London
Road, National Theatre, Alecky Blythe, dir Rufus Norris, music Adam Cork,
design Katrina Lindsay
New-mint.
London Road is different. A musical in a spoken verbatim style, similar to recitative,
which Alecky Blythe carefully crafts to commercial success. Real lives/voices are
recorded with every hmm….pause, repetition and non sequitor; ‘Begonias, Petunias, Impatiens and things’……The music, by Adam Cork, feels forensic:
reminiscent of Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George. Yet its dissonance
and counterpoint perfectly suit the unconventional, production style. It's a year in the life of the London Road
residents, Suffolk, as they reclaim their neighbourhood, enter Ipswich in Bloom and
organise themselves into a successful neighbourhood association after the arrest
of Stephen Wright, serial killer of 5 sex workers, who lives next door at No 79. There are no big numbers,
no stars, yet London Road is compelling throughout. It shows sugar and starch,
old and young, selfishness and atruism. Direction and pace are tight and the ensemble
acting uniformly good, with ingenious, versatile design by Katrina Lindsay……Blooming marvellous - see it before it fades!......
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