I had the great fortune to attend two very different showcases of new British musicals this week.
First, a trip to the rehearsal room of Sea Witch in advance of its concert presentation at Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 1 March.
The sea’s most feared villain rises in Sea Witch – a dark new musical prequel to The Little Mermaid, starring Michelle Visage, Natalie Paris, Mazz Murray, Jay McGuiness, Amy Di Bartolomeo & Natalie Kassanga.
Watch a video from the afternoon:
From creators Kristopher Russell and Michael David Glover, with choreography by Dean Lee and music by Segun Fawole, Sea Witch reimagines the untold origin of the witch beneath the waves.
A small gathering of press were treated to six songs from the musical.
Thoughts:
Natalie Paris, Amy Di Bartolomeo and Natalie Kassanga made appearances with the ensemble, with Russell, Glover and Fawole adding an introduction and insight.
If you are looking for a powerful and intriguing new musical in its first public airing, catch Sea Witch before it gets bigger.
Because it will – these songs are great.
Sea Witch shows at Theatre Royal Drury Lane for two performances on 1 Mar – https://lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/sea-witch/
Social media: @seawitchmusical
Second, an industry performance of Polly: A 21st Century Musical, given a semi-staged showing in The Other Palace Studio.
Picture this: you’re at the cinema when Polly – a plus-sized, polyamorous northerner with impeccable timing – bumps into an old flame.
Enter Harry. Sparks fly. Popcorn trembles. And before she can say “meet-cute”, Polly finds herself hurtling headfirst into her very own rom-com.
With a book by Natalie Durkin, music and lyrics by Joe Tapper, and direction by Amy Anders Corcoran, Polly was presented as a semi-staged workshop performance.
Thoughts:
Durkin plays the lead role of Polly, who is juggling expectations and two romantic partners as a family wedding approaches. It faces polyamory head-on, especially when those involved all want different things.
The songs are lively, the banter funny. Molly Lynch’s manic bridezilla sometimes overbalances more thoughtful passages, but for a piece early in development it entertains and offers something a bit different.
Stage directions suggest locations from Cineworld to home to even a bondage club, and the character of Dad (Martin Callaghan) offers a Northern club comic type of humour.
As ever, curious to see how this one evolves.
Polly ran at The Other Palace Studio for two performances on 18 Feb.
Social media: @polly_musical
Header image by stockcake