Unbound, Hoxton Hall Review

Photo by Danny Kaan. 

Reviewed by Jenna for Theatre and Tonic

Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review

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Hocus Pocus meets Carrie, with a hint of Heathers.

This spooky tale with its 80’s pop/rock-inspired score was written by Matthew Harvey and originally commissioned by British Youth Music Theatre. As Halloween approaches, we were ‘treated’ to a concert version of the full musical which premiered in August at the Birmingham Hippodrome, staged at the intimate and suitably eerie Hoxton Hall in Shoreditch which was transformed into the town of Beggars Hollow for the evening. This bewitching new musical explores themes of power, dark magic and ‘fitting in’ to a community that shuns outsiders.

Unbound follows the story of Iris, played by the amazing Courtney Stapleton (recently Belle in Beauty & the Beast) as she strives to be “ordinary”, fitting in at Black Lake high school after a lifetime of being homeschooled by her overprotective Mother. Desperate to fit in, she joins the popular kids in their after-school escapades, against the advice of her neighbour and fellow student Dani. After her peers play a cruel prank on her in a deserted house, she decides to take revenge on them with the help of a supernatural ‘friend’…

The show features a number of soaring pop/rock melodies, performed impeccably by the talented cast. The hauntingly beautiful title song ends with a powerful note and a message to match. “Say the Words”, the song that inspired the plot of the show, brings together elements of magic and suspense with electric guitar rifts and impressive counterpoint. Another standout song for me was a relatable and emotional ballad performed by Lauren Byrne (Matilda The Musical) who plays Dani, describing the challenges of being yourself whilst also wanting to be accepted. I also loved the insanely catchy “weird shit” which opened the first act, and it was playing in my mind long after I left the theatre.

As promised by creator Matthew Harvey, I hope that the show will continue to change and develop. I felt that the story still requires tweaking, with certain elements of the plot and the motives of the characters being unclear at times in the concert, despite the strong performances of the cast. Similarly without the full production it was difficult to appreciate the story’s dramatic climax, which I’m sure could involve some impressive stage trickery to captivate the audience alongside the atmospheric songs.

As a Mum of two teenage girls, I know that they would particularly enjoy the themes and the songs of the musical, and I would definitely take them to see the full production. However with its 80’s nostalgic feel, I believe that Unbound has all the ingredients to have theatregoers of all ages under its spell. I am excited to see what the future holds for this show which has the potential to follow in the footsteps of Mean Girls and Heathers as the latest High School West-End hit, with a spine-tingling twist.

★★★★