Review: MANIC STREET CREATURE, Southwark Playhouse Borough
Photo credit: Ali Wright
Manic Street Creature follows musician Ria (Maimuna Memon), a new Londoner fresh from Yorkshire, her turbulent relationship with another musician Daniel, and their toxic co-dependency.
We arrive at the ‘recording studios’, waiting with anticipation to hear Ria’s new album. Each song tells her story. Memon holding us in the palm of her hand as she tells her story. We are immersed in this spellbinding tale of love, hope and despair. She portrays every scene, alone in her solitude, desperate to make sense of it all.
Colourful lighting changes by designer Jamie Platt provoke emotional mood swings, while voice recordings by sound designer Sound Quiet Time boom over the speakers jangling our senses.
Memon is an outstanding performer; her stellar, ‘out of this world’ vocals powerfully pair with her raw emotion, and her melodic charms are truly mesmerising, keeping her performance both raw and edgy, alive and heartfelt. The character is so painfully human and relatable that you feel you already know her. Memon tells Ria’s story in a way in which you would speak to a friend, and that deeply connects with the audience and makes us invest in every word she says. We experience the relationship just as Ria does. Memon is everything a performer should aspire to be.
The unique score is electrifying, emotional, dark, rich and delicate. Each soulful song is utterly spine-chilling. ‘Set The House On Fire’ and ‘Insomnia’ are especially exhilarating and passionate. Full of surprises, booming music often crashes through the soft and sensitive ballads, Memon is accompanied by Harley Johnson (as Raz) on the drums, and Rachel Barnes accompanies her on the strings (as Heidi) while also voicing an unbearable therapist and concerned café owner, both musicians adding to the band community described in Ria’s world. Memon seamlessly bounds about the stage, from instrument to instrument, without taking a second to catch her breath; this adds to the authenticity of her performance.
Mental health is rarely explored within theatre in this way and Memon tackles the subject credibly. She focuses on the impact a partner’s mental health can have on a person which is rarely ever mentioned, yet so important. The story captures the essence of the desperation one has to do whatever one can to help a loved one, even if it breaks them along the way.
A compelling tale of love and trauma. This thought-provoking piece of gig theatre is exactly what London needs right now, and just to hear Memon’s magnificent voice is worth every penny – she is one to watch!
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Marina Holmes-Smith
Manic Street Creature plays at Southwark Playhouse Borough until 11 November, with further information here.