Jodie Prenger in Sheffield Theatres’ The Band Plays On. Picture: Chris Saunders
The Band Plays On was filmed at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield and has been made available to watch online until 28 March 2021.
Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩
The best shows always have a moment, incident or episode which really stick with you and change you. In The Band Plays On it’s Jodie Prenger singing ‘The Crying Game’ in her arresting three octave voice and then delivering a monologue called ‘Sanctuary’ in which her life falls apart at the onset of the pandemic somewhat more drastically then most people’s. I defy you not to weep for her – and then rejoice with her at the redemptive power of art.
Chris Bush’s play, directed by Robert Hastie and Anthony Lau, consists of five monologues delivered by five women of South Yorkshire, They’re played by Jocasta Almgill, Anna-Jane Casey, Sandra Marvin, Maimuna Memon – and Jodie Prenger. Think Talking Heads in miniature.
Between the monologues the five form a singing group with each of them taking the lead once and backing in the other numbers which are all pre-existing rather than composed especially.
This is accompanied by a four-piece band and some impressive work by Memon who is a talented actor muso as well as delivering a fine piece about football – one of several examples of articulate history wrapped into the personal stories in this show.
Highlights include Marvin’s monologue about Hillsborough and Casey as Shelley telling us about her childhood and the breakup of her parents’ marriage – both powerfully moving.
It’s an interesting and ingenious idea for a Covid-secure show because, of course, the monologues can be filmed separately. And while one performer is leading a sung number the other four are in Perspex-sided boxes. It looks a bit like a 1960s step-into-the-box TV game show but never mind – it works well enough.
There are few things sadder, I think, than the silent curtain call at the end of a show and it seemed especially poignant for this vibrant piece which richly deserves lots of proper applause.
Susan Elkin
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