Book: Bryony Lavery
Music & Lyrics: Francis ‘Eg’ White
Director: Nick Winston
The eagerly anticipated musical adaptation of Midnight Cowboy opens at Southwark Playhouse Elephant this week and proves to be quite the production. Considering the powerhouse creative team of Bryony Lavery and Francis ‘Eg’ White, audiences could, and should, be entering this production with high expectations – which pay off by the end of the night.
Based on the book by James Leo Herlihy, which inspired the beloved Academy Award-winning 1969 film, the musical sees Paul Jacob French don the cowboy outfit as Joe Buck, struggling to make ends meet through sex work. After Buck is initially conned by fellow hustler Rico ‘Ratso’ Rizzo, played by Max Bowden, the pair strikes up an unlikely codependent friendship. Midnight Cowboy is known well for its buddy narrative, but the strength of this production is the moving way it presents universal feelings such as loneliness and helplessness.
Admittedly, the show initially feels a little hollow, lacking much substance or significant plot. This is due to an unevenly split book by Lavery. The first act is almost entirely set-up, establishing Buck’s backstory, aspirations and initial encounters with Ratso. The friendship between this pair eventually goes on to function as the heart of the narrative, yet this dynamic is barely there for the first half of the show. It is so underdeveloped, in fact, that the act’s closing number Don’t Give Up On Me Now – as charming as it is – feels completely out of place.
The second half, thankfully, makes up for this. The core themes of ambition and survival remain but are fuelled by much more action and strong chemistry between French and Bowden. The emotional climax of the show is deeply affecting and leaves the audience with undeniable heartache, miles from any uneasy feelings during the interval.
Performances are strong across the board, but Tori Allen-Martin as Cass is the first to make a big impression. Her rich, deep vocals and magnificent instincts for comedy are scene-stealing – it is a shame she isn’t featured more. Bowden is also a great presence from early on but grows to be truly superb as his situation grows more dire. His presentation of a desperate, weakened man in need of help is truly harrowing.
Midnight Cowboy’s success honestly hinges on the performance of its lead, and French steps up to the challenge with strong vocals and an engaging performance. Despite his character’s surface-level appearance of a traditional 60’s smooth-talker, French comes across as stoic yet sympathetic, charismatic yet naive. From the outset, there is evident pain suppressed beneath Buck’s bravado, and French signals this with a nuanced presentation of anguish and vulnerability as the narrative unfolds.
White’s original score is enjoyable, offering the cast some opportunities to flex vocally, and a cast recording could develop a following through repeat listening. There are certainly some numbers which are more functional than others, opting for substance over style, but most achieve a happy medium and are paired with slick choreography.
Overall Midnight Cowboy has a consistently engaging tone, capturing a desire to belong which many can relate to. A more evenly paced narrative would benefit this production in any future development but, ultimately, all’s well that ends well – and Midnight Cowboy ends very well indeed.
Runs until 17 May 2025
The Reviews Hub Score
Harrowing
