The Rise and Fall of Little Voice is a much loved British tale. Based on the Olivier award winning play by Jim Cartwright, and later adapted into a best selling film, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice tells us a story of confidence, knowing your worth, and finding out who you really are.
Having not graced our stages since 2018, this timeless British classic was ready to take centre stage as it embarked on a brand new tour, kicking off in Southampton at the MAST Mayflower Studios. I was looking forward to an evening of fun, sadness, and an amazing voice, and boy was I not disappointed!
The Rise and Fall of Little Voice is based on LV (Christina Bianco), a nervous woman who spends her days in her room singing along to old records. Dubbed LV for Little Voice, you soon realise that she is desperate to be heard in a world that is otherwise noisy to her, overpowered by her mother Mari (Shobna Gulati) who is every bit the eccentric and extrovert that LV isn't. When Ray Say (Ian Kelsey) hears what an incredible voice LV has, she must decide whether she should head into the spotlight or let her little voice shine brightly just for herself.
The play itself is the perfect blend of British humour and soap worthy sob stories. One minute you are wiping the tears from laughing too hard, and the next you are sobbing into your tissues as the story has taken a turn you were not expecting. It's everything you would want in a play, with some fantastic singing thrown in for the mix too.
I was absolutely blown away at Christina Bianco's talent. Not only did she portray a young woman who was both fragile and broken, she also showed strength, determination and a strong sense of belief when the time needed it. With a voice like no other, I was amazed at each impression she sung. Shobna Gulati was the perfect northern mum who just wanted to do her best. With a penchant for outlandish clothing and even more outlandish comments, her role had us laughing throughout. Fiona Mulvaney played Sadie, the next-door neighbour that whilst didn't speak much, couldn't give us more perfect comedic timing. The chemistry between Sadie and Mari was just pure brilliance and was a real stand-out of the show.
This timeless classic explores the relationships between families and their futures. It gives an insight on big dreams in small towns, and how losing yourself in the magic of song is pure magic and mastery. It's a show that uses simple staging to tell a powerful story, and provides the perfect blend of humour and poignancy that will leave everyone with tears in their eyes. Whilst I would be happy to say this show isn't suitable for younger audiences, I feel that the message it conveys is timeless and perfect for most grown up-ish audience members. A show that's a must see, a show that gives a voice to Little Voice.
The Rise and Fall of Little Voice is currently showing at the MAST Mayflower Studios until 26/3/2022 and will then embark on a UK tour. For more information please visit : Little Voice UK Tour.
*Please note, my tickets were gifted, but all opinions are my own.
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