1888 at Union Theatre

1888 at Union Theatre

13 June, 2011
by: JoSuthers

Jo Sutherland reviews a very different Ripper play, a musical at that. 

It's 1888 and Jack the Ripper is making a nuisance of himself in London's East End. But this new musical by Gerry Ware is not your typical ‘Ripper’ story: there’s no element of whodunit, and the blood and gore is kept to a respectable minimum. Saying that, do expect a rather descriptive song about how his final victim is brutally mutilated, with lyrics like “her breasts were cut off”, sung in eerie harmony, solemn as you like.

Thankfully, 1888 focuses on the era itself; the working conditions, the power imbalance between men and women, the rich/poor divide and, of course, the media frenzy surrounding the horrific incidents of the time. The themes are linked together by two love stories. First of all, we have an unlikely ‘chalk and cheese’ pairing between a lady of the night and a Salvation Army do-gooder; Mary Kelly (Stephanie Hampton) and Meriweather Sim (Vlach Ashton). Their relationship faces two battles – can Meriweather accept Kelly's ‘career' choice and can she escape the notice of the Ripper? The second relationship follows Detective Constable John Beck and his flamboyant housemaid-turned-music-hall-star girlfriend Rosie Walker (Gemma Salter). She is wooed and won over by the stressed-out detective but she finds that turning up late to their dates is the least of his problems...

Thanks to the increasing death ratio, the first act is much more upbeat than the second but the music kicks off from the word go and we’re warmly welcomed into the heart of the East End. There are girls, guys, banter and booze and a good ol' sing-song as the talented cast radiate a fantastic energy. The voices of Gemma Salter and Vlach Ashton deserve particular praise; both are able to send shivers down spines and raise goosebumps. And unlike some musicals where the great singing leads to neglect of the acting, the acting here is brilliant.

Thankfully, there are no caricatures, which is quite a feat considering the setting of the piece and the nature of the characters. Stephanie Hampton’s performance as Mary Kelly is particularly moving, especially during her solo ‘Someone I Once Knew’. In addition, the dynamic between Hampton and Ashton creates an undeniable chemistry. They are believable, even during The Time Step and other odd dance moves.

Already nominated for two Off West End awards, as new musicals go, this is a very good one.

1888 runs at Union Theatre until 2nd July.




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JoSuthers