelings. It’s an interesting storytelling device, letting us into Malia’s mind, but it is a little distracting in places, and it takes half of the play for Willow’s purpose to be fully realised.
The stage, an explosion of coloured writing paper that gives life to a mountain to be scaled by the fictional birds (or is it wings, or perhaps her mum’s angel figure?) feels a little high school DIY, but perhaps given the age of the characters, this was purposeful. The lighting (Jack Weir) is effective and the choreography (Heather Douglas) is smooth and well performed. I think it would lend itself better to a larger stage, giving the birds a more dramatic climb and allowing for more contrast between the low and high energy scenes.
The subject matter was a brave one to tackle, not least because of the number of potential audience members who would find it so personally relatable. Shows like this have such power to effect, emote and heal people and I thought the entire production team handled it with great care. I was extremely moved by the numbers specifically designed to pull on the heartstrings, and was then lifted to laughter by the comedy numbers, though thought the more connecting sections and the emotional journey beyond the death could have scratched a little deeper.
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Photo by Craig Fuller |
⭐️⭐️⭐️. 5
Fly More Than You Fall runs at Southwark Playhouse Elephant until Saturday 23rd November 2024. Tickets are available from https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/fly-more-than-you-fall/
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