Picture: Topher McGrillis
Miss Littlewood continues at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon until 4 August 2018.
Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩
It’s thrilling to find any new musical celebrating the life of a revolutionary theatre-maker, and more wonderful to find a complex and fascinating woman at the heart of it.
Sam Kenyon’s tribute to Joan Littlewood is full of a passion for one of the most provocative practitioners of her era, a woman who was, at the height of her fame, carried, cheering, through the doors of her theatre.
It’s a thoughtfully created piece of work. The ensemble feels very generous to itself and to us, and honours Littlewood’s practices throughout via the minimal set/costume, role-swapping, actor-musicianship, the shunning of naturalistic devices or illusions etc.
The music-hall style of our score is pleasant, and suits the show well. Kenyon’s music is well crafted, and witty, with some show-stopping moments (‘Stratford East’ especially – though whether their placements quite match the emotional arc of the show is another thing).
Voices are also very well cast – pure, defiant tones resonate unadorned throughout the entire ensemble, a scrupulous detail which honours the ethic of the show well.
The piece falters, however, with its protagonist. For all Littlewood’s anti-establishment punkery, Kenyon’s portrayal of Littlewood feels somehow tame, lost in the fray, and suffers an imbalance between substance and reverence.
This is perhaps highlighted primarily in the fact that, despite truly excellent performances from all ‘Joans’, the text doesn’t allow enough in common for us to witness her evolution satisfactorily.
Flaws are forgiven far too swiftly, before we have had a chance to challenge our perceptions ourselves. The tale is packed with content, we learn cerebrally of her sacrifices and her setbacks for the purity of her work, but they lack consequence or effect upon Joan and the action, save the immediate but transient reactions – the effect can be overwhelming, and disconnecting.
Even Littlewood’s presumed suicide attempt is treated flippantly, first for shock value and then as a throwaway gag – it doesn’t seem to permeate the fabric of her character at all.
It is, too, frustrating that her work, the very thing for which she is revered, seems to play second fiddle here to documenting her various relationships, and especially to the torch she carries inexplicably for a smooth but ultimately bland chap, Gerry Raffles (Solomon Israel, for whom the book leaves little to grab on to. Even her last soliloquy to us, creator to audience, is all about him.
Considering the political activism of Littlewood’s work, it’s also possible that an opportunity to mirror our current state of global affairs may have been missed – no doubt were she alive today, it’s likely she would have had much to comment upon.
The piece also feels too long – Act II drags and it could certainly pack more punch as a one act affair.
There are some fantastic moments within the show – Joan’s acerbic wit (Clare Burt as our principal Joan is a wry treat) is well observed, and despite some early clunkiness, audience involvement is often chuckle-worthy.
Sophia Nomvete’s turn as Avis Bunnage is a highlight of the show, not to mention Emily Johnstone, particularly as a young Barbra Windsor – full of energy, with expert comic timing, and a strong, pure voice.
The piece, though flawed, is epic in its vision (Erica Whyman directs), and eagerly paves the way for more pioneering of female theatre-makers, inspiring curiosity for Littlewood and beyond – it’s a hugely valuable journey, for a passionate and generous company.
Aura Simon
Readers may also be interested in:
Interview – ‘It’s a story that should be heard’ – Clare Burt makes her RSC debut in Miss Littlewood
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