‘To All The Roles I’ve Never Played’ review

‘a splendid showcase that left the audience smiling, impressed, and thoroughly entertained.’

This year’s innovative showcase from HBT, To All The Roles I’ve Never Played - directed by Connie Richardson and Jude Battersby, and production managed by Aoife Bowles - was truly sensational.

The vision of the Co-Directors was made clear from the start with a voiceover: to show the dream roles the fourteen performers have had throughout their lives, challenge traditional casting boundaries, and push the performers themselves outside their comfort zones. This vision was achieved through a set list split into “Childhood”, “Teens”, and “Adulthood”, a split demonstrated to the audience both by the beautifully designed programmes and the changing flown scenery.

The show opened with the whole cast performing ‘When I Grow Up’ (Matilda). This was a lovely introduction to the “Childhood” section, with the cast displaying childlike whimsy alongside perfect harmonies and delightful choreography with books. This whimsy was carried across into the second number, in which Mathilda Ketterer delivered a perfectly characterised and gorgeously sung rendition of ‘My New Philosophy’ (You’re A Good ManCharlie Brown) alongside Joe Butler-Smith.

Later in this section was Michael Nevin’s and Jobe Hart’s take on ‘Expressing Yourself’ (Billy Elliot), in which they delivered truly impressive tap choreography, physical comedy, and strong vocals, and Celine Delahaye’s portrayal of Fagin in ‘You’ve Got To Pick A Pocket Or Two’ (Oliver), giving a masterclass in both vocal and physical character work, alongside her excellent vocals. 

The “Teens” section also featured outstanding performances, including ‘Killer Instinct’ (Bring It On), superbly led by Maiwa Banda with incredible vocals, riffs, and comedic timing; ‘No Good Deed’ (Wicked), performed by Tom Carroll with great characterisation, dynamic progression, and control over intricate melodies; and ‘So Much Better’ (Legally Blonde), led by Midun Odunaiya, who transformed into Elle Woods with brilliant acting and strong vocals to match.

However, it was the final section, “Adulthood”, that truly marked this showcase as phenomenal. It opened with Eve Pearce’s outstanding rendition of ‘Anything Goes’ (Anything Goes), in which her contemporary tone redefined the Golden-Age anthem. Following this, ‘The Ladies Who Lunch’ (Company), performed by Pearce and Clara Suss-Francksen, exemplified the excellent work of Co-Musical Directors Ollie Painter and Ilan Miller in their changing of the song from solo to duet, a choice that carried across the song’s themes far better than if it were a solo. This was furthered by Pearce’s and Suss-Francksen’s stellar performances, as they combined flawless vocals with comedic subtlety and strong characterisation.

A clear standout number of the showcase was Max Hildred’s performance of ‘Dear Bill’ (Operation Mincemeat). The audience was transfixed on Hildred for the entire song as he beautifully conveyed the character’s shift from concealment to outward despair and longing. Through perfect control of his falsetto, intentionality in his characterisation, and sublime acting through song, Hildred truly captivated the audience - earning a lasting applause.

A consistent strength of the showcase was the choreography of Alexandra Bonsall, Amelie Symmons, and Sarah Johnston. Almost every number had elements of choreography, ranging from small moments to large tap sections. However, no matter the scale, the choreography was executed well by the cast, and both interesting and impressive. No song showed this better than ‘Cell Block Tango’ (Chicago), where the cast handled the technical choreography splendidly. A standout in this number was Beth Dench, who fully embodied her character and captured the eyes of the audience, even outside of her featured part. Another standout was Michael Nevin, who excelled in both the comedy of his featured part, but also in the intensity and detail of the choreography, something carried through to all his parts in the showcase; Nevin is a true triple threat.

The lighting (designed by Elizabeth Wooldridge Smith and Erin Bullen, operated by Felix Napier, and supervised by Leyla Aysan) was also a strength, with the variety of numbers in the showcase being well matched with variety in the lighting choices. A particularly strong example was ‘Rose’s Turn’ (Gypsy), in which an actual rose was shone onto the curtains, through which Joe Butler-Smith entered and gave a phenomenal performance of this iconic song, matching convincing acting with impressive vocals.

The sound (operated by Cassia Thurston, Eva Ryan, Jamie Tabor, and Katie Madsen, and supervised by Carlos Davies) was always on point, with the mixing of different voice types and harmonies remaining consistently strong throughout. An example is ‘Thrill of First Love’ (Falsettos), where the gorgeous alto and mezzo-soprano voices of Elena Pesciarelli and Sofia Marrows blended perfectly. The performance itself was also strong, capturing the duality of the characters’ relationship very well. Marrows also shone in the finale, a wonderful arrangement, mixing ‘Children Will Listen’ (Into The Woods) with the opening number; this was a lovely full circle moment that ended the showcase beautifully.

Overall, the show balanced comedy with seriousness and emotion with fun, always backed by sheer talent, truly creating a splendid showcase that left the audience smiling, impressed, and thoroughly entertained.

By Louis Williams.