Dark of the Moon is a new musical written by Emmy Award nominee Jonathan Prince (American Dreams) with a score from Grammy Award-winning and multiplatinum-selling songwriters Lindy Robbins (Demi Lovato’s Skyscraper), Dave Bassett Shinedown’s Second Chance) and Steve Robson (Rascal Flatts’ What Hurts the Most). Based on the play of the same name from the 1940s, Dark of the Moon tells a supernatural tale of witchcraft, small-town prejudices, forbidden romance and the power of faith. Directed by Georgie Rankom (UK Associate Director Oh, Mary!), the new musical is currently casting a spell over audiences at the Charing Cross Theatre.
At its heart, Dark Of The Moon is an epic and bittersweet love story — a tale of two young people forced to choose between immortality without love, or a fleeting life filled with it. The story follows Barbra Allen, a small-town girl longing for something greater, and John, a mysterious rocker witch boy who risks everything for a chance at humanity and love. As their connection deepens, the forces around them begin to close in: the fearful townspeople and John’s own coven are determined to tear them apart, driving the story toward its devastating and tragic conclusion.
Playing our young lovers are Lauren Jones (The Addams Family, Scissorhandz, Bonnie & Clyde) as Barbra Allen and Glenn Adamson (Bat Out of Hell, Close To Heaven, We Will Rock You) as John the Witch Boy. Both deliver commanding performances with confidence, charisma and emotional depth, effortlessly capturing the intensity and vulnerability of the pair’s doomed romance. Vocally, the pair are exceptional throughout, soaring through the show’s blue-grass rock-infused score with power, control and raw emotion. Jones brings warmth, ambition and fierce determination to Barbra Allen, while Adamson’s magnetic stage presence and commanding vocals make John both dangerous and irresistibly sympathetic. From John’s mysterious coven and Barbra’s traditional family, to her jealous rival love interest, the fiery townsfolk and the towns preacher, the supporting company bring tremendous energy and personality to every corner of the production. Each performer is given moments to step into the spotlight, and the cast seize every opportunity with confidence, delivering consistently exceptional vocals throughout the show. Special mention must go to Kiah Lindsay as A Singer, whose rich, velvety vocals beautifully frame each act with a voice you could listen to all day.
There is much to like in this musical adaptation of the classic play. Libby Todd’s set design is richly atmospheric and multi-functional, while her costumes vividly bring the world and its characters to life. Jonathan Chan’s lighting design and Andrew Johnson’s sound design are used to a striking storytelling effect, heightening both the supernatural tension and emotional drama throughout. Meanwhile, Jane McMurtrie keeps the company moving with energetic, barn dance-inspired choreography that adds momentum and vibrancy to the production. The score by Lindy Robbins, Dave Bassett and Steve Robson cleverly distinguishes the worlds of the townsfolk and the witch coven through two strikingly different musical styles. The townspeople are accompanied by bluegrass-inspired numbers, akin to musicals such as Big River and Bright Star, while the witch coven’s gritty rock sound feels reminiscent of the cult musical Bat Boy.
While the score made an admirable attempt to blend its contrasting musical influences, the majority of the songs commented on the action rather than advancing the narrative or deepening character development. Too often, numbers arrived after key moments had already unfolded, simply restating emotions or plot points the audience had already witnessed rather than revealing something new. With a song list of 25 musical numbers, this began to feel repetitive over the course of the evening, causing the momentum to become slow. Similarly, Jonathan Prince’s book struggles to give its characters the emotional complexity needed to fully invest in their journeys. While the central premise is undeniably compelling, many of the characters remain confined to familiar archetypes, rarely being given the space to develop in more surprising or meaningful ways. The dialogue, too, often leans towards the predictable, lacking the nuance or emotional depth required to fully explore the show’s themes of love, prejudice, faith and belonging. As a result, jokes don’t land and some of the production’s most dramatic moments lose impact despite the clear commitment and talent of the cast performing them.
Dark Of The Moon is an ambitious new musical brought to life by a talented cast, striking visual design and a distinctive musical sound. Although the material itself does not always live up to the ambition of its premise, the commitment of the cast and creative team ensures there is still enjoyment to be found within this supernatural romance.
It runs until 8 August.
Review: Stuart James Photo: Tom Bowles