BANNED the Musical has the ingredients to do something new and fresh but is let down by a messy plot.
The story of BANNED the Musical seemingly centres around a gender discussion group, bringing together a diverse mix of genders and ages. It could have been a fascinating look into how different people approach the conversation around gender expression and identity, but the lack of a clear plot and character motivations makes it hard to get into the story at all.
Many of the characters feel interchangeable or needless, and BANNED the Musical could have benefitted from condensing two or three together. From the opening, it’s hard to tell why the characters have been brought together. Confusing characterisation leaves you rooting for no one; while some characters appear to be intended to be empathetic, wondering why and what they’re doing makes it hard to connect.
The lack of a clear driving plot means many of the figures come across as 2D, with the audience left unsure of why they’ve been included in the first place. This is where a tighter cast would have benefitted, giving more room (both physically and narratively) to the more central, crucial figures.
The focus is arguably put on the wrong characters, with some of the more compelling characters left off-stage for much of the musical. While BANNED the Musical is well-staged and the enthusiasm of the cast draws you in, there’s not enough tangible meaning to hold that attention.
Nonetheless, the songs are entertaining, just not groundbreaking. The performers all throw themselves into their characters and make for an engaging performance at a surface level. The final scenes also include some heartwarming emotional lines, but without a clear plot to act as a foundation, they fall flat and don’t have the impact that they could have done.
BANNED the Musical has a lot of potential and enthusiasm but is ultimately let down by confused writing that leaves the audience wanting clarity.
