Plymouth Theatre Review

Easy to Follow: 5

Family Friendly: 5

Must see: 5

Title: ‘The Artist’

Venue: Theatre Royal Plymouth

Date: 20th May 2024

Theatre Royal Plymouth’s production of ‘The Artist’ is an exceptional celebration of pure artistry,  showcasing contemporary theatrical brilliance with an enchanting visual narrative that captivates and delights with a seamless blend of visual craftsmanship, compelling storytelling and expressive dance routines.

The cast delivered exceptional performances, navigating a vast array of dance styles with ease, grace and emotional depth that was both captivating and exhilarating. Briana Craig stunned with her portraying of Peppy Miller, delivering an outstanding and delightfully fresh character, bringing a new depth to the role. The amazing Robbie Fairchild as George Valentin, did not disappoint. His sensational performance captured the essence of his characters struggles with skill and precision while maintaining a gripping tension that held the audience’s attention throughout. Craig and Fairchild’s romantic chemistry on stage was somewhat understated compared to the film, with the romance between the two being portrayed with subtlety, possibly to make way for the character of Peppy to be more than just her love interest, transforming her into an outspoken and bolder character that speaks out against sexism in the tantalising transition to the talkies. Thomas Walton as Uggie was equally impressive, bringing the puppet of Uggie (created by Maia Kirkman-Richards) to life with charm and charisma, making this puppet as much a main character in the show as the human characters and endearing this loveable little dog into the hearts of the audience. 

The story was delivered in an exciting and thoughtful way brining a fresh and contemporary feel to the show with visually stunning images and outstanding dance routines that simply dazzled. While the romance between George and Peppy is understated, they do share a dynamic and touching duet where the chemistry and emotional connection between the two shines brightly. The coat and hat stand still serves as a poignant tableau, in a direct nod to the film, but with the added twist of intricate and visually stunning shadow play that added nuance to the scene. 

The shadow play used throughout is inventive and visually pleasing. The intricate interplay of light and shadow created mesmerising silhouettes that enriched the narrative journey and enhanced the visual appeal of this show. The use of shadow was meticulously choreographed transporting movement into profound visual poetry and creating a visual treat in a sea of black and white. It really was easy to lose oneself in the action, making it easy to believe that you are watching a film play out on the stage.

The set design was inventive and fresh, with set pieces that really immersed the audience into the action and transformed the stage into a living, breathing canvas of cinema. Each scene was meticulously crafted and intricately displayed to convey the silent movie style. With the Art Deco proscenium arch and superbly integrated video throughout, the audience were drawn into the wordless introduction to the show with the use of silent movie style subtitles and distinct, overstated physical gesture. This drew the audience into the heart of the story with striking ease, making it astoundingly easy to follow despite the initial lack of narrative.

The direction and choreography (by Drew Mconie) was breathtaking from start to finish, weaving contemporary dance with traditional era styles to stunning effect. Each move was executed by this fabulously talented cast with a precision and grace that allowed the story to flow from the movement with breathtaking ease and conveyed deep emotion without a single word being spoken. The dancers fluidity and synchronisation was mesmerising and demonstrated the sheer brilliance and skill of the cast and creative team. The utter skill in delivery made the first spoken word in the show a true ‘Dorothy in technicolour’ moment, dramatically shifting the atmosphere from silent intensity to vibrant expressiveness. This pivotal moment brought a burst of metaphorical colour to the stage, in a stark juxtaposition between the play on light and dark, shadow and light, and black and the white used thus far. It really was akin to Dorothy stepping into Oz – startling, exhilarating and instantly drawing the audience further into the story. The power and clarity of that first spoken word resonated profoundly, marking a significant turning point in the story, the character of Peppy and the pace of the overall piece, which swiftly shifted from dance, to theatre to musical,  in an unprecedented show of skill that highlighted and celebrated the tumultuous metamorphosis from the silent movies into the talkies.

‘The Artist’ At Theatre Royal Plymouth transcends traditional storytelling to offer a deeply rich experience. Each element of this production is executed in harmony to create a compelling, and unforgettable experience. ‘The Artist’ not only showcases the incredible talent of the cast and crew but also reaffirms the transformative power of dance as a vessel of storytelling, with its visually stunning and breathtaking choreography, the power of the spoken word and brilliantly innovative storytelling. For us, this production is a must-see and left us inspired and profoundly moved. It is a journey to the heart of artistic expression, making it an unmissable highlight of the Theatre Royal Plymouth’s season and giving hope for a longer run for this fantastic visual feast!