The Highwayman is a new musical by prolific writer Kitty Morgan developed over the past 18 months with a number of theatres including the Mercury and Norwich Theatre.
And a new musical in development should be applauded. But it still feels like this production could do with a lot more work if it’s to move on to higher things.
Inspired by the Alfred Noyes poem of the same name, which is a wonderful piece of atmospheric writing, Morgan has taken the essence of the poem and wrapped it round the central character of notorious 16th century cutthroat Claude Duval. However, this is much more a musical about the women in his life, and in the process, there are so many ideas and issues thrown into the mix, including infanticide, child abuse, domestic violence, abortion, women’s rights etc, that the production gets somewhat weighed down and very soon loses its way.
Kevin Wathen gives the part of Duval a rough-edged charm but is maybe not charismatic enough to hold the stage as such a powerful personality. Melissa O’Donnell as Rose, the mother of his child, plays it straight and is believable. Josselyn Ryder as the landlord’s wife and Duval’s secret love Bess is by far the strongest character and probably has the best song in the piece as she mourns her lost baby.
But the first act is muddled as it tries to place the action somewhere between London and the Suffolk coast and shoehorn in a number of subplots including Rose’s 13-year-old daughter Peggy (played with elfish charm by Natasha Spenser-Levy but for some reason in modern dress—a rather jarring note) wanting to become a post girl, Duval’s two love affairs and his need to protect Peggy, continue his affair with Bess and go about his business of robbing folk, and the troubles Bess has with her creepy smuggler / abusive husband Pixley (Lyle Fulton).
There are also a number of other characters thrown into the mix. Especially likeable and probably one of the few nods to a little comic light relief is Guido Garcia Lueches as Duval’s louche sidekick, Thomas French. The other comic turn is a very fruity Charles II and his Nell Gwynn, played completely over the top by James Dangerfield and Emily Law, but whose scenes really lift the production to another level.
The songs are mainly very lively although not particularly memorable, but the company give them their all, belting them out to a very good piano accompaniment by Adam Morris, and sometimes adding in guitar and violin themselves.
Act 2 is a bit more structured and some of the characters a little more developed. But the piece lacks enough dramatic moments or any real light and shade, so it is hard to feel for any of the characters until well into the second half, and by then it is probably too late.
I think this production has potential—and there are some nice moments. The set and lighting give the piece atmosphere, although it could have spoken of the coast and the marshes a bit more.
And the costumes are interesting but a bit like the production as a whole: a bit of a mishmash and not really sure what note they want to hit.
An entertaining and pleasant evening, but all in all, this is a work in progress and not something ready to take the West End by storm just yet. I wish them well with it.