Review: THE ROAD TO PROMINENCE, Thespie

‘Prominence’, by very definition, means “the state of being important, famous or noticeable”. Directed by Dominic Powell, The Road to Prominence celebrates the work and artistry of Black creatives over the last 100 years – and therefore, giving it ‘prominence’. 

In the style of a relaxed and unplugged musical concert, featuring interviews with cast members and commentary from Powell himself, audiences can expect to be moved and educated. 

Featuring the diverse casting of Black and duel heritage West End performers including Zoe Birkett (The Bodyguard, Thriller: Live), Aisha Jawando (Tina: The Musical) and Alex Thomas-Smith (Dear Evan Hansen), this collection of performances is beautiful and rich with culture and history. From a funky rendition of Duke Ellington’s ‘It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing’ to a moving and powerful performance of ‘Home’ from The Wiz, the music is a true celebration of Black musical theatre and heritage. They are also, to put it simply Besties, an absolute joy and pleasure to experience.

However, despite the celebration, the interviews and the very context of this concert suggests that there is a strong case to be made that there is still work to be done - this concert allows us to reconsider what is considered ‘black’ and what is considered ‘white’.  We are encouraged to reflect on how some Black performers can often be sidelined in musical theatre and given a token role so that the casting directors can say they have ‘a diverse cast’. As well as this, the canon of Black music is not something that is widely talked about or represented enough on stage, which is something that this concert – either directly or indirectly – makes comment on. 

The commentary, given by Dominic Powell, interrupts each performance, giving us additional contextual information and enabling a deeper understanding of each performance. It also gives us insight into where the performances are placed in the history of prominence, within Black music and artistry. In addition, the personal touch of the interviews gives audiences a rich understanding about the variety of experiences and developments within this area. 

But the interviews allow us to see that there is another side to this - Black music is also about joy and community. Some of these musicals (for example, The Color Purple) and the history of Black music and performance is about more than the tragedy; that is not to say that these elements are not important. 

The messages that are constantly mentioned throughout this piece revolve around ‘staying true to yourself’ and ‘knowing what you’re about’, particularly in regard to upcoming Black artists. And in the wake of the recent Black Lives Matter movement, this message could not be any more relevant and important. 

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Megan Webb

To book tickets for the stream of The Road to Prominence, please click here.