★★★

“acted with eloquence and assurance by an outstanding cast”

We find ourselves in the year 1969. It’s an era many look back on with nostalgia — a time often imagined as simpler and less complicated. People had less, but were happier. For people of my age, all that we know is that which is taught to us by our parents and grandparents, or what we may have learned from documentaries. The setting for this play exactly matches the vivid, idyllic depiction that we have of this period.

The subjects of this narrative are the Deacon family. Again, they are typical of their era. Frank Deacon (Gary Webster) is the breadwinner, and Dorie is the stay-at-home Mum. Two of the four children, Martin and Penny, have moved out but are home often enough, while the other two: Frances and Sally, remain living at home. It all seems normal – and that ordinariness is the point; if things seem normal, then they are normal. Blessings is an intriguing tale about the story of a family yet to come to terms with its own secrets, where the cover-up may be worse than the truths that are uncovered.

One of the most impressive aspects of this play is its authenticity to the time in which it is set. Sarah Shelton’s writing is delicately detailed, dropping in countless era-specific references. The family discuss the first moon landing which would take place a few months later. The Troubles in Northern Ireland are the biggest thing in the news. Frances and Sally talk about going to see “that new Michael Caine film: The Italian Job”, while the brutal murders masterminded by Charles Manson can be heard described on the radio.

The set and costume design is equally as impressive (Alice Carroll). Patterned wallpaper adorns the back wall. A Beatles LP can be seen by the radio and the daughters are seen reading from the teen magazine ‘Jackie’. Simple staging — a bench and table on either side of the room — creates three distinct locations, allowing scenes to flow smoothly.

The star quality of the performance comes from Emily Lane who plays the role of Sally Deacon. Sally emerges as the focal point, with all storylines connecting through her She faces the painful honesty of her family, who “don’t really see her in a career,” yet her resilience shines through as she drives the story to its climax. It’s a performance that reflects Lane’s West End pedigree.

Gary Webster and Freddie Webster are praiseworthy in their roles too. Both actors take on two roles with skill, particularly Gary Webster, doubling as Frank Deacon and parish priest Father O’Brien. While their performances are excellent, the play suffers from the fact that these characters are never on stage together, which would add a new dimension to the show.

The plot twist is wonderfully delivered by the cast in a fitting finale, however, this scene, is slightly rushed and when it does arrive takes us by surprise, rather than the crescendo it should have been. Nonetheless, the play is acted with eloquence and assurance by an outstanding cast.

101 DALMATIANS THE MUSICAL

Eventim Apollo

★★★★

“joyous and fun”

It’s a story that reminds us of our childhood in many ways. Although originally a 1956 novel by Dodie Smith, for many of us, our memories will be of when we first saw a version of the film. Well this show (adapted for the stage by Zinnie Harris and directed by Bill Buckhurst) certainly transports us back to our youth with a musical twist on the well-known and much loved adventure.

Possibly of most concern to people going to the show is a fairly obvious question. “How will they be able to pull it off?” One may think that the film couldn’t possibly translate to the stage and for understandable reason. The main characters are dogs and there are a lot (101!) of them. However, this element is probably the most masterful of the production. Throughout the performance, actors handle life-size puppets of dogs, fit with moveable legs, necks and mouths and with wagging tails. This was an incredibly ambitious undertaking, that could easily have come across as a lazy imitation. However, because of the authenticity of the enactment (and Jimmy Grimes’ puppet direction) one can easily look past that these are puppets and indulge the characters in what they are saying. Clearly, we are watching remarkable innovation from the puppet team (Mikayla Teodoro).

The show benefits from precise and clear choreography (Lucy Hind) throughout. David Woodhead’s set is stunning enhanced with clever lighting from James Whiteside. Actors who play the canine characters expertly multitask by singing (music and lyrics by David Hodge) and manoeuvring their puppets simultaneously. The characters of Pongo (Linford Johnson) and Perdi (Emma Thornett) are particularly impressive. It looks a particularly tiring performance for the actors, but the show maintains its energy remarkably through to the end.

Nevertheless, the standout performance comes from Sydnie Christmas as Cruella De Vil, for whom it is her first musical theatre performance since winning Britain’s Got Talent in 2024. Christmas is, above all else, a very convincing villain, as she kidnaps 99 dalmatians to try and use their fur. However, she takes the character to new levels, which we haven’t seen before, as she nails musical numbers one after another. It is a spellbinding performance from someone who will go on to lead countless West End productions.

The other star names in the production are Jeff Brazier and Aston Merrygold who play Casper and Jasper, Cruella’s nephews, or more like Cruella’s terrified obedient assistants. Their performances are more than adequate if not spectacular, not reaching the depths of sincerity that we see from Cruella. Even so, that shouldn’t be seen as a criticism of their performance, more that the strength of the show comes from the togetherness of the ensemble rather than a few star performances.

The show is joyous and fun, if not always effortlessly so. At times, jokes are forced such as: “Nobody makes a mug of Cruella De Vil, unless it’s sold as official merchandise.” Notwithstanding this, one couldn’t ask for much more from a family-friendly show with astonishing music, choreography and live interaction.

BLESSINGS

Riverside Studios

★★★

“acted with eloquence and assurance by an outstanding cast”

BLESSINGS

Riverside Studios

Reviewed on 2nd October 2025

by Luke Goscomb

Photography by Lidia Crisafulli

Previously reviewed at this venue:

BLESSINGS

BLESSINGS

BLESSINGS

101 DALMATIANS THE MUSICAL

Eventim Apollo

★★★★

“joyous and fun”