Ripper: The Musical
★★★☆☆ Chilling
Hill Street Theatre (Venue 41): Fri 2 – Sun 25 Aug 2024
Review by Eilidh Sim
Ripper: The Musical presented by East Lothian company Reconnect Theatres at Hill Street Theatre for the whole Fringe, is a chilling musical based on the killings of Jack The Ripper.
Set in 1888, the Peter Sneddon’s book follows the story of police officers as well as the victims pursued by Jack The Ripper. The audience are taken through the crimes he committed and the effects they had on wider public life. John Kielty and Iain Stewart’s music helps bring this tale to life.
Ripper: the Musical. Promo image. Pic: Reconnect Theatres.
The musical starts with a monologue from Jack himself, who describes the acts he has committed and seems to take pride in the death he has caused. Alex Lyne plays a chilling Jack who, along with showcasing his powerful vocals during ‘We’re All F*cked’, starts of merely villainous and becomes more scary as the production goes on.
Belle Quinlan who plays Mary, a prostitute victimised by Jack, shows the vulnerability of her character through her beautiful singing voice. She brings a female perspective to a story that centres around a male killer with thoughtfully characterised performance. Colin McGowan as the sergeant also allows the audience to have a glimpse into some of the mania and terror created by Jack The Ripper.
impressive depiction
The role of Fredrick, a detective, played by Stephen Kerr, is an impressive depiction of someone deeply affected by these crimes. He creates a sense of tension through song in addition to moments of hesitation, creating an uncertainty about the character. However some of these pauses draw on too long, giving the impression that the cast is unsure of what comes next.
Ripper: the Musical. Promo image. Pic: Reconnect Theatres.
Unfortunately, while the play centres around Jack The Ripper and his crimes, the production seems more focussed on the brewing love between Mary and Fredrick, which can never happen. With multiple songs about their feelings of love, as well as countless mentions of a relationship, at times the actual story of what is going on seems to be swept under the rug.
Sneddon, who also directs, uses the staging effectively. Despite the set furniture limited to a table and chairs, a sense of different scenes is successfully created with cups and fake bodies, for scenes such as the bar as well as the murder sites.
confusing climax
A final plot twist, while allowing for an intriguing and shocking end to the play, isn’t made entirely clear, with a sense of confusion about what is happening on stage. Which leads to a confusing climax rather than the shock that is obviously intended.
Overall there is a clear energy and effort put into this production, which unfortunately just doesn’t reach its potential. The show is enjoyable, although it frequently sways too far from the storyline of the actual investigation of Jack The Ripper. Maybe a longer performance slot would help Ripper become the excellent piece of psychological theatre it could be.
Running Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes (including one interval)
Hill Street Theatre (Dunedin Theatre), 19 Hill St, EH2 3JP (Venue 41)
Friday 2 – Sunday 25 August 2024
Daily: 7.45pm.
Details and tickets: Book here
Website: https://hillstreettheatre.com
Instagram: @reconnecttheatres
X: @RecconectShows
ENDS
