Ride the Cyclone, Southwark Playhouse Elephant Review
Written by Jenna for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
The intimate Southwark Playhouse Elephant has been transformed into a fairground for the UK premiere of Canadian musical Ride the Cyclone. The show first caught my attention through its popularity on TikTok, leading my teenage daughter to explain to me the interesting synopsis, instantly capturing my imagination. This wonderfully odd show delivers exactly the excitement you would hope for in any musical comedy, no matter how eccentric the premise: a lively, diverse score performed brilliantly by an outstanding cast, and a sharply clever script.
Ride the Cyclone centres around six teenagers from the city of Uranium, who fall to their deaths from a faulty rollercoaster. The amazing Karnak, a mechanical fortune teller with the power to bring one of them back from the afterlife, explains that each of them must plead their case as to why they should be the one to have another chance to live. Karnak, played by Edward Wu, appears at the top of the set for the duration of the show. I found it impossible not to keep glancing at him, never breaking character and completely believable as a ‘Zoltar’-type magical machine.
We begin with Ocean Rosenberg, a loud and domineering overachiever who sings about how ‘the world needs people like me’ as she insults each of her opponents including best friend Constance. However, she soon tries to change her tactic to win over her competitors when Karnak explains that there must be a democratic vote as to who gets to return to life. The energy and impeccable comic timing of Baylie Carson (Mean Girls) makes her the perfect choice for the role, and she delivers an outstanding performance throughout.
Next, there’s Noel Gruber, describing himself as the ‘only gay man in Uranium’ as he pleads his case through his alter ego, a sultry French prostitute. This was my favourite number in the show; Damon Gould’s transformation from awkward teenager to fabulous stocking-clad redhead is incredible, and the applause from the audience went on and on.
Ukrainian-born Mischa Bachinski (Bartek Kraszewski) is next, telling the tale of his Mother’s abandonment and subsequent neglect at the hands of his adoptive parents. This leads him to have two emotions: Rage and passion. The former he displays through his autotuned rap-star persona, whilst the latter is displayed through his love for his online fiancée, Talia.
Ricky Potts, a former mute who finds he can speak in the afterlife, sings of his escape from his unconventional family life through his imagination and his creation of a space galaxy which includes sexy cats who serve him. This scene is both crazy and hilarious, displaying the superb range and dance skills of Jack Maverick, who plays Ricky. The lighting for this number was particularly impressive, with green space aliens and pink cats followed by coloured spots in perfect sync.
Next, we have the mysterious fifth contestant, known only as Jane Doe, a teenager who was found without her head and her identity was never discovered. Her creepy ‘doll’s head’ is constantly bobbing around as she performs, adding to the freakishness of her character. She laments about not knowing who she is in the hauntingly beautiful ‘Ballad of Jane Doe’, with amazing staging adding to the stunning vocals of Grace Galloway.
Finally, we have ‘the nicest girl in town’, Constance Blackwood, played adorably by Robyn Gilbertson, who reflects on losing her virginity to a stranger 3 hours before and how she only realises her love for her hometown moments before death. She stands up to her overpowering best friend, Ocean, before the teenagers must all cast their vote. A twist ensues, meaning only one of them can decide who can return to life, leading to a moral dilemma and questions around who would be the most worthy.
The hard-working cast appear together in every number, displaying the versatility of the actors who are all impressive dancers and vocalists. The set is simple, and the central revolve works well, with a fairground-style curtain used to great effect. The use of props was both imaginative and fun, from umbrellas, clouds, coffins and even miniature houses which decrease in size to give to impression of the characters soaring out of the coaster. Jacob Richmond and Brook Maxwell’s dark and funny script, songs and lyrics allow each performer to showcase their immense talents and draw you into the story from the outset. I cannot recall a show where I have said ‘wow’ so many times! This is 90 minutes of spectacular theatre, with songs in some different styles and as many twists and turns as a real rollercoaster.
If the plot I have described has intrigued you as much as it did me, I highly recommend you catch Ride the Cyclone, running at the Southwark Playhouse Elephant until January 10th 2026.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
