Children’s author Michael Rosen revived Dicken’s 19th century novel for the modern day in 2018, and now his retelling is brought to life by The Children’s Theatre Partnership.
A blend of classic literature with 21st century attitude, Unexpected Twist has been adapted for the stage by BAFTA award winning playwright Roy Williams.
Directed by James Dacre, Dickens’ characters come alive as a class of unruly students study his novel for the first time, experiencing the recurring narrative of poverty and exploitation in real time. New student Shona, played by Drew Hylton, mirrors Twist himself, with a difficult home life. Her single dad (Thomas Vernal) is finding it difficult to care for Shona after the death of her mum and the loss of his job, leaving them scrounging for pennies to buy food.
Like Twist, Shona gets lured into a better life, but of course any luxuries come with a price, which well-intentioned teacher Miss Cavani (Rosie Hilal) tries to extract her from.
The score created by Conrad Murray and R&B singer Yaya Bey is performed live by the company, using only their mouths. With a small cast the R&B influence is strong with beatboxing and hip-hop tunes mostly led by the brilliant Kate Donnachie, including a unique improvised number at the end. Hylton shines in her solo moments, bringing a soulful voice.
Credit goes to the whole cast for sustaining such an energetic performance throughout the whole show.
Frankie Bradshaw’s set is largely bare, with lockers lining the sides and the two levels allowing past and present to be cleverly integrated. The original novel figures primarily reside on the top deck, drawing obvious parallels between the two stories playing out on stage.
While perhaps a little clunky in its portrayal of stereotypical students, this production proves a useful tool for educators to relate a classic to a younger audience, opening up important conversations around poverty, exploitation, and abusive relationships.
Unexpected Twist is showing at The Curve until 10th June, purchase tickets here https://www.curveonline.co.uk/whats-on/shows/unexpected-twist/
***
Unexpected Twist at The Curve
Katie Reviews 