Picture: Robbie McFadzean
Big Fish continues at the Assembly Rooms – Music Hall until 27 August 2023.
Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Being a night owl, it takes me a while to come around in the morning, so getting to a theatre for a 10am performance is not something I relish doing. So here I am, I take my seat, sit back and hope I can give the production my full attention.
Wham! Lights up and off we go. The opening number brings me to my senses, I’m now fully awake and I know from that moment onwards I will be taken on the best joy ride ever. Each musical number is a story within a story, fantastical in its unique creativity, simply brimming with ideas. With each scene that passes, we learn a little more about Mr Edward Bloom and his family and as each scene unfolds, I’m intrigued and eager to discover more.
Big Fish is a wonderful vehicle for this talented, energetic cast from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the performers’ voices are vibrant and they sing with clarity and conviction. Each and every member of the cast has the opportunity to shine and they do, with bells on. Liam Bradbury (Will Bloom), Zach Ammon Peterson (Edward Bloom) and Tommy Seymour (young Edward Bloom) bring to life all the complexities of their characters, each adding depth and meaning. Linzi Devers (Sandra Bloom) is compelling as girlfriend, mother and wife.
Director Tom Cooper leads his company with aplomb and Sarah Wilkie’s choreography is full of inventiveness, originality and fun. Musical directors John Hodgson and Siân Campbell should be proud of their achievements, the band is top notch and the cast sounds terrific.
Flo White
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