Southwark Playhouse Elephant welcomes the European premiere of Ride the Cyclone, a cult musical that has already carved out a devoted following across North America. Written by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, this darkly comic piece first appeared in a Canadian church basement in 2008 before making its way Off-Broadway in 2016. Now, under the assured direction and choreography of Lizzi Gee, London audiences finally get to buckle up for this eccentric, genre-defying ride.
The premise is as audacious as it sounds: six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir perish in a freak rollercoaster accident and find themselves in limbo, presided over by a fortune-telling automaton named Karnak. Each is offered a chance to plead their case for a second shot at life, and what follows is a series of musical confessions that veer from absurdist comedy to piercing sincerity.
Ryan Dawson Laight’s set design conjures an industrial carnival graveyard, complete with skeletal coaster tracks surrounding the stage and a looming fortune-teller booth high above. A slight haze and metallic textures create an atmosphere of ruin and wonder, perfectly framing the surreal contest about to unfold.
Edward Wu as Karnak is a masterclass in deadpan omniscience. His voice carries a metallic warmth that suits the character’s eerie neutrality, and his dry humour lands with precision. The ensemble numbers, particularly the opening “Dream of Life,” showcase a strong vocal blend, though the sound mix occasionally leans bass-heavy. Still, the energy is infectious, and Gee’s choreography prioritises character-driven movement over empty spectacle.
Among the teens, Baylie Carson’s Ocean is a tightly wound perfectionist whose faux-inspirational anthem “What the World Needs” brims with satirical bite. Damon Gould steals scenes as Noel, delivering “Noel’s Lament” with flamboyant physical comedy and a perfect parody of Weimar cabaret, earning audible gasps and cheers of delight.
Bartek Kraszewski brings swagger and surprising tenderness to Mischa, whose rap-infused number is both ridiculous and oddly moving. But it’s the character’s second number, where Mischa softens while singing about his ‘internet fiance’, Talia which is surprisingly tender; and Kraszewski finds vulnerability without losing any of the hard won stereotype swagger.
Jack Maverick’s Ricky Potts revels in his space-age fantasy with a performance that is equal parts absurd and heartfelt. For most, it was the performance of the night. . Robyn Gilbertson shines as Constance, particularly in “Jawbreaker/Sugarcloud,” which peels back layers of a character which had hitherto been overshadowed by Ocean’s dominance.
Grace Galloway as Jane Doe provides the evening’s most haunting moment. Her rendition of “The Ballad of Jane Doe” is chillingly beautiful, underscored by Tim Deiling’s cold, celestial lighting. Moving with puppet-like precision, Galloway commands absolute silence, her otherworldly vocals lingering chilling an already cold London night.
Gee’s direction strikes a delicate balance between irreverence and sincerity. While the book occasionally sags, the pacing remains taut, and the emotional beats land without sentimentality. The finale, bathed in warm light as the cast forms an intimate circle, offers a poignant counterpoint to the preceding chaos. Karnak’s shutdown is quietly devastating, a reminder that even in absurdity, mortality casts a long shadow.
Ride the Cyclone is not your typical musical, and that is precisely its charm. It is witty, eccentric, and unexpectedly moving, a production that embraces its cult status while carving out a distinctive London identity. With a uniformly strong cast and polished design elements, this European premiere feels confident and compelling. This is a ride that is as strange as it is exhilarating.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
