The White Feather - Review

Union Theatre,  London

***

Written by Ross Clarke

Directed by Andrew Keates

Abigail Matthews

New British musical The White Feather tells the story of Georgina Briggs whose brother Harry was one of hundreds of allied soldiers executed for cowardice during the First World War and who consequently spent her life fighting for justice & a posthumous pardon. It is a show that offers us the young idealistic soldiers marching off to fight with bravado and returning, in the words of one character, 'broken'.

There are some pretty tunes in the score by Ross Clark & Matthew Strachan, with some stand out songs namely Set Them In Stone sung beautifully by Abigail Matthews as Georgina and I'll Tell You What I'm Fighting For performed with passion by Kate Brennan as Edith. Strangely, it felt as if there may be too many songs in this show, particularly in the first half. Some numbers feel prematurely cut short and a little fragmented, not helping the act’s cohesion. A notable exception is "In No Man's Land", where Lee Dillon-Stuart engages totally. The second act seems better crafted, perhaps due to fewer songs.

As Harry, Adam Pettigrew conveys the naivety of a 16 year old wanting adventure. Sadly, we don’t get to fully see his transformation from innocence to acute suffering since he is staged with his back to the audience. We need and want to see his eyes and witness Harry's fear, due to him being affected by what is now known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Unfortunately, Harry evolves into a secondary character, talked to and about, rather than the audience observing for ourselves, through Pettigrew's acting, the horror of his plight. 

There's an intriguing homosexual storyline between Edward Brown, who escapes active service due to a faked medical documents procured by the upper class Adam Davey. David Flynn plays Davey with well placed self importance, thinly veiling his insecurities. Zac Hamilton's stand out performance as Edward is perfectly placed, his solo at the end of the show a heartbreaking outpouring of grief that is genuinely touching.

A simple, striking set of a multipurpose stone wall by Tim McQuillen-Wright beautifully captures rural East Anglia in the early 1900s, transforming the space in the Union Theatre, lit with subtle skill by Neill Brickworth. 

The musical arrangements by Dustin Conrad and Martin Coslett were delightful, the trio of piano, cello and violin creating an atmosphere, almost eerie in places. 

Director Andrew Keates has developed the piece and co-written the book with Ross Clarke, for a cast of nine. The White Feather has some lovely moments within a story that spans a generation and it also marks another welcome burst of new English writing for musical theatre, but it’s not quite there yet. With some modest work, this could yet be a fine musical. 

Runs until 17th October 2015
Guest reviewer: Andy Bee

Sleeping Arrangements

Landor Theatre, London

***

Book, music & lyrics: Chris Burgess

Director: Robert McWhir

Jenny Gayner

Sleeping Arrangements is a transition of Sophie Kinsella’s novel of the same name into a new piece of musical theatre staged at that veritable genre dynamo, Clapham’s Landor Theatre. It’s a simple enough even if anodyne tale of two frustrated married couples thrown together in an Andalucian doubled booked holiday villa.  Add in the 16 year old son of one union and a gorgeous nanny from t’other to generate some adolescent Carry On capers, as well as some adult bed hopping and you have the ingredients for a passable piece of chick-lit cavorting.

Chris Burgess writes in the programme that when he first read the novel, he “couldn’t help but hear songs all over the place”. Unfortunately, it seems that sometimes these may have been other people’s songs. When Grant Neal as victim of the rat-race, pasty-faced, Philip (husband to Chloe)sings of his resentment at being just a “Nice Guy”, it sounds like a faux-Sondheim version of Kander and Ebb’s Mr Cellophane. Sam, the testosterone fuelled 16 year old wonderfully played by Adam Pettigrew has some comic moments but one can’t help but feel that Dougal Irvine nailed adolescent sexual awkwardness with so much more perception in Departure Lounge and when Liza Pulman’s Amanda (married to Hugh, keep up), legs akimbo, splendidly belts out Superwoman, she must be thinking to herself that whilst she couldn’t physically be giving any more to such an all-consuming  performance, her own lyric writing contribution to Fascinating Aida far outweighs Burgess’s efforts.

Nonetheless, this show entertains. As frustrated wife Chloe, Jenny Gayner masterfully extracts the melodrama from her lyrics and she steamily convinces as a still seductive but frustrated wife who found herself becoming a mother far too young in life. She discovers that she still holds a candle for Steven Serlin’s Hugh, a flame from many years past, also thrown into the villa booking as a consequence of the scheming machinations of an old mutual friend of theirs. When passions inevitably spill over into a stolen afternoon of lust, Serlin’s muscular naked torso (as well as his magnificent voice) will have much of the audience swooning in the Landor’s cramped aisles.  A note to Grant Neal: in the Rat Pack styled duet that he later shares with Serlin, Women Always Win Out In The End, he is vocally outclassed by the other man. Whilst Neal’s character may be a bit limp, his voice needn’t be and this needs to be stepped up into the run.

Sabrina Aloueche smoulders throughout as Jenna the at times bikini-clad provocative young nanny, lusted after by Sam whilst flirting wickedly with Philip. When Aloueche sings her voice has an electrifying unity of youth, power and pitch-perfect tone.

The show is directed by Robert McWhir, a seasoned and talented practitioner, who takes Burgess’ composition and skilfully fashions it into a watchably endearing production. David Shields' Spanish set is a delight and whilst Colin Billing’s band are four worthy musicians, Burgess’ melodies don’t give them a lot with which to make our spines tingle.

Sleeping Arrangements is simply crying out for coachloads of West End Wendies to pack the Landor during its four week residency.  The ticket price is infinitely better value than most juke box musicals to be found up West, the performances on display are at least as good (if not better) and the story is far more up to date than Cliff Richard’s Summer Holiday. Don’t forget your passport!

Runs to May 12 2013