The Trials of Magnus Coffinkey – The Lantern Theatre, Brighton

Writer: Angele Galea and Malcolm Galea

Director: Philip Leone-Ganado

Reviewer: Lela Tredwell

WINNER OF THE 2024 FRINGE REVIEW OUTSTANDING THEATRE AWARD / FROM THE WRITER AND PRODUCTION TEAM WINNERS OF BEST NEWCOMER AWARD AT BRIGHTON FRINGE 2022 AND THE OFF-WEST END THEATRE AWARD FOR BEST NEW MUSICAL 2011

This truly sublime piece of theatre will take a tight grip of your heart and refuse to let go. A richly layered theatrical masterpiece, from the production team behind Plastic and Chicken Bones (Best Newcomer Award at Brighton Fringe 2022), it entangles fairytale and dark fantasy into real world struggles through stunning storytelling that bleeds across worlds. Co-writers Angele Galea and Malcolm Galea expertly explore the key themes of unspeakable grief, guilt, pain, sorrow and hope.

In this grim world of broken toys, Magnus Coffinkey (Joseph Zammit), a dishevelled mender, complete with patched-up jacket and well-worn hat, sets out to repair The Sacred Bell of What Could Be – “a large and hallowed wonder, which years of hail and lightning strikes had all but rent asunder.” Our hero bravely ascends the tower, encountering satisfyingly insufferable gargoyles, but it is at the animated stone creatures probing we learn Magnus has an ulterior motive for fixing the bell. “Is it money? Fame? Glory? I bet it’s money. You look like you’re broke.”

Afflicted, Magnus Coffinkey (Zammit) hopes, by ringing the bell, his one wish can be fulfilled, a yearning concerning the “one important thing”, love. Yet, as hard as Magnus tries, his mission to mend the bell goes awry, and he is flung into the mysterious land of Gloom, where he is greeted by the spirited Harmony (Becky Camilleri). The hope that she may possess some answers is dashed when he is met with yet more questions. How is Magnus now to fix the unfixable?

As Magnus (Zammit) struggles to endure the trials, for the sake of his broken heart, we learn this narrative is not all it seems. The mysterious fairytale is being shaped by a storyteller who is herself agonising through the heavy burdens of guilt, pain and sorrow. Over a carpet of autumn leaves, which become more and more disturbed as the performance continues, the messy world of grief is called forth. While Magnus’ creator wrestles with the storytelling that is also pulling her apart we see a catalogue of well-meaning characters brought compellingly to life. Becky Camilleri jumps between the folk who populate Magnus’ world in a mesmerising dance, playing darkly comical and complex characters like the baker, who tries to soothe Magnus’ heart by smothering it with bread rolls; the milliner, obsessed with her graveside garden; and an old friend of Magnus, whose desire to flee from witnessing our hero’s broken heart is truly chilling.

Rarely, can a performance move its audience this beautifully between laughter and tears. This stunning production, powerfully directed by Philip Leone-Ganado, perfectly encapsulates both the unpredictable and torturous world of grief. It brings to the stage unique aspects of the sorrows involved with this loss that are rarely witnessed, and acts as a storm, stirring up that which has long been uncomfortably buried. The unique nature of the wife and husband creative team in telling this vital story of loss has made for a wider angle lens with which to view the tale, providing robust emotional dimensions to this intensely moving drama.

Costumes and set are simple but highly effective. All the action takes place around a large wooden trunk which is used innovatively to create the tower and the bell itself. The writing creates a sublime dance between verse and dialogue, narration and conversation, which the performers handle expertly. Becky Camilleri is a theatrical force diving into characters like Pain and Harmony, while masterfully portraying the torture of our real world Storyteller. Joseph Zammit also excels as he gives us both our desperate hero Magnus, and the real world Jeremy. The piece flows in and out of characters and worlds with a dream-like quality. The imagined souls contain echoes of the worldly and the two performers of this extraordinary production embody this beautifully while expertly, tugging and yanking at our heart strings.

This performance manages to bring moments of humour, hope and joy into the devastating darkness. It shows us the unfixable nature of some things and the deep desire we still posses to repair them. Billed as a broken fairytale for broken people, this production is far from shattered. Like her, it is perfect.

Reviewed on 18th April 2025. Runs at The Lantern Theatre until 20th April 2025.