As an aspiring playwright I’m always fascinated by the behind the scenes creation that goes into making a musical. When I heard about a sneak preview of a show called Saving Grace at the Riverside Studios, I knew I had to grab a ticket especially with the stars and creatives attached to it.
Normally a stage in development exclusively seen by industry insiders, West End director Laurence Connor explained pre-show that he wanted to give the public a chance to express their feedback on Saving Grace before a West End run without the pressure that comes with an out-of-town tryout where all the sets and costumes are done and dusted. Because it’s still a work in progress, this isn’t going to be a regular “review.” I will be expressing my thoughts on what I saw, but the focus will be more on the experience. For all intents and purposes, let’s call this insight in Saving Grace a test staging a’la a movie test screening.
Saving Grace
Venue: Riverside Studios, Hammersmith
Cast
- Grace: Dianne Pilkington
- Matthew: David Fynn
- Dr. Martin Bamford: Gunnar Cathery
- Nicky: Cat Simmons
- Charley: Craig Ferguson
- Posy: Gay Soper
- Pam: Wendy Somerville
- Morgelyn: Ellen O’Grady
- Shag: Tim Prottey-Jones
- Vicar: Nathaniel Campbell
What is Saving Grace about?
After the suspicious death of her husband, Cornish widower Grace discovers she and the rest of the town have been left in debt and on the verge of bankruptcy. Not helped by a banker wanting to buy them out, she and loyal gardener Matthew they embark on a joint venture of the greener (and darker) kind to help save the town.
What were my thoughts on Saving Grace?
I’ll be the first to say that I’ve never seen the film Saving Grace, but I think many will be familiar with its spin-off show Doc Martin starring Martin Clunes. Because it is an adaptation, I looked up the film after watching the show and what I found it interesting was how the creatives adapted the story while acknowledging that weed has become a more legally and socially accepted drug compared to twenty years ago.
Unlike some stage adaptations of films I’ve seen that stay too loyal to its source and result in the final product feeling redundant, Angel de Angelis’ book heavily retools the material including a whole new climax and ending that I shall not spoil and left me in stitches. Filled with humour and heart, this version of Saving Grace puts more stakes on the town being saved from gentrification instead of Grace’s cannabis farm being discovered. Going for a crowd-pleasing tone
Are there areas that I felt could be improved? As this show is still in development and Laurence Connor said each performance wouldn’t be the same, I think there are some tweaks needed that would strengthen the material. From the show I saw at least, I’d say there were some slow pacing issues that could easily be tightened, songs that need trimming/rearranging/rewriting and rushed scenes/character relationships that could be developed with a few simple line changes. They may sound big, but what I saw was very promising and it’s a show I can picture onstage.
What were the songs like?
The music and lyrics are by KT Tunstall in her theatrical debut and for her first show, the songs are pretty good. Mainly going for her pop panache that made her music catchy and memorable, she also incorporates some Cornish folk to great comedic effect. They were your good mix of crowd-pleasing ensemble numbers, emotional power ballads courtesy of Grace and my favourite easily being a show-stopping vaudeville number for Charley about his money-grubbing schemes (you have Craig Ferguson, of course he does).
What was the cast like?
If there’s one thing that should absolutely be kept for a future Saving Grace West End run, it’s the cast. With no flashy sets or a grand stage to distract the audience, the intimate staging allowed them, the music and script to be the stars, and boy did they deliver.
Dianne Pilkington, who’ve I’ve seen show off her comedic chops in Wicked and Young Frankenstein, was the perfect actor to play the titular Grace. She’s such a huge ball of energy that makes Grace so endearing while also letting her vulnerability slip as she leads the joint venture to save the town. David Fynn (School of Rock) was also wonderful as Matthew playing the straight man to the antics while using the joint venture as a chance for he and his girlfriend Nicky, played by the amazing Cat Simmons, to get the money for another IVF round.
The rest of the cast was phenomenal who brought charm and camaraderie to their characters individually and as a community. Instead of imitating Martin Clunes, Gunnar Cathery brought his own spin to Dr. Bamford as he helps Grace in her joint venture the legal way while also acknowledging his character’s success in a cheeky nod at the end. Wendy Somerville and Gay Soper brought so much humour and charm to the more elderly residents Posy and Pam in one side-splitting sequence that has to be seen to be believed. Another standout for me was easily Tim Prottey-Jones (Once) as Shag in several hilarious moments and inadvertently responsible for the conflict in the climax.
Probably the most notable cast member is Craig Ferguson (How To Train Your Dragon franchise) going from playing Matthew in the film to the morally bankrupt banker Charley, whose role has greatly expanded into the antagonist. Knowing Ferguson’s prolific background as a talk show host in America, he brought that same type of charisma to the role and you could tell he was having fun while showing off his surprisingly good singing chops.
What are my overall thoughts?
I think Saving Grace will be a hilarious addition to the West End in the veins of other stages adaptations of films like Calendar Girls, The Full Monty and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. There may be areas I think could be improved, but that was the whole point of these performances and the cast and creatives should be proud of what they have managed to do so far. I can’t wait to see what happens next and I’ll definitely be there for opening night once it comes around. Judging what I saw, I know it’ll be blooming marvellous.
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