Sylvia

Five stars ***** “it gets my vote”

Birmingham Hippodrome

Inspirational, challenging and alive. I don’t really want to review this show because I’m not sure I can do it justice. It has my wholehearted vote. What a powerhouse of a production, it just doesn’t stop.

Naomi Katiyo blazes as Sylvia; resilient and indomitable. Uzuazo O’David is wonderfully endearing as the enigmatic Harry Pakhurst. Collette Guitart is brilliant as she subtly woos you with her vocals. And Beverley Knight as Emmeline? Wow. Her voice is dynamite, she shoulders the weight both as the mother of the movement but also mirrored in the heavyweight talent she brings to the stage. 

It was all a perfect mix, from the truthful songwriting, the hair-raising harmonies and the inspirational true story. The choreography is the surprising, electric heartbeat of this show, driving us through the historic milestones of the suffrage movement. To quote Kate Prince, Director and Choreographer, ‘Funk feels like revolution to me’ and you feel like joining in.

We need to be reminded of these risk-taking heroes who lived and fought little more than a century ago, so our eyes can be opened to the injustices we may still overlook today. Perhaps most poignant was the way the Pankhurst family was shown in all its triumphs and flaws, giving us an insight into the harsh reality of the cost of standing up for what you believe in and how it can often impact those closest to us. I was bopping and cheering throughout and singing as I left the theatre. Get a babysitter, cancel your holiday, join the revolution, and get to this show.

Ben Castle