Urinetown: The Musical by Guild Musical Theatre Group Review
Written by Harriet for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
University of Birmingham’s student-led society, Guild Musical Theatre Group, have collaborated to produce multiple productions across their latest semester. Most recently the company, run by President Sam Huxham, underwent 10 weeks of rehearsals to prepare for their latest production, which has been co-directed by both Ben Coleman and Michael Ward.
From 27th November to 30th November 2025, the Debating Hall, which has been home to many of GMTG’s previous productions, was enveloped in yellow floods, transporting audience members to the capitalistic Gotham like city that is Urinetown.
Lighting Designer, Max Williams transformed the first floor of Guild of Students into the depravity that is Urinetown, suffering amid water shortages and government-enforced bans on private toilets. By pretty much the second number, Bonnie Pharrell’s design and co-choreographers Lottie Russell and Hannah Stobart’s use of levels have immersed the audience members into the clear societal hierarchy. The ensembles’ beige clothing becomes saturated in and amongst the warm hues as they traverse interrogatively through from the back of the hall past members of the audience. Meanwhile, as the curtain rises, the government members enter the stage in red and navy pantsuits.
Written by Greg Kotis and Mark Hollmann, the satirical comedy and anti-musical, is painfully self-aware of its cynicism. It immediately explores its critical tone of bureaucracy and the legal system through ironic uses of conventional archetypes and tropes. While its direct address of audience members through comedic and musical elements of slapstick takes clear inspiration from German theatre practitioner, Brecht, notorious for Spass, a technique translating directly to “fun”.
The opening number, ‘Too much exposition’, performed by Kyle Gabriel playing Officer Lockstock, is just one of many examples where the musical, originally produced on Broadway in 2001, tickles and slaps audiences into reflecting upon its didactic message. This was also showcased in ‘Run, Freedom, Run!’, one of Act Two’s major musical numbers, where a revolt is led against the tyrant/father of everyman Bobby Strong’s love interest, Mr Cladwell, played by Sam Moore. Moore’s portrayal of the antagonist had audience members eroding into laughter through his explosive and lavish outbursts. While the excellent gender bending of the role of Bobby Strong, helped President Sam Huxham really shine as a contralto. The musical’s poor title choice also faced critique by Little Sally. A quasi-narrator, played by Lucy Sherman, who not only narrates throughout the plot but also provides poignant participation within both the story and ensemble as a soprano.
Guild Musical Theatre Group’s production of Urinetown was a truly hilarious show, incorporating elements of promenade theatre through utilising the Debating Hall’s windows and doors as different stage exits and entrances. It was also accompanied by a talented and innovative cast, who shone during Heaven Okah’s powerful solo during ‘It’s a Privilege to Pee’ and Mr McQueen’s hysterically helpless bunny gag, which was performed by Josh Levene and anchored by blue strobes.
★ ★ ★ ★
