‘The Witches of Eastwick’ review
‘bolstered by an ensemble who seriously know how to make you laugh, [the show] provided an excellent time for any audience member’
From the generous amount of content warnings on the front of the programme, to the opening voice-over detailing that absolutely nothing in the production is to be filmed or photographed, it was immediately clear that The Witches of Eastwick sought to present a unique challenge for any company seeking to stage this admittedly courageous and not-particularly-safe-for-work show. And yet, Oswald’s Players have put on a production that tactfully demonstrates a very funny but intelligent narrative around superficial lust, toxic masculinity, and being very careful what you wish for.
In the vaguely Mormon-corridor ‘little town’ of Eastwick, Alexandra (Maisie James), Sukie (Lulu Dodds), and Jane (Ailis McConachie-Smith) juxtapose their optimistic romantic desires against a versatile ensemble comprising the locals of the eponymous rural conservative community. The initial sense of nerves amongst the three leads were fettered by the time they arrived at their rousing “I Want” number ‘Make Him Mine’, where the trio displayed truly wonderful chemistry. By the time the devilish Daryl Von Horne (Sam Garratt) arrives, having been conjured unwittingly by the aforementioned song, the audience was fully captivated in the dynamic of the inspired direction (by River Blatch, assisted by Josh Brooks), and each of the ladies had a chance for their own characters to shine in how they individually responded to Van Horne’s cunning advances.
Garratt played into Van Horne’s antagonism with an unrelenting dry wit, delivering laughter from the audience without fail. His ability to adapt to the demands of the libretto were excellent, with several hilarious ad-libs – especially alongside his muted servant Fidel (Sia Riley) – and even playing off a minor lyrical mental-blank near the end of the second act with style completely true to his character. The ‘witches’ were also portrayed exceptionally; James’ overarching pragmatism worked perfectly with McConachie-Smith’s dilemmic flirtatiousness and Dodds’ creative naïvety, and the three also effortlessly pulled off stylish and complex a capella harmonies throughout. Scenes with intimacy (coordinated by Ruby Briggs and Laura Turnbull) were also performed with professionalism and flair.
As the town’s no-nonsense matriarch, Maisie Donohue as Felicia stellarly led the Eastwick locals with hysterical prudish satire. She used even minor exchanges as a vehicle for comedy both in line delivery and facial expression, getting the absolute most out of her character, culminating in an epic showdown against her neglective husband Clyde (Beau Singleton) with the terrifying tirade ‘Evil’. These two, alongside their daughter Jennifer (Becky Hale), anchor the show in an emotional grounding which is just as entertaining as it is a reliable secondary balance to the antics of the witches and Daryl. Other standouts, such as Alex McNeice as the priest and Irini Sozomenou as the little girl, provide further substance to a small but talented ensemble.
The fun choreography (directed by Tasha Holding) was also used adeptly in these scenes to illustrate the growing power Van Horne held over the leads. The ensemble numbers were also strong in this regard – notably in the outrageous ‘Dance with the Devil’, where riotous changes of costume (designed by Ruby Briggs) accentuated an impressive vocal performance by Michael (Arthur Hamilton). The musical performance of both the ensemble and the band (directed by Fred Walmsley and Patrick Owen respectively, assisted by Michael Bell) consistently commandeered a particularly demanding score, displaying the extent of its emotional depth and range, while the nine-piece band only very occasionally faltered in instrumental sections, which sometimes resulted in a few unfortunate movement-based hiccups on stage.
On the technical side (managed by Tom Rickman), lighting and sound (operated by Dan Haines and Jack Radcliffe) were well-managed across the board, making the most of the Hub’s capabilities – as was the small stage management team (led by Elena Bromidge), although it would have been nice to see some of the more bottlenecked scene changes assisted with by members of the cast. Undoubtedly however, the production management (led by Oliver Storey, assisted by Clem Charles) only served to illuminate the setting of Eastwick, especially through clever tricks with set (designed by Abbie Wells) – though the choice of the 2D moon being flown in on a fishing rod may have verged too far towards the comical than the practical.
Overall, The Witches of Eastwick was a highly entertaining production. While certainly polished in some areas more than others, it nevertheless commanded a knack for both the absurd premise and empathy towards the characters therein – and, bolstered by an ensemble who seriously know how to make you laugh, provided an excellent time for any audience member.
By Jake Holding.
The Witches of Eastwick is showing at the Mount Oswald Hub on Sunday 14th June at 7pm.