Song Of The Sytch By Claybody Theatre Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Becky B
Song of the Sytch tells the captivating story of the regulars of the Pelican Pub, set in poor area of Burslem, Stoke on Trent just as the Second World War begins and follows the Pelican’s own male voice choir as they compete to win the prestigious City Choir cup and beat their local rivals.
The play was delivered by the Claybody Theatre, written by Deborah McAndrew (who you may remember as Angie Freeman from Coronation Street back in the 1990’s) and directed by Conrad Nelson. Claybody theatre is renowned for its focus on the cultural heritage of North Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent. Song of the Sytch is delivered in the historic Spode Works, a former pottery factory and local heritage site which sets the right atmosphere for the story and is transformed into the Pelican. As you enter the venue, you walk in though the tables and chairs of Pelican Pub and become totally immersed in the space. This is an intimate venue, and I was transported back in time and space, I felt like I was sat in the corner of the pub, watching the action unfold. It is unique, that the venue itself becomes part of the the theatre experience – you can even buy a drink from the Pelican bar during the interval!
I am not sure what my expectations of Song of the Sytch were, but they were truly exceeded. The venue is not a theatre, however if anything this made the staging more effective and lighting effects were used effectively to convey changes in time, transitions between scenes as well as the mood of the scene and I was totally gripped. It might be silly to say, especially as the title of the play is the Song of the Sytch, but I was not expecting the choir to sing, and I was blown away by the quality of the choir. The Pelican Male Voice Choir were played by the Cor Bach Male Voice Choir and the songs reflected the mood and supported the developing storyline. When the choir first broke into song with “Myfanwy” following the death of ‘Billy’, the grief of his friends and family were palpable through this beautiful rendition. Although Billy was never seen, he is a central character in the story and the choir is largely comprised of his friends from his time working in the mines reflecting the mining history from Stoke on Trent’s past.
It is great to see a play that celebrates the heritage of Stoke on Trent, delivered within one of its iconic buildings. Having grown up locally, I enjoyed hearing the references to local areas and loved hearing the Stoke dialect revived.
Polly Lister was a perfect choice to play Alice Oakes and she got to grips with the dialect as well as perfecting the intonation and mannerisms of a strong potteries’ woman of the era. If Stoke on Trent were to have its own Bet Lynch or Peggy Mitchell of the 1930’s, this would be Alice Oakes. Thomas Cotran who played Sargent Douglas Oakes gave a perfect delivery of the accent and dialect and was totally believable in his role as a police sergeant with a secret. The standout performer for me has to be ‘Liv’ (Mrs Liversage) the choir mistress. Victoria Brazier was a fantastic choice for this role and is every inch the posh and well-educated choir teacher.
Surprisingly, given the somewhat dark plot, the play is quite upbeat and there are several laughs along the way, mainly from the banter between Mrs Oakes and her young assistant Lottie. The whole cast compliment each other and deliver consistently good performances.
The play finishes on quite a cliff hanger, with questions still to be answered and more stories to be told – I was left wanting more and I hope that this will be the first of several instalments about the people of the Pelican, their lives and loves. Thank you Claybody for celebrating the Stoke Heritage. What a fantastic start, I can’t wait for the next instalment!
Rating: 5/5
Tickets cost from £15 general admission and £13 concessions
The show runs at the Spode Works, Stoke on Trent from 4th-14th October 2023
For more information or to book tickets visit; https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/claybody-theatre/song-of-the-sytch/e-rzaobv