A production that embarks with strong vocals and good intentions, but its storytelling lacks wind in its sails.Summary
Rating
Poor!
From Anything Goes to Titanic to Titanique – nautical-themed musicals certainly seem to be an established genre. Maiden Voyage is a new entry in this category, telling the story of the first all-female crew to compete in the Whitbread Round the World Race. While the show has inspirational aspirations, even strong vocal performances can’t cover over the cracks of a story totally lacking in drama.
Halfway between a biopic of Tracy Edwards, sailor and skipper of the Maiden yacht, and a dramatisation of life at sea, the show feels oddly unfocused. Tracy (Chelsea Halfpenny) declares her ambition to enter the sailing competition with an entirely female crew. And, aptly for a story that revolves around perseverance, they finish second, with some victories along the individual legs. But despite these achievements, the narrative plods along without urgency or stakes.
This production feels both impelling and flat, albeit with an important message that young women in today’s world face challenges about their right to do anything and be anyone they choose. But the lack of intensity and often weak dialogue overshadows all else.
When Marie-Claude (Olivia Hewitt-Jones) joins the crew as First Mate, there’s a flicker of tension with Tracy, but their friction never builds into anything substantial. Attempted comic lines, like a gag about “freeze dried toad in the hole” or the French sailor – who is learning English – only being able to say “I like cheese”, fall completely flat. Instead, the show has to reach for cheap laughs, like occasional swearing for the sake of it.
The recurring presence of King Hussein of Jordan (Shahaf Ifhar) is another confusing and unexplained element. It’s only after researching Tracy Edwards after the performance that I understood why he was there.
Visually, the action takes place on a spare but adaptable set by Laura Burman. Ropes and sails help recreate the yacht in motion during musical numbers, and Tara Overfield Wilkinson’s direction generally handles the small stage well, avoiding overcrowding despite the large cast. However, this tight space also restricts choreography, which often feels limited. It is additionally grating every time an actor walks across the front of the stage purely to announce a date and location and then disappears. With a large video wall already projecting maps and ocean scenes, these announcements could be handled more fluidly.
There are some great songs in this show. ‘Wanted: Girl Sailors’ and ‘Approaching Australia’ stand out as rhythmically complex and a great showcase of the cast’s vocal prowess. But there are also misfires – particularly the opening number, which lacks impact. That’s also true for a song about the death of a sailor named Tony, a member of an opposing crew who lost his life at sea. Mentioned fleetingly in one line earlier in the show, he’s suddenly the focus of a mournful ballad, which creates yet more confusion rather than the emotional moment of compassion that is presumably intended. An effort is undeniably made to bring this story to life. Flags are handed out to the audience to wave at the crew as they set off on their next leg. But this is ultimately superficial, and as the show wraps up, it becomes evident that there is very little dramatisation that could help lift the story. Maiden Voyage has some promise, with an uplifting message to ‘make waves’ in the world, but ultimately, its story and characters lack any real depth.
Book & Lyrics: Mindi Dickstein
Music: Carmel Dean
Director & Choreographer: Tara Overfield Wilkinson
Musical Director: Simona Budd
Orchestrator: Michael Starobin
Video Designer: Jack Baxter
Lighting Designer: Adam King
Sound Designer: Dominic Bilkey
Maiden Voyage plays at Southwark Playhouse Elephant until Saturday 23 August
