The Theatre Royal Brighton commenced it’s run of Matthew Bourne’s Midnight Bell last night to a packed audience who drank in the world he created. With rich storytelling, beautiful movement and strong characters, this was an evening of wonder and we can’t recommend it highly enough.
The performance centres on the lives of people who all visit a pub, The Midnight Bell, a place where people come to seek connection with others. Within moments we recognise each of them. The lonely spinster sits nervously at a table, the young prostitute looks for clientele and the bar staff work their magic to create an environment where they are all able to co-exist. As the piece develops, we learn more about the relationships between them, how they deal with different situations and what they yearn for.
This piece has no dialogue whatsoever, the only words spoken on stage coming from original recordings of the period which are lip-synced by the characters. However, we don’t need any words. Their motion, their gestures and their precise movements tell us everything we need to know. The piece uses ballet and modern dance techniques, and whilst the movement is fluid and beautiful, it doesn’t feel like a night of formal dance, more a silent film where the characters are giving everything to us through their physical presence.
The first half featured some amazing sequences where the characters move in and out of synchronicity, meeting in different pairings and groups. Theses tightly choreographed pieces allow our eyes to be drawn to different stories being told all at once, quickly moving to a new situation leaving us wondering how the individual dramas may resolve. One set piece, where all the characters walk backwards with amazing precision shows a time slip, the complex actions smooth and natural. The focused solos and duets within the performance highlight particular story lines to add more intrigue and depth. The clandestine meeting of two male characters was mesmerising, their subtle looks and furtive gazes developing into a liaison which we alone are allowed to witness.
The piece is based on British writer Patrick Hamilton’s work where he created characters from observations he made in London pubs in the 1930s. Bourne, who attended the performance last night, has used this work to create a piece of magical theatre where despite the characters never saying a word, we know exactly who they were and what they were feeling. Through the second half, set one month later, more conflict is incorporated into the narrative, the dancers building their profiles and dealing with the consequences of previous actions. The set cleverly changes, moving the action to a late night bar where new connections are possible. We are left with a sense that each character will continue to visit The Midnight Bell and that it will always be there for them.
In an evening of exquisite movement, every performer shone. However, special praise should be given to Michela Meazza who played Miss Roach, the lonely spinster. We couldn’t take our eyes off her. Every detail was so well observed, each aspect of her life so well communicated. She moved from a shy character to a woman with options, and her bedroom scene was a wonderful touching and expectantly comic moment.
What makes the whole performance special is the raw emotions on stage. We see longing, disappointment, desire and joy. This show comes with high expectations, Bourne’s work well respected and highly publicised, and it delivers on every level. Fans of dance will love the subtlety in the movement, fans of drama will be fully engrossed by the storytelling and fans of theatre will love the stage craft. This is a show that really pushes the boundaries of what can be achieved on stage shouldn’t be missed.
Performance Dates
Thursday 31st July – 2.30 & 7.30 pm
Friday 1st August – 7.30 pm
Saturday 2nd August – 2.30 & 7.30 pm
Tickets are available from Theatre Royal, Brighton.
The Midnight Bell tour continues to Nottingham, Norwich, Liverpool, Sheffield and Bradford.
Cast List
BOB, a waiter – Andy Monaghan
JENNY MAPLE, a young prostitute – Ashley Shaw
MISS. ROACH, a lonely spinster – Michela Meazza
ERNEST RALPH GORSE, a cad – Glenn Graham
ELLA, a barmad – Hannah Kremer
ECCLES, a regular customer – Reece Causton
GEORGE HARVEY BONE, a tortured romantic – Danny Reubens
NETTA LONGDON, an out-of-work actress – Cordelia Braithwaite
FRANK, a new customer – Edwin Ray
ALBERT, a West-End Chorus Boy – Liam Mower
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Director and Choreographer – Matthew Bourne
Composer – Terry Davies
Set and Costume Design – Lez Brotherston
Lighting Designer – Paule Constable
Sound Designer – Paul Groothuis
Associate Artistic Director – Etta Murfitt
