Review: Edgar in the Red Room, The Hope Theatre

The name Edgar Allen Poe has many associations but historically, musical comedy may not have been one of them; The Shylock Project has changed that.

Edgar in the Red Room, written by Matt Chiorini and Greg Giovanini, follows Poe as he concocts his latest grim tale, all while facing his own inner demons and falling into a nightmarish discovery of his own mysterious end. Playing on gothic conventions, the show features some of the best non-blockbuster musical numbers in the game. Witty and tuneful, the songwriting is bolstered by strong voices and close harmonies, accompanied by Giovanini on the keyboard.

The design and stagecraft here are truly outstanding, and the use of shadowplay is a stroke of genius. Whether it’s puppets that are used to illustrate stories – a large bottle of gin looms, or a man on a horse gallops across the countryside – or the actors themselves, the device is both visually intriguing and an effective way to make the small space seem much more than it is.

Beyond shadows, there are only two structures on the stage at all times: a large white projection screen, and a doorframe on wheels with a roller blind attached to it. Through the assiduous use of these, the company takes us through time and space in a tribute to Poe that is never gratuitous, always inventive, and deeply entertaining.

Costumes and makeup are well thought out and hold up even in the close range of such a small theatre. From Usher’s (Killian Crowley) dishevelled-in-a-moneyed-way ensemble of carpet slippers and a large shawl, to the Woman in Black’s (Maya June Dwyer) ravenesque wings, to the Woman in White’s haunting candelabra headpiece, this is a polished, professional piece. With a bigger budget and a bigger space, this team could work magic.

While Poe is not quite as much of a fixture on British school curriculums as he is in the US, and audiences may not be as familiar with his life and work as they would in the company’s home of Syracuse, New York, it doesn’t really matter. Even if a few nods to Poe’s stories may be missed, a general understanding of gothic horror is all that’s needed to enjoy the mashup of his tales that the play follows. Occasionally the multiple timelines (we jump from Poe’s own life, to the story he is writing and narrates, to a nightmare where he becomes trapped in said story, to present day) are mildly confusing. But the show is so fun, and the cast so adept, that the emotional hit is still delivered.

Hopefully, this is not the only time that Edgar in the Red Room – or The Shylock Project – will be seen in London. This is talent that deserves to be seen.

Cast: Maya June Dwyer, Killian Crowley, Moxie Dwyer, Sammy Overton, Morgan Smith

Produced by The Shylock Project
Co-writer and director: Matt Chiorini
Choreographer: Maya June Dwyer
Assistant stage manager: Anna Cornell
Co-writer and music director: Greg Giovanini
Stage manager: Eliott Sheppard
Production designers: Lindsey Voorhees, John Czajkowski, Kylee Galarneau

Edgar in the Red Room plays at The Hope Theatre until Saturday 14 February.