Once on This Island Review at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Vocally, it is one of the most powerful musicals I have ever seen.
Address: The Regent's Park, Inner Cir, London NW1 4NU. Get directions.
Our verdict
There are few more glorious venues in London, if not the country, than Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. The rustling trees; birds soaring overhead; and that magic moment when, usually sometime just after the interval, daylight starts to fade, and the theatre comes alive with twinkling fairy lights.
The quality here continues to improve year after year, and the 2023 season is set to be another scorcher; a new take on Robin Hood gallops into town in June followed closely by a revival of the wonderful musical La Cage aux Folles at the end of July, and this year’s opener is Once on This Island - a story of star-crossed lovers, tropical storms, feuding gods, and more.
Mother Nature has an important part to play in this tropical 1990 musical, so the idyllic outdoor setting of Regent’s Park seems more apt than ever. Set against the heat of the Caribbean sun, the theatre’s lush green surrounds lend themselves perfectly to the plot. Combined with Georgia Lowe’s clever, minimal stage design, there is a sense of subtle yet instant immersion.
Kenrick ‘H20’ Sandy’s choreography is fantastic from the get-go; the opening number sees the company flood the stage, swaying and moving almost as one. These are locals selling their wares; bottles of rum, colourful balloons, Nike t-shirts, and more. We learn of the Gods they worship; “we dance to the air, we dance to the water, we dance to stay alive” and hear about the tourists - their ‘fine clothes’ and ‘polished Mercedes’ - and then, gunshots. ‘Leave the tourists alone!’, police violently shout. And so the scene is set, and a storm is already brewing….
The story follows that of Ti Moune (Gabrielle Brooks), a young girl rescued from a tree by an elderly couple who raise her as their own. Years pass, and one day, Ti Moune, now a young woman, finds young aristocrat Daniel (Stephenson Ardern-Sodje) seriously injured in a car crash. In a fantastically energetic scene, with throbbing drumming and ferocious dancing, Ti Moune deals with the devil to save his life. Love soon starts to blossom, but it is a union that prejudice forbids.
Watching on are the Gods, adorned in truly magnificent costumes and wigs. Ashley Samuels is brilliant as Agwe, God of the Sea - with a mighty voice, piercing blue eyes, and a large bicorne topped with a galleon ship. With a wonderfully sinister swagger, Lejaun Sheppard is super slick as Papa Ge - the God of Death. He is also dressed to impress, with a top hat and a glowing-eyed skull.
Having saved his life, Ti Moune (a peasant) and Daniel (a ‘grand homme’) - embark on a passionate affair, but it is quickly thwarted by Daniel’s snooty father (a menacing Jonathon Grant). There is a particularly heart-breaking scene in which Ti Moune is rejected and humiliated, and at that moment, she is given a chance to renege on her deal to save Daniel’s life or, instead, prove to the Gods that love is, in fact, more powerful than death. I won’t give anything away.
Vocally, it is one of the most powerful musicals I have ever seen. A few accents perhaps need a little more work, but the company, collectively and individually, sound truly, goosebump-inducingly sensational. Gabrielle Brooks (Ti Moune) is outstanding; with a perfectly pitched mix of earth-shuddering passion and palpable vulnerability, she sings and dances like a dream.
I also couldn’t get enough of Anelisa Lamola’s sassy, vape-smoking goddess of the earth, Asaka, with her fruit-and-flower adorned costume and Medusa-like hair. Lamola is a vocal powerhouse, and her deeply stirring, joyful number, ‘Mama will Provide’, is one that I won’t forget for a very long time.
Natasha Magigi and Chris Jarman also shine as Ti Moune’s parents - their farewell scene with their adoptive daughter is really quite touching. Within the superb ensemble, charismatic newcomer Cherece Richards was particularly captivating, and the young company - Nielle Springer and Lexi Kowlessar on the night that I saw the show - were also naturals.
At 90 minutes straight through, director Ola Ince’s production is pacy and vibrant. The simple story has a sense of Disney about it, but that’s not to say that it’s all plain sailing - far from it. Racism and racial trauma, colourism, death by suicide and sexual abuse all feature. Beneath the fabulous costumes, Caribbean breeze and incredibly catchy tunes, there is a much darker tale being told here, but it is also one filled with hope. Hope, and some truly unforgettable performances.
On now until 10 June, tickets from £25. Most suitable for those aged 10+.
