Tag Archives: Romona Lewis-Malley

2026

“Cable Street” at the Marylebone Theatre 

Tim Gilvin and Alex Kanefsky’s musical is marked by its ambition. The show, telling the story of the 1936 protest against a fascist march in London’s East End, is big in scope and full of ideas. This comes at a price, and there are snags despite this being the third iteration to be staged. But using the history – indeed, expanding on it to provoke serious thought – and a strong score make this a grand, impressive affair.  

Three strong leads are the focus. Isaac Gryn plays a local Jewish youth, Lizzy-Rose Esin-Kelly an Irish girl and Barney Wilkinson a young man new to London from the north of England. They all cover a lot of ground, sound great with difficult songs and illustrate, effectively, the complexity of the community the action is set in. The really smart move is to include a wannabe fascist among the trio. Giving time to his concerns – his radicalisation, you might say – is a brave move that benefits the show hugely. 

The stories are opened out by a hard-working cast. We get perspectives from each of the younger characters’ families (parents get strong songs) and there are some neat combinations of roles. The cast does a lot of doubling up and, despite its efforts and super-speedy costume changes, this is not always successful. It’s greedy of me, I know, but the production could really do with a couple more bodies. Director Adam Lenson’s work is commendable (he knows the power of a cascading leaflet from his work on Ordinary Days!), but the constant changes left me, if not the cast, a bit breathless. 

Kanefsky’s slightly baggy book is full of great ideas. A framing device of an East End walking tour is good but overused. Similarly, having one of our central characters as a part-time poet has mixed results. And I wonder if it might have been stronger to avoid a romantic subplot altogether? Songs flesh out the story better, and one about newspapers is a highlight (not least for Ethan Pascal Peters and Romona Lewis-Malley as The Daily Mail and The Times). But credit where it’s due: Kanefsky gives us even more after the interval. We don’t just get that famous battle (Lenson does very well here) and its aftermath, but rent strikes in the area are also included. Highlighting another topic that continues to be relevant is a powerful move.  

Most importantly, Gilvin’s music and lyrics are a huge achievement. The score uses all kinds of styles and the words are intelligent and demand attention. There are some wild moments to enjoy: the inclusion of rap and the ‘¡No pasarán!’ slogan from the Spanish Civil War are both excellent, though imagining the BUF as a boy band is hampered by its execution. But the show relies on a collection of solid songs that tap into a current mood of unrest while acknowledging the history of protest. Convinced about the power of musicals, the whole team carries the crowd with it. Cable Street is guaranteed to give you goosebumps. 

Until 28 February 2026 

www.marylebonetheatre.com/productions/cable-street 

Photo by Johan Persson

2025

“Clueless” at the Trafalgar Theatre

There’s a strong opening number to this musical adaptation of the 1995 film that, loosely, resets Jane Austen’s Emma among wealthy Los Angeles teens. The idea that the show’s heroine, Cher, has a perfect life makes for a strong motif we can have fun exploring. If the rest of the songs are not as good, the show overall is a respectable affair that deserves credit.

It’s a shame for Clueless that the screen-to-stage musical feels a little played out. That’s not the fault of director Rachel Kavanaugh, who keeps the action going nicely, nor the talent on stage. But as Mean Girls and Back to the Future are still running, and memories of Heathers and Cruel Intentions are fresh, there’s just been too much cashing in on Gen X nostalgia.

Here, KT Tunstall and Glenn Slater have written music and lyrics, and both are better than some examples of the genre. All the numbers are competent and several are strong. If they don’t add up to a satisfying musical theatre score (this is Tunstall’s first go), there is nothing objectionable. But it’s a shame there are few chances for the ensemble to sing together, as the score is a collection of solos and duets. Clever nods to the late 1990s could have been leaned into more. But even an incongruous Lindy Hop number, which feels written for something else, is a good tune. Slater’s lyrics are consistently smart, if occasionally dense, and deal well with the plot. And hats off for rhyming porpoise with habeas corpus.

Clueless-Emma-Flynn-and-Keelan-Mcauley-credit-Pamela-Raith
Emma Flynn and Keelan Mcauley

The show, and production, relies too heavily on the lead role of Cher. Emma Flynn, who takes the lead, is great: her voice is superb, her acting convincing, and it’s clear she has a very bright future. But she has too much to do. And it’s a problem because there are a lot of strong characters here who are poorly served. Cher’s friends, Dionne and Tai, fade into the background. Both Chyna-Rose Frederick and Romona Lewis-Malley seem to know it and don’t look very happy about it. Isaac J Lewis, who plays Christian, arrives much later in the action but establishes his character more forcefully. With two good songs, Keelan McAuley, who plays Cher’s love interest, is the luckiest and he shines as a result.

Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams provides a stylish set to perform in with neat solutions for all the cars that feature. It’s a shame that Lizzie Gee’s choreography feels tacked on; there are few extended numbers so most of the dancing looks like fillers for scene changes. This is easy to forgive, but the show’s biggest problem is a lack of humour. Given a rare funny scene of Cher struggling in her high heels, this isn’t Flynn’s fault – she has a feel for comedy. But the rest of the cast struggle to work out how funny they are supposed to be. And Amy Heckerling’s book (based on her own film) hasn’t been updated or changed for the stage enough. There’s a lot that hits the mark here, but even big fans will miss the laughs.

Booking until 28 March 2025

www.cluelessonstage.com

Photos by Pamela Raith