THE LATE producer Bill Kenwright never failed to impress with his perception of what would put bums on seats outside of the tried and tested shows that are regularly reincarnated.
This goes right back to when ex-Corrie actor Kenwright took a play by Willy Russell that was sinking into oblivion and turned it into a musical, then toured it for a couple of years and finally brought it back to the West End in triumph – the show was of course ‘Blood Brothers’ which, ironically, is now also one of the annual regurgitations.
Since Blood Brothers, his catalogue has become exhaustive and mostly successful. It is somewhat brazenly formulative in that they are mostly famous films that he dares to transpose for the stage.
Comedians and writers Owen O’Neil and Dave Johns had the original idea to adapt Stephen Kings short novella ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ for the Edinburgh stage back in 2009. Kenwright breathed West End life into it and it was a huge success. Broadway, UK and international tours followed the latest of which arrived at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre this week.
I loved masterful Morgan Freeman performance as ‘Red’ in the gutsy 1994 ‘Shawshank’, but I have to say Ben Onwukwe in the stage version also gives us a ‘Red’ to remember.
Red or to give him his full title – Ellis ‘Red’ Redding. In the Shawshank prison Red is both a lifer and a marketeer (he is also our narrator) – if you want something and can pay for it, Red can get it. He’s been turned down for parole so many times that he’s made his mind up he’ll never be released. Onwukwe gives him warmth and depth, building all the time till we care about him passionately.
Joe McFadden brings a quiet fervency to Andy Dufresne, a lawyer serving two life sentences for the murder of his wife and her golf professional lover. A crime of which he is innocent but has no way of proving it.
The system in Shawshank is corrupt from the top down. From a warden misappropriating funds to brutal guards who are as equally culpable as the prisoners they watch over – the only difference is they get to wear the uniforms.
Warden Stammas has the whiff of evil about him from his first entrance – he is a bigot, a liar and a bully and Bill Ward gives him full throttle in displaying his abuse of power. He simply oozes corruption in his restrained camouflage of suit and tie – with a bible for a prop.
Kenneth Jay is engaging as the old lag Brooksie for whom prison is the only home he has known and Kyle Harrison-Pope brings innocence to the so-called bad-boy Tommy Williams., to whom life has dealt a very poor hand,
Director David Esbjornson skillfully moves the action over 20 years. We get to know every convict and watch them change. Lest we forget Esbjornson finds ways of reminding us from time to time that though the cons may be nice, they all (except Andy) did very bad things.
The clue is in the title ‘Redemption’. We are told the purpose of prison is not to punish but to change so that you can return to your place in normal society. However, just surviving day-to-day takes priority over redemption at Shawshank.
Gary McCann has designed a highly convincing set, complete with huge high walls and gun terraces, but also with the stifling intimacy of individual cells and dark spaces where even darker things happen.
There are no weak links and the all-male company of 12 gave it their all on the hottest night of the year. I sensed the pace may have been a little slower than usual but who could blame them, we were sweltering in the auditorium so it must have been hell in the prison on stage.
The Shawshank Redemption runs at the Alexandra Theatre until Saturday, May 30. Click here for times, tickets and more information.
