‘Carrie: The Musical’ review
‘a must-see performance that intertwined comedy with horror, showcasing the talent of the entire cast and crew.’
Hild Bede Theatre company brought alive Stephen King’s Carrie, an infamous horror novel in an electric adaptation of Carrie: The Musical that captivated the entire audience. The shy and awkward Carrie White, relentlessly taunted by her classmates, discovers her telekinetic powers when strange things start happening. Governed by her strict mother and bullied by her classmates, the events of senior prom take a dark turn. Co-Directors Lauren Williams and Amanda Cross-Court did an excellent job of bringing the musical to life in a must-see performance that intertwined comedy with horror, showcasing the talent of the entire cast and crew.
Aaryn McDonald-Brown was able to portray an isolated teen Carrie White with exceptional talent, her body language coupled with powerful vocals providing the audience with an unforgettable leading character. The combination of Molly Winchurst’s depiction of Carrie’s mother and Carrie herself created a sensational mother-daughter duo that left the audience both haunted and impressed. Georgia Hitchcock’s Sue Snell was portrayed beautifully, her facial expressions and emotion, conveyed in her transcendent vocals, made for a rich performance that put the audience under a spell. Elena Pesciarelli’s depiction of Chris Hargensen was the perfect “mean girl” down to every detail. Her casually powerful body language - twirling her hair and rolling her eyes - encapsulated the essence of her character with clear talent.
Ollie Painter’s Tommy Ross was natural and comedic, his ability to pull laughs out of the audience was impressive, and his delivery of the poem was entrancing, both his vocals and the way he carried himself made for a stellar performance. Jake O’Donnell easily commanded the stage with his depiction of Billy Nolan, combining comedy with strong vocals that allowed his character to exude confidence and play into the comedic aspect of the performance. Nancy Bescanon and Ben Mitchell as Miss Gardner and Mr Stevens/Reverend Bliss respectively gave incredible performances. The interaction between Bescanon’s Gardner and McDonald-Brown’s Carrie was sensational, captivating the audience in their number ‘Unsuspecting Hearts’. Mitchell was equally powerful in his rendition of ‘Open Your Heart’, and his presence throughout the show was compelling.
The ensemble did an outstanding job being the backbone of the musical, with impressive performances from Anna Pile, Angus Holker, Maisie Donohue, Caitlyn Leung, Jamie Duncan, James Butler, and Sofia Morrows playing Norma, Stokes, Frieda, Helen, George, Freddy, and Janet respectively. The ensemble was able to immediately grab the attention of the audience with ‘In’, giving the musical a strong start, which only continued throughout.
The crisp, clean choreography, thanks to Choreographer Amelie Symmons and Assistant Choreographer Alex Bonsall elevated the performance significantly, and along with the lighting, which created an atmosphere that was both haunting and horrifying. The music truly heightened the performance, thanks to the Co-Musical Directors Ilan Miller and Katie Madsen, and the live band did a commendable job, immersing the audience in the performance. Despite some brief technical issues in the performance, the cast was able to maintain a smooth performance, a true testament to their talent. Recognition should go to the Production Manager Aoife Bowles, Producer Lottie Roddis, and the whole production team who worked to take artistic vision and execute it in an unforgettable performance.
By Amy Manning.