The Color Purple
The Color Purple was not like any other musical I had seen before. It was both raw and funny, sad but uplifting and even made me question my own morals.....It is a performance I would recommend without question.
Theatre Royal and Manuel Harlan
A musical that needs more accreditation, is the first thing that comes to mind after seeing The Color Purple at Norwich Theatre Royal.
Set in 1913 Georgia, we meet the young Celie and her sister Nettie. The two are singing and playing together, doing exactly what children are expected of. The tone swiftly shifts when Celie appears to be pregnant despite being only fourteen years old. Her father (he is also the father of her baby) proceeds to take the infant away after she gives birth and then marries Celie off to an abusive farmer.
The narrative continued to show Celie’s unfortunate but eventful life from fourteen to mid forties and how she overcame the obstacles she faced. Prominent themes were explored throughout like faith, loneliness and most notably the dynamic between men and women. All of which can be related to many people’s lives today, creating a bridge between fiction and the average person’s life.
The cast were undeniably talented with both their acting and musical skills shining throughout. Anelisa Lamola who played the feisty, confident Sofia stood out for me and truly embodied the strong Southern American woman who doesn’t take shit from anyone. She was strong and fearless, and Lamola was also able to show a vulnerable side to the character- something I thought was very impressive.
The choreography was outstanding and the all black cast was incredibly refreshing. I thoroughly enjoyed the gospel gossipers that would narrate, or more share their opinions on significant moments in the play. The gospel aspects brought optimism and a sense of comedy which lifted the mood of what could have been a very dark and bleak story.
Bree Smith who played Shug Avery was also especially striking. Her whimsical but charming character made her lovable and captivating to watch, as was her mesmerising vocal range. Shug was unpredictable but represented everything that Celie wanted to be, resulting in her standing high on a pedestal compared to Celie’s reserved character. Smith’s overwhelming talent was able to showcase the characteristics of Shug’s nature and really brought the character to life.
A personal highlight were the scenes in the bar where Shug Avery was singing. Her performance of ‘Push Da Button’ was excellent, accompanied with the rest of the cast creating an explosion of vibrancy and energy, in an otherwise fairly dismal reality for Celie’s character. It’s also worth pointing out the powerful performance from Ako Mitchell who played Mister (Celie’s abusive husband). He was cold and menacing but after an enthralling solo of ‘Mister’s Nightmare and Mister’s song’ I couldn’t help but feel some empathy towards him. It was Mitchell’s complex portrayal of the character that made me feel sorry for a cruel abuser, I honestly don’t know how he did it.
The Color Purple was not like any other musical I had seen before. It was both raw and funny, sad but uplifting and even made me question my own morals. Each character had their own story and individuality, and the cast portrayed their qualities with an impressive level of creativity and professionalism. It is a performance I would recommend without question.
