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Arcola Theatre, London
Book by Mark O’Donnell & Thomas Meehan
Music and Lyrics by David Javerbaum & Adam Schlesinger
Based on the Universal Pictures film written and directed by John Waters
Presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International.
Cast: Adam Davidson, Lulu-Mae Pears, Elliot Allinson, Jazzy Phoenix, Eleanor Walsh, Chad Saint Louis, Kingsley Morton, India Chadwick, Shirley Jameson, Paul Kemble, JR Ballantyne, Laura Buhagiar, Omer Cem Coltu, Ellie-Grace Cousins, Joe Grundy, Ryan Heenan, Michael Kholwadia.
Director: Mehmet Ergen
Runing time: two hours 15 minutes
Dates of run: Until April 12
“Cry-Baby” may be set in 1950s Baltimore, but lyrics that at once celebrate and satirise the democratic checks and balances of the “nifty country” that is the United States of America make it tailor-made as a tonic for our times.
As part of the Arcola’s 25th anniversary season, the staging is true to the theatre’s vocation of making us feel much better about life without letting us forget contemporary reality and its lack of social justice.
Directed by Arcola founder Mehmet Ergen at a cracking pace, we initially suspect “Cry-Baby” is just another iteration of the “Romeo and Juliet” drama of love across tribal divides.
But suddenly, the smouldering boy-meets-girl lust and love plot ignites with an arson attack that cranks up the tension and underlines the hypocrisy of “the Squares”, the rival social grouping to the much-maligned “Drapes”.
Designer Robert Innes Hopkins, together with Defne Ozdogon, emphasise the polarisation with meticulously researched costumes that make the Squares absurdly preppy, while the Drapes are cool in leather, distressed denim and fishnets.
The chief Drape, who manages to carry off the nickname Cry-Baby – the one thing he isn’t – is played by Adam Davidson. He is an irresistible magnet for the Squares’ favourite girl Allison. Played by Lulu-Mae Pears, she is all wide-eyed innocence and yet far from averse to being “kissed with tongue”.
The chemistry between the two leads is compelling, but they don’t monopolise the limelight.
Elliot Allinson gamely embraces squareness to portray Baldwin Blandish in all his creepiness, Eleanor Walsh makes the most of being the desperately unrequited Leonora Frigid and Chad Saint Louis as Dupree W Dupree is a loveable foil and warm friend to Cry-Baby.
The 17-strong cast is the largest ensemble in the Arcola’s history and its full force is finely choreographed in the powerful “A Little Upset” as the wrongs against Cry-Baby and his fellow Drapes become overwhelming and almost everyone charges furiously round the stage.
The older generation also has its show-stopping moment when Shirley Jameson as Mrs Cordelia Vernon-Williams belts out the confessional “Did Something Wrong Once” that builds from admitting to a small white lie to a very loud, egregious crime.
Because this is theatre, we forgive for the sake of the happy ending we crave when “Nothing Bad” will ever happen again, but because this is the politically alert Arcola Theatre, we know that as soon as we re-enter the real world, it almost certainly will.
Cry-Baby, The Musical
Arcola Theatre, London
Book by Mark O’Donnell & Thomas Meehan
Music and Lyrics by David Javerbaum & Adam Schlesinger
Based on the Universal Pictures film written and directed by John Waters
Presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International.
Cast: Adam Davidson, Lulu-Mae Pears, Elliot Allinson, Jazzy Phoenix, Eleanor Walsh, Chad Saint Louis, Kingsley Morton, India Chadwick, Shirley Jameson, Paul Kemble, JR Ballantyne, Laura Buhagiar, Omer Cem Coltu, Ellie-Grace Cousins, Joe Grundy, Ryan Heenan, Michael Kholwadia.
Director: Mehmet Ergen
Runing time: two hours 15 minutes
Dates of run: Until April 12
“Cry-Baby” may be set in 1950s Baltimore, but lyrics that at once celebrate and satirise the democratic checks and balances of the “nifty country” that is the United States of America make it tailor-made as a tonic for our times.
As part of the Arcola’s 25th anniversary season, the staging is true to the theatre’s vocation of making us feel much better about life without letting us forget contemporary reality and its lack of social justice.
Directed by Arcola founder Mehmet Ergen at a cracking pace, we initially suspect “Cry-Baby” is just another iteration of the “Romeo and Juliet” drama of love across tribal divides.
But suddenly, the smouldering boy-meets-girl lust and love plot ignites with an arson attack that cranks up the tension and underlines the hypocrisy of “the Squares”, the rival social grouping to the much-maligned “Drapes”.
Designer Robert Innes Hopkins, together with Defne Ozdogon, emphasise the polarisation with meticulously researched costumes that make the Squares absurdly preppy, while the Drapes are cool in leather, distressed denim and fishnets.
The chief Drape, who manages to carry off the nickname Cry-Baby – the one thing he isn’t – is played by Adam Davidson. He is an irresistible magnet for the Squares’ favourite girl Allison. Played by Lulu-Mae Pears, she is all wide-eyed innocence and yet far from averse to being “kissed with tongue”.
The chemistry between the two leads is compelling, but they don’t monopolise the limelight.
Elliot Allinson gamely embraces squareness to portray Baldwin Blandish in all his creepiness, Eleanor Walsh makes the most of being the desperately unrequited Leonora Frigid and Chad Saint Louis as Dupree W Dupree is a loveable foil and warm friend to Cry-Baby.
The 17-strong cast is the largest ensemble in the Arcola’s history and its full force is finely choreographed in the powerful “A Little Upset” as the wrongs against Cry-Baby and his fellow Drapes become overwhelming and almost everyone charges furiously round the stage.
The older generation also has its show-stopping moment when Shirley Jameson as Mrs Cordelia Vernon-Williams belts out the confessional “Did Something Wrong Once” that builds from admitting to a small white lie to a very loud, egregious crime.
Because this is theatre, we forgive for the sake of the happy ending we crave when “Nothing Bad” will ever happen again, but because this is the politically alert Arcola Theatre, we know that as soon as we re-enter the real world, it almost certainly will.
Barbara Lewis © 2025.
By Barbara Lewis • music, musicals, theatre, year 2025 • Tags: Barbara Lewis, music, musicals, theatre