Written by Jonathan Larson and directed by Leicester Amateur Operatic Society’s (LAOS) John Bale, this rock musical, loosely based on the 1896 opera La Bohème follows the lives of young struggling artists living in Manhattan, New York. The group of friends experience the realities of life including love and loss and the heartbreaking impact of HIV and AIDS.
The performance takes place in Curve’s studio, and the large cast make the most of every inch of the space. The orchestra, directed by Steven Duguid, form the backdrop to the staging, which is a real feature of this production.
The main cast – Mark, Roger, Collins, Angel, Joanne, Benny, Mimi and Maureen played by Ed Turner, Tom Urch, Dan Rowberry, Dan Brewer, Mia Dobney, Richie Phillips, Charlotte Kennedy and Charlotte Brown respectively, are each strong characters in their own right, and the solos and duets really well executed.
On that note, so many of the individual songs are worth a mention, but two that particularly stood out to me were Mimi and Roger’s Light My Candle and Maureen’s Over the Moon.
But for me, it was the full company songs that blew me away, especially La Vie Boheme and Seasons of Love, the full cast worked really well together, and the harmonies were just delightful. I mean, who tires of 525,600 minutes?
The staging of this production was really ingenious. Making the most use of a small stage, with chairs that were constantly being moved by the cast, created space and lines which moved the storyline on alongside the company.
The projections really complemented the set and weren’t too overpowering. There were a few issues with sound last night, but it didn’t detract from the overall performance.
★★★★
RENT is at Curve until Saturday June 8. Limited tickets available.
