★★★★

“the cast cycle through characters with impressive dynamism”

The memes are everywhere, making casual jokes about historical figures whose same-sex relationships were definitely just that of “close friends”. We’ve long known that recordings of myth and legend do not favour the LGBTQIA+ — even when we are represented, we’re often given stories of tragedy and pain, with unfavourable endings. Remythed, conceived and written by Joel Samuels and Roann Hassani McCloskey, of Bet’n Lev Theatre, seeks to balance those scales.

We’re welcomed into the space as three of the five cast members casually greet audience from the stage, beckoning them in, like hosts at a party. This invitation into the room isn’t one that we often see in live theatre and it certainly sets the tone for the entire show. Our introduction to the evening is one that evokes an intimate get-together, rather than a play — the final two cast members are actually seated amongst the audience and brought on with a bit of silliness. It sets us up for an evening where the cast will frequently sit amongst us, laugh with us, make us feel like we’re truly in this with them.

The cast then carry us through a series of ancient myths, beginning with that of Scheherezade, the storyteller of One Thousand and One Nights. Scheherezade spins her tales for an angry king, hoping to appease his wrath. Throughout the series of stories, the cast cycle through characters with impressive dynamism, able to slip from one character into another with ease. It’s shockingly easy to follow, given the breadth of the material, which only speaks further volumes of both the writing and the performances.

Remythed is staged incredibly simply. It’s easy to see why it tours so well — with virtually no set to speak of and no costume changes throughout, it does quite a lot with very little. The lighting design by Al Simpson shifts us through the various locations in a simple, but effective manner. Equally, the sound design by Annie May Fletcher adds that extra little flare of magic in all the places where it’s needed. One particular sequence, in which we hear a reimagining of the story of Lilith, Adam’s first wife, benefits hugely from a bit of sound wizardry. The entire cast are exceptional, but Lucy Roslyn in particular shines throughout, playing through so many different roles with such efficiency and heart that it’s almost dizzying.

Ultimately, Remythed is like a cup of tea and a warm blanket on a cold winter’s evening. It hugs you, invites you to feel some joy, gives you permission to be whoever it is you want to be. And couldn’t we all use a bit more of that right now?

MARIE AND ROSETTA

Rose Theatre

★★★★★

“soul-stirring, celebratory and foot-tappingly uplifting”

It is sometimes extraordinary how a figure can fade into the back pages of history. Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a huge star in the 1930s and 40s, who struck a chord with a white electric guitar slung around her neck, that helped change the face of modern popular music. Yet somehow the gospel superstar ended up forgotten within her lifetime. George Brant’s impressive yet intimate portrayal will surely redress that injustice. Avoiding the epic, Brant focuses on a particular part of her life – her partnership with Gospel and R&B singer Marie Knight – and celebrates the legacy in a glorious play with music. It is a remarkable achievement in that, by pinpointing a moment in time, he still manages to give a concise and precise insight into the culture, history and background that shaped the characters. And then, of course, there is the music!

Set in a funeral parlour, a coffin laid out beneath a large wooden crucifix upstage, we are in Mississippi in 1946. “There’s rules” explains ‘Sister’ Rosetta (Beverley Knight) as she prepares her protégé and singing partner Marie Knight (Ntombizodwa Ndlovu) for their tour of the segregated Southern States (the unusual setting was the only venue that allowed the pair to rehearse). It starts out as a kind of audition for Marie, but her vocal style rapidly wins over the already established Rosetta. What ensues is the rehearsal which this show encompasses. The musical numbers slot beautifully and organically into the dialogue, sometimes stopping and starting again. The show is a conversation, a confession; a heart-to-heart that slickly builds up in momentum and passion. Like a musical ‘soul stew’ – a device coined by the late bandleader King Curtis in which a song will introduce one instrument at a time over a cycle of twelve bars until the full force bubbles into waves of musical bliss. Writer George Brant has followed a similar recipe, introducing rich details and pinches of backstory at crucial points into the dialogue. Knight and Ndlovu give faultless performances with their easy onstage rapport. When they launch into song, however, the production soars – whether the whole band accompanies, or if it is just the bluesy riffs of Liam Godwin’s piano or musical director Shirley Tetteh on guitar.

Rosetta Tharpe was renowned for her guitar playing. Decades ahead of her time she became known as the ‘Godmother of Rock and Roll’ whose influence touched countless stars including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Little Richard. Marie was a formidable piano player as well as a singer. Neither Knight nor Ndlovu play the instruments, but director Monique Touko gets around this with clever stage craft. Ndlovu doesn’t mime but uses her whole body to evoke the inbuilt rhythm and soul of a pianist, while Knight opens a guitar case to let the notes fly out into the air. Through the staging, we get a full sense of the real-life character’s influence as she changed the face of music back in the forties, leading gospel into the world of rhythm and blues and soul. Shunned by the straitlaced church for performing in nightclubs, she persuades the ingénue Marie to follow suit. Her mission was to “put a bit of club into the church, and some church into the club” as she swung between chapel in the morning and New York’s Cotton Club at night.

The writing avoids preaching. The natural dialogue touches on personal tragedy and adversity but is steeped in humour too. Rosetta’s chipping away at Marie’s saintly exterior offers moments of biting comedy as she shapes the latter’s high church voice into the smoky jazz vibe needed for their subversive success. The song list is plucked from Rosetta’s impressive repertoire, and the combination of Knight’s and Ndlovu’s voices is gold dust that rises to the rafters. ‘This Train’, the rocking ‘Rock Me’, ‘Sit Down’, ‘I Want a Tall Skinny Papa’, ‘Strange Things are Happening Everyday’ are highlights among highlights, the glory of which is shared by the two singers. There is no competition (as in the reality), but it is a union borne of generosity and joy – and this love of the music is all too clear in the harmonies.

The poignancy of the setting (designer Lily Arnold’s shrine like funeral parlour) is emphasised in the twilight moments of the show. We slip forward in time in an ingeniously surreal twist in the narrative that derails our cosy expectations and plunges us into a moving epilogue, the emotion matched by haunting a Capella vocals. “Marie and Rosetta” is soul-stirring, celebratory and foot-tappingly uplifting. When asked about her music and its influence, Rosetta Tharpe is reported to have replied “Oh, these kids and rock and roll – this is just sped up rhythm and blues. I’ve been doing that forever”. I’m sure this show will enjoy the same longevity.

REMYTHED

King’s Head Theatre

★★★★

“the cast cycle through characters with impressive dynamism”

REMYTHED

King’s Head Theatre

Reviewed on 9th May 2025

by Stacey Cullen

Photography by Ali Wright

Previously reviewed at this venue:

REMYTHED

REMYTHED

REMYTHED

MARIE AND ROSETTA

Rose Theatre

★★★★★

“soul-stirring, celebratory and foot-tappingly uplifting”