Lyric Hammersmith Theatre
Playing until 22 February 2025
Photo credit: Ciara Hillyer
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Set in Harlem’s Cotton Club in the 1940s, we meet a young songwriter called Viola (Tsemaye Bob-Egbe) who has moved to the Big Apple in the hopes of making it big in the music biz. When her uncle Jester (a lithe and sparky Llewellyn Jamal) tells her she’d have a better chance of success if she were a man, she makes the decision to disguise herself as a man called Vyman, setting off a series of increasingly farcical events.
At the helm of the Cotton Club is acclaimed musician The Duke (Earl Gregory), who is desperately in love with the club’s shining star Lady Liv (KoKo Alexandra). After being persistently rejected by her, The Duke loses his musical inspiration, so Vyman steps in to offer up her fresh songs to win Lady Liv over. The problem is, Vyman falls in love with The Duke, and Lady Liv falls in love with Vyman.
Play On! also introduces us to a number of colourful secondary characters who inhabit the world of the Cotton Club, including buttoned-up Rev (Cameron Bernard Jones) and long-time couple Sweets (Lifford Shillingford) and Miss Mary (Tanya Edwards).
Ellington’s classic hits serve to bring the audience right into the heart of the Cotton Club and offer an insight into the characters’ inner monologues. The band’s constant presence as part of the set is a superb way of bringing this world to life and making the musical performances even richer.
There’s an unbelievable wealth of vocal talent on display in Play On!, from Alexandra’s powerhouse pipes as diva Lady Liv to Gregory’s velvety tones as The Duke. Every musical number is a delight for the ears and the eyes, with Kendrick H2O Sandy’s street dance-infused choreography giving the upbeat numbers an additional sense of spectacle.
Alongside the primary storyline of Vyman and The Duke, we have a delightful subplot centred around Rev’s desire to impress his unrequited love Lady Liv, undergoing a drastic transformation from straight-laced do-gooder to a jiving ‘cool cat’ (and back again). His character got some of the biggest laughs of the night, but Bernard Jones also brought a touching vulnerability to the role.
As for the central characters of Viola/Vyman and The Duke, each performer brought ample flair and confidence to the role, but I struggled to see the romantic chemistry between them. I couldn’t really understand why Viola fell head over heels so quickly for The Duke, who was actually quite dismissive and self-centred, and Viola’s revelation of her true identity at the end happened far too abruptly — not to mention The Duke seemed to not have many questions and instantly realised he harboured romantic feelings too.
I actually found myself more invested in the relationship between Rev and Lady Liv, whose slow burn romance displayed a special chemistry. Alexandra was a standout performer throughout, bringing a humanity and warmth to Lady Liv while still amping up the comic elements of the role.
Play On! was created as part of theatre company Talawa’s ‘Black Joy’ season, and it’s certainly a show with joy in abundance. There’s something for everyone to enjoy in this musical, whether you’re a Duke Ellington fan, a jazz lover, or simply in the mood for a great night out. If music be the food of love, Play On! is a loveable show indeed.
Creatives
Conceived by Sheldon Epps
Book: Cheryl L. West
Music: Duke Ellington
Director: Michael Buffong
Musical Director: Ashton Moore
Choreographer: Kenrick H2O Sandy
Production Designer: ULTZ
Lighting Designer: Johanna Town
Sound Designer: Tony Gayle
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