Under Construction, a showcase featuring three new musicals, was performed at St James Studio, London.
Star rating: 2 stars ★ ★
The three musicals are:
The Sorrows of Satan
Authors: Luke Bateman and Michael Conley; director: Adam Lenson; musical director: Freddie Tapner.
Cast: Oliver Hembrough, Paul Keating, Samantha Hull and Freddie Tapner.
One Way Ticket
Authors: Daniel Sturman and RC Staab; director: Luke Fredericks; musical director: Nathan Jarvis.
Cast: Lucas James, Nick Lautman, Ross Harbron, Millie-Rose Keutenius, Pamela Wernham, Megan Jenkins and Zoe Littleton.
The Suicide Shop
Authors: Freya Caitrin Smith and Jack Williams; director: Nicola Samer.
Cast: Freya Caitrin Smith, Anthony Matteo, Natalie Harman, Zach Mobley, Imogen Fowler and Cameron Hay.
If the musical theatre industry is to survive in the UK, then it is vitally important that new writers get an opportunity to show their work in progress. The level of exposure given to new work inevitably varies, with some new pieces aiming directly at a full production – often at the behest of an enthusiastic/wealthy producer – while others spend years of workshops undergoing important changes and re-writes. It can be a hit and miss affair and many a major production – even opening in the West End – has closed ostensibly due to lack of serious attention in the workshop process.
Under Construction from Fisher Taylor-Gaunt Productions plans to engage with new musicals at the earliest stages of their development, providing them with long-term collaborative relationships with other professionals including directors, musical directors and performers. From submissions of more than 60 musicals, FTG has chosen three to develop and showcase in Under Construction.
The three musicals chosen are The Sorrows of Satan, a quirky take on the Faust legend set backstage in 1920s London by Luke Bateman and Michael Conley; The Suicide Shop, based on the novel by Jean Teulé with music and lyrics by Freya Catrin Smith and Jack Williams; and One Way Ticket, an energetic pastiche of Agatha Christie murder-mysteries set on a train by Daniel Sturman and RC Staab.
Each musical is given an intense ten-day development period culminating in this presentation, where a half hour of material is performed by professional vocalists before a paying audience. While no reviewer worth his salt would attempt to offer public criticism of a ‘scratch’ performance such as this, the audience is encouraged to offer their thoughts and commentary by way of a feedback form.
As a showcase for new writing, Under Construction has its faults, not least a lack of personal engagement with its audience. A video introduction to each musical, projected onto the back wall of the studio, is no substitute for a presenter, even if you are lucky enough to be sat in the right place to actually see it. This is the stuff of YouTube and sits heavily at odds with the live elements of the show, which fare much better. This is, after all, a showcase promoting live performance and despite the slick technical presentation these links lack energy, focus and a satisfying conclusion to the evening.
The addition of individual musical numbers lends a cabaret air to the proceedings, with strong performances from Lucas James and particularly Laura Kaye Thomson. From a structural point of view, as accomplished as these songs are, they draw focus away from the main event.
On the plus side, each musical features a substantial amount of its book, an element which is usually ignored in showcases of this sort. Musicals can often face the harshest criticism over the book or libretto, so to present thorough examples of the writing style at this stage can be just as important as hearing the songs.
Under Construction is a crucial concept that will hopefully continue to present and promote new work and new writers to the public on a regular basis. At the moment, it appears to be suffering from an identity crisis, trying to cram in too much into too short a running time. Hopefully, producers FTG will take this on board and create a future presentation package that engages its audience as much as it serves its writers.
Paul Vale
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