★☆☆☆☆
I want to like this musical- I really do. But I’m struggling. A new piece of writing by Peter Shepherd, ‘This World Lousy’ seems at first glance like Les Mis meets Into The Woods: a fugitive on the run who is befriended by a hermit in the woods, who then sends him out to find her lost child. On the way he saves a town by conveniently stopping a civil war, before running away after being offered the job of mayor. To be honest, I’ve come across more riveting plots, though few that are less simplistic- and if it’s metaphorical or allegorical, then it’s very, very well veiled. The lack of resolution in some of the character’s endings was interesting (we don’t know what happens to the hermit’s child or the fugitive), though it does seem almost as if their fate has been forgotten about accidentally.
However, this production is redeemed partly by the fantastic quality of the singing. Forming a stunning array of voices, the cast works well together to produce a stunning sound that really resonates well in the venue of St. John the Evangelist church. Special mention must go to the orphan played by Emily Coatsworth, whose beautiful soprano captivated the audience: she is definitely one to watch. The fugitive Aaron King also held his own, with a brilliant performance that complemented the other characters. Unfortunately, it was difficult to work out what they were all saying: this made a confused plot even harder to understand. The acting, too, was unprepossessing- full of stiff limbs, vague strolls around the stage and painfully stilted speech. Although the quality of acting was obviously not the focus, it couldn’t help but detract from the overall performance. This wasn’t helped by the accompanying orchestra’s absolutely fantastic sound being impeded by being hidden backstage behind an enormous curtain. If they had been brought to the side of audience, or even just within view, it may have enhanced the experience.
The staging, too, felt underused- set in the gorgeous, cavernous surroundings of St John the Evangelist, the stage was decked out luxuriously in greenery, with ivy wrapped around pillars, spotlights trained on various points and an array of white painted window frames hanging against the backdrop. The mystery of what they were actually for was never revealed- and heaven knows why there was one was painted a lurid red, in contrast to the others. Although characters occasionally appeared on the balcony, the overall focus on the small centre stage left me wondering why they had gone to all the trouble of decorating everything else in the church.
When leaving the venue, having gazed in bafflement at the ending and only realising the plot had concluded when everyone began to clap, one audience member leant over to me and remarked that it was all ‘very Hobbesian’. I don’t know whether it really is or not, but if Hobbes managed to enjoy this musical, then he’s a better man than me.
