Review: Rehab The Musical starring Keith Allen and Mica Paris
Neon 194, London ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Often, some of the most exciting new theatre is to be found in the most unlikely of places, Rehab The Musical is one such work, staged as it is in a Piccadilly basement once home to a Jamie Oliver restaurant and now reborn as Neon 194.
Played in the round, with just three ingenious four-step treads and a couple of chairs for staging, Rehab The Musical opens in the glamorous world of ‘90’s showbiz and celebrity. When Neil Williams, alias chart sensation Kid Pop, is papped taking a Class A drug, he finds himself on the front page of every tabloid and only just escapes a prison term by agreeing to attend The Glades Addiction Treatment Centre for 60 days, in other words, he goes into rehab.
There, in an environment peopled by an eclectic assortment of fellow addicts, can he turn his life around? Easy to say, harder to do, especially as he appears to have little inclination to be rehabilitated.
Throw into the mix his Machiavellian manager Malcolm Stone, a man who never misses an opportunity to grab the ‘Red Top’ headlines by fair means or foul, and his heartless side-kick, the conniving Beth Bascombe, and Kid Pop’s troubles are only just beginning.
Rehab The Musical boasts a truly sparkling cast that, despite including some notable names, works very much as a tight ensemble. Christian Maynard is a sympathetic Kid Pop, and has one of the best voices in the show. His is an endearingly truculent performance.
As his amoral manager, Keith Allen brings a nicely brutal threat to the piece while Jodie Steele lives up to her name with a steely, heartless turn as his assistant Beth. She is also very funny and steals every scene she appears in.
Elsewhere, West End favourite Rebecca Thornhill brings a touch of razzle-dazzle and more laugh out loud moments to proceedings as recovering sex addict Jane Killy. It’s a joyous performance with some of the best one-liners in the show - not least when reminiscing about Moira Stewart and Angela Rippon.
Similarly, John Barr’s camp, tanning addicted Barry Bronze is another source of humour, while cheese loving Phil Newman allows Oscar Conlon-Morrey to explore the show’s core message more seriously.
Which just leaves Maiya Quansah-Breed and Mica Paris, as pole dancer and reluctant undercover agent Lucy Blake, and centre manager Martha Prosser, respectively. Both are at the top of their game.
As boss of The Glades, Paris dishes out the tough love and powers through Grant Black and Murray Lachlan Young’s most evocative numbers - Museum of Loss, a soulful, heartfelt duet with Quansah-Breed, is spine-tingling and show-stopping. It sums up perfectly the bittersweet nature of the piece.
As Lucy, Quansah-Breed is assured and on this performance, destined for great things. Understated, but always present, it’s impossible not to watch her.
Simon Shorten, as security guard Eric Normal, Carly Burns, Ben Mabberley and Lucy Sinclair complete the energetic company, adding extra body to Gary Lloyd’s bold and brash choreography. It fills the floor and makes great use of the levels available as does his direction although, inventive as it is, sight lines are often sacrificed, leaving some views of the action blocked by the backs of a cast members.
Musical Director Caitlin Morgan and her band, Zach Okonkwo, Laura Browne and Julia Ostrowska, ensure that Black and Young’s raucous score has an infectious, foot-tapping quality, even if a couple of songs outstay their welcome and do little to drive the narrative.
If Elliot Davis’ book attempts to tie together too many disparate strands of story causing a loss of focus along the way, with a few relatively minor tweaks Rehab The Musical has huge potential and could be the next Six… and look where that production has ended up.
Oh, and be careful you don’t find yourself singing the ridiculously catchy ‘singalong’ number as you head home… you’ll understand when you see it.
Runs ends 17 February, Tickets
