Review: Mary and the Hyenas, Wilton’s Music Hall

“I don’t like musicals,” I may have opined (regularly) in the past. My argument being, as someone who spends as much time at music gigs as I do the theatre, that I find musicals to be rather lacklustre. But just as some people are drawn to a show due to a big name, I am drawn by the mention of an artist I would happily see at a gig. Last year was Richard Hawley’s Standing At the Sky’s Edge; tonight is Tor Maries, better known as Billy NoMates. It’s 100 percent the only reason I agreed to this assignment! 

Mary and the Hyenas tells the story of 18^th century social activist and writer Mary Wollstonecraft, considered a trailblazer for woman’s rights. Transforming her story into a musical with some more hardcore tunes than most West End musicals adds an edge that works well, because a woman who fought against the status quo surely deserves better tunes than the usual pop-lite of most musicals. 

Let’s first talk about that music, written specifically for this show rather than just shoehorning in a back catalogue. There’s no mistaking the sound of Maries’ Billy NoMates throughout, nor the obvious feminist direction it takes. In both cases, it’s a resounding success. Whether by great casting or luck, lead Laura Elsworthy, with her shock of bright red hair, even sounds like Billy NoMates as she belts out opening number How To Grow A Girl. It’s a shame, therefore, that the backing track threatens to drown out the vocals. Whether it’s over-production or poor sound mixing is debatable, but when the backing track is eased off, allowing vocals to come to the fore, does it really comes fully to life. The transition into each musical number also feels jarring, with the backing track coming in softly for the intro and then jumping to full blast as the vocals start. It needs more subtlety and better balance.

Maureen Lennon’s script, much like the music, is great. However, it could also do with some better balancing, especially during the opening and later scenes which don’t match the pace found elsewhere. There’s a wonderful coarseness throughout, demonstrating that women too can be a little smutty (much to the shock of us neanderthal men). The show’s framing device, Wollstonecraft dictating her life story to her daughter, is also a little uneven and totally unnecessary. It even disappears midway through before reappearing late on. 

Thankfully, these are minor issues that don’t take away from the rest of the wonderful writing, as we go on a fast-paced trip through Wollstonecraft’s life, discovering how she came to be the feminist voice she’s remembered for today. We Are The Men cleverly shows the challenges faced in being heard in a male-dominated world. 

Outside of Elsworthy’s brilliant performance, she is more than competently assisted by a five strong multi-rolling female ensemble; her hyenas. Special mention needs to go to Beth Crame who surely isn’t far away from her own lead role in the future but Kate Hampson, Elexi Walker, Kat Johns- Burke and Ainy Medina all make incredible contributions.

The staging is clever, the layered stage being fully explored with actors clambering up steep steps to the very top or disappearing through hidden doors, allowing every inch to be utilised. Equally impressive is the costuming; the 18th century garments, full of bustles and tight bodices, are designed in a way that allows the necessary quick changes.

So, can I continue to say “I don’t like musicals”? Well, as someone once said to me when I made that preposterous statement, it’s not that you don’t like musicals, it’s that you just need to find the ones that work for you. Mary and the Hyenas is undoubtably a show I’d happily go and see again, so I think it’s safe to say I think I’ve found at least one of my musicals.

Written by: Maureen Lennon
Music by: Tor Maries
Directed by: Esther Richardson
Designed by: Sara Perks
Produced by: Pilot Theatre and Hull Truck Theatre

Mary and the Hyenas plays at Wilton’s Music Hall until Saturday 29 March.