Redcliffe

Jordan Luke Gage delivers a heartfelt new British musical filled with invention, emotion and memorable performances.

Redcliffe is a new musical by Jordan Luke Gage. Following in the footsteps of creators such as Lin-Manuel Miranda, Gage has written the book, music and lyrics, and if you catch the show at Southwark Playhouse Borough, you’ll also find him starring in the leading role. For many theatre-goers, or indeed Gage fans, that is probably all the recommendation they need. However, let’s dig a little deeper.

The action takes place in Redcliffe, Bristol, over the course of a year beginning in 1752.

The show opens with William (Jordan Luke Gage) and Richard (Daniel Krikler) literally colliding, knocking William to the floor before Richard helps him back up. The moment is emphasised in such a way that it is immediately clear there will be a romantic connection between them. This brings me to one of my main criticisms of the piece. Had William been established more as a dreamer distracted by a new man, and had we not immediately been directed towards Richard as his romantic interest, later scenes might have carried more intrigue and anticipation. As it stands, the audience is told rather than allowed to discover.

Similarly, there is talk early on about hangings and the attitudes towards gay men. While it’s all fairly vague, it does tell us what sort of story we’re watching and where it is likely to end up. I think I’d have preferred a little more mystery. Let us spend some time in these characters’ daily lives before the danger creeps in. That way the later revelations and consequences would have felt even more shocking.

That said, Gage performs the role of William with a wonderfully endearing disposition. A small giggle he gives in response to a joke about women throwing their undergarments at him felt completely genuine and earned a warm reaction from the audience. In fact, the entire production flows perhaps a little too smoothly. Songs often lead directly into the next scene without pause. Occasionally it would have been nice to allow a little breathing room for applause before moving on.

Being a West Country bumpkin myself, I absolutely adored Abigail’s dream sequence. Jess Douglass-Welsh, making her London debut, shines throughout the production as William’s younger sister. During her fantasy about a beautiful dress, members of the ensemble wrap long sheets of fabric around her, almost like a Maypole dance, gradually creating a stunning gown before our eyes. It is one of the most inventive visual moments in the production.

Douglass-Welsh is excellent throughout, and Abigail’s storyline; spanning invention, romance, education and ambition is one of the strongest elements of the show. While I enjoyed her journey immensely, I felt the feminist messaging towards the end became a little too overt and slightly distracted from the broader emotional themes already present.

Visually, there are several beautiful moments. The stage features a pool of water, and when the lighting catches its surface, reflections dance around the theatre, creating a genuinely magical atmosphere.

One of my favourite songs was “A Million Things I Know” – or, as I initially referred to it, the “bum bum bum” song. It’s playful, catchy and memorable, and the reprise contains a particularly enjoyable joke that landed perfectly.

Although the show is firmly rooted in Bristol, there is occasionally a mismatch between setting and performance style. Most of the cast deliver convincing Bristolian accents in dialogue, but these largely disappear once the singing begins and the vocals become more traditionally musical theatre. Whether some of the lyrics and rhymes would work in a full Bristolian singing voice is another matter entirely.

The set itself consists largely of wooden decking and crates that serve as storage, seating and soapboxes. It certainly evokes the docks of Bristol, but the design never quite feels integrated into the storytelling. The timber also appears a little too new and bright, lacking the weathered character one might expect. Despite the dockside setting, there are surprisingly few references to ships or maritime life beyond one character’s naval connections.

There are frequent references to Christmas throughout the production, yet very little visually or atmospherically that actually conveys the festive season. Perhaps seeing the show during an unusually warm May heatwave influenced my perception, but the seasonal setting never quite landed for me.

Rebecca Lock, as Mother, is an absolute delight. Her accent, comic timing and recurring jokes about singing and her hair make her instantly recognisable as every mother rolled into one. Yet she also delivers some of the show’s most heartfelt moments. A beautifully understated scene near the end involving her and Richard is likely to leave many audience members reaching for tissues.

The production concludes with cast members presenting facts and figures relating to the historical issues explored within the story. This brings me back to where I started. The device inevitably recalls Hamilton, although I certainly wouldn’t accuse Redcliffe of copying it. Political and socially conscious theatre has often employed similar techniques. Personally, I think I would have preferred this material to appear after the curtain call as an “in-credit” scene. As presented, the performers step out of character, but not quite enough to make the transition entirely clear.

Despite these reservations, Redcliffe is an ambitious and heartfelt new musical. It features strong performances, inventive staging, genuinely beautiful songs and an emotional core that resonates long after the final bow. Jordan Luke Gage has created something distinctive, and while there are areas that could be refined, this is exactly the sort of new British musical theatre that deserves support.