Final casting is today announced for the world première of a major new musical, “The Braille Legacy”, the thrilling, true, inspirational and epic story of Louis Braille, a young blind boy who wanted the same chance in life as those who see and ended up improving the lives of millions of blind people around the world.
It is being directed by acclaimed director Thom Southerland (”Ragtime”, “Titanic”, “Grey Gardens”, “Death Takes A Holiday”) and will première at Charing Cross Theatre (Artistic Director Thom Southerland, Managing Director Steven M. Levy) from Monday 10 April to Saturday 24 June.
Joining previously announced Olivier Award nominated Jérôme Pradon (West End credits include the UK premiere of the musical “Women On The Verge of a Nervous Breakdown”, Guillaume in “Martin Guerre”, Chris in “Miss Saigon”, Javert in “Les Miserables”, and Judas in the Emmy-winning video of “Jesus Christ Superstar”) are:
Jason Broderick (“Godspell” UK tour, “Anna Nicole – The Opera” Royal Opera House); Tate-Eliot Drew (“My Lands Shore” Ye Olde Rose N Crown Theatre); Will Haswell (“Jersey Boys” West End, Pinocchio in ‘Shrek the Musical” UK tour); Lottie Henshall (“Doctors” BBC1); Sarah-Marie Maxwell (“She Loves Me” Menier Chocolate Factory, “Top Hat” UK tour); Matthew McDonald (“Death Takes a Holiday” Charing Cross Theatre, “Allegro” Southwark Playhouse); Kate Milner-Evans (“Showboat” West End, Carlotta in “The Phantom of the Opera”); Janet Mooney (West End includes “Les Miserables” and “Love Never Dies”); Ceili O’Connor (“Grand Hotel” Southwark Playhouse, “Evita” UK tour); Michael Remick (West End includes “Dirty Dancing” and “The Sound of Music”); Ashley Stillburn (Corrado in “Death Takes A Holiday” Charing Cross Theatre, “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Les Miserables” West End); Jack Wolfe (is making his professional stage debut as Louis Braille); and a child cast featuring Guillermo Bedward, Thomas Brown, Tallulah Byrne, Beau Cripps, Ilan Galkoff, Honey Harrison-Maw, Eliz Hassan, Megan Haynes, Zachary Loonie, Mimi Slinger, Ophir Fifi Tal, William Thompson.
“The Braille Legacy” is the story of a revolution and an heroic fight for independence, with the themes of difference, freedom, hope and love and the triumph of human values over adversity.
In Paris in the 19th century, blind people were victims of profound discrimination. Louis Braille, a bright young mind with a mad dream, arrives at the Royal Institute of Blind Youth, searching for the same chance as everyone else: to be free and independent. But he soon discovers that people and things aren’t always what they first seem. By sheer determination and courage he stumbles upon something revolutionary: a simple idea, a genius invention, a legacy. Two hundred years ago, Louis Braille changed the world by inventing the tactile system of communication, the Braille alphabet, liberating the “People of the Night” and introducing literacy, knowledge and culture to a people who were otherwise trapped. It was their journey into the light.
“The Braille Legacy” has an original French Book and Lyrics by Sébastien Lancrenon, Music by Jean-Baptiste Saudray, with an English translation by Ranjit Bolt. Music Supervision and Orchestrations are by Simon Lee.
The full creative team is: Director: Thom Southerland, Music Supervision and Orchestrations: Simon Lee, Musical Director Toby Higgins, Choreographer Lee Proud, Set Designer: Tim Shortall, Lighting Designer Tim Lutkin, Costume Designer: Jonathan Lipman, Sound Designer: Andrew Johnson, Casting: Stephen Crockett at Grindrod Casting, Children’s Casting: Jo Hawes, Music Preparation: Simone Manfredini, Associate Director Rupert Hands.
The Braille Legacy Ltd by arrangement with
Colbert Entertainment Ltd present
The Braille Legacy
Monday 10 April to Saturday 24 June
Monday – Saturday at 7.30pm
Matinees Wednesday at 2.30pm
and Saturday at 3.00pm
Audio-Described Performances:
Saturday 27 May at 3.00pm
Monday 29 May at 7.30pm
“A musical journey of emotions from melancholy to merriment”
The story of Death taking human form and having a weekend away from his Grim Reaper duties may not appear to be the most promising, nor cheery, storyline for a musical. Had Thom Southerland, director of Death Takes a Holiday and the well regarded artistic director of Charing Cross Theatre, made the right choice for opening the 2017 season?
Based on the 1924 play La Morte in Vacanza by Alberto Casella, ‘Death Take a Holiday’ has had a few incarnations since. It was first a Broadway play, then a film in the 1930s, a TV movie in the early 70s and reinvented as Meet Joe Black for another cinema airing in 1998. a musical version was conceived in 1997 and eventually had a short off Broadway run in 2011. It’s a version of the latter that we have now, with a book by Thomas Meenan and Peter Stone and music and lyrics by Maury Yeston.
From the first note of the opening act, it feels that this is going to be a big production and that feeling does last throughout. Although the stage is small and the scenery (set design by Morgan Large) simple yet charming, this does feel like you’re watching something much bigger but it never feels as if its punching above its weight.
Maury Yeston’s score certainly has a variety of styles to it; heavily orchestral in places, jazzy in others. On the whole, the style of each song works to portray the mood of the scene perfectly, the audience taken on a musical journey of emotions from melancholy to merriment.
The first act does a lot of scene setting and had a lot of songs; indeed perhaps one too many songs, to the point that occasionally Death take a Holiday seemed to have delusions of being a sung through musical. Some of the back stories (such as how Major Fenton thought he knew Prince Sirki (Death’s alter ego)), felt slightly drawn out and didn’t add a lot to the action. But characters were mostly believable and well acted. Special mentions to James Gant as the slightly awkward butler, Fidele, Ashley Stillburn as the stroppy spurned Corrado and Scarlett Courtney as the delightful Daisy.
The second act came across as much punchier. The musical numbers, though fewer, were stronger and more meaningful. The storyline picked up a pace and although act one was fine, this was a much more enjoyable watch.
The production came with a highly accomplished cast, the two leads both formerly principals in two West End heavyweights – Zoë Doano as Grazia (Cosette in Les Miserables) and Chris Peluso as Death/Prince Sirki (Chris in Miss Saigon). As expected these two delivered; their voices both amazing, at times making the hairs on your neck stand up. Their duet, More and More, being the stand out vocal performance of the show.
Death Takes a Holiday deals with an immortal entity experiencing human feelings and emotions for the first time. These range from comic, such as when Prince Sirki’s maid brings him his towels and the reaction that gives him, to the extremely touching moments as he falls for Grazia. It may have made the plot more powerful if we could have seen a bit more of Death’s dark side along the way.
The emotional scenes aren’t limited to the leads, the song ‘December Time’ between the elderly Evangelina (Gay Soper) and Baron Albione (Anthony Cable) is both sweet and beautifully sung.
Although a little drawn out in places and needing a sprinkle more of malevolence, this is generally an enjoyable show with some strong performances.
Photography Scott Rylander
Death Takes a Holiday is at the Charing Cross Theatre
