Writer: Kay Mellor
Director: Gaynor Faye
Most of us, if we’re honest, will have daydreamed about winning the jackpot on the Lottery and what we would do with sudden new-found wealth at our disposal. How would we spend our millions of pounds? What would be our priorities? A flashy new car? A large mansion? A luxury holiday? Cosmetic surgery? Realising our bucket list? Once the initial rush of blood and excitement was over would more practical ideas come to mind – investment for the future, helping family and friends, charitable causes, setting up a trust fund? It can be fun speculating how we would or would not be affected and whether our life would be changed or not.
Kay Mellor’s The Syndicate based on her hit BBC show explores all these issues and more. Five Leeds supermarket employee’s lottery syndicate numbers come in just as their jobs are under threat from a proposed takeover. Will a share of the jackpot, amounting to nearly five million pounds each, make their dreams come true or their nightmares a reality? The only certain thing is that it will change the lives and relationships of all the syndicate members – forever.
With all her customary local humour Mellor has written an entertaining piece that is occasionally spoilt by some of the dialogue not being heard clearly. Whether this was caused by the actor’s delivery or the sound equipment this reviewer is not quite sure, but it did result in some of the punch lines and exposition being frustratingly lost. However, this did not detract too much from the overall impression of the play that was very warmly received on this opening night.
Benedict Shaw is excellent as Stuart, beset by financial and marital problems and trying to make ends meet in a life that is ever spiralling out of control. Having a somewhat irresponsible partner who is heavily pregnant with their second child and all having to live under his mother’s roof because they cannot afford a place of their own, Stuart gets reluctantly drawn into the nefarious schemes of his younger brother Jamie (Oliver Anthony making his stage debut) to rob the corner shop and thus solve their money worries. His portrayal of a young man with a conscience trying to do the right thing by all is very well done. Oliver Anthony, who is in fact Kay Mellor’s grandson and therefore means that three generations of Mellors are represented, makes a memorable debut as the younger, “jack-the-lad” brother already mixed up with a criminal element and who plans to rob the premises and drag his brother into it. Jamie is a loveable rogue type who swaggers round the stage with a confidence that belies his stage inexperience.
Samantha Giles, of Emmerdale fame, plays the somewhat dowdy and put upon employee Denise and has some of the best comic lines which she delivers to the obvious delight of the audience. Acclaimed television actor Rosa Coduri-Fulford plays Leanne, a conflicted character with a past that she gradually reveals to Stuart and with whom she shares a mutual attraction that hints at a possible future relationship. This is a sensitive and understated performance nicely realised. The fifth member of the syndicate is Bob the manager, ably played by the vastly experienced William Ilkley. His sure and steady hands easily convince as the avuncular Bob who is like a father to Stuart and whose involvement in the robbery (not what you think) has a crucial bearing on the rest of the plot.
Brooke Vincent, of Coronation Street fame, plays Amy, Stuart’s girlfriend. Coming more into her role in the second half she is sexy and sassy and has the honour of being on stage solo in the final scene, as the reality of her good fortune sinks in and hints at troubles to come in the future. The main acting cast is completed by Gaynor Faye herself (Mellor’s daughter and director) as Kay, the representative of the lottery company supervising all the requirements of the post win situation.
The set design is functional and colourful. In the first half it is mainly the supermarket with lighted areas highlighting the office, the staff room and the maternity wing of the hospital. The second half is mainly the swanky new house Stuart and Amy have bought. All exits and entrances are efficiently managed and there is no need for any awkward mid scene changes or prop alterations.
This reviewer posed the question at the beginning of whether winning vast amounts of money would change our lives and in what way, and by the end of The Syndicate we can see how our five main characters have fared (six if you include Amy). Are any of them happier than when they started, or has their new-found wealth brought with it its own set of – unexpected – problems? What has happened to each of them and what sort of future do they face? See the play and find out!
Runs until 28 April 2024
