Whistle Down the Wind – Mayflower Theatre, Southampton

Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber

Lyrics: Jim Steinman

Book: Patricia Knop, Gale Edwards & Andrew Lloyd Webber

Reviewer: Jim Nicholson

The Public Reviews Rating:

Director Bill Kenwright appears to have transformed the original 1998 high octane, ‘in your face’, full on impact rocking monster of a musical into a pipe and slippers affair. Even the rawness of the kids back then has been replaced by a precise but very unreal sound.

There is no longer the pumping volume doing justice to Jim Steinman’s ‘Meatloaf’ influence and although the vocals are now much clearer the sheer power of the piece has been lost along with the edginess and anger of the Gale Edwards direction.

This is no better highlighted than at the very start as we are served up the first ever ‘whispering’ American preacher (played by an understudy due to the illness of Kieran Snell) who is left to deliver an underwhelming, underpowered version of ‘Keys to the Vaults of Heaven’.

There is a saving grace though and that is found in the young trio who discover ‘the Man’. Star of the show is unquestionably Carly Balden who, as the 15 year old ‘Swallow’, not only has a glorious voice but gives her character real vulnerability, innocence and a naivety that makes you believe that she believes she really has found Jesus holed up in the barn on the families farm.

Sister ‘Brat’ is also played enchantingly by impressive youngster Charlotte Oldroyd. The disbeliever of the three ‘Poor Baby’ has his moments as well but would be as impressive as his sisters if the director was to cut away the need for a ‘bible belt accent’ in one so young. It just does not enhance the story, you can leave the accents to the grown ups.

Carly really does justice to such a significant part and can stand proudly shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Lottie Mayor and Laura Michelle Kelly who had such big breaks in the role on the West End stage.

The rest of the kids though are shortchanged and deprived of really starring in what should be some of the musicals real highlights. ‘Long Overdue’, ‘When Children Ruled the World’ and ‘No Matter What’ sound so artificial here that those poignant show stopping numbers now ‘whoosh’ over the top of the audience’s heads.

Jonathan Ansell as ‘The Man’ delivers with quality and clarity but there is not quite enough base in his voice to bring out the anger and desperation of his character.

Paul Farnsworth has come up trumps with a set that always backs up the action be it in the barn, in the farmhouse, in the train tunnel or at the local hostelry. ‘The Tribe’, penned by Don Black, is also a very nice addition to the musical numbers.

Perhaps, in general, I am being somewhat harsh here by harping back to the olden days when Marcus Lovett ruled the world. I am sure people seeing the show for the very first time will not be disappointed but I really do not think Bill Kenright is doing full justice to what I have always considered a very decent musical.