Review: In The Heights at the Southwark Playhouse

In The Heights
Southwark Playhouse (The Large)
Reviewed on Thursday 15th May 2014

A musical like no other, Lin-Manuel Miranda (music and lyrics) and Quiara Alegria Hudes' (book) musical In The Heights has finally found its way to London following its 2007 off-Broadway premiere which was followed by a three year Tony Award winning run on Broadway. 

The show provides a snapshot into the lives of an ensemble of characters living in the Washington Heights. There are sacrifices made, dreams in sight and hearts at risk of being broken. In The Heights is kept alive with culture - it's about time London audiences saw these characters represented in musical theatre! 

Those who can relate to the piece will find themselves in a new kind of theatrical bliss, others will become fully engrossed whilst discovering a new, vibrant world. In The Heights is the most refreshing piece of theatre I have seen for a long time, every element of this production has been injected with such passion and I don't think I've ever witnessed or been part of such a quick standing ovation.

In The Heights flew by in a crazy whirlwind. Not once did I think about the time or where I was, instead I sat bolt upright throughout, trying to take in every detail. The writing and performances seem to hit a nerve, I felt emotionally moved and connected throughout. I was left buzzing during the interval and grew impatient when waiting for the second act to begin. 

I must admit, before seeing the show I did wonder how the hip hop and Dominican Latin influences would come together to create a musical theatre score, but before the first number was even finished my eyes had been well and truly opened. The fusion of such a broad range of musical influences is what makes In The Heights so special - there is nothing else like it! 

The beats are electric, the inclusion of hip hop allows certain characters to reveal their souls, the comedic numbers had the audience in hysterics, the more traditional musical theatre ballads are stunning and the big company numbers brought the house down. Lyrically there are some beautiful moments but the rhythms and melodies speak volumes, I could feel every emotion. 

It's so rare to see a cast which doesn't feature a single weak link. The multi-talented ensemble do not put a foot wrong. As usual Drew McOnie's astonishingly brilliant choreography allows each cast member to perform with such individuality. The company numbers were breathtaking, with so much going on in every corner of the stage; I am still trying to digest my experience.

It's hard to pick out particular cast members as everyone does such a sterling job, but a special mention must go to Victoria Hamilton-Barritt who is absolutely hysterical as gossiping salon owner Daniela. I cannot remember the last time I sat in a theatre and howled with laughter after almost every single line spoken by one particular character. Her comic timing is absolutely spot on.

Christina Modestou is sensational as Nina. Her vocals soar and grow with the score, with her rendition of 'Everything I Know' providing one of the simplest highlights of the evening. Emma Kingston also stands out, her fiery vocals are sublime. Almost every character has their time to shine and chemistry is remarkably strong considering performances commenced less than a week ago!

Luke Sheppard’s production certainly deserves more than a four week run. Whilst appealing to regular, open-minded theatregoers looking for something different, In The Heights reaches out to a whole new audience. It would certainly be very sad if the show didn't have future life in the UK beyond its current run at the Southwark Playhouse. 

I broke nearly every rule in the critic rulebook, whooping, roaring with laughter, almost shedding a tear and throwing down my notepad at the end of the night to ensure I was one of the first on my feet. I'm glad I've already booked my ticket to see In The Heights again as this tremendous production will most likely be a sell-out. 

Reviewed by Andrew Tomlins (Editor) 

In The Heights runs at the Southwark Playhouse until Saturday 7th June 2014.

Please visit www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk for further information and tickets.

Read our interview with Victoria Hamilton-Barritt

Photo Credit: Robert Workman 

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