The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureTheatre

The Sandman at Southwark Playhouse

The Sandman at Southwark Playhouse | Theatre review
20 June 2019
Jonathan Marshall
Avatar
Jonathan Marshall
20 June 2019

This month Southwark Playhouse is host to The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Bridge Company. The training initiative is made up of recent graduates of The BRIT School and The Sandman plays in rep with What Was Left, affording audiences an opportunity to see some future stars of the stage. Loosely based on ETA Hoffmann’s short story, The Sandman centres on Nat (Kira McGovern) as she is stalked by a strange figure from her childhood who has a mysterious connection to her parent’s death. Soon the lines between what is real and what is not begin to blur. There are a number of themes explored here, ranging from fashion to friendship via the supernatural.

Southwark Playhouse are not one to ever present us with a conventional musical, always succeeding in offering something fresh and innovative (see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and this thriller is no exception. Live music being performed in a small studio brings with it an intimacy usually reserved for straight plays so it’s a joy to hear the vocal talents of this ensemble whilst being engaged in their impressive characterisation up close, with the confinement of the theatre adding to the atmosphere of the show and its themes.

Ben Pickersgill’s lighting design and Cameron McBain’s sound allow for a smooth and sleek production, the ensemble facilitating this with seamless scene transitions and carefully choreographed movement around the stage. You could argue that at times the pace dips somewhat, however it is soon revitalised and for the most part we are offered an absorbing story that’s well executed.

The ensemble scenes showcase the cast’s vocal skills, comic timing and ability to effortlessly switch between characters and efficiently establish new locations. McGovern as our protagonist delivers a convincingly moving performance and her interactions with Jimmy Chambers, commanding excellent stage presence in his portrayal of the mysterious Olympia, are enthralling. Harrison Fennell and Oliver Cartwright contribute to the comedy and there’s a particularly funny musical number performed by Ruby Dollner as Nat’s friend Caz, but it must be said that each and every member of the cast contributes a great deal, investing their all into the performance.

With social commentary and laugh-out-loud dialogue, this feels fun but also very current. The jump-scares are effective and a sense of foreboding permeates throughout, adding depth whilst allowing the pertinent subject of mental health to be aptly explored. This is not for everyone, however if you enjoy your musicals slightly off-beat, are up for a laugh (and a scare!) and want to see something a little different, get yourself down to Southwark.

★★★★★

Jonathan Marshall
Photo: Helen Murray

The Sandman is at Southwark Playhouse from 14th June until 29th June 2019. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

Related Itemsreview

More in Theatre

We Ask These Questions of Everybody: An interview with Amble Skuse and Toria Banks

Mersa Auda
Read More

Public Domain at Southwark Playhouse

★★★★★
Michael Higgs
Read More

Unlimited Festival at the Southbank Centre: Centre stage for diversity

★★★★★
James Humphrey
Read More

RSC Next Generation: Young Bloods proves Shakespeare is timeless

Brooke Snowe
Read More

An interview with Ifrah Ismael: Tales from the Front Line and other stories

Selina Begum
Read More

A Livestream with David Bedella at Crazy Coqs Online

★★★★★
Regan Harle
Read More

Undercover at Morpheus Show Online

★★★★★
Michael Higgs
Read More

Playing ON: An interview with Jim Pope on life-changing theatre

Georgia Howlett
Read More

Sunset Boulevard at Curve Theatre Online

★★★★★
Selina Begum
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Theatre review

Jonathan Marshall

The Sandman

★★★★★

Dates

14th June - 29th June 2019

Price

£18-£22

Links & directions

TwitterInstagramFacebookWebsiteMap

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Female filmmakers lead nominees for the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards
    Cinema
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • An interview with Ifrah Ismael: Tales from the Front Line and other stories
    Theatre
  • Sleaford Mods – Spare Ribs
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Jeremiah Fraites – Piano Piano
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • We Ask These Questions of Everybody: An interview with Amble Skuse and Toria Banks
    Theatre
  • Hello Cosmos – Dream Harder
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Public Domain at Southwark Playhouse
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • The unforgettable icons of horse racing
    Tech & Sport
  • Win a copy of Link on Blu-ray
    Competitions
  • WandaVision: Marvel’s charming sitcom proves an astounding success
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Undercover at Morpheus Show Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Ten short literary collections to get you back into reading
    Literature
  • Mayor
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

The Knot at Old Red Lion Theatre | Theatre review
After Dark; or, a Drama of London Life at Finborough Theatre | Theatre review