Extraordinary Women by Sarah Travis & Richard Stirling based on the novel by Compton Mackenzie. Jermyn Street Theatre, London until 10 August 2025, 4☆☆☆☆. Review: William Russell.

Photo Credit: Gilroy Theatre.

Extraordinary Women by  Sarah Travis & Richard Stirling based on the novel by Compton Mackenzie. Jermyn Street Theatre, 16b Jermyn Street, London SW1Y until 10 August 2025,

4☆☆☆☆. Review: William Russell.

“The Magnificent Seven to the rescue.”

A magnificent cast, six women and one man, save this muddled and trivial musical based on Compton Mackenzie's 1928 novel about Lesbians looking for love on the isle of Sirene – Capri in real Life – from being a disaster. The musical's book is almost impossible to follow and the score, although it tries to be gutsy, tinkles along for much of the time in a sub Julian Slade vein. There are a select category of show which people in after years like to say that they were there. Romance with Jess Conrad and Joyce Blair was one of mine. This will be another. But that said the six women – Sophie Louise Dann, Jasmine Kerr, Amira Mathew, Amy Ellen Richardson. Caroline Sheen and Monique Young – turn base material to gold with vibrant performance as various sirens and lesbians – and Jack Butterworth, who plays all the men, including one in a kilt, more than holds his own. The plot, as far as I could make out, is about a romance between Aurora, who has bought a villa on the island, and Rosalba,. It is not going well as Rosalba is far more interested in money than true love. Of  the six Amy Ellen Richardson, who plays Rosalba as a kind of Dietrich figure, who gets the best moments. She is terrific but it is a close run thing with Sappho played by Amira Mathews. Caroline Sheen as the hapless Aurora gets the worst. Mackenzie was satirising the lives of the leading lesbians of the day like Radcliffe Hall – society did not scorn Sapphic love then – and the novel has its good points. But this musical adaptation, which sharted at the Guildford School of Acting in 2021 should have stayed there. It is hard to see why Jermyn Street wanted it but to be fair the Magnificent Seven really are magnificent and well worth going to see even if you don't leave humming the tunes.

Cast

Jack Butterworth- Carmine, Daffodil, Marshal, Captain Wheelr Mackenzie

Sophie Louise Dann – Leucosia, Miss Chimbley, Cleo

Jasmine Kerr – Ligea, Lulu

Amira Matthews – Sappho, Olimpia

Amy Ellen Richardson – Rosalba

Caroline Sheen – Aurora

Monique Young – Parthenope,Olga, Zoe

Creatives

Director – Paul Foster

Choreographer – Joanna Goodwin

Set Design – Alex Marker

Costume Design – Carla Joy Evans

Lighting Design – Alex Musgrave

Musical Direction ^ Orchestrations – James William-Pattion

Theatre, musical                 25 July 2025.

Photo Credit – Steve Gregson.