Plymouth Theatre Review

Easy to Follow: 3

Family Friendly: 3

Must see: 4

Title: ‘The Witches Of Eastwick’

Venue: Devonport Playhouse

Date: 07/06/2025

Sounds Musical Theatre Company’s latest production, The Witches of Eastwick, delivered a vibrant and confident performance at the Devonport Playhouse. Directed and choreographed by Laura Pearce, this staging showcased an impressive level of talent and technical proficiency rarely seen in amateur theatre. 

Based on John Updike’s novel and the subsequent film adaptation, the musical follows three women in the small town of Eastwick who, disillusioned with their mundane lives, find themselves enchanted by the mysterious and charismatic Darryl Van Horne who seduces the whole town except for local leader Felicia Gabriel, but in particular three local women – Alexandra Spofford, Jane Smart and Sukie Rougemount. These latter three become his acolytes until they recognise his duplicitous nature, turn against him and, via a voodoo doll, engineer his downfall (although he has left some traces of his visit behind).

Leading the cast, Mark Reid gave a dynamic and charismatic performance as Darryl Van Horne, commanding the stage with ease. Emily Simpson delivered a strong turn as Felicia Gabriel, offering sharp comedic timing and a commanding presence. Charlie Pascoe(Alexandra Spofford), Nicola Holdship (Jane Smart), and Emily Lambert (Sukie Rougemont) formed a compelling group of lead performers. Their vocal performances were particularly notable, with well-balanced harmonies and characterful interpretation. All five brought real personality to their characters, sang brilliantly (the harmonies were terrific!) and led this excellent company in a hilarious, sometimes close to the edge, production of this musical – you won’t find much better on the amateur stage! The supporting cast also contributed significantly to the show’s energy, with Beth Donovan and Danny Annear standing out in their supporting roles. The ensemble’s commitment was evident, and the choreography was executed with enthusiasm and clarity. Some scenes did feel slightly overcrowded, which occasionally distracted from the central action, but the energy and spirit of the performers remained high throughout. The dancers were excellent in bringing additional energy to this production. Of course, a great deal of credit must go here to director/choreographer Laura Pearce here for guiding the ensemble to execute the choreography and direction with enthusiasm and finesse.  l easily suspended my disbelief in the flying scene at the end of Act One, proof, if any were needed, that amateur theatre can easily accept the challenges presented by tricky, big-budget professional productions. 

Technically, the production excelled. Transitions between scenes were slick and efficient. Lighting design and special effects added visual interest and the lighting design in general was to die for!

Musically, the performance was well-supported by a capable band under the direction of Phillip Simpson. The percussion section stood out for its precision, and the choral work from the ensemble was consistently strong. While the musical score itself lacks particularly memorable songs, the company’s execution elevated the material and it was easy to pinpoint among this proficient cast several performers who could have taken on lead roles. There was however a definite lack of male roles in the ensemble – come on Plymstock men – where are you? That being said, some scenes did feel slightly overcrowded, which occasionally distracted from the central action, but the energy and spirit of the performers remained high throughout which easily made up for this. I’m well aware that societies want to honour their loyal membership by choosing large-scale productions with big casts but when this is done at the cost of artistic credibility it does the reputation of the company no favours and it can be a fine line to tred! The costume design was also particularly impressive with the many costume changes executed professionally. 

While not a fan of this script itself, this was a lively, well-directed production that played to the strengths of its cast and creative team. Though the musical itself may not offer the most enduring material, Sounds Musical Theatre Company brought it to life with confidence, humour, and polish and although this was my first Sounds Musical- it certainly wont be my last!

Reviewed by Richard Haighton

*Gifted – This theatre review was written following a gifted ticket to the performance. However, all opinions and views expressed in this review are entirely that of the reviewer and the review has not been influenced in any way by the provision of the ticket. Our commitment remains to provide an honest and unbiased assessment of the experience.