Till The Stars Come Down at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
★★★★★
Marriage is a rollercoaster as Sylvia and Marek are about to find out. Everyone dreams of their perfect wedding day, but unfortunately for Sylvia and Marek, this dream is shattered. Till The Stars Come Down forces the audience to realise the racism and xenophobia that is prevalent and see the harmful effects of prejudiced views on those targeted and their loved ones. This is an eye-opening piece of theatre that is certainly one to see, and I hope there is a future for its show after its closure on the 27th September.
*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*
Content Warnings:
I personally did not see any warnings on display at the theatre, but there are warnings available on the website here. These warnings state the production features:
Loud Noises
Flash Pyrotechnics
Strobe Effects
Haze
Strong Language
Themes of Racism and Xenophobia
Reference to Suicide
Scenes of a Sexual Nature
Depictions of Mild Violence
I did not make note of anything further whilst watching the show that I felt should also be mentioned.
My Review:
Opening with a glimpse into the true chaotic side of getting ready for a major event, we are presented with Hazel (Lucy Black), Maggie (Aisling Loftus) and Sylvia (Sinéad Matthews). This opening scene sets the tone for the following performance and gives the audience an insight into the inner workings of the family that Till The Stars Come Down is centred around. Throughout the show, Till The Stars Come Down handles societal issues that are still relevant today, and the way in which they are handled is extremely considered and thus impactful for audience members. A true stand-out performance for me was that of Julian Kostov, who plays Marek, as every scene he performed was laced with such emotion you couldn’t help but be moved. The moment he calls out Sylvia’s protection of her family was a major turning point for me, as it highlighted how much she let her family get away with and Marek finally speaking up was the eye-opener she needed to not tolerate her families behaviour any longer. Julian Kostov and Sinéad Matthews were both so captivating and led this show so beautifully, highlighting the importance of Sylvia and Marek’s relationship amidst a background of racism and xenophobia.
Despite being an overall impactful show, Till The Stars Come Down was also able to highlight the comedic side of family events, specifically weddings, without undermining the importance of what this story is about. These moments made the show feel more human and relatable which then forces audience members to think about the wider plot of the show and thus be potentially more influenced and impacted by the societal issues raised. Many wedding scenes, such as Aunty Carol’s (Dorothy Atkinson) rendition of Toxic, were well-timed and showed the chaos that can occur at a wedding, and I found myself being more and more immersed in the show as these snippets of true humanity and joy shone through. Playing the daughters of Hazel and John (Adrian Bower) are Ruby Thompson as Leanne and Candace Williams as Sarah. I thought they were both fabulous and both have bright futures in front of them on the stage, based on the wonderful performance that they both delivered. Adrian Bower is another strong performer in this production, as were they all, due to this being a very ensemble-focused piece. However, I felt the way that Adrian Bower was able to showcase both his character's family loyalty but also his selfishness was brilliant and it allowed for one of the later discoveries of the play to be all the more upsetting to witness, allowing the audience to sympathise with the characters involved as his family-focused exterior begins to crack, showing his selfishness and disloyalty. Playing the older brothers were Philip Witchurch as Uncle Pete and Alan Williams as Tony. I really enjoyed the portrayal of the childhood feud and the moments of the script that allowed the more immature sides of these characters to shine, such as their fight and during the Tarzan scene with Aunty Carol. The entire cast were a joy to watch, and it is their skill and performance alongside a fabulously written book, which allowed the message of this play to be conveyed to and thus impact the audience. Another moment of childhood wonder I enjoyed was Sylvia remembering her favourite superhero and expressing her own desire to stop time. Sylvia stops time during the wedding before the joyful facade begins, and I found this to be one of the most stand-out moments of the play for me, as it showed how perfection can be fleeting, and unfortunately, no one can predict what life may have in-store. To go from one perfect moment to the later occurrences of the play was so powerful to me as an audience member, and this moment will stay with me long after seeing the production.
This is certainly one to catch, should it come back, as it was a wonderfully powerful and moving show.
Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope this review has proved interesting and helpful for you :)
- AnxiousTheatregoer
