Review: Sylvia, Royal Albert Hall

On 17th October 1912, Emmeline Pankhurst stood on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall and declared, “I incite this meeting to rebellion!” Six months later, the Pankhursts and the political group they led, the Women’s Social and Political Union, were banned from the Hall as their politics became increasingly militant. They were allowed to return in 1918, after the Representation of the People Act granted voting rights to some women. One hundred and fourteen years after that speech, the Suffragettes are back on the Albert Hall stage, and when Beverley Knight’s Emmeline delivers the line that got them banned, the sold-out house erupts in applause.

Sylvia follows Emmeline and her children Christabel, Sylvia, Adela and Harry, and the movements that led to women securing the vote in the UK. It doesn’t just present the story of suffrage but also the complicated personal relationships within the Pankhurst family and their differing views on how to campaign. As the years go on, Emmeline becomes increasingly militant, while her daughter Sylvia favours pacifism, believing her mother’s actions benefit elite women rather than the working class. With Reform wanting to repeal the Equality Act 2010 and misogynistic content aimed at young men rising online, this is exactly the right time to bring the story back to the stage.

The score blends hip-hop, funk and soul, and moves seamlessly between tracks, with any spoken word delivered in verse. The book and lyrics by Kate Prince, Priya Parmar and Tachia Newall, combined with the music and score by Josh Cohen and DJ Walde, tell a huge story in a short space of time, clearly and with the passion of the women of the WSPU. Prince’s choreography for ZooNation is slick, especially when the cast move as one. Sylvia has inevitably drawn comparisons with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton and Shaina Taub’s Suffs because of its subject and musical style, but its blend of genres makes it entirely unique.

Knight is formidable as the matriarch Emmeline, with flawless vocals full of her character’s anger and passion. Naomi Katiyo is a revelation as Sylvia, and her journey from dutiful daughter to leader of her own political movement is stunningly portrayed. Newall is charming as the Labour leader Keir Hardie. A strength of the production is that most of the cast play more than one role, which helps tell a story spanning so many years.

Staging Sylvia at the Royal Albert Hall is an important choice, given the building’s place in the history of women’s suffrage. However, a myriad of sound issues mean the story doesn’t translate as well as it did in its original production at the Old Vic. In rap-style sections the music is so loud that it is hard to hear what the performers are saying. There also seemed to be a problem with the way the drum kit was miked, producing a distracting echo from the back of the hall. At two hours and thirty minutes, it feels like some material could be cut. That said, condensing such a large story into this running time is an incredible feat.

Sylvia is a timely, energetic and ambitious musical that brings a vital piece of history back to the stage where Emmeline once incited rebellion. Its blend of hip-hop, funk and soul, slick choreography and standout cast, led by Knight and Katiyo, tell a huge story clearly and with real passion, and it speaks directly to today’s political climate. Sound problems at the Royal Albert Hall and a running time that could be trimmed keep it from five stars, but it remains essential viewing for the time we are living in. Although the tour has now finished, I’m sure Sylvia will have more life after this season.

Directed and Choreography by Kate Prince
Book & lyrics by Kate Prince
Book by Priya Parmar
Music by Josh Cohen and DJ Walde
Additional Lyrics by Tachia Newall
Set and costumes by Ben Stones
Lighting by Natasha Chivers & Hector Murray
Sound by Tony Gayle

Sylvia plays at Royal Albert Hall until Sunday 15 November.