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★★★
For the next week the new musical drama ‘Mary and the Hyenas’ is having its London premiere at Wilton’s Music Hall: the oldest Grand Music Hall in the world. It focuses on 18th century feminist and trailblazer Mary Wollstonecraft, who was clearly ahead of her time in her views on the role of women and desires for equal rights. Society perceived her as an eccentric and outcast, yet her perspectives never faltered and she always strived to build a platform for women’s education. As a gutsy figure, I can totally see why she was the inspiration for Maureen Lennon’s musical, even if the current iteration feels like it is trying to achieve too much.
About the show
The musical takes place in 1797 and Mary Wollstonecraft (Laura Elsworthy) is giving birth to her second child who she refers to as “another girl”. She contracts an infection after a birth complication and consequently finds out that this is the last 10 days of her life. Immediately aware that she will not get to meet her daughter and watch her grow up, in her feverish state, Mary and that same child (Ainy Medina) travel back in time, revisiting the moments of her life that defined who she is as a person. They do this with the support of Mary’s band ‘The Hyenas’ and the supporting performers (Beth Crame, Elexi Walker, Kat Johns-Burke and Kate Hampson) alternate between their roles as backing singers and significant people in Mary’s life. The book rather impressively covers the majority of the feminist’s childhood and career and her story is told through 2 hours 25 minutes (including an interval) of musical theatre.
Unclear identity
Since the success of ‘SIX’ and arguably its younger sister ‘Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World’ which was revived last year, it is easy to presume that a pop concert with narrative is a strong format for telling feminist stories. Whilst this show has plenty of storyline and humour, in act one I found myself comparing it to the previously mentioned musicals and concluding that it feels underdeveloped in comparison. This is largely to do with the score and the sheer number of characters, which reduce the production’s overall focus. Towards the end, it is also a little unclear whether this is meant to be a musical tribute to Mary or a more impactful piece about trailblazing women. If it’s meant to be the latter, it would have been fascinating to hear about other ‘radical’ women of the time.
Pop influences and band-like format
Billy Nomates’ (Tor Maries) songs have been influenced by sounds of the 1980s and are pleasant enough as a collective, but for me the individual numbers are not memorable enough. Additionally, outside of Ayesha Fazal’s sharp choreography and blocking, I also don’t think it’s particularly clear that the Hyenas are in a group with Mary. They change roles so many times that you end up losing that band-like atmosphere in between scenes. That being said, the support and adoration that the characters provide for each other throughout is an absolute delight to watch. The cast certainly make up for the lack of band imagery in their genuine portrayals of sisterhood.
Costume design
Sara Perks’ costumes are a highlight, opting for implied period designs rather than extensive historical gowns. In a musical packed full of characters, this symbolism through the costumes really works, allowing the performers to quickly manipulate the outfits on stage and the script to keep flowing at speed. For a historical show, they also feel incredibly contemporary and could easily have been featured in a fashion show that looks at trends of the era.
Wider impact
Despite my thoughts on the overall structure of the musical and the score, I do strongly believe that this is a story that needs to be heard. Mary Wollstonecraft was clearly a tour de force and I find it unbelievable that her accomplishments are not more widely known. Additionally, the musical has some absolutely wonderful messaging for women and girls, encouraging them to “keep on standing up and speaking up”. You can catch ‘Mary and the Hyenas’ at Wilton’s Music Hall until Saturday 29th March, with tickets available via the venue’s website.
Thanks for reading my blog today.
Love Kat xxxx
*My ticket for ‘Mary and the Hyenas’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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