Picture: Lexi Claire Photography
Fury and Elysium continues at the The Other Palace Studio, London until 18 June 2023.
Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩
As a brand new musical for London, and housed in the intimate The Other Palace Studio, this certainly feels set to be an exciting production based around historical but still relevant experiences that strike chords of resonance with life today.
It’s 1918, and in post-war Berlin revolution is coming. Amidst a backdrop of political reform and social change, Fury and Elysium explores queer culture and artistic freedom through glimpses into the lives of six women living in the Weimar era.
While the stories told through co-directors Rafaella Marcus and Karoline Gable’s dramatic interpretation of Stephanie Martin’s book are certainly compelling and at times heart-wrenching, overall it tends to feel like the piece never really gets into any particular narrative or explores any aspect to a satisfying depth.
If a book, this would be akin to a collection of short passages, almost haikus, each with very little connecting theme or thread to the others aside from the identical time period. Each scene focuses on one of the key characters at a time and hints at some fascinating viewpoints and perspectives bubbling away underground, but is almost over before it begins.
Music and lyrics for this production are provided by Calista Kazuko Georget and provide a frantic, dissonant backdrop for the fury and passion felt by the characters surging against societal expectation. Even when coupled with the cast’s undeniable vocal talent, however, there are minimal moments of contrast which overall makes for a slightly jarring experience. Perhaps this is the point, drawing clashing worlds and lives together as implied in the oxymoron of the very title Fury and Elysium, but as an audience member you find yourself occasionally longing for a little more dynamism to this approach, to fully encapsulate the breadth of circumstances endured by each character.
The standout stars of this piece are undoubtedly the cast of six, all deserving of glowing praise in their own right. Due to Iz Hesketh being unwell on press night, swing Charlotte Clitherow admirably read in for the role of Anita – script in hand – and delivered an exceptional performance with presumably minimal notice, including the only character solo performed entirely alone on the stage. Similarly, Danielle Steers and Rosie Yadid, in the roles of Kitty and Valeska respectively, are both outstanding and draw several laughs from the audience for their nuanced portrayals and excellent comic timing.
Despite the troubled and often tragic tales that would possibly be anticipated for the queer and Jewish communities on the brink of the Weimar rule, the ending of the piece (no spoilers!) adopts a considerably more upbeat approach and positions the context of 1918 Berlin as a microcosm of modern society.
Hinting at wider purpose throughout the piece, with lines such as “imagine living without something you’d gladly die for?”, the final scene divulges: “All the rules you’ve been taught don’t exist. Break them nonetheless.” A perfect summation of the strife of post-war revolutionaries, and a fitting parallel bringing history into the present.
Sorcha Exworthy
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