Hall for Cornwall, Truro – until the 20th September 2025
Reviewed by Kerry Gilbert
5*****
‘A compelling and powerful story, beautifully portrayed on stage’
I was thrilled to review The Shawshank Redemption at the wonderful Hall for Cornwall. I watched the film many years ago which was based on the 1982 Stephen King novel and was nominated for seven Academy Awards. The stage adaption delivers the same level of drama, emotion and tension.
The show has been produced by Bill Kenwright, directed by David Esbjornson and brought to stage by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns. It is a thrilling stage production which explores themes such as injustice, friendship and hope behind the claustrophobic bars of the maximum security facility.
After settling into my seat, the curtain was drawn to reveal two men standing almost naked, clutching their new prison clothing, with the grey set of the Shawshank State Penitentiary looming behind them. We were immediately addressed by Red, an older prisoner, who introduced the audience to Andy Dufresne, who had been wrongly accused of murdering his wife and her lover. The story then followed Andy through his years in prison, his growing friendship with Red, and his work for prison warden Stammas.
The all male cast are outstanding, with each actor capturing our attention with their strong stage presence. Ben Onwukwe’s performance as Red was tremendous throughout, and his characterisation of Red as wise and calm invited the audience to grow close to the prisoner. His final monologue is incredible. Joe McFadden, playing Andy Dufresne brings the character to life, from cautious and cagey to a clever and resilient member of the inmate community. Bill Ward, playing Stammas portrays the ruthless prison warden and is perfect for this part, successfully treading a fine line between ‘authority’ and ‘downright nasty’.
The staging by Gary McCann and lighting by Chris Davey transports us to the gritty reality of prison. The sounds of door slamming and the clink of keys. The set invokes an uneasy feeling of claustrophobia. Minimalistic scene changes create a cell, the governor’s office, and even the prison library.
The Shawshank Redemption is a compelling and powerful story, beautifully portrayed on stage. It is as powerful now as when the original novel was published in 1982. I’d highly recommend seeing this whilst it’s in Cornwall.