Firstly, picture a musical. Seeing all the big numbers like defying gravity and One day more (that's Les Mis folks) and the backing dancers smiling like they have a gun pointed at their heads? Yup. Then put all that in a film - in comes John Travolta in a woman's body suit - and still more cheese and glitz is crammed in to make your normal musical movie bonanza.
Well put all of that on the scrap heap because London Road is nothing like that! There are no glittering costumes or RP lardidar singing numbers in sight. And by god it is brilliant for it.
Set in 2006/2007 in Ipswich when five prostitutes were murdered by Steve Wright, who lived on London Road when he committed the murders. It is a musical retelling of how a community re-healed itself and just kept on going despite the circumstances.
If that's not unusual enough it was all done using verbatim theatre, meaning that the interviews conducted by writer Alecky Blythe with residents were spoken word for word by the actors. Including copying the individual's speech patterns and faults!
I was completely swept away by it, yet I didn't feel patronised or belittled by the way the story was set out, which sometimes happens in musicals. And above all, the people felt real and normal, like the sort of people who walk past you in the street.
Directed by Rufus Norris and a cast staring Olivia Coleman, Anita Dobson and Tom Hardy this film is a must see. And worth all the five star reviews it will attract.
A National Theatre Live production, out on general release 12th June.
Terri :D
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