Rating: ★★★★
Venue: Lyric Hammersmith, London
Venue: Lyric Hammersmith, London
Cast: Tsemaye Bob-Egbe, Kori Hedgemon, Earl Gregory, Llewellyn Jamal, Cameron Bernard Jones, Lifford Shillingford, Tanya Edwards and Gleanne Purcell-Brown
Meet Vy, a talented songwriter looking to make it big in the 1940’s Harlem scene. She quickly learns from her uncle Jester that women will never be taken seriously in a man’s world. But, like many a strong hero, she refuses to accept defeat. Through her gender fluid cunning, she meets club owner The Duke and sensational nightclub singer Lady Liv and is swept up in a syncopated symphony of melodies, mistaken identities and romance. Who will come out on top?
In this fresh retelling of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Play On! opens with an absolutely enticing number, ‘Take The A Train’, with a jazz band on stage, and an ensemble whose dancing drew me in immediately. The band (Shane Forbes, Chris Hyde-Harrison, Kaz Hamilton, Alexander Polack) and musical director (Ashton Moore) deserve high praise for transporting the audience directly to the swingin’ 40’s in Harlem. This production wrangles and weaves twenty Duke Ellington tracks through a masterful, witty, and soulful extravaganza. This fantastic cast has an impressive background, hailing from productions such as Six, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Sister Act, The Lion King and more.
We are first introduced to Jester (Llewellyn Jamal), a fabulous character who oozes confidence and swagger, and is clearly a staple at Harlem’s Cotton Club. As he and the ensemble complete their opening number, we are introduced to Rev, the manager of the Cotton Club’s entertainment - one of my personal favorite characters of the night, which you will understand later in the show.
Soon after, we are introduced to Vy (Tsemaye Bob-Egbe), a spritely, young, aspiring songwriter fresh off the bus from Mississippi and into the big city. She makes her way to the Cotton Club to meet her Uncle Jester, who left the South years prior to pursue his love of music. Bob-Egbe is an incredible pick for this role, perfectly embodying the optimism of a southerner who leaves home to pursue dreams of being a songwriter in a big city. However, when Jester tells Vy there’s no such thing as a female songwriter, Vy swears she’ll do anything to make her dreams come true - even if that means disguising herself as a man. Bob-Egbe, once disguised a man, brings so much comedy to the role and really shines
throughout the remainder of the evening.
The staging and set are completely immersive. This was particularly evident when the audience was introduced to Lady Liv (Koko Alexandra), The Duke’s (Earl Gregory) love interest. When Alexandra walked on stage under blue and purple hues, belting out her first song of the evening, I had chills from head to toe. There was such a vast amount of talent on stage for Play On!, but Koko Alexandra nearly brought me to tears. Her voice is otherworldly and filled every inch of the theatre. The lighting (Johanna Town) was an essential part of what made this moment so special, as well as many others throughout the evening.
It is difficult to pinpoint a favourite song or moment in the show. However, I will say that the Doo Wop number was one of mine. It was absolutely hilarious, I was chuckling at so many bits, especially at the character of Rev (Cameron Bernard Jones) who is well written and satisfyingly comical throughout the evening. Jones’s voice, second to Koko Alexandra’s, was unparalleled. However, the clear crowd favorite was a rendition of The Duke’s ‘Rocks in My Bed’, performed by Jester (Llewellyn Jamal) and Sweets (Lifford Shillingford). This number had the audience hollering, applauding, cheering and grinning from ear to ear.
Talawa, the UK’s Black British Theatre Company, has partnered with Lyric Hammersmith to bring Play On! to the stage as part of their Black Joy season. If Play On! is any indication of what’s to come, I will be very excited to see what is in store for their future productions.
I came into this production as someone who was not all that familiar with Duke Ellington's work, but this show has given me all the encouragement I need to give it a further listen. This show was just spectacularly joyful and an incredible display of black excellence and joy. Play On! is an inspiring, timeless story that has something to offer all generations.
You can book tickets to Play On!, here.
Review by Miranda
**photo credit: Ciara Hillyer**
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