Review: WHY WOULD WE CARE?, The Union Theatre
Pregnant out of wed-lock and ostracised by their townsfolk, Pearl (Taylor Quinnell) and Theodore (Joseph Dennington) are invited to move to a small community of just over 100 people by enigmatic couple Cecil (Will Bryne) and Marion (Gaby Coleman). To them, it sounds like paradise: everyone is highly educated, specially selected for their skills, and the poverty level is zero. Everyone has their place and no one is left behind. But like they say, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Soon after their arrival, they start to realise things aren’t as they seem: the philosophy of “Speak Say Preach Pray” is not really upheld. The town’s philosophy is that everything happening behind closed doors is fair game, but privacy and the lack of a legal system comes at the price of public beatings, coercion, and even murder. Theodore is appointed the Minister of War, delegated morally impossible tasks, while Pearl slowly starts to lose her sanity with the loneliness of new motherhood.
The town is publicly led by Cecil and Marion, but it’s really Marion who’s pulling the strings. Coleman is measured and precise in her depiction of a calculated dictator, which makes her performance all the more scary. Riain Cash also stands out as sleazy, desperate Rufus, and he should consider taking part in Timothee Chalamet look-a-like competitions. For a musical set in the past (though the costumes make the time period somewhat ambiguous), the musical score is modern and refreshing, brought to life by a musically talented cast. Camille Reid (Lillie) is particularly gifted, making her ballad about her unfaithful husband “The Chance” all the more effective. She also dealt with a mic issue superbly well.
The production could benefit from more complex staging, as there’s only so many times the quite large ensemble can pour themselves a drink or straighten a blanket. Still, James Connor’s direction pulls out compelling performances as characters battle with their hellish reality, fearing for their lives if they step out of line or speak out of turn. The musical has some moments of physical comedy, notably at the beginning of Act 2, which could’ve been further lent in to. It’s a serious musical, but audiences are obsessed with comedic relief.
All in all, Why Would We Care? is a topical and well-thought-out story with strong performances and catchy tunes. There could be some fine tuning of sub plots - Alex Webster (Clara) and Houston McDowall (Arthur) were both banished and therefore felt underused - but watch this space for Mahoney. And they should rethink the title - we do care!
The hive mentality of cult communities is impressively conveyed in this unique new British musical from John-Michael Mahoney.
**** Four Stars
Reviewed by Ruby Skippings
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