REVIEW | Curtains, Kristian Thomas Collective
Reviewer - Natasha
You may not have seen or even heard of the murder mystery musical Curtains, but I hope that it will feature in your future. Not so much underrated as under-performed, I seized upon this chance to attend a local production by the Kristian Thomas Collective and was absolutely blown away. Debuting on Broadway in 2007, with the UK West End/UK tour production cut short due to the COVID pandemic, this final musical from legendary collaborators Kander and Ebb is an absolute must-see. That it was such an astoundingly good performance, by a company that brings such phenomenal talent and professionalism to community theatre, was the icing on the Curtains cake!
The non-stop ‘play-within-a-play-musical-comedy-whodunnit’ kept the audience on the edge of their seats throughout with its witty script, vivacious musical numbers and revelation after revelation. Built around the role of Police Lieutenant Frank Cioffi (flawlessly played by Joe Millward), a musical theatre fan who is tasked with solving murder/s within the cast of a fictional 1950s show ‘Robbin Hood’, the audience is invited to unravel clues with him while simultaneously enjoying being entertained. There is also a duality in the musical composition - we experience both a suite of songs which lovingly parody the golden age of musicals, interspersed with and sometimes merging with the inventive and often jazzy score that helps to tell the actual story. This may sound convoluted, but somehow it works perfectly and makes for both an amazingly enjoyable musical romp and a love letter crammed with in-jokes to all those who have ever worked in theatre. Kander and Ebb’s musical numbers and orchestration are sublime, the show has fantastic dance opportunities, and the comedy is beautifully written. (Some of the ruder jokes were delivered in such a joyfully laconic manner that the audience were in complete stitches.)
The cast energetically engaged the receptive crowd right from the first bars of the Overture, with a fantastically choreographed opening which sets the scene is through movement and dance. Curtains, like the more well-known Kander and Ebb musicals Chicago (1975) and Cabaret (1966), is a gloriously dance-based show that is taken to the next level by Kristian Cunningham’s choreography (supported by Dance Captain Megan Singleton) and the company’s raft of talented dancers. Although performed in a small Arts Theatre, rather than this inhibiting the design, we benefit from a stripped back but hugely effective set that incorporates floor lamps and costume rails on the stage (and sometimes as part of the dancing!)
The musical also lends itself magnificently to the size of the company involved, which has a breadth and depth of talent able to both fulfil the numerous speaking and singing roles and fantastically deliver the ensemble songs and dances. And while our detective “never had a case with this many suspects” before, we don’t lose track of them, as the clever book is extremely good at conveying the varied personalities present, without characters being reduced to stereotypes. The principal characters of Frank, Niki (Helen Perry) and Georgia (Cara Dudgeon) are undeniably outstanding, particularly in their acting and vocal performances. But the ability to showcase thoughtful, dynamic choreography, featured dancers, gorgeous harmonies, and just the right blend of drama and comedy, ensures that it is the entire company which is the production’s standout feature. As a consequence, as well as the various solos and duets from the cast, the chorus numbers not only shine but are resplendent, especially the performances of ‘He Did It’, the anthemic ‘Show People’ and ‘In the Same Boat Completed’, a rousing final culmination of various musical and narrative strands in the show.
For devoted fans of musical theatre, the show takes on a deeper meaning entirely, as the book and score bind together the experience of being in a show, somewhat reminiscent of A Chorus Line, but more self-referential and a whole lot funnier. Theatre critics are also a target for the writers’ ire and ridicule ( “Who could be mean enough/Base and obscene enough/To take a job like that?”) but I won’t take that personally, and will also declare that this production IS already a huge smash. (Yes, I wish more could have been made of the reprise of Show People, but hopefully, that doesn’t make me loathsome, just greedy.) You don’t have to be an existing fan of musicals or mysteries to enjoy this show, however - you will simply be drawn in by the sheer energy and expertise of the cast. Directed by Alysha Gomes and a creative team who have brought their vision to life to extremely great effect, the staging, vocal and dance talent on display in Curtains is just phenomenal. It may have been curtains for leading lady Jessica Cranshaw (briefly brought to life, most humorously, by Sandy Lane), but for this production, it’s all get up and go - so do go, if you get a chance!
Curtains by the Kristian Thomas Collective is playing at the Duchess Theatre, Chatsworth Arts Centre, Derbyshire until Saturday 15th April.
The next Kristian Thomas Company production will be Annie Jr by its Intermediate Youth Company, in June 2023.
