Review: AMERICAN IDIOT, Old Joint Stock Birmingham, February 10 2016

Prior to a UK tour beginning next month, the Old Joint Stock Musical Theatre Company are currently presenting American Idiot at their resident home in Birmingham. Winner of two Tony Awards, the show opened to great acclaim on Broadway in 2010 after a short out-of-town run and has enjoyed productions all over the world including a successful West End run last year. Featuring the Green Day back catalogue, the show also won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. Lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong, as well as being responsible for the music and lyrics, also co-wrote the book alongside Michael Mayer whom directed the original production.

The adaptable black box theatre, above one of the most stunning pubs in the city, always feels like a different space from show to show. An angular seating arrangement of two blocks in front of the playing space is used with action meandering down the central aisle as well. The set dressing that dominates is an American flag with a selection of varying sized TV's on the wall and an array of press cuttings scattered about the space. The start of the show begins with a montage of American video clips, some of which could be argued as being damning to the country's economy. Adam Carver's graphic design and videography is superb. The production focuses on three young men who are fed up with the state of the confederacy. Unusually, I knew nothing at all about the show (bar its music) apart from this line synopsis. Although grasping elements of the story, I greatly struggled to follow exactly what was going on at times. Being a sung-through musical, storytelling can be a lot harder this way and I feel the book is ultimately to blame for this occasional lack of clarity.

With the space they have and the number of cast members, Richard Haines has directed the action competently, showing three distinct locations when the men are in different places. The choreography, devised by Sarah Haines, is excellent. There is a lot of head banging and jumping around as to be expected with the music genre but there is also some very lyrical and controlled movement, created by paying close detail to the rhythms and orchestrations on a deeper level. The strong five-piece band play live in a connected room which is then filtered through to the playing space. I know this can work in the venue but this time, it felt a little cautious with the music often feeling detached from the action. The vocal/music balance rarely strikes a perfect chord; being too quiet in some numbers yet too loud in others. The vocal quality in part is great, especially in the full ensemble numbers, but in the more stripped back songs, imperfections were laid bare more frequently.

Protagonists Johnny, Tunny and Will (played by Gavin Whichello, Roddy Lynch and Nicholas Tuck respectively) deliver their material with the right amount of attitude and commitment. Adam Carver excels as Johnny's alter ego St Jimmy with his subtle Joker-esque qualities and manic tendencies. Alanna Boden also gives a strong and believable performance as Whatshername. All are supported by an energetic ensemble. The show shines particularly during the quieter moments such as during 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' which I completely lost myself in. Although not perfect vocally, there was a truthfulness there which really captured my attention.

With a little more cohesion and bravery, the production could be extremely good and across the run, it will undoubtedly become tighter.

American Idiot runs at the Old Joint Stock theatre until 21st February 2016.

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