Review: KING OF PANGEA, King’s Head Theatre

Photo credit: Steve Gregson

Sam’s mother has died but surely she’s not gone for good? They have a special meeting place where Sam’s sure they’re going to reunite, the island of Pangea. The perfect land of childhood memory, where he can be a King…if he can get there in time and pass a few tests…

This show has been in development since 2019 and was first performed last year at the Lyric Theatre in Oklahoma City. The current production at the King’s Head Theatre marks the show’s official world premiere.

From the second we walk into the auditorium, the design peaks our curiosity. The layering of step heights and bulging wall features gives the set a dynamic feel in this thrust stage space, not to mention the gorgeous water colour design of these features that spills out onto the floor. It’s like looking at a sparse map from a bird's eye view and being drawn to the river that runs through the land, which makes us anticipate that we’re in for a fantasy story. It really is enchanting to look at and, much to our surprise, it hides a few secrets. Additionally, we love the way that the musicians' space is decorated with ropes to give it a nautical feel. It's simple but very stylish and doesn’t detract from the main playing space.

Martin Storrow, who has created both the book and music for this show, offers a unique perspective on the grieving process through this story. Sam is 20 and spends most of his time escaping into the stories of the fantastical place of Pangea that his mother used to tell him, at times re-living moments he remembers from his childhood of waiting for his mother to get better, which is a clever way of storytelling because it allows the narrative to switch between embodied memory (the moments when Sam sees/interacts with his younger self) and disembodied memory (the moments when Sam explains to the audience or other characters about what he remembers). It’s a great way of showing how memory fades over time and how the way we view our past experiences changes as we grow both older and as people. Not to mention that it gives us plenty of chances to connect with Sam and we find ourselves rooting for him to conquer his Pangea.

Storrow has also given Sam very compelling character quirks: a need to stick to the plan and make sure everything looks perfect, which helps to explain why he is in a form of stasis; stuck between wanting the world to be perfect and make sense, and battling to accept reality and actually start the grieving process.

However, it must be said that the pacing feels off in this musical. The run time is 90 minutes, which we feel is too short. We don’t get enough time with Sam’s mother to get to know her, meaning that when she dies at the start of the show, we don’t feel overly moved by it. Not to mention that we don’t get enough time to see what she was like as a mother to Sam and we don’t get to see much of how his father has taken the loss or the relationship that Sam has with his father as a result, which means that the show significantly lacks a lot of emotional impact that it has great potential to have.

The show could slow down at points to really let us feel the emotional beats and connect with the various characters, especially Elijah, who’s shockingly painful backstory is glossed over a bit too much by the comedic elements of the story. Elijah’s story being particularly important because it allows Sam to learn that death is a natural part of life and that immortality isn’t a fantasy that we should aspire to, letting the story breathe would really let these messages have the impact they’re intended to have.

The casting is perfect. Alfie Blackwell has incredible emotional range and his very believable and full bodied performance further helps us root for his character. His singing voice is strong and has an extensive dynamic range without sounding too mature, which is ideal for his character. Dan Burton, who plays Sam’s father, is far more compelling as the captain of the water taxi with his electric charisma, brazen voice and prince-like charm. Mark Curry expertly portrays Elijah with an almost chaotic and eccentric energy and his comic timing is spot on. He gives the show such a lift with his stage presence.

Enchantingly designed. A musical with memorable and captivating orchestrations. A meaningful story with a unique take on the subject matter that is engaging to watch.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Megan O’Neill

The King of Pangea plays at London’s King’s Head Theatre until 6 July, with tickets available here.