West Side Story (Stage Experience) at Alexandra Theatre Birmingham Review
Written by Charis for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
West Side Story is a groundbreaking musical that reimagines Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, set against the backdrop of 1950s New York City, exploring themes of love, rivalry, and social issues. The piece also explores needless death and “when is enough enough?”, a poignant reminder of the “vendetta” concepts of Romeo and Juliet and a stark reminder of modern gang violence. Addressing dark themes of racial tensions, youth violence, immigration, and the developing world, while also exploring a love story.
This production of West Side Story marks the 20th anniversary of Stage Experience at The Alexandra, offering 60 young people the chance to participate in high-quality theatre. The show choice was certainly an excellent choice, showcasing the immense range of the crew while showing a real and relatable story.
Amelie Newton is an outstanding choice as Maria, and Heaven Okah as Anita, both vulnerable and strong in their own unique way. Newton’s vocal range is immense, and there were plenty of surprises. Cree Henson is a spot on choice as Tony easily owning the stage all by himself, showing a wide range of emotions. Henson and Newton had immense and natural chemistry in their acting and harmonised well.
The fan favourite and perhaps most iconic “Jet Song” was an exceptional showcase of the synergy of the cast, ensemble performances are scarcely this well-made. The entire cast performs excellently together, with the scenes at the dance giving the whole cast an opportunity to interact in one scene and their interactions are artistically marvellous. The solo performances within this piece are awe-inspiring, with Cree Henson as Tony performing “Maria” and hitting Operatic notes with extraordinary control and tone.
The depth of emotion portrayed throughout the performance was incredible and multi-layered. From Nicholas Room as Shrank and Stephen Jones as Doc, we see two of the only adult characters in the piece—both acting from a place of fear and hoping to save the youth from themselves. However, Shrank channels his fear through rage, while Doc approaches with pity and empathy, making the inevitable bloodshed all the more painful to witness.
Billy Stait’s Riff carries the piece wonderfully until Henson’s introduction, embodying charisma, wit, and the very image of youthful pride and ignorance—never realising the true danger of a gang war until it is too late.
Set design is integral to creating a successful theatre production, as it helps the audience imagine themselves in the story’s location. Stage Experience excels in this regard, crafting a believable and varied set that draws the audience into 1950s Upper West Side Manhattan. Scene changes were fluid, enhancing and elevating the overall experience.
Director and choreographer Pollyann Tanner created beautiful, well-rehearsed, and fluid dance sequences. It was both interesting and artistically striking to see the fight scenes expressed through dance. The dynamic movement and deliberate chaos built suspense throughout.
Ultimately, while West Side Story is rooted in the narrative of Romeo and Juliet, it carries a greater sense of tragedy. Its modern, accessible setting makes it feel as though the events could unfold any day, in any city. Unlike the more romanticised ending of Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story confronts a rarely explored tragedy—the survival of those left behind, burdened with the memory of those they loved and those they harmed. The final moments of this production captured that perfectly, with Maria’s distraught cries and her rage towards Chino portrayed by Newton in a way that felt painfully real.
West Side Story plays at Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham until 16 August.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
