Back when life on the Great White Way was a whole lot seedier, The Life, by Cy Coleman, Ira Gasman and David Newman, introduces us to a world of hookers and pimps lining Times Square, to cash in on the oldest profession.
Michael Blakemore has directed this stunning production, which deserves a much bigger stage, both literally and metaphorically. This is large scale musical theatre bursting at the seams, but the benefit of seeing it at The Southwark Playhouse is being able to see perfection up close.
Sharon D. Clarke as Sonja, and Cornell S. John as Memphis give powerful performances. David Albury once again shows his versatility in the role of Fleetwood, it’s not an easy role to play given that the character isn’t much more than a third rate pimp with few redeeming features, yet Albury manages to elicit some empathy for the character. There’s good chemistry between him and T’Shan Williams in the role of Queen.
The choreography is breath-taking, it’s sultry and demure all at once. The number “Why Don’t They Leave Us Alone” is a brilliant example of the overall ingenuity of the dance routines, the result is Matthew Caputo shining shoes like an Olympic gymnast. The staging is particularly effective, the clinking of the metal gates and the overhead projections bring a real sense of New York to this London Theatre.
The Life is a powerful musical with a bit of everything; big songs, big dance numbers and big performances, all it needs now is that bigger stage so it can really show off.
