PARADE – book by Alfred Uhry music & Lyrics Jason Robert Brown – The Gallery Players
A big thank you to Suzanne Hawkes for this guest review
Parade is a Tony award winning musical – but it’s not an easy production to either stage or to watch. Based on a high profile miscarriage of justice from Atlanta, Georgia in 1913, it only had a very short run when originally staged in 1998 and although has since been performed across the world – with its themes of anti Semitism, murder and lynching it takes a brave company to tackle it.
But tackle it Gallery Players do and under the faultless direction of Wade Ablitt and musical director Matthew Snow they should be mightily applauded for this powerful, intense and moving production.
The story revolves around Leo Frank, a manager of a pencil factory in Atlanta who has recently moved down South with his Georgia born wife Lucille. During the night after a Confederate Day Parade a young employee, Mary Phagan, is found murdered by the factory night watchman. The Governor and Police Chief are under pressure to get a swift conviction, so arrest the janitor – Jim Conley – and Manager Leo Frank – who seems to be the last person that saw her alive when she came in to collect her wages.
Although Conley has past criminal convictions the press stir up false accusations, and carried along by anti- Jewish propaganda Leo is tried and on a number of false statements – convicted.
Matt Jewson holds the stage as Leo – a multilayered performance that captures the man’s initial diffidence, increasing vulnerability and utter bewilderment when he finally realises his fate. Alex Johnson is perfectly paired with him as his devoted wife – who stands by her man in spite of their differences in the past.
Elliot McMillan also stands out as Jim Conley – with a superb voice, and an easy way of delivering the subtle differences in the two other characters he played – he moved about the stage as though he owned it – and his prison scene as part of the chain gang was one of the most powerful in the play.
Other outstanding performances include Symone Pemberton as double crossing servant Minnie, Aiden Palmer- Garrick who opened the show with a lovely delivery of The Old Red Hills of Home, Josh Day who played Mary’s boyfriend Britt, Charlie Leggett – a powerful performance as Tom Watson who leads the lynching mob and Paul Stone at his creepiest playing the ascending amoral Governor Hugh Dorsey
The Sondheimesk music is performed by a brilliant live band, supporting the singers well on their marathon of difficult harmonies and challenging melodies.
The pace is excellent – the chorus and choreography well drilled.
A beautifully executed show – but a difficult watch and with such adult themes not for under 14’s or the faint hearted.
But if you want to be challenged and informed as well as entertained then I urge you to go along and support this production. It will certainly give you food for thought and an evening to talk about. .
Parade runs from Monday 18th – Saturday 23rd November at The Gallery Studio Theatre 7.30pm
Tickets are available to book online here
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