Bad Girls the Musical

Due to a very busy week for shows I had to review this on the dress rehearsal. Apart from a few stage management and lighting details the show was ready to go and in fact I thoroughly enjoyed the dress.

The set was kept as a one set scene with the aprons being used effectively for the prison officer’s staff room and the Governors home. This kept the flow of scenes working very well.

The thing I loved about this show was the variety of music (every song is very different to the last) and that I genuinely felt scared at the beginning but as you learn more  about  each character you genuinely care about them and that’s clever  both in writing  but in direction and acting  too.

The band sounded great under the experience of Simon Pickup but had the added complication of being in the bar upstairs and shown on monitors for the cast and filtered through the sound system into the auditorium. This did not detract from the music at all. Well done Simon.

The choreography was great, again very varied to fit the music. There was also a lot of movement which was well choreographed and fitted the scenes well.

The cast were fantastic. I can’t possibly mention everyone here but the staff of HMP Larkhill all fitted their roles brilliantly. Pamela Syme as the Governor was fabulous with gorgeous vocals and Paul Allison as Fenner was brilliantly acted as he was creepy and threatening. Mandy Mallinson and Paul were great together and “Jailcraft” sounded and looked fabulous.

The inmates all worked beautifully in the roles they had. Again too many to mention but Helena Francis Smith as Crystal Gordon made me cry in “Freedom Road” which is a stunning number. Julie Proffitt was fabulous as Yvonne with great moves and vocals. Lauren Sanckson as Denny Blood and Bethany Heywood as Shell Dockley were scary and played superbly opposite each other with great vocals.

Amy Walker was so touching as the young naive new inmate Rachel Hicks and Amanda Jane Avery played the polar opposite as Nikki Wade superbly. Again with lovely vocals and beautiful harmonies on “Every Night” with Pamela Syme.

Kathryn Gorton and Lyndsey Lythe were great as the two Julies but on the night I was in Lyndsey had lost her  voice and was lip synching onstage and supported by a young lady offstage who did a fabulous job. Lyndsey,  I hope you felt better later in the week and  were able to perform fully but well done.

The ensemble cast all performed exceptionally well and I hope the run was successful for you all. Well done and lovely to see you all.

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