Girl From The North Country /REVIEW/
The Double Olivier Award-Winning West End and Broadway Hit returns to the UK as part of a big international tour and I’m so happy that the people of Belfast have the chance to experience the moving and original story that Girl From The North Country has to offer. Being set in 1934 during the Great Depression in America, we meet characters living in a time-weathered guesthouse in Minnesota. They all stand at a turning point in their lives, as they realize that nothing is what it seems, while their stories painfully intertwine - they are all looking for new brighter beginnings but they all seem, unfortunately, very unlucky.
The musical is written by an Irish writer and director – Conor McPherson, who created such a moving, warm but at times quite dark atmosphere for all. The musical first opened in London in 2017 to big acclaim. Girl from the North Country also boldly reimagines some of the legendary songs of Bob Dylan. Even though I was unfamiliar with his discography, I really enjoyed all musical numbers. One of the main characters we see in the first few minutes is Nick Laine /Colin Connor (a Belfast-born actor, some of his TV credits including Coronation Street and Peaky Blinders!). Nick is in his early fifties and married to Elizabeth/Frances McNamee who is suffering from dementia as she floats in and out of moments of clarity. Their kids have problems of their own – their son Gene/Gregor Milne is unemployed and struggling to cope with life, while their daughter Marianne/Justina Kehinde is unmarried and 5 months pregnant.
When I go to the Grand Opera House I usually expect top notch productions, but this one truly blew me away – the whole cast was flawless while singing, dancing and even playing the instruments, just like Rebecca Thornhill who played the drums while rocking her red dress on stage.
If you’re looking to see a light and upbeat musical – this is definitely not the one. The musical tackles big issues such as racism, unemployment, homelessness (we can hear that in Dylan’s 1965 classic Like A Rolling Stone - “How does it feel/To be without a home/Like a real unknown/Tell me, how does it feel?”)
Some of my favourite music acts include – Slow Train, License to Kill, Hurricane, All Along the Watchtower and I
will definitely continue to stream the whole soundtrack on Spotify. It’s also
clever how Conor wrapped all of the songs into the narrative, which is such a genius
touch. The cast brings a fresh sound to the songs while still keeping the soul
of the original songs. Because the whole ensemble was absolutely phenomenal
while performing, it doesn’t really matter if you like or dislike Bob Dylan’s
songs – the way they carry all performances makes you feel every lyric and the
story behind it. You can also say that their secrets are slowly revealed with
the backdrop of Bob Dylan’s music.
I would urge people to go and
see the show. As I said, it is not light-hearted in the slightest, but it’s
uplifting in a very unique way. I truly enjoyed every moment of the powerful
production – The Girl from the North Country is a worthwhile production that
will need a revisit. The ensemble filled the stage all throughout;
they elevated the drama and emotion, especially in the second half. I’m quite
a newbie theatre-goer, but all I can say is that this one will stay with me. And for people who don’t have the chance to see the
musical – there will be a film adaptation starring Chloe Bailey and Woody
Harrelson, so definitely watch out for that!
The UK cast of Girl From The North Country performing Rolling Stone
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