Sylvia - New musical marching into your heart
★★★★
The road to equality is long and treacherous, and it is a road we continue to walk.
The name most often associated with the suffragette movement is, of course, Emmeline Pankhurst. In Kate Prince and Priya Parmar’s new hip-hop musical Sylvia: A Musical Revolution, she is portrayed as the original momager. Determined to put her daughters in the spotlight in the fight for women's votes, she encourages them to break laws to make laws, and is proudest of them when they are imprisoned. A fiery performance from Beverley Knight, who picked up the Olivier Award for her original portrayal; history is retold not by her, but by her middle daughter.
As Sylvia, Naomi Katiyo, makes a lasting impression. After a tender start battling forbidden love and weighing up her talents for art with her activist work, we are by her side as she grows into a big-hearted and strong-willed woman who sacrifices everything for what she believes. It's a courageous performance brimming with energy, and it matches the star power of Knight, as both voices are suited to lead the fight. It is a shame they are not always on the same page.
The show is good consistently, but there are parts where it is really damn good. The "March Women March" closing scene of the first act is nothing short of magic. It is stirring with strength and power, and simply unforgettable. Later, as a chorus of five women share their experiences as mothers in East End living conditions, you could hear a pin drop against their angelic harmonies, spilling emotion. These moments are padded by filler numbers that add nothing to the story, except to further showcase the talent among the multi-roling cast. Which, by the way, is in abundance.
Prince has thrown everything into this production: it's a feast for all senses. At times it can feel a little bit too educational, ideal for a school group matinee with modern cultural references like "fix up look sharp" thrown into otherwise intelligent and sharp-tongued lyrics to keep the attention of youngsters. But with characters like Winston Churchill's beatboxing mother (a funny Kenedy Small) and portly politicians, there is a lot of fun to be had, à la Hamilton.
Ben Stones's stage design of tiered steps acts as an arena-like stage to show off Prince's world-class choreography. A video screen (Andrzej Goulding) helps place the time and the location, and becomes see-through to reveal a fantastic live band. Under trailing spotlights (lighting by Natasha Chivers and Hector Murray), the ensemble sways their feminine skirts, hiking them up to move freely. The consistent black and white costumes, with a flash of Labour red, signify unity and look smart. Structured blouses and strict shoulder pads are rebelled against as each dancer injects their own emotions into the performance yet moves in synchronicity.
In Josh Cohen and DJ Walde’s relentless but giving score, the raps are impressive, and every word is crystal clear, but Sylvia really soars in its RnB numbers, powered by emotion. That's when Bev really shines. Her vocals call out for response, and the audience on press night is happy to holler in response.
Because let's face it, the suffragettes were rockstars.
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