Lizzie

What do you get when you cross punk rock with historical true crime? You get Lizzie, 2023's most bizarre, baffling and yet boldly brilliant production that slashes its way onto the theatre scene with an unashamed head-banging energy: the source material may be inconsistent and flawed, however William Whelton's new take on the cult classic is most certainly to die for.

'It's utterly wild' an audience member muttered to their friend just before the show began, and no sentiment could be closer to the truth; this flawlessly designed revival of what ought to have been a staple of musical theatre makes an explosive return to the UK theatre scene, with a cast, creative team and vision that almost overflows with superfluous talent. While the unlikely pairing of 19th century rural America and punk rock initially seems far fetched, William Whelton's tasteful direction forges the match into nothing less than blindingly obvious, and if nothing else, makes for a superbly entertaining night of theatre.

Since 2016, the Hope Mill Theatre has cemented itself as the visionary 'little theatre that could' with its phenomenal staging of revived shows, and mastering the art of the small-scale production - Lizzie successfully continues this streak, with a sleek yet lavish production of the 2019 experimental work that presents it in its most creative form yet. The greatest success of the show lies in the hands of Andrew Exeter whose set and lighting design is nothing short of remarkable; the claustrophobic space of the auditorium is transformed into an almost immersive setting, as pigeons adorn the rafters and loose straw overflows onto the floor of the seating. Equally the set is full of exquisite detail, feeling worn, real and lived in, making for a quaintly balanced juxtaposition of minimalistic staging against the backdrop of a simple yet carefully crafted set. The icing of this production, however, is the lighting, which takes the clever set, and amps up the spectacle to 11: no light goes unloved as the constantly energetic displays of colour, strobes and tasteful projections by Dan Light transform the space into a rock concert explosion. This show has easily the best lighting design I have seen all year.

Whelton's direction is a feat of taste, creativity and immaculate vision, that single handedly crafts a new and exciting facelift for this now 14 year old show. There is potential for a concept such as Lizzie to feel hideously tacky and insincere, yet through an appreciation for the punk rock genre, the show achieves a succinct identity that deftly balances the dark tone of the material with the rebellious edge of the score. While at times their felt opportunities for comedy, the production glances over these in favour for a far grittier tone; while laughs may have a cheap way to win over audiences, Whelton's take on the show pulls no punches and doubles down on the unfiltered violence and tragedy of the crime. Amidst a sea of new-wave tongue-in-cheek musicals, it feels both refreshing and reassuring to enjoy a show that unashamedly commits to an unconventional yet rewarding tone.

Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the creative team, the show finds itself unable to escape flaw - the massively underwhelming book by Tim Maner which sadly plagues what would otherwise be a near perfect score with vague and lackluster lyrics. Perhaps the show would be better off marketing itself as a song cycle taking inspiration from the case of Lizzie Borden, as the show is almost entirely devoid of characters, plot and any strong sense of narrative - yes the narrative is there, however it feels like little more than a bullet point summary. Paired with the surprisingly short running time - the second act is a mere 35 minutes long - one could be forgiven for thinking that the book scenes had simply been plucked from this production. While the songs convey excitement and thrill, the pacing lacks the quieter moments in between to develop character and understand the emotional core at the centre of this very angsty musical: the tone seems to claw at a sentiment of solidarity and resilience, and yet the book never fully realises the motivations and inward truths of the quartet on stage.

Despite these faults, however, Hope Mill Theatre's production presents Lizzie in its most dynamic form yet, creating a harmonious cacophony of lighting, belting and punk rock music. The score of this show remains phenomenal enough to carry the show above its disappointing structure, and the astounding performances from the cast - and particularly Lauren Drew in the titular role - make this more than worth a watch. Capturing the shocking nature of the deadly crime with an edge and proudly alternative sound, this is a thrilling concert-like experience unlike anything else on the UK theatre scene, and leaves a delightfully bloody stain that lingers on the mind long after.

Lizzie is running at the Hope Mill Theatre until 30th September before embarking on a UK tour

https://hopemilltheatre.co.uk/event/lizzie/

Photography Credit: Pamela Raith

[Watched 02/09/23]