If you’ve ever been in a room with more than one Manhattanite, you’ll recognise the tone of this musical and the acerbic banter bounced between its characters. Indeed, I was half surprised for there not to be a sea of yellow cabs swarming the streets of Highgate as I left the Gatehouse pub humming after Friday night’s stellar performance of When Midnight Strikes.
Something of a sexy whodunit, this Penny Rock Theatre Productions and Aria Entertainment presentation of Inner Circle Productions’ When Midnight Strikes is set during a 1999 New Year’s Eve dinner party in a Soho (New York) apartment. As a small group of acquaintances prepare to ring in the millennium, host Jennifer (played by an elegant and engaging Miranda Wilford) discovers that her husband Christopher (solidly performed by Ashley Emerson) has been having an affair. As the night unfolds, Jennifer realises that the person Christopher’s been sleeping with is actually at her party.
The mood of Midnight is well honed. Design (Kemey Lafond), lighting (Tom Boucher) and music/sound (music by Charles Miller; musical direction by Matthew Ramplin; musical supervision by Christopher Peake; sound design by Sepehr Malek) meld for a very Manhattan feel – and I say this as someone who lived in Manhattan and around New York for years. Kudos to directors Grant Murphy and Damian Sandys for assembling a great stage team, not to mention a fantastic cast.
Much of the New York-iness of the show derives from the dialogue (book and lyrics by Kevin Hammonds) with lines delivered with quick witted precision (and commendably acquired American accents). Of course, the players don’t just act in this musical, they sing too. And everybody belted out as required during the performance I caught.
Memorable songs serve to underscore the emotional impact of finding out you’ve been cheated on (and of being found out you’re a cheat) while also adding some much needed comic relief at just the right times. Wilford dazzled as she sang her character’s heartbreak. The sexual tension between socially awkward guests Murial (Lucyelle Cliffe) and Edward (Newley Aucutt) provided loads of laughter in Party Conversation – a fun and frisky number that’s as seductive as it is hilarious.
When Midnight Strikes runs Tuesday to Saturday at 7.30pm and Sunday at 4pm until 29 September at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, 1 North Road N6 4BD. Tickets cost £14 (£12 for concessions). Visit whenmidnightstrikes.co.uk for details and to book.
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