Sylvia - A Musical Revolution

Spectacular, moving, and filled with political passion, Sylvia really is the musical revolution that you need to join.

Sylvia, the Olivier award-winning barnstormer of a musical that wowed audiences when it first opened at the Old Vic in London in 2023, is currently undertaking a UK tour that visits just six regional theatres. It then returns to London's Royal Albert Hall for three final climactic nights in November. Once again, Norwich Theatre Royal has pulled off another master-stroke of programming, and is up there in that list. For the visit of this acclaimed, and Olivier Award nominated production, Norwich Theatre Royal has transformed its stage into a spectacular monochrome amphitheatre, for the musical re-eanctment of a political revolution that finally gave the vote to all women in this country.

Within an emotional and dramatic two and a half hour roller coaster of a ride, ‘Sylvia’ takes its audience through a quarter century of suffragette passion and pain. From the formation in Manchester of the Women's Social and Political Union in 1903, to the limited granting of voting rights to women in 1918, and finally to the extension of full voting rights in 1928. 'Sylvia – A Musical Revolution' (to give the show its full title) takes us on a journey which is rammed with historical detail, yet with a pulsating soundtrack that is undeniably contemporary - hip-hop, soul and rap infused into a revolutionary red-hot mix.

Leading the charge is Beverley Knight MBE, again playing Emmeline Pankhurst, a role she has made her own since the show's very first performance. Widely regarded as one of this country's greatest soul singers, Knight’s presence in Sylvia is massive, from the opening volley of First Steps Of A Revolution, through the power and passion of March Women March to the reflective admissions of 'You've Changed'. And, matching her every step of the way is Naomi Katiyo as her rebellious middle daughter Sylvia, producing a fiery performance that matches, every inch of the way, her character's frustrations and social conscience, culminating in that vocal, and political, showdown with her own mother.

And it is against this brewing mother and daughter battle that the story of how Sylvia's own political concerns begin to extend beyond 'votes for women' unfolds, culminating in her impassioned pleas to 'Stand Up' against every form of social injustice.

Co-written, directed and choreographed by Kate Prince, from a book co-written with Priya Parmar, and with a thumping hip-hop, rap and soul-infused soundtrack by Josh Cohen & DJ Walde, this is a musical which demands that the bass be absolutely turned up to 11. The mostly monochrome set design and costumes by Ben Stone are complemented by spectacular lighting designs from Natasha Chivers and Hector Murray; and impressive video animation from Andzej Goulding, which is back projected onto a large suspended screen. And the colour palette cleverly changes as the show progresses. Beginning with just black and white, followed by the initial first flashes of red, incorporated into in the costume of trade unionist, and eventual Labour Party founder, Kier Hardy (Tachia Newall), the colour assiduously infiltrates itself into the set, and the costumes, as the political momentum gathers pace. By the time Sylvia breaks away to form her own East London Federation of Suffragettes in 1914, the stage and the costumes are radiating with red as the clarion calls of 'I Believe In The Golden Age' ring out. The personal price of this family fracture is somewhat tempered through the meeting of Sylvia and Italian anarchist Silvio Corio (Ivano Turco), and with the beginning of a new political partnership, and Sylvia’s more radical and broad-ranging manifesto.

Spectacular, moving, and filled with political passion, Sylvia really is the musical revolution that you need to join. But be quick, be very quick, It is only here in Norwich until Saturday October 31st.

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