Writer and Composer: Gabriel Owens
Director: Catherine McLean
This new musical, The Chaplain, punches well above its weight, with a strong cast of performers and some catchy and powerful music. The concept isn’t an easy one – the Chaplain of the title is an uptight Victorian tasked with getting prisoners awaiting the death sentence to confess their sins. He’s more of an allegorical figure than a fully fleshed-out human, however, given no back story and espousing an old-fashioned faith in a vengeful God. The Chaplain’s role for much of the piece is to hear the revealing stories of the so-called criminals who are due to be hanged. In each case, it’s societal injustice that is really to blame. However, the Chaplain seems unable to react to these stories until the very end.
Having said that, Luke Muschialli plays the role with utter conviction and his musical contribution is central to the whole piece. He has a wonderful singing voice and is an accomplished cellist. At times, however, this leads to slightly implausible situations where, as Chaplain, he uses his cello to accompany one or other of the prisoners with great sensitivity, but then has to abruptly dismiss them when their song is over.
Neela Nee gives the first prisoner, Edie Palmer, a strong sense of self-possession, refusing to admit to guilt she does not feel. She is given a sparkly number, I’m Such a Good Girl, in which she remembers watching musical hall acts and longing to dance. Lexie Graham plays a mysterious woman who sings a song of Molly O’Malley, but whose identity isn’t apparent. The Chaplain feels a strange connection to her. It’s not too difficult to predict what this will turn out to be.
Wilf Offord delivers a great performance as John Smith, a young coachman who suffers at the hand of his unscrupulous boss, losing the girl he loves. Offord is another excellent singer, but it feels as if this is the main reason for his being given two long musical numbers back-to-back. The scene begins to feel over-extended as Smith’s character and story have been more than adequately sketched in by the first. His second number, I Don’t Believe in God, feels like an unlikely development in his character.
Sanaer Madden plays the child, Jenny Hastings, condemned for stealing a bit of food. It’s inevitably a sentimental role, but Madden’s touching performance wins us over. Meanwhile, Jacob Coughlan gives a necessary sense of darkness to the Warden and to various threatening middle-class men who haunt the stories.
Sound-wise there are still some issues of balance to be sorted out. At times crucial sentences get lost when the singer’s voice is overpowered by the combination of keyboard (Gabriel Owens) and cello. Owens himself is the composer and from this showing has real talent. The songs are all thoroughly enjoyable, rich in tunes and styles.
Vividly directed by Catherine McLean, The Chaplain has bags of potential. It just needs further development.
Runs until 17 August 2024
Camden Fringe runs until 25 August 2024
