This isn’t a sponsored post.
BrumHour saw Cruel Intentions The Musical at the invite of Birmingham Hippodrome.
For Brum Radio’s Interval Theatre, actor Joe Simmons talks about being at Birmingham Hippodrome as part of the UK Tour of Cruel Intentions The Musical. Listen here:
By Dave Massey x.com/BrumHour
Cruel Intentions The Musical at Birmingham Hippodrome: Review
“A deliciously dark musical”
Directed by Jonathan O’Boyle based upon Roger Kumble’s film
Kathryn and Sebastian’s dangerous games engulf everyone around them, in this 90s musical based on the film of the same name, which itself is based on Les Liaisons dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons)
The contemporary late 90s music is shamelessly woven into the script, playfully and darkly but very heavily shoehorned. But this production doesn’t care about this. It leans into it. I could only spot Bitter Sweet Symphony transferring from the film soundtrack but other tracks from the film played before the curtain rose.
The static clean double level set make this production look slick and tidy compared to the reality of the mess of the late 1990s. Pre-smartphones and pre-social media leaves these characters writing letters and placing actual telephone calls to be mean to each other.
This play is filled with strong youthful looking talent and Nic Myers delivers a deliciously dark Kathryn, Will Callan is Sebastian suitably wide-eyed and innocent whilst thinking he’s able to keep up with Kathryn’s game. Lucy Carter steals the show as Cecile, chaotic, excitable and experiencing the world for the first time.
Music wise there are a lot of tracks making up the story. Is overstuffed? Yes. Does it care? No.. Like the 90s itself, it sticks two fingers up at anyone who doesn’t care about it. Does that make it authentic to the 90s? Yes it does..
This is a two-hour musical, (Plus interval) which zips by swiftly. The audience loved this show, from the music to the characters to the sassy attitude. But like other films where the words “The Musical” make me suspicious this did exactly the same. It is good, not bad, not great. And some people will love it.
Cruel Intentions The Musical is at Birmingham Hippodrome until 7th June. Book tickets here: birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/cruel-intentions.
