EXCERPT: “the cadences of real
speech have been artfully built into the lyrics and music so that you do really
feel you are listening to a near perfect replica of how lines were originally delivered.”
Presumably the first of its kind,
the National’s London Road is a
musical that is wholly based on verbatim interviews given by the inhabitants of
Ipswich after five prostitutes were murdered there in quick succession.
Beautifully choreographed and
directed, the large cast take different personas as they show how deeply the
incidents affected every aspect of Ipswich residents’ lives. From the fear they
felt, or suspicion they harboured, or prejudice they encountered, the piece
impresses on you how much of one’s identity can be gleaned by voice,
intonation, pauses and repetitions. All the cadences of real speech have been
artfully built into the lyrics and music so that you do really feel you are
listening to a near perfect replica of how lines were originally delivered. The
piece exposes the potential for musicality and artistic expression that can be
gleaned from a close examination of linguistics, delivery, accents and
tonality. As playwrights around the world struggle to negotiate realistic
dialogue with sufficient plot intrigue, it is comforting to see that both can
happily co-exist.
With an interesting set design
and slick scene changes, the cast managed to fill the intimidatingly large
Olivier stage without losing the sense of ordinariness that is the production’s
defining strength. London Road is a
thought-provoking and ambitious production that shows off the National at its
best.
To book tickets or find out more information about London Road, please go to the National Theatre's website.
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