ROAD SHOW, Upstairs at the Gatehouse Review
Written by Rosie for Theatre and Tonic
Since the ending of the West End gender-swapped production of Company in 2019, there has been a severe lack of Sondheim in London and the West End. We had the marvellous posthumous celebration of Sondheim’s work in Old Friends last year which is set to transfer to Broadway in its upcoming spring season, but London has been left with a Sondheim-less void. There have been a few productions popping up in the outer London space which have attempted to bring some of his shows to the theatre fans who may be missing his presence on stage, one of those being the Upstairs at the Gatehouse, which has begun performances of Road Show for the winter period. Road Show is Stephen Sondheim’s last fully finished piece of work, preceding the final unfinished piece Here We Are which is set to make its London premiere at the National Theatre, Lyttleton space in spring 2025. Road Show is also one of Sondheim’s lesser-known works, divulging the semi-fictitious tale of the Mizner brothers and their attempt to conquer the American Dream.
At its foundations, Road Show shares the most similarities in its melodies and script to its predecessor, Assassins - unsurprisingly so, as John Weidman wrote the book for both in collaboration with Sondhiem. It gives an upbeat yet bleak look at the state of what it is like to be an American citizen trying to achieve your dream in a country that is supposedly paved with gold and, hell, it’s yours for the taking!
Upstairs at the Gatehouse is an interesting venue; situated above a pub the theatre, it is a very small space that does not allow for big displays of grandeur with its sets and scaling. It’s intimate and allows for a smaller, homelier performance that highlights performance over the landscape. Very much suited for more fringe-style theatre, it’s a beautiful space to put on smaller works and give them the heart and soul they deserve. That being said, a musical like Road Show which highlights the grand, expansive journey across America in an attempt to ascertain the “boundless riches of a mighty land”, feels stinted and unsuitable for a space like the Gatehouse. Whilst there was good use of levelling and height to show off various sections of the country and scenes, the great scale of the trip was never fully reached due to the limitations of the set.
The cast filled the space well and used it brilliantly when performing some great choreography from director and choreographer Amanda Noar, but it made me long for something more. The costumes were simple yet effective dress which reflected the time period, paired with some fun ensemble changes in between the multitude of characters. I thought the use of props and props-as-lighting was incredibly clever and effective for highlighting aspects of the show as well as being lovely to look at - the houses of Boca Raton in the song of the same name added a hilarious and visually wonderful aspect to the scene.
At the helm, this show absolutely shines and soars thanks to the brilliant cast of eight, most of whom play a variety of eccentric characters at important points along the journey of the Mizner brothers. Accompanied by an incredible orchestra of only four (who make it sound and feel like there are far more musicians playing Sondheim’s score), the cast sings these songs with the fervour, glee and the sometimes quieter emotion needed for this strange semi-biographical tale. The ensemble is the strong foundation of the piece and allows for stand-out scenes such as “That Was a Year” to really soar and deliver the laughs intended. Reece Richardson as older brother Wilson “Willie” Mizner is perfectly cast as the unpredictable addict and delivers a fantastic comical performance which also leaves the audience shaking their heads at his actions throughout the show. He was the absolute stand-out in the piece, encapsulating the idiosyncrasies and chaotic manner of Willie to much applause from the crowd.
As the louder, more brash brother, it is easy for the role to swallow up younger brother Addison Mizner, played by Oliver Sidney. The younger, aspiring architect is played far more pensive and withdrawn than that of his abrasive senior but allows for the differences between the two to really pop. They have some brilliant scenes together, playing off the contrasting energies as the tensions grow, but at times I felt it hard to root for either of their successes. Both Katherine Strohmairer and Robert Finlayson as Mama and Papa Mizner respectively have beautiful, quiet moments in song which were performed wonderfully through the direction of Noar; the stillness of Mama Mizner’s “Isn’t He Something!” and Papa’s almost haunting “It’s In Your Hands Now” were not made into anything flashy, but were allowed to just be sung and underscore the motivations of the rest of the show. I appreciated the smaller moments in this production a lot, far and few amongst the chaotic journey the brothers find themselves on when trying to make their fortune. In another quiet moment, we are allowed to meet Rhys Lambert as Addison’s partner, Hollis Bessemer. Lamber’s presence as Bessemer allowed the warmth to return to Addison’s stand-offish character and together they shared some lovely, tender scenes in the growth from business partners to lovers. All together this cast allows Sondheim’s music and Weidman’s bizarre tale to flourish in brilliant harmony and with some surprisingly wonderful scenes played out in a space that made me wish they could go even bigger.
Upon leaving Road Show after curtain call, multiple scenes from this production were playing over and over in my head alongside the desire to look up exactly how much creative liberty Sondheim and Weidman took with the story of the Mizner brothers. For a show to do this, I truly think that it is one that people will have a good time with regardless of whether they know the songs, plot or anything about the real life Willie and Addison. It’s a fun, different night out at the theatre that can educate and intrigue. Despite the longing desire for a set that could really show off what this cast and story could do, the production is still staged in a way that is never dull and allows us to focus more on the cast. Watching a piece of Sondheim is always a joy, but I think that this winter, Upstairs at the Gatehouse have staged a piece of hidden gold.
At Upstairs at the Gatehouse until 12 January 2025
★ ★ ★ ★
ACCESS NOTES
Upstairs at the Gatehouse, unfortunately, is currently not accessible via a step-free entrance. To access the theatre you have to enter via a staircase inside of the Gatehouse pub. Seats are first-come-first-served in most cases, but certain seats have varied size seating and possible folding armrests. Toilets are only accessible inside of the Gatehouse pub. For more access information, visit the Upstairs at the Gatehouse website.
