Review: Sylvia: A Musical Revolution (Curve Leicester / UK Tour)

Review by Daz Gale

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The journey the musical Sylvia has had on stage has been far from typical. Rather than multiple runs in quick succession, there has been a gap each time, with its initial 2018 work-in-progress run at the Old Vic followed five years later by a return to the London venue (though a pandemic can account for part of that delay). We haven’t had to wait quite as long this time around as the musical returns for a limited tour including a particularly fitting stop at an iconic London venue (more on that shortly). The show has been completely evolving, with this run no exception, including new and tweaked moments from its previous iteration. The one constant is the presence of the incredible Beverley Knight, reprising the role that won her her first Olivier Award. Having been a fan of the show in both of its previous outings, would this latest version get stronger with age and get my vote? I marched to Leicester as it kicked off its tour to find out.

Sylvia is named after Sylvia Pankhurst, the rebellious middle child of the famed suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst who fiercely and tirelessly campaigned for votes for all women in the early 20th Century, even going against her mother in the process. Torn between loyalty, love and revolution, Sylvia tells her previously untold story as she becomes passionate about votes for working-class women, refusing to have their rights ignored when other women are finally given the vote.

Written by Kate Prince and Priya Parmar, Sylvia packs in no shortage of serious themes, questioning how one person’s own beliefs can often go against that of their families, and the divisions and hardships that can cause. It is a universal story that is brilliantly portrayed within the suffragette movement, adding an extra layer of depth to the story. Though the story takes place in the early 20th century, women’s rights have again been at the forefront of conversation with some aiming to move backwards and take those rights away. The return of Sylvia feels timely in that respect, serving as an urgent reminder of the importance of making some noise, and how Sylvia refused to compromise her integrity and beliefs, even when it felt as if she was screaming into the void.

Comparisons to Hamilton are inevitable due to mirrors in its storytelling and musical styles. There are times when the similarities can be a bit too close, and Sylvia can be at risk of losing its own identity - however, as the show has continued to develop, it has been able to break away from this and stand on its own two feet. Having attended each iteration of the musical, it has been a joy to watch it continue to develop, growing stronger each time. It serves as the power of taking your time to nurture and continually evolve your show rather than open it cold before it is even ready. It would have been easy to lock the show in following its last London run, especially after so much acclaim and even awards for it. The fact that more work has continued to be done is both admirable and refreshing, with new songs, dialogue and moments added in this time around. The result is undoubtedly the strongest and most cohesive version of the musical yet. That said, it isn’t perfect, but I would argue its imperfections make it more raw and real, adding to its charm. If I am to be overly critical, the first act felt slightly stronger than the second which struggled in places, particularly in a sudden ending that felt as if a scene was missing and doing a disservice to the gravitas of the pivotal moment that had just occurred.

The music from Josh Cohen and DJ Walde with lyrics from Kate Prince feels fresh and urgent, giving an energetic and uncompromising sound to the show that it is impossible to ignore. With influences from funk, soul, R&B and hip-hop, the soundtrack proves continually exciting and unexpected. From the unexpected style Winston Churchill’s mother is introduced in the brilliant and memorable ‘Women Are Stronger In The Home’ to the soulful ‘Sylvia, Silvio’ resembling a particularly saucy Usher ballad, the show wears its influences on its sleeve and uses them to great effect, with references to many a hip-hop classic peppered around the show for good measure. Sylvia also boasts some absolute bangers of its own, with ‘March Women March’ feeling iconic in its own right, elevated by Beverley Knight’s rousing lead performance on that number. Similarly, ‘Suffrajitsu’ opens the second Act on a high note, with ‘Be The Change’ and ‘Make Some Noise' other standouts.

These numbers are staged exquisitely thanks to both the direction and choreography from Kate Prince, whose vision can be felt through every element of the production, leading to some excellent realisations. Beautifully and wonderfully staged, Ben Stones’ stark set design is transformed through a fantastic use of video from Andrzej Goulding, with a border giving the impression you are watching a snapshot from history on a screen while simultaneously experiencing it in person. Stunning lighting from Natasha Chivers and Hector Murray and crystal clear sound from Tony Gayle ensure the show consistently looks and sounds as striking as the material deserves, with Prince tying everything together through her own inspired choices.

New to this production is Naomi Katiyo in the title role of Sylvia Pankhurst, delivering a confident and charismatic performance. There is a constant charm to her that allows her to more than hold her own against her co-stars who have been with the production through previous iterations, always wowing with her acting and vocal abilities. Ellena Vincent has some strong moments as another of the Pankhurst sisters, Christabel, with Kirstie Skivington similarly strong as the remaining sister, Adela. There is a sweet though underused turn from Uzuazo O’David as Harry Pankhurst, with Solomon Davy taking on dual roles of Richard Pankhurst and more substantially, a strong turn as Prime Minister Asquith.

One of the great things about Sylvia is in how consistently strong the cast is with not a weak link in sight. With so many named roles, the majority get a turn in the spotlight, each more than impressing when they do. Cleve September thrills as both Lloyd George and Lord Curzon, particularly when the former goes toe to toe with Winston Churchill, wonderfully played by Castell Parker, doubling as George Lansbury. Kenedy Small may only have a couple of minor appearances as Jennie Churchill, but to say she brings the house down would be an understatement. In the most scene-stealing performance of the show, she is an absolute wonder to behold. Collette Guitart is another standout in a strong cast as Clementine Churchill, while Ivano Turco makes up for a late appearance as Silvio Corio with silky smooth vocals on one of the musical highlights (and, in complete honesty, a song I had never been much of a fan of prior to this run). A special mention must also go to Kelly Agbowu for a solid performance as ‘The General’, Flora Drummond, with an early musical highlight.

However, it is unsurprisingly the one and only Beverley Knight who truly makes some noise and brings the house down as Emmeline Pankhurst. Anyone unsure why she won the Olivier for this role need only watch her on stage for one minute in Sylvia to realise what a force of nature she is in this role. Utilising all of her many God-given talents, the magnitude of Knight’s magnificence astounds through those unmistakable vocals of hers, elevated by a confidence in her acting that has gone from strength to strength in every role she takes. The fact she has done different roles in between each iteration of Sylvia means she always comes back better than ever before, and her performance here may well be a career-best for her. When Knight is on stage singing, it feels as if the stars have aligned, and her performance of ‘March Women March’ may well be the best thing you see on stage this year.

This tour of Sylvia heads around the UK over the next month before culminating with five very special performances at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall. That venue holds a lot of historical significance in the story, being a major centre of the suffrage movement, hosting events featuring the Pankhursts. I can only imagine the sense of poignancy that will be felt when this electric story plays out on that stage in what will feel like a homecoming and a perfect opportunity to reflect on history and how far we have come while acknowledging there is still some way to go.

It was an absolute joy to see Sylvia on stage again, and the changes for this production certainly worked, for the most part. As previously mentioned, the story is not without its imperfections and I definitely feel the conclusion needs a little more refining. However, it is a testament to the strength of all of the creative choices as well as the incredible cast that the production is as good as it is. To call it the British Hamilton would be a very fair comparison, but not just for the obvious musical similarities. This too is a story reflecting on history with a powerful message that still resonates today. Sylvia has the ability to educate and change attitudes in a world where misogyny still runs rife, with its message making this production feel even more urgent and timely. If you want to see a musical like you have never seen before and get the chance to witness Beverley Knight at her mind-blowing best, march to your nearest theatre and get a ticket for this riveting show, and be prepared to make some noise when you find yourself blown away by it.

Sylvia tours until 15th November. Tickets from https://sylviamusicaluk.com/

Photos by Tristram Kenton