Alfie Friedman as 21st century Dorian
“I would rather you were beautiful than good.”
Lord Harry Wootton
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I saw this musical in development two years ago in the studio space at The Other Palace and was favourably impressed. It has now been fully developed and is showing at Southwark Playhouse. I’m pointing you in the direction of this first review to avoid repeating myself.
What is really different in this production at The Large is what I anticipated needed doing at the first viewing, which is work on the second act. There are several new songs which you can see from the Song List below.
It is the new star, innocent looking, 21 year old, Alfie Friedman as Dorian who can sing beautifully. It must be in his genes! I did however find it more difficult to believe that he was as debauched and depraved and Dorian Grey is meant to be. The beguiling opera singer Sybil Vane (Megan Hill) has bright red hair and it is unfortunate that we already noticed her in the scene in the night club for degenerates but that is a hazard of necessary doubling up. Could a wig have sorted it?
I found Gabrielle Lewis-Dodson as Victoria Wootton singing very powerfully but she seemed rather loud, even shrill, in this intimate space at Southwark. I also wondered at the need for mics in such a small venue.
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It is Wilde’s artist Basil Hallward who becomes the photographer Baz Hallward (Leeroy Boone) who is in love with Dorian as much as Lord Harry Wootton (George Renshaw). Baz takes the photograph which ages and shows the corruption of Dorian’s perverted life as a rock singer.
The costumes by Isabella Van Braekel are original even if I didn’t like them. Some are bizarre like Sybil’s stiff ballerina skirt underneath a long white coat or Dorian’s gauze back revealing his vertebrae, attached to an otherwise formal black jacket or Baz Hallward’s white suit decorated with what looks like feathers. Like much of this production, it feels as if the creatives are trying too hard and it misfires.
There has been a lot of tightening up in Act Two which works well where we see the rock concert lit red and feel the excitement. The songs are soft rock rather than full on heavy metal but this fits in with Dorian’s style. There is a memorable and expressive pas de deux dance between Dorian and Baz. I love the song “Son of Love and Death” and was happy to hear it reprised in this act.
You will want to see Alfie Friedman as Dorian and hear him sing as he is sure to have a promising career in musicals.
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Musical Numbers
Act One
I’m Going to Live Forever
The Ultimate Sensation
Don’t Turn Away
Son of Love and Death
The Hardest Flame
Sin is the Only Colour
It’s Different This Time
The Fire of Your Desire
Out of the Blue
Cold as the Moon
Song for a Dead Girl
Act Two
Blood and Vice
Devil’s Bargain
See Into My Soul
What Will Become of Me Now
Club Twenty-Seven
Son of Love and Death (Reprise)
Where the Yellow Roses Grow
Songs Are Like Secrets
The Face of Truth
The Angel and the Devil Sing
Song for a Dead Girl (Reprise)
Production Notes
Dorian the Musical
Music and Lyrics by Joe Evans
Book by Linnie Reedman
Directed by Linnie Reedman
Cast
Starring:
Gabrielle Lewis-Dodson
Alfie Friedman
Leeroy Boone
Megan Hill
Rhys Lamber
George Renshaw
Creatives
Director: Linnie Reedman
Designer: Isabelle Van Braeckel
Musical Supervisor: Nigel Lilley
Lighting Designer:
Adam King, Tyler Forward
Sound Designer: Mike Thacker
Musical Director: Aaron Clingham
Fight Director: Ronin Trainer
Information
Running Time: Two hours and 20 minutes with an interval
Booking to 10th August 2024
Address:
Southwark Playhouse
Newington Causeway
London SE1 6BD
Rail/Tube: Elephant and Castle
Website: southwarkplayhouse.co.uk
Reviewed by Lizzie Loveridge
at the Southwark Playhouse
on 10th July 2024