New musical The
Famished Land has been written under extraordinary circumstances. Based on the novel from Elizabeth Byrd, the
music has been composed by Jennifer Whyte whilst her father Robin wrote the
lyrics. Robin has sadly been taken ill,
leading to this showcase performance to see their collaborative work realised
on the stage.
Set during the Irish famine of 1845, the plot focuses on 16
year old Moira McFlaherty (Zoe Rainey) and her struggles to survive and look
after her family. At its core is a love
story between her and Liam (Matthew Gent), a typical construct in an otherwise
untapped setting. Recreating the whole
novel is an ambitious undertaking and, with its grand score, The Famished Land feels almost like an
Irish Les Miserables. The tragic events are certainly worthy of
such high drama, with one particular twist in the second act being especially
horrifying. After Moira’s climactic solo
towards the end however, the final scenes feel somewhat deflating with an
almost tacked on happy ending.
It’s the music that truly impresses, though. Performed with full orchestra, the picturesque
beauty of the sweeping score was absolutely apparent despite this being a showcase
production. Folk melodies, Irish
whistle, harp and guitar, plus lush vocal harmonies, provide a gloriously
evocative image of Ireland, where the narrative depicts a much darker
picture. The only criticism is that with
so much underscore throughout the show, it gives little opportunity for the
drama to breathe during the often short scenes, the narrative teetering into
melodrama on occasion. The singing, too,
was excellent, particularly from Rainey and Gent in the lead roles. Mostly, it was the choruses that impressed
with a gorgeously full sound – the ensemble number that opened the second act,
led wonderfully by Emma Harrold, was a stunning representation of the show’s
potential.
And it’s this potential that was clearly visible from this performance,
even with some negatives. The staging
was minimal, though the discreet projections and use of a wooden table were
inventive; the overuse of dry ice was unnecessary; and the reliance on scripts
was incredibly distracting – especially as some cast members had clearly learnt
their lines and others had not.
Yet this is understandable when the cast had a matter of
days to put the show together. The cast and
orchestra delivered an inspiring performance of a show that deserves far more
than a one-night affair.
4/5
