A slick, intelligent and impressively layered production driven by star performances
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What’s it about?
Thelma & Louise brings the iconic story of two best friends to the Young Vic stage. What begins as an escape from the routines of their everyday lives becomes a road trip with increasingly serious consequences, as the pair find themselves running from the law and discovering a very different kind of freedom along the way.
It’s a story that comes with considerable baggage – not least the legacy of the much-loved 1991 film and the unforgettable performances of Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon. This new musical has the challenge of finding its own theatrical language while retaining the friendship, rebellion and sense of freedom at the heart of the original…..not to mention, how to create the iconic ending of the film on stage.
What we loved
The production makes brilliant use of the Young Vic’s wonderfully wide stage. The main set is a Texan saloon, complete with bar, pool table and lamp post, with the pool table cleverly doubling as a bed when required. But what really brings the space to life is the ensemble.
They remain present throughout much of the action, often as shadowy figures around the edges of the saloon. In moments of tension or impending danger, they stamp a foot or strike their billiard cues in unison. It’s simple but incredibly effective, creating an ominous rhythm supporting the central action.
The choreography works in much the same way. There are terrific boot-scooting, line-dance-inspired sequences performed by the company, often emerging from the shadows. Not everything needs to be placed front and centre; instead, movement is used to create atmosphere and give the production another layer.
That layering runs throughout the intelligent and slick direction. There is some particularly inventive staging given the physical constraints of the Young Vic, including the lack of a traditional fly tower. One fabulous moment sees JD standing beneath a lamp post in the rain, with water falling from above onto an area barely a metre square and bouncing dramatically off his oversized cowboy hat. It’s a wonderfully theatrical image and another example of the production achieving a lot with relatively simple ideas.
The ensemble is also incorporated seamlessly into the mechanics of the storytelling, passing props to the principal cast without ever breaking the world of the production. One particularly lovely moment comes when Thelma goes to find a towel for JD and simply takes it from the foot of an ensemble member sitting quietly in the corner. These small details are everywhere, giving the staging a playfulness and fluidity that makes it continually interesting to watch.
Some of the smartest design choices comes when Thelma and Louise hit the road. Long strips of neon lighting trace the perimeter of the stage and, as the women travel, flashes of light race around them, accompanied by sound effects suggesting the movement of the car. It’s a wonderfully economical piece of theatrical storytelling. Without needing to put a car on stage, the production creates a real sense of movement and continually reminds us that this is, after all, a road-trip story.
At the centre of everything are Thelma and Louise themselves – and Amy Lennox (Thelma) and Rachel Tucker (Louise) are excellent. They are perfectly cast, with an easy, completely believable chemistry that makes them feel like true friends. Inevitably, any new Thelma and Louise have to contend with the legacy of Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon, but these performances never feel like impersonations. Both actors make the characters their own while retaining the relationship that made the original story so iconic.
Jordan Luke Gage oozes cool as JD. He has the charismatic smile, swagger and confidence the role demands – and looks very much at home in a Texan hat.
Trevor Dion Nicholas as Hal is another standout. There is real authority to the performance, commanding and intelligent, but also compassionate.
I was particularly curious to see how the production would tackle that famous ending. For almost all of it, the answer is, extremely well. Surrounded by armed forces and facing capture, Thelma and Louise make their decision. They hold hands, choose freedom on their own terms and, as the song reaches its climax, the stage is flooded with bright light. It’s a powerful final image.
Anything we’d change?
The music is completely in keeping with the world of the piece, but over the course of the show it does begin to feel a little samey. Greater variation in style, tempo and texture would help individual numbers stand out.
This is particularly noticeable towards the end of Act Two, when Thelma and Louise each have a solo ballad back-to-back. Both have their place dramatically, but together it feels like too much of the same thing. Something between them to change the pace would give each song more impact – particularly as the show should be gathering momentum towards its climax.
There is also one design choice in the final few seconds that I would lose. Just as the production has created a beautifully simple final image of Thelma and Louise together, the back wall suddenly falls away to reveal a car – presumably representing the aftermath of their final drive. From my seat I could barely see it, and it is visible for only a second before the blackout. Rather than adding to the ending, it dilutes what has already been achieved. I would have left us with the far more powerful image of Thelma and Louise, hand in hand, choosing their freedom.
Who created it?
Thelma & Louise has a book by Callie Khouri, who also wrote the Oscar-winning screenplay for the original film, with music and lyrics by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Neko Case. The production is directed by Trip Cullman, with choreography by Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber.
The scenography is by Christine Jones and Brett J. Banakis, with costume design by Ryan Dawson Laight, lighting by Natasha Chivers and sound design by Gareth Owen. Kimberly Grigsby is musical supervisor, with orchestrations and arrangements by John Clancy and musical direction by Ed Bussey.
Verdict
A slick, intelligent and impressively layered production that finds genuinely theatrical ways to tell an iconic road-trip story. The real triumph is the staging. From the ever-present ensemble and atmospheric choreography to flashes of neon creating the sensation of a car speeding along the highway, there is a constant stream of clever ideas without the production ever feeling over-designed.
At its heart are two excellent performances by Amy Lennox (Thelma) and Rachel Tucker (Louise) and a friendship that feels completely real. The score could benefit from greater variety and the very final visual flourish feels unnecessary, but there is a huge amount to admire in the way Thelma & Louise has been conceived and brought to the stage.