‘You’re different, not broken, you’re mine’
Stalled is a show which is set in a bathroom, yes, literally. It follows Maggie, a cleaner played by the incomparable Lauren Ward, as she sees and builds relationships with the building’s frequent visitors through the fleeting moments as they pass through the stalls. But Maggie has a secret, something which makes those moments all the more remarkable.
The music by Andy Marsh perfectly shows off this cast’s talent. The show’s opening song just sticks in your head, in the best kind of way. It’s catchy, camp and all kinds of fun. The rest of the soundtrack is just beautiful, and I personally need a cast recording to listen to on loop forever. The lyrics co-written by Marsh, Liesl Wilkie, and Kyle Puccia, left no dry eye in the house through the tear-jerking ‘Different Not Broken’ sung by Josie Benson and Grace Venus.
The set has four bathroom stalls, separated by a large comfortable ‘lounge area,’ which often serves as a perch for the characters to watch as the story unfolds. The set also features a large ‘island’ with two pairs of face-to-face sinks where the characters spend most of their time. Without giving too much away, never would I have expected to watch full diva moments using a bathroom sink as a stage, and it certainly was the combination I needed to experience.
The performances, especially those delivered by the ‘children’, were unfortunately not quite flawless. But they were fresh, raw, and powerful to say the least. The standout performance was given by Rebecca-Jo Roberts as Maggie’s teenage daughter, Robin. The vocal performance was simply angelic, and worked in perfect harmony with her mother’s during their duets. As for the adults, Ward’s performance was insanely impressive. Between the massive belting power ballads and the heartbreaking scene work, Ward’s performance followed the mantra ‘all or nothing’ to the letter, and my goodness did that pay off!
The show, however, did miss out on the opportunity for further character developments, specifically for the characters of Mary-Anne (Maggie’s sister) and Cynthia (played by Benson). Those two characters had beautiful potential that wasn’t fully exploited. That being said, this show is just 90 minutes and it does feel that the benefits of leaving the audience to wonder far outweigh the risks that come with rushing storylines.
This show may be flawed, but it’s one of a kind. A beautiful story of female empowerment and sisterhood. It’s a tough world we are living in, but shows like these prove that even in the darkest of times, a simple smile to a stranger may just be enough to pull them out of their misery.
Stalled is currently playing at the King’s Head Theatre in London until 23rd March. This show is not to be missed, and to make sure that everyone has a chance to see it for themselves, the production currently has four Tuesday Evening performances under the ‘Pay What You Can’ scheme.
★★★★☆ (4*)
Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | Photography by Johan Persson
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