MusicalNorth WestReview

LIZZIE The Musical – Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester

Reviewer: Abbie Rippon

Book: Tim Maner

Music and lyrics: Stephen Cheslik-Deymer, Alan Stevens Hewitt, Tim Maner

Director and Choreographer: William Welton

Renowned for its innovation when it comes to musical theatre, and its championing of new works; the Hope Mill has revisited one of its success stories from 2023 in the shape of LIZZIE The Musical.

Inspired by the tale of Lizzie Borden, which fans of true crime and Lucy Worsley documentaries will be familiar with, LIZZIE tells the story of an 1892 double homicide in Fall River, Massachusetts. This crime gave rise to a popular children’s song and dominated the public interest.

‘Lizzie Bordern took an axe, gave her mother 40 whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41’.

The musical premiered in 2009 and the show’s profile has been growing ever since.

The producer’s at the Hope Mill have done some fantastic things with this musical. The cast are excellent: Kayleigh McKnight as the troubled Lizzie, Katie Tonkinson as her gentle best friend Alice, Jennifer Caldwell bringing the comic relief as Bridget the maid and Emilie Louise Israel and the caring sister Emma. It’s a vocal masterclass with the show’s tracklist sounding like a grunge concert from the 1990s – you can definitely hear the influences of Nirvana and Hole in the soundtrack.

The staging, as one expects with the Hope Mill, is innovative. The enclosed eerie space of the Borden’s Massachusetts home, feels claustrophobic and unloving. The use of projections to make this production part rock concert, part horror show is so effective.

There is so much good on stage, yet there is something about the musical that doesn’t quite sit right. Lizzie the musical doesn’t seem to know what it is, and seems to be grabbing onto varied and different ideas.

Firstly, the historical setting and costume, mixed with the rock score gives a Spring Awakening feel, but at the same time, the small all female cast, the colour coded costumes and sparkly microphone belts have more than a passing resemblance to a royal musical review I’m sure we’re all familiar with. The hand held mics and belts don’t work, they are sometimes used and sometimes not (when the music gets particularly dynamic) but they don’t distinguish between the real world and the world of music and imagination like they do in Spring Awakening. Their occasional use holds back from giving a full rock concert vibe. It doesn’t quite feel right.

It’s a short show but the first act feels longer than forty five minutes. Possibly because the story is quite limited, there isn’t a lot of storytelling around the songs so once again, the musical feels undecided as to whether it’s a musical review or a book musical. The show brushes on certain elements of Lizzie’s life in song, but this a brief glimpse, it feels like there’s more to say. The second half is much more meaty with Lizzie’s trial giving the audience a more intricate sense of story.

The team at the Hope Mill have put on a strong show. The performers, musicians, and production elements are all high quality. The show itself has incredible potential, and a few more solid decisions will give it five star potential. It’s worth a watch, particularly for those readers who grew up listening to Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains – the sound track is a grunge lover’s heaven. But the overall hype for this show might leave you feeling just a tiny bit underwhelmed.

Runs until 17 November 2024

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The North West team is under the editorship of John McRoberts. The Reviews Hub was set up in 2007. Our mission is to provide the most in-depth, nationwide arts coverage online.

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