REVIEW: PLAY ON! @ LYRIC HAMMERSMITH

🎭 Play On!

📍 Lyric Hammersmith, Lyric Square, King Street, London, W6 0QL

🗓 Friday 31st January 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUPER SLICK AND FULL OF TALENT

A new venue for me this week and my second Shakespeare adaptation in five days! I went to the Lyric Hammersmith to see PLAY ON!, Sheldon Epps and Cheryl L. West’s reimagining of Twelfth Night. Set in the jazz scene of 1940s Harlem, every character works at the city’s most prestigious jazz club. As for our main protagonists, we have The Duke, a renowned songwriter played by Earl Gregory; Olivia – known here as Lady Liv – the club’s star singer played by KoKo Alexandra; and Viola, disguised as Vyman (Tsemaye Bob-Egbe), who is desperate to break into the business as a songwriter. She falls for The Duke, but The Duke is in love with Lady Liv. Instead of using love letters to woo each other, these characters use music. But the play retains all the confusion and misunderstandings of Shakespeare’s original – the complex love triangles and comic mishaps included.

The way the writing has been adapted to fit with this new setting and new focus was commendable. The play held onto Shakespeare where it needed to and did well to balance both humour and seriousness while embracing creative freedom that makes it feel fresh and original. 

For me, and I suspect for other reviewers, the shining star of this production is the vocals. Every single singer was simply phenomenal, delivering their performances with crispness and sincerity. Each song in turn helped form these complex and well-rounded characters, shining a light on their emotions, struggles and desires. I’m no expert, but from where I was sitting, it sounded note-perfect. Lady Liv, in particular, was especially incredible. The notes she hit gave me goosebumps. 

A special mention must go to the choreographer, Kenrick H2O Sandy MBE. The dance sequences were slick, inventive and full of energy, making for an exhilarating and joyful watch. I’ve never been to a live jazz performance before – it’s been on my list for ages! – and now I feel utterly spoilt by this as my first experience.

The live band also deserves high praise. The decision to replace traditional letter-writing with musical exchanges meant that the band became an integral part of the action, always present and showcasing their immense talent throughout the show’s entire 2-hour run time (excluding the 20-minute interval).

One of my favourite scenes was the prank scene. Rev, who is this version’s Malvolio, is hopelessly in love with Lady Liv and wants to win her over with his songs and moves. He confides in Jester, Miss Mary and Sweets for help in loosening up, but as in the original play, they trick him into taking it too far. His performance, when he finally takes the stage in front of Lady Liv, is brilliant. The contrast between his earlier stiffness and awkwardness and his exaggerated new confidence is a joy to watch, even if it doesn’t quite have the intended effect on Lady Liv!

My main criticism of the production is that the second half feels a little rushed. There are four romantic resolutions to tie up: The Duke and Viola, Sweets and Mary, Lady Liv and Rev, and Jester and Ceecee. Each happens in quick succession, following the same rhythm: The Duke enters, they sing, Vyman removes her disguise, they embrace, and all is resolved. Then it’s Lady Liv’s turn. Rev appears, apologises for his earlier antics, they sing a heartfelt number, and they reconcile. The same pattern follows with the remaining couples. Given that Act Two launches straight into these resolutions, I think shifting the interval so that it comes slightly earlier might help create more variety in the pacing of the second half.

Overall,  PLAY ON! is a slick, vibrant, and hugely enjoyable adaptation of Twelfth Night, bursting with exceptional talent. Whether you’re a Shakespeare fan or new to the play, this production brings something fresh and exciting to the stage.  PLAY ON! will be on at the Lyric Hammersmith until Saturday 22nd February. Book tickets here.

Estelle Luck

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.

My ticket for this performance of Play On! was gifted by Chloe Nelkin Consulting who invited me to watch the show on behalf of Pink Prince Theatre in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

CAST LIST:

Tsemaye Bob-Egbe as Viola/Vyman; Earl Gregory as The Duke; Koko Alexandra as Lady Liv; Llewellyn Jamal as Jester; Cameron Bernard Jones as Rev; Lifford Shillingford as Sweets; Tanya Edwards as Miss Mary; Gleanne Purcell-Brown as Ceecee

Ensemble: Natalia Brown; Freya Karlettis; Amber Cayasso; Jarnéia Richard-Noel; Andre Coulson; Alex Okaompa; Tanaka Bingwa; Dylan Blake-Colbet;

RUNNING TIME (approx):

2 hours 10 minutes, including interval