Fredericia Teater in association with Aria Entertainment present the UK premiere of
LIZZIE
Directed by Victoria Bussert
Music by Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer and Alan Stevens Hewitt | Lyrics by Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer and Tim Maner | Book by Tim Maner
Starring Eden Espinosa, Bjorg Gamst, Jodie Jacobs, Bleu Woodward
Greenwich Theatre, London
22 February – 12 March 2017
“On a sweltering summer morning in 1892, in a small New England city, a prominent businessman and his wife were brutally axed to death in their home. Their daughter Lizzie Borden was the prime suspect. Lizzie’s trial was a coast-to-coast media sensation, and her story has become an American legend.
Now turned into an acclaimed rock musical, Fredericia Teater transfer the show to Greenwich for its eagerly anticipated UK premiere…”
Review by Richard Lambert, 4 Stars
It’s a big powerful girl power kick-ass rock musical concert!
Probably the largest show that’s ever gone into the Greenwich Theatre.
Which is all the more surprising when the load-in for this venue is so difficult. There’s a winch to lift all the items individually from streel level to 1st floor door.
This lighting rig is huge, more Genesis than Fringe theatre!
The Set is minimal – 1 large chair and 2 benches, however the Stage is edged in 6 lighting truss poles interspaced with Hi Res Video Panels. Full of moving lights, and an overhead advance bar full of moving lights. LED Battens, Blinders, Moving Spot, Moving Wash, Pin Spots, Truss Warmers, if there’s space to fit it, there’ll be a lighting fixture!
A live rock band of 6 musicians with a couple of the band members on the stage edge – you’re always immersed in the Live Music aspect. The Sound is full and punchy. Tim Hoyer has given each performer a head mic and a hand mic. Better to be safe on such a show!
With a Cast of 4 but a Creative and production list of 42 you know the Production Quality and Technical Content are a priority to Fredericia Theater, a Danish Production Company, dipping their toe into touring and International Production. It’s a rock concert in a theatre.
Not your typical Fringe show, which makes you wonder why it’s at the Greenwich Theatre? Firstly, it’s not an easy venue technically. It’s on the edge of town so not easy to “fit in” seeing a show there when you have a busy London life. And with it clearly being a huge-budget production, why wasn’t it done somewhere like the Arts Theatre in Central London?
The lighting by Martin Jensen is very Rock’n’roll. Blinders ripple around the proscenium and run up and down the poles to enhance the more fun songs. Subtle colour palettes and multi-point patterns of light frame the staging and accentuate the beats.
The costumes by Michael Nohr match the feisty characters of the all-female cast who deliver show-stopper diva songs with passion, aggression and, where approriate, sensitivity. A star studded Cast who command the Stage.
With the underlying story of Lizzie Borden murdering both step-mother and father it’s macabre and gruesome. I’ll never agree that displaying animal cruelty on stage or film to garnish a human emotion, in the name of entertainment, is necessary or ever welcome so as soon as the decapitated birds are dumped on the stage this show wasn’t for me. But that’s a personal opinion that clearly didn’t bother others in the audience.
The show got a standing ovation from some of the audience in the finale. With great punchy songs and gruesome lyrics it could easily become a cult show along the lines of Rocky Horror Picture Show.
You cannot fail to be impressed by this show!!!! The pictures above and trailer below say it all!
Photo Credit Soren Malmose
Tickets: Click here
Greenwich Theatre: Click here
Map: Click here