BWW Reviews: PARADE, London Theatre Workshop, September 3 2015

I saw Parade a few years ago at Southwark Playhouse and I misjudged it. Possibly because I was familiar with the (true) story, I saw its faults (mainly in the somewhat sketchily written characters) and not its enormous successes - the wonderful songs, the beautiful, unexpected love story, the intensity of the drama (okay, maybe melodrama). So, in a much smaller venue with a reduced cast playing multiple roles, it was a delight to see the Tony award-winning musical again and appreciate its emotional punch.

Parade (at London Theatre Workshop until 13 September) follows the appalling events that took place in Atlanta Georgia 100 years ago. Leo Frank, a New York Jew and an outsider in Georgia, an insular state still smarting from the Confederacy's defeat 50 or so years earlier, was accused of murder, convicted because, well, somebody had to be convicted, and then... If that's the main narrative arc, there's also a beautifully understated subplot between Leo (previously married to his work, barely noticing his wife) and Lucille, his Southern Belle whom he learns to respect, then love. And, naturally, there's also much said about racism, about the power of groupthink and about the venality of politicians with an eye on the popular vote.

Jody Tranter directs her hard-working cast with great skill, especially in her use of lighting and in some innovative, impressively choreographed setpieces. There's splendid work from Jennifer Webster as one of Leo's accusers and Kerry Loosemore convinces as the barely teenage victim of the crime. Michael Moulton catches the strutting confidence of Jim Conley, another accuser, and gets some well deserved laughs to relieve the tension that quickly fills the theatre. If truth be told, some others amongst the cast are not quite up to the demands of singing some difficult songs in an unforgivingly tight space, though one admires their ability to play so many roles! The musicians, under Erika Gundersen, are uniformly strong.

In the second half, Ross Barnes' interpretation of Leo comes into its own. Having been a touch too cantankerous for me early on, Barnes grows into the part and sings his big numbers with real feeling successfully transforming himself from a bit of a caricature to a fully rounded character. He is helped in no small measure by Lily De-La-Haye, who is superb as Lucille, singing perfectly and convincing as a woman determined to stand by her man. It's a performance well worth the ticket price on its own.

Though Alfred Uhry's book and Jason Robert Brown's marvellous songs put you through the emotional wringer for over two hours, I felt that the denouement was a little rushed, over almost before we had chance to register what was going on. It's a counterpoint to Leo's courtroom speech, staged brilliantly, so there's plenty of time to balance the two and help us more in understanding Leo's journey.

However, to quibble is to fail to acknowledge the ambition demonstrated in reviving this moving musical with its sensational score and contemporary relevance. We should be very grateful to have the chance to see this show again - I know I am.

Photo Cameron Slater

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