Wednesday, 1st November 2023 at Southwark Playhouse Elephant.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Reviewer: Charlotte Dawes
Directed and choreographed by William Whelton, LIZZIE the musical blends true crime and heavy rock with killer performances.
The true story of Lizzie Borden (played by Lauren Drew) isn’t particularly well known here in the UK. Accused of brutally murdering her father and stepmother with an axe in Fall River, Massachusetts in 1892, Borden’s trial is considered one of the first trials in American history to attract a media storm. The tale has been inspiration to numerous literary works and films before being turned into a musical written by Steven Cheslik-deMeyer and Tim Maner which premiered in New York in 2009.
Set and Lighting Designer Andrew Exeter immediately sets the tone of the show as an axe spins in a gramophone at the centre of the barn-like set. We find out the barn is Lizzie’s escape from her difficult life at the hands of her abusive father and stepmother. Exeter’s lighting is effective in helping move the story along, particularly in the trial scene and the song ‘Questions Questions’ where the three women closest to Lizzie are being questioned about her part in the murders.
Lizzie’s story is told via three women in her life, her older sister Emma (Shekinah McFarlane), the comical Borden family maid, Bridget (Mairi Barclay) and Lizzie’s lover, Alice (Maiya Quanasah-Breed). Lizzie’s interactions with each of these women give the audience a glimpse into her backstory, although there is a sense of having to fill in the gaps where plot points appear to be presented as already known. Perhaps this links to the story being more widely known in the US.
Lauren Drew’s lead performance is spectacular. While this show’s demanding score requires her powerhouse vocal, it is her acting which makes her portrayal so compelling. Drew masterfully navigates both the softer and more vulnerable side of Lizzie, with beautiful vocals in ‘This Is Not Love”, and her dark, menaced side as the piece progresses. It is in these moments we see why rock music is such a compelling medium to tell this story. Many rock ballads start quietly and end heavier and darker, which mirrors Lizzie’s change in character as time passes. The rest of the company skilfully support Drew, with Barclay’s portrayal as Bridget offering needed light relief to the dark subject matter of this piece.
There is a feeling of familiarity which stems from the similarities to SIX the Musical (though it is worth remembering LIZZIE came first). This starts with the use of hand-held microphones which enhances the concert feel to the show. There is also likeness with the end scene where the cast return to the stage in modern punk-rock clothing for a finale that we are encouraged to film. Neither concept feels particularly fleshed out; there is no real science behind when the hand-held microphones are used, and the end piece is somewhat jarring. Nevertheless, both add to the contemporary musical feel of mixing old and new.
Beyond the loose similarities to SIX, LIZZIE is unlike any musical out there at the moment. This show will no doubt bring in a new audience, particularly those interested in the true crime element. This is an all-female show not to be missed.
LIZZIE is at Southwark Playhouse Elephant until December 2nd, 2023 – more information and tickets can be found here.
Images: Pamela Raith
Always Time For Theatre 