PROMISES AND LIES till 15 April
PROMISES AND LIES; Music and Lyrics: UB40; Book, Jess Walters; Original idea, John Dixon
Birmingham Rep: 0121 236 4455, www.birmingham-rep.co.uk
Runs: 20 March – 15 April, 2h 20m, one interval
Review: Rod Dungate, 28 March 2006-03-30
Good things, but the whole lacks real impact
PROMISES AND LIES starts off in fine style but loses its way. It’s certainly watchable, but it lacks real impact – a shame since it’s trying to deal with important and real issues.
There are, in the main, two central threads. Rudie is homeless, she sleeps on the streets with her drug-abusing boyfriend; she is lured into the sex industry but eventually rejects it. Breda is an alcoholic Irish woman in an abusive marriage; she cannot forget abandoning (as she sees it) her baby daughter many years ago. As these two characters work through their stories we meet a host of other characters, many from the underbelly of urban living – specifically Birmingham.
Jess Walters, in his book, never achieves the musical’s need to paint the story in broad sweeps and often the story falls back on clichés. This is at it’s most obvious in the dominatrix scenes which rely on a superficial comedy rather than presenting the intriguing nature of the transaction that takes place. It’s hard to believe the punters would ever come back.
UB40’s lyrics and music seem oddly out of joint in their new context. They’re terrific elsewhere, but they are not flexible enough to shape the musical itself. There’s no sense of build or variety; both important ingredients for music theatre.
There are exceptions. The opening is strong – Rudie (Remi Wilson) and the Company in ONE IN TEN – it’s full of attack and anger. I also much liked Breda’s (Julie-Alanah Brighten) powerful and ironic RED RED WINE. Clive Rowe plays Randall, a generous spirited bouncer; he has a fine voice and his CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE is a lovely opening to the second half – naively touching, sad, comic.
Rudie: Remi Wilson
Cuddles: Ryan Gage
Marcus: David Burt
Breda: Julie-Alanah Brighten
Dave: Paul Clarkson
Randall: Clive Rowe
George: John Marquez
Fedens: Tameka Empson
Angela: Sharon Wattis
Natalie: Natasha Lewis
Rope Man (Joseph): Martin Milnes
Adult Baby (Peter): Anthony Cable
Also: Helen Barclay, Dave Berrisford, Emma Boyle, Angela Ellis, Charlie Hewitt, Franc Joyce, John Meredith, Leon Mills
With (members of the Young Rep): Paul Davis, Ian Farnell, Dorian Keenahan, Stuart Lightfoot, Ryan Long, Jessica Truman, Neil Warner
Directors: Nick Bagnall, Jonathan Church
Designer: Simon Higlett
Lighting Designer: Chris Ellis
Sound Designer: Alan Mathieson
Movement Director: Francesca Jaynes
Voice/ Dialect Coach: Jeannette Nelson
Musical Supervisor and Arranger: Richard Balcombe
Musical Director: Jeff Moore
Fight Dirctor: Renny Krupinski
2006-03-30 11:55:01