Rent (Hinckley Concordia Theatre)

There’s a level of professionalism in this production that makes me wonder if it really should be taken to a much wider audience, I would always hesitate to use a word like flawless, so perhaps let’s call it consummate and something that Emma-Jayne Gladman as Director and Hayley Gibbs as Musical Director must be exceptionally proud of, Rob Gladman’s set design additionally adds just the right atmosphere to proceedings.

I’ve not been to the Hinckley Concordia Theatre before, it’s a little gem of a facility, somewhere I’d recommend more people, whether local or not, visit and if the standard of this show is anything to go by, you’ll not be disappointed with what you see.

Jonathan Larson’s emotional story set in the poverty stricken East Village neighbourhood of Manhattan confronts many sensitive topics head on and this cast would rival any in handling all of the challenges in exemplary fashion, what makes it such a triumph is the acting and vocal skills which are quite simply of top-drawer quality. Ben Packer is confident and totally engaging in the narrative part as Mark, taking the audience on a journey through the troubled lives of the characters.

A multifarious mosaic of friends and relationships are played out with dexterity and almost intuitive understanding, Tim Redhead is a suitably emotional and fragile Roger, complemented perfectly by Leah Vassell’s exuberant yet vulnerable Mimi, enhanced into something of a love triangle with Allan Flower’s as once friend, now landlord, Benny. Dave Monk’s intelligent and passionate Tom Collins portraying the deep complexities of humanity alongside Drag Queen, Angel, a virtuoso performance from Ben Handforth. Sarah Painter’s organised and forthright Joanne in direct contrast to Jessica Clarke-Wheatley’s distractingly artistic Maureen.

On the outside of these interconnections are an array of other characters that enrich the story and are played by an equally talented ensemble cast.

This is without doubt a production that you should be thinking ‘no day but, today’ and get yourself a ticket before the opportunity to live ‘La Vie Boheme’ passes you by as performances only continue until 22nd September 2018.

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