THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK
The brilliant performing arts education scene here in Brighton and Hove never fails to both deliver and surprise and I am proud to champion the work that they do and the shows that they produce. This time I am back in the Richard Cairns Theatre in Brighton College, it’s the most beautiful venue and one that is opening its doors regularly to local companies. I’m here to see a new production of this show by the third year students from The Brighton Academy Of Performing Arts.
It’s not an easy show for young people to do, some of the main characters are rather mature and some of the themes equally mature and edgy too. Three women have their worlds turned upside down by the arrival of a wealthy and louche sexually promiscuous and, in the original film and stage musical, rather misogynistic predator. He’s charmingly seductive but he’s bad, very bad.
In this production the character, famously played by Jack Nicholson in the original film and on stage by Ian McShane, has been re-invented as a gender fluid wiry young demon, deliciously camp with overtones of Frankenfurter. In the cast that I witnessed, there are three companies over the run, the role is rocked by Danny Lee West who infests the part and the stage with such energy, amazing dance skills and a soaring voice. Once you get over the shock that this Darryl van Horne is not an aggressive macho monster it’s a thrilling performance.
The three women that he lures into his world of magic and evil should of course be older than these young performers but they pull it off for sure and the quality of their singing and precise harmonies is second to none. Héléne Laudinat-Greenway as Jane, Frankie McArdell as Suki and last but not least Poppy Parker as Alex, all great.
The young lovers Michael and Jennifer have an easier time being age appropriate of course and Jessie Bhattachraya sparkles. Alexander Dennison has the most beautiful beautiful voice of the evening, pure gold.
Comedy performance of the show has to go to Muireann O’Brien who makes the most of every moment as town busybody Felicia, a comic tour de force backed up by a brilliant voice with lyrical clarity.
The entire cast deliver the whole with energy and skill, great ensemble routines, excellent choral harmony and a huge sense of fun. And what a joy it is to get a moment with two tap dancing postmen.
Director Tim Newman makes a new sense of the complexities and somewhat outdated elements of the story and brings to the fore the exceptional talents of the cast, Kate Alexander’s choreography is sharp and fun too and certainly showcases the talents of the ensemble. The staging is clean and precise with some clever and witty projections and graphics and overall, once again, this shows that when it comes to stage education this city is where it’s at.
Andrew Kay
1 November
Brighton Academy of Performing Arts at The Richard Cairns Theatre
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