Show: Carrie: The Musical
Society: Sedos
Venue: Bridewell Theatre
Credits: Music by MICHAEL GORE | Lyrics by DEAN PITCHFORD | Book by LAWRENCE D. COHEN | Based on the novel by STEPHEN KING
Type: Sardines
Author: Chris Abbott
Performance Date: 25/10/2022
Carrie: The Musical
Chris Abbott | 27 Oct 2022 03:20am
Photo: David Ovenden
It’s always a pleasure to return to the Bridewell where it is possible to see a wide range of musical theatre performed by some of the most expert amateur theatre groups in London. Although it is often the familiar titles that are presented, these groups also do a valuable service by presenting great shows from the past that may have been unjustly forgotten. Carrie… isn’t one of those. It’s still deeply flawed as a piece, although the changes made for the most recent versions have definitely improved the coherence of the narrative by focusing on Sue Snell to tell the story, and have built on the most successful musical sequences.
As ever, Sedos bring their customary skill and ability to the performance, the ensemble songs in particular being tightly controlled, crisply delivered and well sung, with excellent work from Movement Director Paul Brookland Williams. Carrie is essentially a high school musical crossed with a horror film, but Stephen King’s story does not transfer easily to sung emotions. One of the usual problems with groups like Sedos is that they tend to have very few members over forty and therefore have to age up to play some parts; unlike amateur theatre outside central London, where it is unusual to fund many members under 40. For once, however, the cast of Carrie seemed too old for their roles, not really convincing as 17/18 year olds despite the enthusiasm they brought to the stage.
Director Chris Adams chose to approach the telekinetic sequences by having a character represent the force unleashed by Carrie. This worked at least some of the time, with a good performance as the Power by Polly Hayes (at least I think it was her – she was not listed in the cast but the role is mentioned in her bio). A few special effects were used as well, with the occasional shower of sparks, some dropping lights and nicely timed window slamming, but it was difficult in a theatre like the Bridewell to build the necessary air of tension and unease, although the final destruction sequence was effective.
Heather Daniel and Toby Chapman swagger and strut very effectively as the main villains of the piece, although in this narrative everyone gets punished whether they deserve it or not. As Sue Snell, Ellie McWilliam brings a quiet authority to the tale she is telling, assisted by good use of sound and lighting. The lighting change for the prom was also much more effective than the physical changes to the rather basic set, which looked unfinished with the typical US high school letters missing their white borders, and the odd balloon and Christmas lantern not really adding much. Perhaps a blank stage with separate playing areas and lighting changes might have been more effective?
It was the two central performances as Carrie and her mother that impressed most and were responsible for adding a fourth star to this review. Nina Zindejas is a skilled and focussed performer who mostly overcomes the difficulty of looking the same age as her daughter. Given the task of playing the most over-written character in the script, she comes close to making us believe in her. Playing opposite her as Carrie, Sadie Kempner was entirely convincing, showing us how her character develops and then is distressed at the power she has unleashed. Let’s hope these two talented performers are seen in a better piece next time.
Sedos will be presenting Amadeus and Lucy Prebble’s The Effect as their next productions, before a return to musical theatre next May with the rather more reassuring prospect of Sunshine on Leith.