The Final Heist, which is written and directed by Aleera Ewan, is a thrilling and heartfelt musical following a band of friends who plan and execute their final heist together. Performed by the Musical Theatre Society students at Imperial College, this musical feels polished and quietly shines. Propelled by strong themes of loyalty, friendship and family, the musical manages to be equal parts exciting and emotional.
A band of friends, who had come together through their need to survive, have slowly drifted following a previous heist gone wrong, resulting in their trusted leader Dan to be hospitalised. However when Mia, Dan's younger sister, is approached by the mysterious collector to steal a poet's final poem from a museum, the band slowly reconnect for this final heist. However underlying tensions, survivor's guilt, lies, and betrayal test their loyalty and friendship and the mysterious collector's real motives threaten the group as a whole.
The cast do an incredible job, each bringing their own perspective on the well-developed characters. Cecilia Longoni as Mia (the anchor) delivers an impressive performance as the terrified, anxious and desperate to prove herself young, and inexperienced leader. With strong vocals and great acting, Longoni leads the play with a sure and steady hand. Harry McCarthy as the collector shows an array of emotions and manages to induce the right reactions from the audience. Switching from vicious, to understanding and hilarious, to desperate, McCarthy is a fine young performer. With uniquely talented vocals and a gift for acting (particularly his ability to slyly manipulate), McCarthy is a delight to watch.
Averen Turay as Zach (the spider) delivers a mature and subtle performance. A more introspective character, the emphasis is placed on dialogue delivery which Turay expertly handles, creating multiple heartfelt moments even in a high tension scene. Solen Marqueste as Remi (the decoy) brings a rush of energy with her and rightfully claims the spotlight. With excellent vocals and a great balance of conflicting emotions, Marqueste is a particularly intriguing performer to watch on stage.
Estella Shi as the poet is a sadly underused performer. Subtle and almost ethereal as the late revered poet, Shi's presence lingers throughout the musical, haunting the characters. Shi's solo in "The Poem" becomes the release that the show needs, and is built up through momentum spectacularly that Shi's choice to perform it quietly is wonderful. Shi is able to quickly and brilliantly convey the depth of her emotions in her limited stage time. Gabriel Swallow as Dan is another sadly underused performer as his ability to hold gravitas is to be admired. In a short letter, Swallow thrives at creating a beautiful and moving moment, which only allows us a glimpse of his talent.
The shows standout performer is Aleera Ewan as Valentina (the acrobat), who is clearly destined for great things. Having also written and directed the musical, Ewan has such a special connection with her character and this is evident on stage. Ewan acts through song incredibly well and is spell-binding to watch, and incorporates Valentina's suspicions into her being. Valentina feels rich and alive as a character and Ewan is a truly multitalented individual.
The musical numbers (Solen Marqueste) are brilliant, each with brilliant lyric writing that efficiently bring out the best in the character's emotions. Stand out songs include Little Proposition, I Think I Want a Heist, Codename: Acrobat, Mr. Regular and The Poem.
Ewan has managed to write such excellent songs for the musical, that it is frankly the show's greatest strength. The musical numbers really help the audience gain a understanding of the characters and their world and becomes the pulse of the piece. The pre-recorded band is compromised of Sean Maguire, Gabriel Swallow, Jasmine Fung, Joshua Henry, Kishan Ryley, Jack Bartlett and Andrew Fung.
The ensemble (Kate Steingart, Isabella Breslin and Jasmine Ajaz) all provide well-choreographed movements and additional vocals to songs. The movements, particularly in Codename: Acrobat, are well done (Ewan and Amy Thornton). The use of dim red lighting for the heist portions of the show was a fun addition (Joshua Henry).
The Final Heist is an emotionally intelligent and exciting musical, filled with twists and multi-layered plot lines. It played at the Hen and Chicken Theatre as part of the Camden Fringe Festival from 2nd to 4th August.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4*)
Gifted tickets in return for an honest review
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