Review: THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, Theatre Royal Windsor - Tour
Photo credit: Jack Merriman
Stephen King’s 1982 book Different Seasons included a short story called Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption, and in 1994, it became a movie with Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman with seven Oscar nominations. In 2009, the novella was adapted by Dave Johns and Owen O’Neill for the stage and was rewritten in 2013, and now embarks on its third UK tour at Theatre Royal Windsor. We have never read the book, seen the film or previous productions so came to the play with a fresh view and no preconceived ideas.
It is set in the maximum-security wing of the Shawshank penitentiary over a period of twenty years from the 50s and as narrated by Red, “Mr Get Things”, tells the story of how Andy DuFresne adjusted to life in prison while protesting his innocence of the murder of his wife and her lover.
The adapters and director David Esbjornson quickly establish the tensions and threat of violence that pervades the prison between the warden, the penitentiary guards, the dominant prisoners and the rest of the inmates. But Dufresne is different, smarter and braver to resist the aggressive behaviours and very subtly uses his financial and management skills as a successful banker to influence behaviours in the place .
Ben Onwukwe is magnificent as the old lag who admits murdering his wife but has established himself as the Fixer who secures contraband for his fellow inmates. He walks a fine line between pleasing the authorities to secure parole and satisfying his inmates luxury needs and despite his crime, we warm to him as a man surviving and caring in the unpleasant surrounding. He successfully, with the musical interludes, helps explain the passing of time.
Joe McFadden as Dufresne is equally impressive, initially impassively accepting his fate but gradually asserting influences over the place. He convinces us, as he does his cell mates, of his innocence but can’t secure the evidence to prove it or convince the authorities to reopen investigations. It is a quietly compelling, understated performance, beautifully conveying his sense of isolation at times and the mental horror of a miscarriage of justice.
Bill Ward wields the power over the place as Warden Stammas, authoritarian but as crooked as the criminals he overseas. He demands respect and conveys his own menace through his determined voice and amplifying body language.
The other inmates are well drawn characterisations each wearing the blue denim in subtly different ways to reinforce their personas. Sean Kingsley and Ashley Gayle are the violent “sisters” who rule the place with a brutal fist. Kenneth Jay is the arthritic lifer Brooksie, the librarian, in fear of a parole release to an outside world without purpose. Kyle Harrison-Pope is the young Tommy, another double murderer in a car accident, who seeks the assistance of Andy in educating himself while incarcerated. It feels an authentic representation of the different backgrounds of those who might find themselves in jail.
Gary McCann’s set design works extremely well, creating the main spaces that the inmates mingle in under the watchful eye of the guards, but cleverly and swiftly creating the more constrained claustrophobic spaces of cells where some of the more telling interactions take place through lighting and small flown panels. The final scene is a joyous contrast to the grim interiors.
There have, over the years, been many miscarriages of justice with innocent people given long prison sentences while protesting their case and this very well written play takes us inside the minds of such a person and portrays the physical horrors of the alien world they are placed in. This is a very fine production, superbly acted, well staged and a very engaging piece of theatre. It leaves you wondering how you would cope if you found yourself locked up for something you did not do. It is a scary thought.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Nick Wayne