Rent (Creators Theatre Company)

Coming right at you with a magnificent production of Jonathan Larson's Rent at the Dovehouse Theatre in Solihull are the aptly titled Creators Theatre Company and if this is the sort of creation they are going to conjure up on a regular basis tickets will be extremely hard to come by.

'Creators' is the brainchild of Director Richard Agg, Choreographer Suzanne Ballard-Yates and Musical Director Chris Davis who with a stellar cast have set the bar high turning the stage into an effective depiction of the derelict Manhattan East Village on multiple levels to engage and entertain a receptive audience.

Matthew James's narrational performance as documentary maker Mark is slick with some fruitful use of facial expression and glances through the fourth wall, reaching multiple heights during musical numbers like La Vie Boheme and Living in America.

Ash Clifford as Roger feels like an emotional timebomb, a great piece of acting and perfectly cast opposite Faye Harvey-Smith as the equally emotional and needy Mimi, they need each other we just have to wait for the finale to find out if that happens (I won't spoil it for the Rent Virgins).

Angel is a tricky character and you need a class act to take the challenge, suspect they don't come any classier than Jaii Andrew who nails it on every level and talking of nailing things Dan Peet as Collins makes that partnership a total success with a booming vocal as well, have to admit to weeping a little in the funeral scene that was particularly emotional for the whole room.

Relationships of all sorts are explored and the most explosive is that of Joanne played in a reservedly powerful style by Jenne Collins and the totally unreserved Kendra Foster-McBride as Maureen with cows jumping over the moon and girls in rubber flirting as just an occupational hazard.

Completing the principal characters is Benny, a little bit on the outside of the friendship group having married into money but, reinstating himself over time and played with assertive and assured charm by Mike Bentley.

Having not really mentioned too many individual voices it is probably worth stating how they are all dynamic and easy on the ear and it is difficult to single out any one over another.

Has to be said that this show is made even more appealing by the supporting cast of Suzanne Ballard-Yates, Gavin Whichello, Steve Hyde, James Kelly, Audrey Martin, Jo Murphy, Penny Simpkins, Chelsea Tring and Daniel Denton-Harris who enrich the production with action, song and dance.

Only four performances left and all on the verge of selling out so grab the while you can before the cast head of to open up that restaurant in Santa Fe.

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