Realms of Glory – 53two, Manchester

Realms of Glory was performed at 53two, Manchester.

Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩

In a genre where most new productions are based on books, screenplays or other existing properties, it is a rare and welcome treat – even an early Christmas present – to find a musical that is an entirely original proposition.

The creative team behind this wartime-set musical also deserves praise for bringing the stories of their great – or even, great-great – grandparents’ generation to life in way that celebrates their sacrifice without romanticising or glossing over the pain of their loss.

That’s not to say that there isn’t a great deal of romance in Ollie Mills’ book and lyrics, co-written by Rachel Mann, telling as they do, the story of the courtship of two couples who end up getting torn apart as the Blitz comes to Manchester in 1940.

But death is never that far away, and any idealised, romantic notions are countered with an earthy wit and a matter-of-fact, realistic approach to the day-to-day realities of war, typified by the Act I ensemble number ‘What’s Become of Our City?’

There is an impressive variety to be found in Mills’ music. Brisk opening number ‘Bombs Fall, Bullets Fly’ takes its cue from the toe-tapping swing of the 1940s, while the slower, more melodious songs, like the touching Act I ballad ‘If I Had a Wish’, channel the likes of Irving Berlin.

An over-reliance on backing tracks robs some of these songs of their immediacy, which makes the simpler, more delicate tunes accompanied by musical director Joe Clayton on piano – like the heart-breaking ‘The Silence is Deafening’, sung by Ella Heywood’s interfering air-raid warden Ida – all the more effecting.

In a small but committed five-strong cast, Amelia Simpson stands out with a strong voice and by bringing a quiet determination and touching sensitivity to her role as Lizzie. It’s her friendship with fellow munitions factory worker Mavis (played with comic gusto by Rebecca McAuley) that provides the show with its beating heart, but she also combines to touching effect with Alex Cosgriff as her doomed RAF pilot husband Bob. Their tear-jerking duet (‘Bob’s Letter’) as Lizzie reads out the final letter that Bob sent to her is the emotional high point of Act I.

Having the plot play out over two timelines results in some of the twists that the story takes being revealed a little too early, meaning that a few of the second half’s events are a bit of a forgone conclusion. And a plotline involving Lizzie’s inability to conceive could be better integrated into the story as a whole.

The production’s budgetary constraints are also evident throughout. Head mics buzz and malfunction distractingly and the props and set can’t help but look a little handmade.

However, George Miller’s lighting and sound designs create a compelling atmosphere with limited resources. 53two’s location underneath Deansgate’s 150-year-old railway arches provides an atmospheric background for scenes set in air-raid shelters and bombed out houses to play out, while convincing-sounding re-creations of radio broadcasts add to the show’s authentic feel.

Mills’ direction and Vicki Healy’s choreography keep things brisk and contained within a limited performing area. But it’s the strength of the songs and the heartfelt convictions of everyone involved that means, with a bit of nipping and tucking – not to mention an injection of budget and a more enticing title – this production could end up being something very special indeed.

Chris Bartlett