A Giant on the Bridge (Assembly Roxy, Central) is a fusion of music and storytelling and combines strands of ‘based on real experience’ stories about returning to the real world after a year in prison. The experience is viewed through various different pairs of eyes and whilst there is a lot of hope in there, this is not sugar-coated.
Initially, it feels like we’ve come to a gig – the stage is set up with mics and instruments – but then we see the interesting, somewhat ‘woodlandy’ props and realise that there is a fairy tale of sorts about to emerge.
There is very clever weaving of experiences of music classes in the prison, with the story of the prisoner himself, inclusion of other professionals involved in his tale and, not least, the tangled love story including his daughter and sister, waiting for his release. Each one has a story to tell and the further along we get the more complex the story becomes – each strand is separate yet wholly entwined. It works.
The giant in A Giant on the Bridge carries us through the story and yet it’s easy to forget about her during the narrative of the ‘real’ people, but her story is the metaphor for the whole story. The bridge may be a solid object, but it’s also a musical term: the play on words through the show is clear. Words and the voices required to say them out loud are central to this show.
The musicianship is clear and the fusion of styles sits well with the narrative. I loved the rap and spoken word poetry sections particularly. This story could break your heart. It takes the audience to places where, thankfully, most of us have never been and shows the effects that our justice system has on so many people. When one person is sent to prison, they are not the only one to suffer and we are given hard issues to consider.
The show is recommended for age 14+ and that seems well considered. The themes are adult, but there is a child stuck in the middle, having to deal with the world that the adults have created around her.
But A Giant on the Bridge is not bleak. There is some resolution and a whole lot of hope. This show has heart.
