The Hired Man – NYMT – St James Theatre

The Hired Man, presented by the National Youth Music Theatre, continues at the St James Theatre, London until 16 August.

Timed perfectly to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, this National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT) production is a moving and fitting tribute to the men that died in the so-called ‘war to end all wars’. It also proves to be a mightily impressive reminder of the superb young musical and acting talent that exists in this country.

Melvyn Bragg and Howard Goodall’s work is celebrating its 30th birthday this year, and his work has lost none of its resonance – it’s still one of most stirring scores and moving storylines created. When you see one of the cast wearing braces in their teeth, you suddenly realise just how very young this cast is, and while initially a leap of imagination is certainly required to see the male cast as hardened, life-weary working-class adult males, it’s quite something to see them all visibly grow in stature.

There are initially a few nervous moments, that’s only to be expected, but it’s so impressive to see the whole cast’s confidence increases with every note and every line sung. In fact, the opening rousing ‘Song of the Hired Men’, then ‘Fill It to the Top’, make for one of the most stirring opening ten minutes of any musical I’ve seen, and the company’s sheer physicality and obvious passion is quite something to witness in the compact and perfectly suited St James Theatre.

Add to that, the performances of Dominic Harrison (17) as John Tallentire and Amara Okereke (17) as Emily Tallentire are absolutely faultless. Jacques Miché (18) as Isaac Tallentire and Will Sharma, just 16, who plays Seth Tallentire with amazing maturity, also put in fine performances, while the impressively bubbly Naomi Morris as May Tallentire is proof that stroppy teenagers have always existed. It helps this production’s score massively that Okereke has a voice that breaks your heart, moving some audience members visibly to tears, while Harrison’s gritty, macho and moving portrayal of a man put through hell on the Western Front and not much better on the Home Front is utterly convincing, constantly leading and driving this cast from the front.

Also top drawer is the performance of Joe Eaton-Kent (18) as Jackson Pennington (plus violin/viola) who woos Emily and wins her over while John is away. He has an air of arrogance and refinement that sets him apart from many of the other men, and unsurprisingly the local women have got plans for him, not least Sally Wrangham, played delightfully by Daisy Addison (18), another fine singer within the cast. When this production is bitter, it is very bitter, as when the very young son, Harry Tallentire (Charlie Callaghan – 14), dies in the trenches; but when it is sweet, it is sublimely so.

Among the ‘could hear a pin drop’ musical numbers are ‘I Wouldn’t Be The First’ (Emily and Jackson) and ‘Fade Away’ (Emily and John), while in Act II, the female company sings ‘Day Follows Day’ quite beautifully, a very touching respite from all anger and bitterness that has gone before.

This is a remarkably polished and confident production from director Nikolai Foster and from such a young cast – even Seth Tallentire’s whippet, played by Jarvis, took his brief, cameo role in his four-legged stride. It’s a real pity only six performances are planned. I’m guessing Jarvis has other work lined up – I’m sure most of this talented cast has.

Derek Smith