Review: The Confession Room at the St James Studio

The Confession Room 
St James Studio
Reviewed on Sunday 13th July 2014
★★★★

We often go to the theatre to be taken on tremendous emotional journeys, to be given an insight into the lives of others or perhaps to admire the work of some of the greatest playwrights in history; however, sometimes it's nice to be provided with several hours of ridiculous yet hilarious, silly escapism. This is precisely the case with Dan Looney and Patrick Wilde’s new British musical, The Confession Room.

The show, which is about a group of people who come together to spill their most embarrassing secrets and stories, has been in development for several years. Directed by Paul Foster, The Confession Room was given a concert staging at the St James Studio for one night only. The musical wasn't performed in its entirety but the majority of the musical numbers, which were released on a concept album last year, were showcased.

Jon Robyns

The Confession Room is a brilliant ensemble show which has everything you could possibly want from a contemporary comedy with few boundaries. Each character takes turn to make their confession, some of which are hysterical, unexpected, revolting and touching. 

As well as providing plenty of laughs, Looney's score is surprisingly blissful. On several occasions I sat back and enjoyed the superb vocal arrangements as the company performed together. The Confession Room is fun and light-hearted, but it doesn't just rely on humour to make it a good musical. There are multiple standout numbers which bring both variety and consistency. 

The cast of the showcase were strong, with standout performances coming from Jon Robyns and Rebecca Trehearn whose voices sounded utterly phenomenal. Stuart Matthew Price, Joshua Lovell, John Sandberg and Stephanie Clift also shone throughout.

I would be keen to see a fully staged production of The Confession Room; however, my only concern is its commercial appeal. The show is incredibly outrageous but would need to be able to reach out to its niche audience. With the right director, theatre and producer, Dan Looney and Patrick Wilde’s musical could have huge success. The Confession Room is certainly ready to be taken to the next level. 

Reviewed by Andrew Tomlins (Editor)

Read our interview with Dan Looney & Jon Robyns

Please visit www.confessionroom.co.uk for further information.
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