Stalled, a new musical, written by Liesl Wilke (book, lyrics) and Andy Marsh (music, lyrics) and Kyle Puccia (additional music, lyrics) is set in a rather posh ladies’ restroom in a Seattle health centre.
Vikki Stone directs this show, the first musical to run at the new King’s Head, and it is almost bursting out of the space. Rewritten from a New York run, in 90 minutes, it manages to introduce 15 songs and several plot points.
The floor is tiled, the restroom is nicer than most we will ever see, and everyone comes here to have a crisis. Maggie (Lauren Ward) is the ever-present cleaner, there to offer supplies and a word or two of comfort – but she’s going through her own crisis.
Cynthia (Josie Benson) is struggling with the demands of a neurodiverse daughter, Emma (Grace Venus). Krystal (Regina Co), far from home and cultural expectations to marry, finds a different path to her mother Angela’s (Cezarah Bonner) wishes.
Then there’s Serena (Evita Khrime), just 16, and on the verge of a life-changing event in which an absent parent can’t help her. Robin (Rebecca-Jo Roberts), Mary-Anne (Carrie Sutton), and Sophie (Isabella Gervais) round out the cast and play pivotal roles in the story.
I was envious of the restroom depicted in the set (by Emily Bestow), in which you’d almost choose to spend time. No grimy surfaces, broken locks, or flooded sinks here. Ciaran Cunningham’s lighting hints at interior monologues, phone calls, and flashbacks.
It’s true that Stalled tackles some serious topics of grief, death, suicide and relationships. With so many characters, juggling their own stories, then trying to bring them all together, it is also an ambitious show.
All the main cast are good, but my eye was drawn to Josie Benson’s Cynthia and Regina Co’s Krystal in particular. The songs are generally strong, notably the title number, “Someone Else’s Life,” “Hurricane Sophie,” and “Sing Me Down The Road.”
Although every story has its purpose in Stalled, it does feel at times that the audience is pulled thinly in all directions, with an absence of back story. There’s little scope for humour, although the character of Emma with her obsession with the colour ‘blue’ and with numbers lightens proceedings.
One question I always ask with shows like these is ‘why is this a musical?’, and I’m not entirely sure I have reached a convincing answer. I enjoyed the show as a musical, but found the topics merited something more in-depth.
Having said that, the reveal about Maggie’s past could lead to the play/musical being rewatched with fresh eyes. So I’m torn.
With a 4-piece band led by musical director Livi Van Warmeld, the melodies come through well and don’t drown out the singers.
The use of the space to include action on the stairs allows those nearer the entrance to see the show from a different perspective, and the new seats offer a comfort this theatre lacked in its first year.
3 stars.
Stalled: A New Musical continues at the King’s Head until 23 Mar with tickets here. Tues performances are ‘Pay What You Can’.
Image credit: Johan Persson