Have you booked yet for all-girl gang musical Oranges & Elephants?This headline production in Hoxton Hall’s Female Parts season, with its all-female creative team and company of actor-musicians, is now on until 10 February 2018. We’ve rounded up some of our favourite review quotes – below…
Oranges & Elephants centres on two rival female gangs in a pickpocket turf war in Victorian London and uses a blend of music hall, fairground and musical theatre to tell their spellbinding story.
When Mary arrives in London, she is quickly introduced to gang life. How will she make her life expectancy of twenty-five when the two gangs are after owning her? Mary wants to be a Music Hall star. Nellie of The Elephants falls in love with Mary, and they try to escape from thievery to the bright lights of Piccadilly.
Sinead Long plays Mary with Christina Tedders as Nellie in an all-female cast of actor-musicians that also features Kate Adams (Flo), Rebecca Bainbridge (Ada), Susannah van den Berg (Chair), Rosalind Ford (Nora), Liz Kitchen (Annie), Natasha Lewis (Violet), Kate Marlais (Maggie) and Sarah J Warren (Minnie).
Oranges & Elephantshas book and lyrics by Lil Warren. The premiere production is directed by former Hackney Empire creative director Susie McKenna, with musical direction by movement by Abigail Rosser, design by Sara Perks, sound by Yvonne Gilbert, lighting by Johanna Town and costumes by Sarah Mercade.
Watch the cast in rehearsals plus interviews with writer Lil Warren, director Susie McKenna and Hoxton Hall artistic director Karena Johnson.
Review highlights
West End Wilma – ★★★★★
Barry Ryan: “Enticing vices and visceral violence, this is a show that really has something for you all … with songs – and a sing-a-long to boot… Oranges & Elephants is no casual reverie; this is social history writ large, unmediated and untamed. Its perfect theatre, both savagery and delight in two equal portions across two brilliant acts. Miss this and miss out.”
Helena Howard: “‘The entire cast works incredibly hard and all the performers are impressive musicians, so it seems unfair to pick out a few, but Christine Tedders has an amazing voice and is very watchable.”
Claire Roderick: “‘Oranges & Elephants is a wonderfully staged and highly entertaining show – the perfect piece of filthy fun for a cold winter’s night.”
Jake Hook: “The cast’s observation of masculinity and, well, frail masculinity at that, is superb… At last a new musical that isn’t a jukebox musical. All new music and perfectly suited to the piece… Some of the best costumery (Sara Perks) we’ve seen in a long time and while we’re at it, a special mention to the set design. Simple but incredibly effective.”
James Barnes: “Susie McKenna delivers an immersive world, seemingly opulent to the senses, brilliant from the very start… This is a show that knows what it is and doesn’t let you down. An all-female affair that is quite honestly the most original and interesting that I’ve seen in London.”
MyTheatreMates publishes a selection of daily press releases sent to us by publicists of the relevant show or theatre. We are not responsible for any inaccuracies contained within these materials.
MyTheatreMates publishes a selection of daily press releases sent to us by publicists of the relevant show or theatre. We are not responsible for any inaccuracies contained within these materials.