[AD – PR invite*]
★★
When I received the press release for PINCHY Theatre’s ‘It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad Madge’ I was incredibly intrigued by the idea of an experimental musical based on the life of a 17th-century aristocrat. It piqued my interest so much that I headed up to London for the evening with the sole purpose of reviewing what the theatre company describes as the “live resurrection of Margaret Cavendish”. Whilst it doesn’t work for me in its current form, some elements of this abstract piece do have potential and with significant development could make for a dynamic piece of exploratory musical theatre.
An unconventional musical biography
Over the course of 60 minutes, the philosopher, writer and scientist is brought back to life in front of the audience’s eyes, however, this is no ordinary ‘life and times of’ musical. It is an abstract collection of songs and spoken word about the former Duchess of Newcastle upon Tyne. Unfortunately, the lack of narrative and non-linear structure makes it confusing to follow, with the saving graces being Anna Hale’s performance as Madge and Maddie Maycock’s varied lighting design. Having impeccable timing is key for such a lively role and Anna nails this throughout.
An intriguing individual
The audience quickly learns that the real life Duchess was perceived to be an eccentric and PINCHY Theatre’s interpretation of the figure leans heavily into this trait, exhibiting a tremendous amount of energy on stage. This confidence is showcased in the character breaking the fourth wall and calling on members of the audience, drawing spectators into Madge’s world. I happened to be one of these people and even though I found the interaction jarring so early in the material, Anna’s commitment to the character was impressive.
An underexplored central character
Margaret Cavendish was clearly a fascinating person, but pretty quickly the repetitive eccentricities become tiresome. I was looking for the company to peel back the layers on the Duchess, going beyond her mannerisms and looking at her insecurities, which are hinted at throughout the script. Anna Hale is a fantastic performer, particularly in the moments of comedy, but I don’t believe they have enough opportunity to highlight the depth of the character. There are moments of sincerity, which are dispersed between the character’s rambles, but this is only lightly touched upon. The creative team could have chosen to instead focus more on some of the rumoured difficulties she experienced, shifting the overall tone of the work. From poor feedback on her writing to family members suffering when they remained loyal to King Charles I, Margaret certainly had a rollercoaster life.
Thoughts on the score
Musically, I had such high hopes for the show and the contemporary opening numbers ‘Glorious Resurrection’ and ‘Sexy Period Drama’ are welcome starting points. Clare Packham and Fintan Kealy’s early lyrics are quirky and set to a pop score, reminiscent of other period theatre that has taken a more modern approach. The use of reverb is also creative, helping to extend the ambiance of the vocals. That being said, as the musical progresses, the songs quickly resemble standalone tracks and lack cohesion. Even though the final ‘World within Worlds’ track is beautiful and features spectacular vocals, I found myself questioning why it had been included and what relevance it has to the material. It didn’t help that this was preceded by a puzzling sequence with sand, which made the experience all the more bewildering.
A novel idea that needs development
I admire the company’s commitment to experimental theatre and do believe that ‘It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad Madge’ has promise. It is just difficult to look beyond the lack of character exploration and narrative. As always this is entirely my perspective and I am keen to hear what others think of the work. Regardless of my thoughts on its current state, I appreciated the opportunity to see some new writing which takes an alternative approach to biographic theatre. The show is based at The Glitch at London Waterloo until Monday 10th March, with tickets available via the venue’s website.
Thanks for reading my blog today.
Love Kat xxxx
*My ticket for ‘It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad Madge’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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