The speculative nature of the 1892 case of Lizzie Borden, and the murder of her father and stepmother, leaves a plethora of open doors for interpretation. Was she truly a parental axe murderer, or merely a victim of circumstance? First premiering in 2009, this musical iteration retells the events very much through Lizzie’s psychological lens, focussing on her restrictive, oppressive domestic situation, and the strain it puts on her mentally. This is all told through a punk, glam rock and hard rock score penned by the joint efforts of Steven Cheslik-Demeyer, Alan Stevens Hewitt and Tim Maner.
This version of the story features a cast of four female characters, Lizzie herself, her sister Emma, neighbour and friend Alice Russell, and household maid Bridget Sullivan, giving the show a distinctly feminist feel, but also providing some fabulous individual and collective character insight. This wasn’t always 100% successful, as at times it felt like more depth could have been achieved with regards to the respective relationships, for instance the budding romance between Lizzie and Alice felt underdeveloped, however the manner in which the story is told more than made up for this.
It is always a challenge for such a small cast to maintain quality storytelling in a gripping, intense show such as this, as there are so few opportunities for respite from being on stage. Yet every member of this cast had so much to give and left it all out there, both in the intimate moments and in bigger, more frenzied numbers such as “Why Are All These Heads Off?”
Leading the line as the titular antihero, Kayleigh McKnight was an extraordinary presence, displaying some superbly powerful vocals and at times a rather terrifying, maniacal quality. Jen Caldwell as Bridget was this critic’s pick of the night, in a performance of gumption, humour and wonderful self-assuredness that helped glue everything together. Emilie Israel as Emma Borden was a shining light throughout, giving us some fierce, impassioned exchanges with her on-stage sibling, and Katie Tonkinson is always a huge star, and here gives us an impressive, multi-layered performance. These four ladies may present as demure, but boy do they know how to rock, they absolutely took the roof off by the end!
Everything about this production is unhinged in the best way possible, as William Whelton’s directorial style very much leans into the deteriorating psyche of our primary protagonist. Especially with regards to Adam Fisher’s jarring, chaotic sound design that perfectly compliments the brilliantly vibrant lighting and video elements designed by Andrew Exeter and Dan Light respectively, most notably during the more anarchic, horror-inspired scenes; the creative team have seriously upped their game from last year’s initial run.
The score had a distinctly rock and roll feel, and the performances, including the vocals and Yandass Ndlovu’s unique choreography, reflected this strongly throughout. The four-piece band should also be highlighted, they underpinned everything with great authority. Whether you’re a fan of true crime, punk rock or costume drama, it is a guarantee that Lizzie will rock your world!
Lizzie runs at the Hope Mill Theatre until 17th November. For more information, you can follow the link here.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4*)
Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | photography by Pamela Raith
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