Andrew Lloyd Webber’s stirring production of Aspects of Love was revived at the Hope Mill Theatre last summer in a moving and epic, yet beautifully intimate production. They’ve transported the show into the Southwark Playhouse, and it couldn’t feel more at home.
Opened out into thrust staging, the emotions are enhanced as you are taken on an entirely affecting journey through intertwining stories of love. Spanning seventeen years, we are introduced to six people and how they’ve connected through different types of love. Whether it’s family, romance, heartbreak or desire, we watch this group of people learn that love really does change everything.
Kelly Price is breathtaking in the role of Rose. She displays strength, passion and pain with such fragility. Her voice is flawless and rich with emotion and her vulnerability in Anything But Lonely is so poignantly performed, it’s a completely consuming moment in the show. Price tackles an incredibly complex role with a natural effortlessness.
Rose’s love affair with young soldier Alex is mesmerising. Felix Mosse’s performs the role of Alex with such delicacy. His character development is beguiling as he gives more and more of his emotions away on stage. The audience form an instant connection with Mosse’s take on Alex, and his voice is entrancing as he tackles a remarkably tough range with such ease.
It’s a musical about all kinds of love, and one of the most heartwarming to watch is the love between Alex’s uncle George and his daughter Jenny. Jerome Pradon plays the wise older man who is desperately clinging on to his daughter as he watches her grow up. Eleanor Walsh captures the multitude of emotions young girls face growing up as she is perfectly cast in the role of Jenny. Walsh displays superb versatility as she portrays the difficulties this young girl faces growing up into a young woman. With crisp, enthralling vocals, Walsh’s emotional journey in the show is truly touching.
A real highlight belongs to Madalena Alberto as George’s lover Giulietta. Alberto gives a show-stopping performance as the confidently seductive Italian. However, it’s her vocals that really steal the show as she gives a powerful and passionate performance of There Is More To Love.
Jonathan O’Boyle’s direction is superb as he handles each scene with such intricacy, really opening up these characters to the audience. Sam Spencer-Lane’s choreography is sharp and gutsy as the energy is lifted for this vibrant number Hand Me The Wine and The Dice. It’s fiery and bursting with passion as the cast perform a slick
This cast
★★★★★
Aspects of Love is on at the Southwark Playhouse until the 9th of February, tickets and information can be found here.
