Interval productions featuring the music of Tim Prottey-JonesThe Courtyard Theatre - 2nd February 2012
The relevance of musicals in contemporary theatre is a hotly debated subject – can bursting into song ever equate to genuine emotional or deal with controversial issues? If ‘After the Turn’, a new pop rock musical is anything to go by then without a doubt! Wrought with post-adolescent angst, ‘After the Turn’ abandons sequins and jazz hands in favour of raw emotion, proving musical theatre is still a force to reckon with.
Set predominantly in the protagonist Michael’s bedroom; former lead singer of the band ‘Lost Boy’ who has completely lost his ability to speak after the tragic loss of his mother. This modern musical takes the audience away from the showbiz, glitz and glam of a grand auditorium and confronts them in a small, intimate performance space; the charming Courtyard Theatre. The story that ensues is not one set in a land far far away, but instead a modern day love story, filled with complications, where broken homes and bad decisions underpin the action and define the score.
‘After the Turn’ has all the makings of a good musical with the added punch of feeling culturally relevant. Issues of love, loss, grief and greed are subtly explored through the punchy music. Tim Prottey-Jones has certainly captured the sound of a generation; the ballads are gut wrenching and force the performers to dig deep vocally and emotionally and dig deep they do! This young ensemble truly are a special bunch, their unique voices blend together seamlessly creating an acoustic that is as layered and complex as the story itself. The soulful voice of Lauren is the perfect contrast to the psychotic intensity of Wolf and the child-like honesty of Michael. It is the relationship between these characters that is really compelling. This may be the first time you have seen these performers but this will certainly not be the last!
‘After the Turn’ is not without fault, at times, the music becomes a little self-indulgent and the subtle relationships are undermined by trying just that little bit too hard with the story - but this does not detract from the overall appeal and success of this performance. This is a musical for the noughties; it is entertaining, engaging but above all honest with a bitter sweet ending and well worth a trip down Hoxton way!
