IF there were any doubts about the quality of the new season at the Mercury Theatre, this production will blow them out the water.
It really is one of the best shows I’ve seen at our theatre in the 12 years I’ve been reviewing. A bit like having the West End on your doorstep – it’s that good.
I wasn’t all that familiar with Melvin Bragg and Howard Goodall’s Hired Man, but it had me hooked from the moment the cast came out on stage singing the title track.
The story is a simple one about a young couple in a Cumbrian village. There’s marital strife, family bonds, tragedy and drama.
Of course having a cracking musical is one thing, but getting a top-notch cast to perform it is something else. And director Daniel Buckroyd has certainly done that.
Leads Julie Atherton and David Hunter are magnificent and the supporting cast, led by Kit Orton and Mark Stobbart, are equally fine.
If you have the chance to see this show, do. If you don’t, believe me you’ll be hearing about it from everyone for a long time to come.
The Hired Man, Mercury Theatre, Colchester, until April 6. 7.30pm. £10-£25.
01206 573948
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