The magic of live theatre is alive and well on British stages, as a new wave of bold and innovative productions take audiences on journeys to unexpected places – from the craggy coast of Cornwall to the inner city streets to the flickering realm of ghost stories. While vastly different in style and subject matter, what unites these daring shows is the passion of their creators to push the theatrical medium in dynamic new directions.
Folk Musical Makes Waves in the West End
One of the most remarkable is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a folk musical that has made the leap from a small fringe venue to the bright lights of the West End. Adapted from the F. Scott Fitzgerald story about a man who ages in reverse, director and composer Jethro Compton transposes the action to early 20th century Cornwall.
With foot-stomping melodies inspired by sea shanties and folk stars like Kate Rusby, along with lyrics co-written by Darren Clark, the musical sweeps the audience along on a tide of emotion. Actor-musicians weave seamlessly between playing their instruments and inhabiting their roles, while salvaged maritime materials transform the theatre into a seaswept world. At the center is a poignant performance by John Dagleish as Benjamin, capturing the poignancy of a man living his life in reverse.
What makes this production so special is its hand-crafted, heartfelt quality – it feels like it sprung organically from the salty soil of Cornwall, rather than being manufactured for the tourist trade of the West End.
A source close to the production
Fiery Solo Show Tackles Generational Trauma
On the opposite end of the theatrical spectrum, but no less impactful, is Burnt-Up Love at the tiny but mighty Finborough Theatre. Actor and writer Ché Walker, who electrified the Globe in 2008 with The Frontline, takes on a deeply personal project he’s developed for over a decade.
Inhabiting the role of an ex-con searching for his long-lost daughter, Walker pens a searing exploration of how trauma and violence can echo through generations. The magnetic Joanne Marie Mason portrays the daughter, a young woman ricocheting between tenderness and despair, with a nuanced turn by Alice Walker as her lover.
What elevates the production is the inventive staging by director Walker and lighting designer Juliette Demoulin, who utilize handheld candelabra, flashlights, sparklers and Zippo lighters to conjure an intimate, flickering world of shadow and fire. The effect, according to theatre insiders, is akin to gathering around a grate to witness searing truths dramatically illuminated.
By taking the lighting into their own hands, literally, the actors are able to hone in on an emotional truth that reaches out and grabs the audience.
An anonymous London theatre regular
Candlelit Ghost Stories Chill Playhouse
For a different sort of intimacy, one need only venture to the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, an indoor Jacobean theatre modeled on those of Shakespeare’s era. As part of a budding Halloween tradition, the venue has crafted an evening of More…Ghost Stories by Candlelight, adapted from spooky tales from the East Anglian region.
Actors Becky Barry and Sharan Phull use a few simple props, atmospheric underscoring, and most importantly, expertly-wielded candlelight to conjure chills in the compact wooden theatre. While the contemporary tone of some stories lessens their scare factor, there are moments when a chill goes palpably through the audience.
Sources say the most spine-tingling moment comes in “Lover’s Gate” by Eloise Pennycott, in which the ghostly face of a clinging dead lover suddenly looms in the darkness. It’s proof that even in our jaded modern era, the alchemy of a good storyteller and a single candle can still raise goosebumps.
While we associate candlelight with romance, there’s something so potent about how it can guide the audience from light into satisfying darkness, in service of a good ghost yarn.
A theatre expert who prefers to remain nameless
Connecting Threads of Creativity and Experimentation
Though these three productions differ vastly in budget, scale, and subject matter, what connects them is a drive to experiment with theatrical form, whether through actor-musicians, dramatic lighting, or spooky storytelling. In an era when so much entertainment is available on screens, it’s a testament to the unique power of live performance to transport us to new worlds and reflect our own in startling new ways.
So whether it’s a foot-stomping Cornish musical, a searing story of fathers and daughters, or a shivery folk tale by candlelight, British theatre continues to push the envelope. And judging by the passion of these productions’ creators, actors and designers, that spirit of invention won’t be dimming anytime soon.
