Exhilarating Olympic Themed Theatre

“He who honours God, will himself be honoured. “

Note handed to Liddell before the race by an American competitor

Company in Chariots of Fire with Michael Wallace as Eric Liddell Centre (Photo: Johan Persson)

How thrilling to once again see Chariots of Fire live on stage.  This time it is on in Sheffield, at the Crucible, directed by Robert Hastie, who will be joining the National Theatre in January as Deputy Artistic Director.  It coincides this year with the centenary of the Paris Olympics in 1924 when Harold Abrahams (Adam Bregman) and Eric Liddell (Michael Wallace) both won gold in the athletics.

I loved Edward Hall’s production at Hampstead in 2012 and was not disappointed by the Sheffield showing of Mike Bartlett’s wonderful play.  My hope is that it may transfer to the National’s Olivier so I may see it again.  The play starts with athletes on various items of running machines as we scroll from 2024 back through the Olympic cities and years in relevant running kit to Paris in 1924.  The message is of the hard work that goes into training for competition at Olympic level. 

We switch to the University of Cambridge where Harold Abrahams meets fellow first year Aubrey Montague (Tom Glenister) and Lord Andrew Lindsay (Benjamin Westerby) starting their first term at Gonville and Caius.  Abrahams is to compete for the Trinity Great Court run in the time taken for the clock to strike twelve.  Factually it was actually Lord Burleigh of Magdalene College who completed the Great Court Run in 1927 but he didn’t allow his name to be used because he objected to the artistic licence in the 1981 film allowing Abrahams to win.  So Lord Lindsay is based on Burleigh.

Company in Chariots of Fire (Photo: Johan Persson)

The races are staged different ways, sometimes on running machines and sometimes around a track into the audience and sometimes in slow motion. This is an enormous achievement for these fit actors as it was for Jack Lowden and James McArdle at Hampstead Theatre in 2012. A hundred meters is run in slow motion with each athlete recording the seconds.

We go to Scotland to see Eric Liddell and his sister Jennie (Lois Pearson) establishing their missionary background and the importance of observing the Sabbath. 

I think this might be the fourth time at the Highland athletic event that I spotted Mark Lockyer in one of his eight cameo roles.  Here he is a bystander in a tam o’ shanter and long kilt.  Previously he was a porter at Caius commenting on Abraham’s not singing in the chapel choir, then elevated to the Master of Trinity again making snide comments about Abrahams’ Jewishness.  And in the scene where Sybil Evers (Bessie Ewa) is in The Pirates of Penzance he is in charge of the ship’s wheel.  Lockyer has a large role near the end as Lord Cadogan in the meeting of the British Olympic Committee to decide what to do about Liddell’s refusal to compete on a Sunday.  Also as Master of Trinity he has made a moving speech about those lost in First World War, such a recent conflict.  Lockyer’s cameos are so enjoyable and his performances are a masterclass in character acting and his costume changes must be hectic!

Bessie Ewa as Sybil and Adam Bregman as Harold Abrahams (Photo: Johan Persson)

There is controversy when Harold Abrahams is approached by a professional trainer Sam Mussabini (Waleed Elgadi) and his amateur status is questioned.  Act One closes with Lord Lindsay’s hurdle feat with the champagne glasses; Leo Wan as his butler loses out on the vintage champagne. 

We catch the boat to France and the opening of the Olympics sees the inspiring  parade of different flags and uniforms. The Americans, Charlie Paddock (Seb Slade) and Jackson Scholz (Eddie-Joe Robinson) perform state of the art press ups racking up the tension as to the likelihood of their win against Great Britain.  

The performances are strong throughout and I especially liked Michael Wallace’s earnest Liddell arguing with his sister about the importance of athletics to him.  Adam Bregman is also excellent in showing Harold Abrahams’ determination to succeed.

Michael Wallace as Eric Liddell and Company (Photo: Johan Persson)

Ben Stones’ costumes sometimes will use period jackets and tops with shorts and running shoes ready for the thrilling races and together with the period music the era is well conveyed and makes me nostalgic.

Chariots of Fire is a five star, gold medal winning experience from Theatrevibe the site that does neither stars nor medals! 

For me Chariots of Fire has a special meaning. My children and their great great uncle went to the school, then The School for the Sons and Orphans of Missionaries in Blackheath, now Eltham College where Eric Liddell was educated from age 6 to 18 as a boarder while his parents were in China, along with those boys whose parents were missionaries in the far flung outposts of the British Empire.  Eric Liddell, married Florence Mackenzie, and himself became a missionary in China and died interned at the end of the Second World War.  Harold Abrahams married mezzo-soprano Sybil Evers and forged himself a career in sport and worked as an athletics journalist. Harold Abrahams was the timekeeper for Roger Bannister’s first sub 4 minute mile in 1954.

Seb Slade as Charlie Paddock, Leo Wan as the Prince of Wales and Eddie-Joe Robinson as Jackson Scholz (Photo: Johan Persson)

Production Notes

Chariots of Fire

Adapted by Mike Bartlett after Colin Welland’s screenplay for the 1981 film

Directed by Robert Hastie

Cast

Starring:

Adam Bregman

Eddie-Joe Robinson

Leo Wan

Mark Lockyer

Michael Wallace

Richard Cant

Sally Frith

Waleed Elgadi

Chanel Waddock

Benjamin Westerby

Seb Slade

Ciaran Stewart

Lois Pearson

Iverson Yabut

Bessy Ewa

Tom Glenister

Creatives

Director: Robert Hastie

Designer: Ben Stones

Movement director: Ben Wright

Lighting Designer:  Richard Howell

Sound Designer: Alexandra Faye Braithwaite

Composer: Frew

Musical Director: Frew

Information

Running Time: Two hours 30 minutes with an interval

Booking until 27th July 2024

 

Theatre:

The Crucible 

55 Norfolk St

Sheffield City Centre

Sheffield S1 1DA

Rail: Sheffield

Box Office: 0114  249 6000

Website:

 https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/chariots-of-fire/dates

Reviewed by Lizzie Loveridge 

at the Crucible

on 11th July 2024

Company in Chariots of Fire (Photo: Johan Persson)