Reviews

Lillia

Lillia is a musical performed by the Southampton Student Union Showstoppers. It’s about two women who have never met and who have nothing in common. The initial focus is on Lillia, who lives with her mother and is struggling to cope after being dumped by her fiancé.

As a show that’s described in its press blurb as “highly original”, there is nothing at the outset to suggest that the story is about anything more than the age-old tale of unrequited love. However, when a chance occurrence brings Lillia and an aspiring Broadway singer together, a surprising twist reveals that they actually have much more in common than it first appears.

The problems with this show partly relate to staging. It’s annoying that all ten members of the cast are onstage for the entire piece – the stage feels cluttered and the constant movement is distracting. The resultant effect is that most of them have their backs to the audience for a substantial portion of the show.

Musically, the score is adequate if unmemorable and whilst all members of the Showstoppers can sing in tune, none of them has an outstanding voice. There are lots of better musicals out there.

– Kendal Spark