Carrie - the Stephen King novel, 1976 film (and its
remakes) and this musical – is mostly remembered as a horror film, but it’s
equally a coming of age film, its narrative exploring the changes of puberty,
the pressures of high school and the impact of bullying. It takes typical high
school tropes (predominantly the climactic prom) and turns them into something
horrific and unique.
And so, it was the composer of Fame (Michael Gore), alongside book writer Lawrence D. Cohen and
lyricist Dean Pitchford, who decided to turn this story into a youthful
musical. It flopped back in the 80s, but this new version at the Southwark
Playhouse sees the musical making its return to the UK after it first premiered
at the RSC in 1988. Fear not: this production is far removed from the camp and
legwarmers of Fame, but the core
material alone proves the writers have a keen sense for capturing the spirit of
youth.
What’s most apparent in this modernised update is that the
central narrative and its themes remain utterly relevant. As a character, the
shy, troubled Carrie represents a figure we can all relate to in some way,
whether familiar with previous versions or if this adaptation is a first
introduction.
Musically, there are clear influences from Fame, even if only for the solid pop
score and its excellent tunes. At times it succumbs to cliché, particularly
with the introduction of songs and some glittering, synthy orchestration, but
there are also some quieter, sacred moments. This is a score that jumps from
the likes of the dramatic And Eve Was
Weak and the sombre Evening Prayers,
to the pop sound of The World According
To Chris and the up-tempo fun of A
Night We’ll Never Forget. Cohesiveness comes from the weaving together of
musical themes and various reprises, making for a score that’s fun and
surprisingly satisfying.
Issues with the show in the past have stemmed more from the
production rather than the central material. Here, Tim McQuillen-Wright’s
design is minimal yet gritty and realistic, with room for some fantastical
effects, whilst director Gary Lloyd's choreography is sparingly implemented. This is a believable presentation of a supernatural story, made
touching by some excellent performances. The female ensemble give Regina George’s
Plastics a run for their money, Jodie Jacobs is a formidable vocal force as gym
teacher Miss. Gardner, and Greg Miller-Burns has a warm tone as Tommy Ross. As
Margaret White, Kim Criswell’s vocals are phenomenal with some tough material
testing even the best soprano. The performance of the night, though, is Evelyn
Hoskins as Carrie. The difficulty of the role is delivering wide-eyed
vulnerability and fear alongside a strong vocal to match the soaring pop
melodies (the title song especially) – after this production it’s difficult to
imagine anyone else as Carrie.
There remain flaws to this production though. Perhaps it’s
the thrust staging, or the acoustics of the space, but the sound production and
use of microphones is off. It’s as if the singing is detached from the stage
and the singers are performing underwater – as such it’s difficult to ascertain
many of the lyrics. Additionally, it’s a difficult space to direct in, with
many small moments missed depending on where the audience are sat.
It’s where the show diverges from the film that it most
misfires. For instance, the roles of Tommy and Sue have been increased which
removes any ambiguity of whether they’re trying to help or humiliate Carrie –
indeed, the whole narrative is framed by Sue’s obvious guilt. More so, the
success of the show hinges on the interpretation of Margaret. Here she feels
less like a psychotic, religious fanatic and more like a humble mother. Giving
her a ballad in the second half means we sympathise with her – as such the fatal
events of the final scene feel sudden, unwarranted and anticlimactic.
The role of Margaret is just one example of the musical
slightly diminishing the horror elements in favour of a more relatable coming
of age narrative that aims for truth and believability. Even so, this is a
highly polished production that has clearly improved on the original flop
extensively, turning it into a haunting teenage drama that deserves another
chance.
4/5
Watch: Carrie runs
at the Southwark Playhouse until 30th May.
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