REVIEW - Ruthless the Musical

"Ruthless - The Musical" presented by Playlovers was in one word "a great success". OK, so thats three words but Playlovers have definitely stepped up to the mark on this production. I had not heard of Ruthless until the company had decided to put it on, and I am glad because I am more than sure that I would have missed all of the funny - yet subtle jokes that are written into the marvellous script. As usual, the feel of Hackett hall is immediately noticeable as you enter. The well decorated foyer sparks mood and feel, and gives an insight into what to expect of the production. The posters in the foyer were amazing, congratulations to whoever designed them all. Basically they are rip'offs of the original Broadway posters but with small details changed to suit the story of Ruthless. They were a great touch, and had me wondering what to expect from the production. Who was Ginger?! Tyler Jacob Jones has done an amazing job of directing this show. He deserves the biggest of congratulations, as this is his first time directing - but if you didn't know that, you wouldn't have guessed it. Tyler has produced a cast of strong actors who were believable in their roles and who were definitely unafraid to tackle the farcical script which they had at hand. The functional set which (was used amazingly might I add) was well designed and gave a 50's feel that was well complimented by the stunning array of sequins that must have been tediously sown into the various costumes! Lighting was great, however at times we loose a few key moments of the action as the various cast members step out of the light. This is something I would expect to be fixed by the next show. There were memorable performances in the production, with the standout performances by Breeahn Jones and Kimberley Harris. What set these members apart from the rest was their amazing ability of comedic timing. "Ill get it!" They also had a great ability to pick up their cues quickly and this is important for such fast show that can quite easily drag if people are not snappy with their lines. So well done to the both of you! All in all the team have put on a great show, and I highly recommend that you go and see it

I had never heard of this show before and didn't know what to expect when I went to see it last night - I was very pleasantly surprised! An incredibly funny and enjoyable show, tightly structured, well performed and neatly directed. Bree Jones gave a star performance as an innocent housewife-turned-diva, undergoing a wonderful transformation throughout the show. She sang well and acted with earnest energy, nicely contrasted by Kristen Twynam-Perkins' dry, martini-swilling talent agent Sylvia St. Croix. we saw Maddie Shaw playing the role of Tina Denmark, the murderous child at the show's centre, and she was fantastic, a sweet singing voice that eerily complemented her true evil nature!!! The rest of the cast were all very strong - special mention must of course be made of the palm tree. You'll know what I mean when you see it. The set was very interesting...it started in Black and white, but elements turned to colour as the show went on...keep an eye out for the subtle changes...very clever, I just wish there had been a little more to carry the idea through. The direction served the show very well, making the most of the jokes and using the whole stage, even the floor. The lighting design was fantastic, but a few of the actors had trouble finding the light - faces were always lit, but we lost limbs and the tops of people's heads sometimes. I loved the puppets that made a cameo appearance in the show, and the items hanging up in the foyer really caught one's attention and made them wonder what relevance they had to the show. All in all a fantastic effort from Playlovers and Tyler Jones (an impressive debut!) that this reviewer highly recommends. The house wasn't even half-full last night, so I urge you to go along and see the show if you want two hours of laughter and enjoyment. AoM

What a great show! If you have ever been involved in theatre you will cack over all the in-jokes. Some great characters here in a strong all-female cast. It can be hard to get people to go to a show they have not heard of, but you will be glad you did- this is a cracker- laugh out loud funny- nice work Playlovers!

It's been many years since I have been involved in a musical and, I must say, I'm generally not a fan of the genre. However, I was very keen to see Ruthless! as I was intrigued by the concept and the promise of a higher body count than Sweeney Todd. Like the other reviewers, I had not heard of the show before and agree that it was a great script that was, at its lowest, very funny and, at its best, outright hilarious! The show was very demanding on all involved and the final product demonstrates the skill and dedication that all must have shown in conquering these challenges. Congratulations to all, and especially to director Tyler Jones, who should be very proud of his début as a Director. Set was very interesting and made extensive use of multiple levels. All spaces were used well and action was always easily seen. Lighting was quite spectacular and made good use of many special effects. The lightning effects particularly good (and I should know!) as well as the half-light and silhouette sequences. The props were many and well used, it was very exciting as roses and mats were flung about the space (Nice to see a show that wasn't afraid to make a mess!). The increasingly larger Martini glasses that kept appearing were a good well coordinated gag. One weakness here was the gun-play towards the end of the play. This part was obviously well choreographed and the blocking quite clever, but the fumbling over the weapon meant the scene lost intensity. Also, actors should not be afraid to address prop malfunctions on stage (in character of course): a rose which fell from a vase accidentally was left on the floor until the interval, when it seemed that a perfect house wife would have naturally just picked it up. Again, the gun could have easily been re-cocked when its cartridge came lose. These were really minor incidents, however, and prop work really contributed to the brilliance of the production. All in the production were really well cast and filled their parts with great flair, though I read in the program that the Gals aren't so evil in real life (or so they say). Everyone acted with such amazing energy it was hard not to be drawn to everything they said! This energy was a real strength and made the performance stand out above others. Multiple characters were played with variation and strength. Comedy was played very well by all. Breeahn Jones' comic timing was spectacular and her transformation to diva was superb. I'd also like to make a special mention of Helen Carey, whose portrayal of Rachel Hobbs was inspired! Carey's rendition of I Hate Musicals left us all in stitches, what a great song! The cast met the challenges of the musical score well though sometimes they struggled with the demandingly high notes. Sound cues were all perfectly on time, which was really important for the comedy of this show, but I think they could have been louder. Especially the gun-shot cues, I know it's really hard to make a convincing gun-shot on stage, making the cue much louder would help. Well, I've rambled enough, and as much as you'd like me to go onto a third chorus...I'll wrap up by saying I thoroughly enjoyed this very funny, well put together show! Congratulations again to all involved and I hope the rest of the season goes really well! If you don't hate Musicals, or even if you do, check out Ruthless! The Musical.

Well done to the cast on a great performance! Excited to return to another Playlovers production, I was not disappointed in this one. There were some stand out performances in this show, notably Breeahn Jones, Helen Carey and young Atara Lebransky. The transition of colour used in the sets/props was clever and the large use of white flats allowed a blank canvas for the lighting. Costumes were stunning for this production and I have learnt that Terry is the man in the know when it comes to sequins and feathers. This production was a gag a minute with a humourous script with great comical timing by the performers! There were a few pitch issues with some of the performers however I found that their characterisations certainly made up for it. Well done to all for a fun night of theatre.