Rent

Rent is the rock musical based loosely on La Bohème by Puccini.

Lorraine Bottomley, who directed this production, had a very clear vision. She wanted to tell this story, and it was obvious that every little detail had been carefully considered. The details mattered. For example, in Without You, it was very clear to the audience that Mimi was torn between her addiction and her feelings for Roger, and in the same song it was shown that Angel was very ill and that Collins would soon be without her. So much thought and so many details were included. I take my hat off to Lorraine — the detail made this an incredible show.

Sarah Putz’s choreography was very clever and used to continue telling the story, not just to exist as choreography. The Tango Maureen is a clear example of storytelling through movement. La Vie Bohème was very good, highlighting all the characters that needed attention while also adding great choreography on top of the dialogue. Contact, which can easily become over‑sexualised or over the top, was instead clever and stylised.

Keith Willis had clearly worked hard on the harmonies — it showed, and the cast sounded wonderful.

James Knudsen played the part of Mark Cohen, the filmmaker. His voice was incredible, and his interaction with the camera was very well done. There was no masking, and it made certain parts of the show more understandable, especially when filming Benny in particular songs.

Phil Crocker had exactly the right voice for Roger Davis. His rock vocal was exceptional, and One Song Glory was a standout moment. His relationship with Mimi Marquez (Jodie Garg) was believable, and their duets were well harmonised. Jodie gave Mimi the vulnerability needed for the role. Her song in the strip club was sung well, and the choreography was inventive and well thought out.

Tom Collins was played by Joseph Krajewski and Angel Dumott-Schunard by Sean Bailey. Together, their harmonies were great. The first version of I’ll Cover You was really good with wonderful blend. Joseph’s rendition of I’ll Cover You (Reprise) in Act 2 was beautiful and heartfelt. Sean’s performance as Angel was excellent in Act 2, though personally I did not connect with his characterisation as much in Act 1.

Joanne Jefferson (Charley Pattni) and Maureen Johnson (Sarah Putz) were a strong partnership, complementing each other well. Their duet in Act 2 was stunning, and both characterised their roles perfectly. Over the Moon was spectacular — it is a song that can sometimes feel confusing, but Sarah made it her own, and the energy of the number was outstanding. It was the best rendition of this song I have ever seen. Well done.

Adam Beckman played Benjamin Coffin III. He has great stage presence, which gave the character real gravitas.

Michael Lacey, Tash Newton, Tate Pollington, Ben Tossell, Debbie Wall, and Niki Wolstenholme played the various other roles within the show. All could have been leads in their own right. The idea of different props and costumes symbolising different characters meant it was easy for them to slip in and out of roles — a very clever idea.

The set was a masterpiece and showed just how Bentley House can be used. The use of levels was essential, and I loved the Christmas tree lights. The design meant there was always something to look at, and the whole cast could be spaced out well. The use of the blocks was a great inclusion — with a quick movement, the audience was taken from a support meeting to a strip club. So quick, so clever. Also, the use of the blocks in La Vie Bohème as a catwalk was brilliant.

Lynne Warrilow has worked on props for many shows, but the attention to detail here — and the accurate placement of props, especially since once the show started there was no stopping — was excellent.

I personally know the show well, so I found it easy to follow and could sing or mouth along to all the songs. However, some audience members who did not know the show may have struggled a little, as the sound was not always balanced and the microphones were sometimes quiet. It did not spoil it for me, but I can see how others might have struggled.

This was an outstanding show. The story was told perfectly for me, and the ending with the video was a very special moment. Thank you to the front‑of‑house staff for their hospitality.

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