Step Behind The Stage
RENT
New Theatre, Peterborough - 21/06/24
Review by Daniel Marshall
Nearly 30 years since its Broadway debut, the iconic rock musical RENT has made its return, this time starting at Peterborough’s New Theatre. The show is the brainchild of the late, great Jonathan Larson, whose timeless work is being brought back to life under the direction of Paul Jepson, with musical direction from Mark Crossland for this Landmark Theatres production. This revival is produced by David Griffin-Stephens and features a multi-talented cast who were more than ready to shine in a show of this magnitude.
The show is loosely based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Bohème. It tells the story of a group of creatives living in poverty whilst battling the struggles of Lower Manhattan life and the deadly impact of HIV/AIDS. The story features several semi-autobiographical aspects of Jonathan Larson’s life, such as his tumultuous past relationship and him and his friends having to keep a wood-burning stove in their apartment just to stay warm. This new revival production perfectly captures the spirit of resilience in the face of adversity that the original did so well.
This is brought to life by a mind-blowing cast whose on-stage chemistry is palpable. Jack Reitman’s Mark provides the audience with the perfect guide through this emotional rollercoaster. Whilst his vocal delivery was top tier, much of the beauty of his performance came from his ability to portray a wide range of emotion through subtle movements and background facial expressions. He is joined by best friend Roger, played by Luke Friend, who delivered some of the night’s most powerful vocal work. Luke is a singer-songwriter by trade and although he has theatre credits to his name, I still could not have prepared myself for the emotional depth he brought to his portrayal. He fully grasped the magnitude of this role, most notably during his breathtaking version of ‘One Song Glory’.
This high quality of emotional acting was a common theme throughout the night, although perhaps none delivered it more consistently than Evita Khrime in her portrayal of Mimi. Mimi is a huge focal point for displaying the show’s key themes, as she battles both drug addiction and being HIV positive. Some of Mimi’s scenes were difficult to watch at times, which is testament to the gut-wrenching realism Evita brought to this role. This physical acting was paired with a truly stunning voice. Khrime flawlessly switched between powerful clean vocals and more emotive broken vocals, giving the audience a real sense of the internal turmoil Mimi was experiencing.
The beauty of RENT is its ability to capture the full range of human emotion, from the highest of highs that come with love to the lowest of lows that come with death. The most perfect examples of this were Collins and Angel, played by Cameron Bernard Jones and Kyle Richardson respectively. Throughout the first act these two provided much of the light relief, with their feel-good spirit and passionate romance delivering several moments of elation. However, as act two progressed, both Bernard Jones and Richardson truly flexed their range, delivering some of the show’s most heartbreaking scenes. Kyle Richardson’s physical acting during ‘Without You’ was almost haunting, yet incredibly powerful, whilst Cameron Bernard Jones’ version of ‘I’ll Cover You – Reprise’ brought audience members to tears.
One of the most outlandishly brilliant characters in the show is Maureen, who in this production is played by Alicia Corrales. Alicia’s ability to grasp the full range of Maureen’s chaotic virtuosity cannot be overstated. Their performance of ‘Over the Moon’ was by far the show’s funniest moment, getting progressively bigger laughs the longer the song went on. However, Alicia brought far more than comedic relief. Their portrayal gave real depth to Maureen, and on several occasions this larger-than-life character became strikingly human.
The main cast was completed by Athena Collins as Joanne and Myles Hart as Benny, both of whom masterfully brought their characters to life. Athena perfectly captured what it is to be stuck in a toxic relationship with someone you cannot let go of, and how easily power dynamics can shift. Meanwhile, Myles Hart’s take on Benny allowed the character to move from commercialist tyrant to a well-rounded antagonist who you even find yourself feeling for at times.
The main cast were joined on stage by an extraordinary ensemble, all of whom had moments to step forward and shine. Each actor brought their own personality to their many roles, helping the whole production feel fluid and alive. A notable mention has to go to both Dylan Andrews and Olivia-Faith Kamau for their awe-inspiring vocal solos during ‘Seasons of Love’.
Overall, this was a production fitting of the very best stages. The set was visually spectacular, particularly when it allowed for the clever use of projection to truly show the impact of HIV/AIDS. It provided just one more powerful moment in a show crammed full of them. RENT is a must-see show, and you will struggle to find a better version than this Landmark Theatres production.
Cast on the Night:
Jack Reitman – Mark
Luke Friend – Roger
Evita Khrime – Mimi
Cameron Bernard Jones – Collins
Kyle Richardson – Angel
Alicia Corrales – Maureen
Athena Collins – Joanne
Myles Hart – Benny
Kellianna Jay – Swing
Alex Okoampa – Swing
Edward Bullingham – Assistant Director, Ensemble & Dance Captain
Max Mirza – Ensemble
Dylan Andrews – Ensemble
Alexandra Brighouse – Ensemble
Olivia-Faith Kamau – Ensemble