Fringe 2024 Wallis theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall 4th August Review
Wallis a new musical by BramwellBrand Productions is at theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall - Fleming Theatre (Venue 53) until August 24th and is well worth putting onto your “go to see” list for many reasons. One of the most important of these reasons is that this is a new production from BramwellBrand productions – aka Jane Bramwell (Book and lyrics) and Michael Brand (composer) - and having the courage to bring a new stage musical to the Fringe (or any stage) when so many other people choose to work with existing material has, in my view, always to be supported.
This production, directed by Joanna Harte, produced by Katie Bennett with musical direction by Richard Lewis features MEGAN O’HARA as Wallis Simpson, RHYS ANDERSON as Edward VIII and SIMON PAVELICH as Ernest Simpson in the principal roles is simply a well-constructed stage musical that utilises to best effect the limited space and set design that any Fringe show has to work with.
With a very tight script that always moves along at an engaging pace, the story follows Wallis Simpson over the years from when she first meets the then Prince of Wales at a party to the abdication broadcast that he made when King.
Was this really the romance story of the century, or was Wallis always planning her next move up the social ladder? Wisely this story sticks to the well known facts of the day and what the British public were told in the media. No secrets stay secrets forever though, even if the records are sealed for 100 years (as all sensitive documents relating to Monarchs are). There is no doubting the shock that the Prince/King saw when visiting unemployed people in Wales and seeing their poverty first hand, and this is well handled here. With hindsight though, we now of course know far more about King Edward VIII’s (later Duke of Windsor) meetings with Adolph Hitler and the Nazi party than anyone at the time could have guessed. History has also revealed to date more than a few secrets of Wallis too, that were well media-managed at the time.
There are some very good songs here, and all have that period feel to them, but what really brings this production to life is Megan O’Hara’s cool and at times aloof portrayal of Wallis, and Rhys Anderson’s take on the Prince/King. Here Rhys gives us a man who has lived all of his life in a cocooned bubble of wealth, privilege and a lot of parties. Here really was a Peter Pan figure that just maybe did fall in love with Wallis without fully understanding the consequences that his actions and choices would bring.
Yes there are a few little areas that need tightening up, a few small edges to smooth off, but Wallis the musical has had a lot of attention paid to detail at every step of its production and deserves the chance to be taken to the next level and a bigger stage with a bigger production budget.
Review by Tom King © 2024
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
This production, directed by Joanna Harte, produced by Katie Bennett with musical direction by Richard Lewis features MEGAN O’HARA as Wallis Simpson, RHYS ANDERSON as Edward VIII and SIMON PAVELICH as Ernest Simpson in the principal roles is simply a well-constructed stage musical that utilises to best effect the limited space and set design that any Fringe show has to work with.
With a very tight script that always moves along at an engaging pace, the story follows Wallis Simpson over the years from when she first meets the then Prince of Wales at a party to the abdication broadcast that he made when King.
Was this really the romance story of the century, or was Wallis always planning her next move up the social ladder? Wisely this story sticks to the well known facts of the day and what the British public were told in the media. No secrets stay secrets forever though, even if the records are sealed for 100 years (as all sensitive documents relating to Monarchs are). There is no doubting the shock that the Prince/King saw when visiting unemployed people in Wales and seeing their poverty first hand, and this is well handled here. With hindsight though, we now of course know far more about King Edward VIII’s (later Duke of Windsor) meetings with Adolph Hitler and the Nazi party than anyone at the time could have guessed. History has also revealed to date more than a few secrets of Wallis too, that were well media-managed at the time.
There are some very good songs here, and all have that period feel to them, but what really brings this production to life is Megan O’Hara’s cool and at times aloof portrayal of Wallis, and Rhys Anderson’s take on the Prince/King. Here Rhys gives us a man who has lived all of his life in a cocooned bubble of wealth, privilege and a lot of parties. Here really was a Peter Pan figure that just maybe did fall in love with Wallis without fully understanding the consequences that his actions and choices would bring.
Yes there are a few little areas that need tightening up, a few small edges to smooth off, but Wallis the musical has had a lot of attention paid to detail at every step of its production and deserves the chance to be taken to the next level and a bigger stage with a bigger production budget.
Review by Tom King © 2024
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com