Review: THE COLOR PURPLE, Birmingham Hippodrome - UK tour

Photo credit: Manuel Harlan

The story of The Color Purple has had many iterations. First, a 1982 novel by Alice Walker inspired by the life of her grandmother, then a film starring Whoopie Goldberg, followed by a 2006 musical adaptation on Broadway that won awards and received many revivals... Leading us all the way to the Birmingham Hippodrome & Leicester Curve co-production about to set out on tour across the UK. We mention this immense history only because it is clear that the cast of this show not only carry the weight of this operatic tale so well between them in their performances, but also manage to navigate that rich tapestry and produce something that is entirely unique and that all of them should be proud of. It's clear how much it means to everyone involved, not just on stage, but in the audience. The atmosphere is one we will never forget.

The Color Purple tells the story of how hope can defy all odds. Celie (Me'sha Bryan) has had it relentlessly tough since childhood; rape, the birth and abduction of two children by her father, being married off to a man much older than herself, losing her sister... it's brutal. But through it all, she never quite loses her spirit. Bryan plays this really well, always with a look of awe on her face, being surrounded and influenced by all these strong and independent female characters in her life. It all pays off in the climax, ‘I'm Here’, when everything falls into place for her character. The realisation is felt in every movement of her face. She moves around the stage with a newfound confidence and the journey her character takes is clear as the beacon of light she stands in. It's phenomenally moving.

And it's not just Me'sha but the entire cast who are at the top of their games. The performances, the voices are the stars of this show, right from the beginning, you know the score is in safe hands as the gospel trio enter the stage and fill the Hippodrome auditorium with rich and full-bodied harmonies that you don't just hear, but feel in your soul. There's not one weak link in this exceptional ensemble.

We must also mention Martin Higgins’ orchestrations of this production. The music sweeps us all along into the narrative and adds to the moving nature of each scene, especially the brass elements in ‘I'm Here’, which highlights Celie truly coming into her own. A full circle moment indeed.

Alex Lowde’s set design is simple, allowing these performers to truly take centre stage and have the attention they deserve. Yet it also serves its purpose well, adding an epic scale to the production that is unlike many shows seen on tour. Combined with Joshua Pharo's lighting and projection design, just enough is offered to the audience for us to fill in the gaps ourselves and offer our own interpretation of this rich and layered story.

We hope there is a future for this production beyond this seven-week tour. The Color Purple is exceptional regional theatre craft at its finest.

***** Five stars

Reviewed by: Callum Wallace

The Color Purple plays at Birmingham Hippodrome until 17 September, before continuing its tour until November.