Review Roundup: A FACE IN THE CROWD at the Young Vic

Ramin Karimloo and Anoushka Lucas lead the world premiere of A Face in the Crowd, directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah in his final production as Young Vic Artistic Director, designed by Anna Fleischle.

This brand new adaptation of the Hollywood classic, a cautionary tale about the dangers of celebrity, power, and politics, features original songs by Grammy Award-winner Elvis Costello and a Book by Sarah Ruhl (Eurydice, The Clean House), based on an original story by Budd Schulberg and the Warner Bros Film. It will run at the Young Vic to 9 November.

You gotta keep him here, Miss Jeffries. He's the goose who laid the golden egg. When local radio producer Marcia Jeffries interviews drunk drifter ‘Lonesome Rhodes' in his jail cell, she immediately sees his potential and gives him a slot on her show. But as Lonesome's fans grow more clamorous and the politicians start taking notice, Marcia realises she has unleashed a force she can no longer control. A Face in the Crowd is a cautionary tale, highlighting the dangers of elevating celebrities to positions of unchecked power.

The creative team also brings together Lighting Designer Jackie Shemesh, Musical Supervisor and Musical Director Phil Bateman, Sound Designer Emma Laxton, Choreographer Lizzi Gee and Casting Director Heather Basten CDG.

Read the reviews...

Cindy Marcolina, BroadwayWorld: Featuring a starry lineup helmed by Ramin Karimloo and Anoushka Lucas, it technically has everything it takes to be successful. But fame is a fickle friend, and, as we watch Rhodes exploit his popularity for personal gain, this is proof that not even the shiniest, top billed names can lift some stodgy, predictable, utterly lacklustre material. Costello’s rock contributions are one-size-fits-all tunes. They all sound the same with largely formulaic wordplay in tracks that, at times, are incredibly bad. Between a song that proudly declares that nice guys finish last and another rock interlude about how fun it is to be famous, the company try their best

Arifa Akbar, The Guardian: That we are supposed to see Trump in him is spelled out repeatedly. Directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah, this musical has the seeds of a brilliant show for our times which never quite flowers, and ironically appears old-fashioned despite the contemporary resonance. Much of this is down to Sarah Ruhl’s simplistic book, which trades on one-dimensional characters and thudding lines. There is talk of immigrants for good measure. We are just short of being told Lonesome wants to Make America Great Again.

Andrzej Lukowski, TimeOut: It’s a show of two halves. The first details Rhodes’s rise, and it’s entertaining but somewhat ponderous. Although Ruhl’s script largely mirrors the film, it leaves out details that foreshadow the path Rhodes will take – going into the interval it feels like the worst he’ll do is disappoint his fans with a bit of light philandering.

Vera Liber, British Theatre Guide: Do we vote with our brains or emotions? Music is emotion: it gets under the skin, another manipulator. Elvis Costello’s country style music and lyrics, ranging from advert jingles, folksy ballads, torch songs, female trios, barbershop quartet and ‘Hank Williams’ blues, buoys the production and at the same time slows it down, softens the bite. The “Face in the Crowd” refrain is catchy.

Tim Bano, The Independent: With its cheery 1950s palette and poster-paint backdrop, Kwame Kwei-Armah’s production never quite breaks out of its one-dimensionality. Yes, the rhinestones and American flags and guns amass, and there’s a sense of drifting garishly into American nightmare. But, mostly, it has the satirical bite of a Hallmark movie, with the same romantic trajectory.

Average Rating: 50.0%