The Nightingales
*****
New Theatre, Cardiff, Mon 19 Nov
After exiting Cardiff’s New Theatre my initial thought was ‘who knew church choir politics could be so bloody juicy?’.
The Nightingales marks Ruth Jones’ long-awaited return to stage, best-known for her role as Nessa in the award-winning BBC comedy Gavin & Stacey. Her stage comeback did not disappoint.
On the face of it, The Nightingales is centred around a seemingly fuzzy feel-good narrative. A local choir of old friends find themselves shaken out of their suburban slumber by the arrival of a village new-comer, Maggie (Jones). The warm Welsh wonder that is Maggie encourages them to audition for essentially a BTEC-version of Britain’s Got Talent, making them believe they could actually be winners. However, we are sharply made aware that this is simply the half of it. Containing themes of sexual deviancy, racial isolation, village-hall politics and potential cancer-fraud, The Nightingales is a tale of tumescent toxic relationships, that is certainly not to be underestimated.
The six-strong cast worked together rhythmically, with strong on-stage chemistry and respectable vocals to match. They work in harmony delivering William Gaminara’s slick dialogue, rarely missing a beat with the audience. Steven Pacey’s role as lead choir master (Steven), was a stand-out performance and vital to the production’s success. The character’s seeming superiority complex makes him dislikeable but also somehow pitiful and sympathetic also. The acclaimed Sarah Earnshaw (Connie) was another true credit, providing by far the strongest vocals performances, rendering the audience in awe.
The set design from Jonathon Fensom achieves an astounding likeness to the often questionable décor one would usually find in an English village hall. No attention to detail is overlooked, from the diabolical colour scheme to the dated Brownie flag hanging limply from the door. The stage is split into two defining sections, the main hall and the kitchen, where this simple divide creates a thick atmosphere. This allows two scenes to coincide effortlessly, giving the audience subtle insights into future plot developments.
Nick Riching’s lighting design adds an equally nostalgic feel to the mis-en-scene, where the high-lit yellow overtones coat each scene in a familiar dingy glow. In fact, the set left echoes of my own childhood so much that It was an unnervingly immersive experience, evoking the classic scent of village hall musk throughout.
The Nightingales is a thoughtful and compelling production that will leave you utterly enthralled from the first a-capella rendition of You Raise Me Up to the final curtain. With a razor-sharp script from Gaminara, laden with moments of genuine middle-class England hilarity, it is truly not what meets the eye. Highly recommended.
words Mel Lynch
The Nightingales is on at the New Theatre until Sat 24 Nov. Tickets: £18 – £38 www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk / (029) 2087 8889