42 Balloons, The Lowry Salford Review
42 Balloons production images by Pamela Raith.Written by Aimee for Theatre and Tonic.
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for a honest review.
After a much anticipated wait I finally managed to make my way to The Lowry to see 42 Balloons, a new musical by Jack Godfrey. 42 Balloons tells the true story of Larry Walters, who in 1982 tied 42 weather balloons to a lawn chair and flew 16,000ft up into the air. The show also encompasses the events prior to the flight, and what happened after Larry came back down. At its heart the show is really about dreams and what it takes to make them become reality, the sacrifices made along the way and how it feels to achieve them.
When it comes to the music, this show is completely sung through and I can honestly say there wasn’t a moment where I felt bored or disengaged. The 80’s soundtrack that Jack Godfrey has created is like a cassette tape that you can’t stop rewinding and listening to again and again. It transports you into the world of these characters and you find yourself relating to them all through different ways in the lyrics. Everyone knows how it feels to have a dream, and regardless of the outcome Godfrey has made it so there is something for everyone.
It would be impossible to not mention the extraordinary work of the video designer and animator Andrzej Goulding. In a world where we are seeing video design becoming more of a staple feature in shows it could have been easy to shoehorn this in and not give it much thought, but that’s not what they have done. Goulding’s video design is aesthetically pleasing whilst having some truly spectacular moments. It aids the rather skate park ramp like set design (by Milla Clarke) into becoming this cohesive 80’s themed environment. It helps transport you to different locations and even takes you up in the air with Larry. It’s clear from the moment it’s first utilised that much care and thought has gone into how they use video and animation, and it only adds to the list of reasons why this show is so impressive.
The costume design by Natalie Pryce is kept relatively simple throughout, whilst still capturing the vibe of the 80’s. Whilst our lead characters have some great outfits by far my favourite has to be the ensemble costumes. For the majority of the show they can each be seen wearing a different colour jumpsuit, perfectly encapsulating the vibes of the 80’s whilst being versatile enough for them to switch to and from different background characters.
When it comes to the performances Charlie McCullagh and Evelyn Hoskins make a perfect pair in playing Larry and his girlfriend Carol. The two have wonderful chemistry together and there’s a true passion in their performance. They both get excellent vocal moments in the show, whether that be in a duet or a solo song. McCullagh makes you feel as if you’re watching the actual Larry Walters through how he connects to the dreams and emotions that Walters went through in his life. Hoskins effortlessly conveys what it means to be in love with somebody and to want to see them achieve their dreams. Gillian Hardie also gets a few excellent comedy moments as Carol’s mom. When it comes to the ensemble they work as a strong collective, delivering stunning vocals and delivering the energetic choreography (by Alexzandra Sarmiento) with much ease.
For a show about a man achieving his dreams, this becomes so much more than that. It’s filled with emotion and despite how old you are, there is truly something in this for everyone. It would be hard to not leave this show feeling uplifted, with the thought that you can truly achieve your dreams in life and what it can mean to help those around you achieve theirs too.
42 Balloons is currently running at The Lowry Theatre in Salford until Sunday 19th May.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
