SCISSORHANDZ: A MUSICAL REINVENTED | REVIEW

Scissorhandz: A Musical Reinvented

Rating: ★★★★★
Venue: Southwark Playhouse Elephant, London
Cast: Jordan Kai Burnett, Emma Williams, Dionne Gipson, Lauren Jones, Tricia Adele-Turner, Annabelle Terry, Ryan O'Connor, Richard Carson, Candida Mosoma, Luke Cairns and Grace Towning 

Step into the world of SCISSORHANDZ – a radical, raucous, joyful yet touching musical parody tribute to the ultimate outsider – produced by the iconic Michelle Visage and *NSYNC’s Lance Bass! Leave your inhibitions at the door and get ready to find your new obsession as we celebrate Tim Burton’s beloved hero/weirdo with a phenomenal selection of your favourite 90s and 00s hits.

Inspired by Tim Burton's 1990 cult classic film, Edward Scissorhands, comes this musical parody tribute from Bradley Bredeweg, co-produced by Michelle Visage and Lance Bass. The iconic gothic fairytale has been a firm favourite for those of us who have struggled to find our place in this "mad world", and the LGBTQIA+ messages that are now interwoven throughout this production drives that sentiment home even further.

Scissorhandz is almost identical to the much-loved film, just with overdramatisations and a satirical twist. It follows the story of Scissorhandz, a person who's been created by their late inventor. After mother, Peggy, stumbles upon them and welcomes them into her home with loving arms, not everyone in the neighbourhood is quite as welcoming. With the focus being on Scissorhandz's efforts to fit into society, it's easy to see why Bredeweg adapted the material to be shown from a LGBTQIA+ perspective, with Scissorhandz being a non-binary character.

The music is the most important part of a jukebox musical, and is really the most important aspect when it comes to adding something new to a story we already know and love. While the music choices do sometimes feel shoehorned in and not quite as coherent as you'd like, it's impossible not to fall in love with music; overflowing with songs that are made for all the "beautiful weirdos" out there. 


Standout numbers from the evening were the raucously camp, "Let's Have A Kiki", Lauren Jones belting and growling her way through Aguilera's "Fighter", and the eerily beautiful "Creep", performed by Jones, Williams and Gipson. The latter performance moved me to tears; relatable to anyone that's ever struggled to navigate their place in society.

Jordan Kai Burnett brings a different side to the Edward Scissorhands we're accustomed to; belting out their feelings rather than repressing them. I found this to be an interesting change to the narrative that worked well from a different perspective. However, Dionne Gipson (the Inventor) and Lauren Jones (Kim) stole the show for me. While I found Jones underutilised, she made the most of every second of her stage time. Gipson provided jaw-dropping vocals throughout and it was wonderful to see a gender-switched Inventor.

The costume design from Abby Clarke is brilliant; the neighbours ridiculously old-fashioned costumes the perfect contrast to the leather-clad S&M costumes worn by the Inventor and Scissorhandz. A mention must go to the sound design from Yvonne Gilbert and the lighting design from Adam King, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a rock concert. The set design from James Pearse Connelly and Miranda Friel makes for a whimsical and slightly fantastical set.

Scissorhandz is a deliciously camp triumph made for all the beautiful weirdos; a show that deserves every second of its time in the spotlight.


You can book tickets to Scissorhandz: A Musical Reinvented, here.

**photo credit: Danny Kaan**

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