Passenger Shed, Bristol – until 18 August 2019, then touring until 5 October 2019
Reviewed by Jules Cooke
4****
Malory Towers is a musical adaption of the book written by Enid Blyton, which tells the story of Darrell Rivers (played by Izuka Hoyle) who is set to begin her first year of boarding school. She is determined to make friends, in spite of her own quick temper, which is made only harder to tame by the unagreeable Gwendoline Lacey (played by Rebecca Collingwood).
In this version, which was adapted and directed by Emma Rice, we find ourselves in a secondary school of today. The story opens with seemingly typical school antics outside the head teachers office. This opening, which referenced Malory Towers the book, offered us a chance to view the play and its parallels with schools of today.
From non-white actors to non-binary actors, Rice cast the show to “more accurately reflect the times we live in”. This choice only made the story feel more relatable and reflective of reality. Described as “the original ‘girl-power’ story”, this adaption certainly offers some good lessons for strong character and wholesome values.
Throughout the performance there was a wonderful variety of humour, with a little something for everyone. I attended with two children aged 8 and 10, who both enjoyed the experience, finding different moments to giggle at.
The choreography was creative and tight. The set design was clever. The costume was consistent and strong throughout. The characters were brought to life well by the actors and although I feel each performer was worth a mention, the stand out for me was Mirabelle Gremaud as Irene Barlett. She littered the performance with beautiful harp playing, strong vocals and the occasional acrobatic flourish.