Ragtime - the Musical

Synopsis

It is the turn of the twentieth century in New York. An era is exploding. A century is spinning. And the people are moving in rhythm and rhyme to the music of Ragtime. The story of three groups in America, represented by Coalhouse Walker Jr, a Harlem musician; Mother and her family in New Rochelle; and Tateh, a Jewish immigrant who has come to America with his daughter seeking a new life. It features many historical figures, including Harry Houdini, Booker T. Washington, JP Morgan and Henry Ford.

Our Review:

Andrew Girvan - 8 September 2011

Based on the 1975 novel by E L Doctorow, America is portrayed as a land of promise and possibilities at the dawn of the 20th century in Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens and Terrence McNally's 1998 Broadway musical Ragtime. But it is clear this is a country with a myriad of racial prejudices to overcome before it can emerge as the nation we might recognise today.

Robert McWhir's Landor Theatre production sees the historical fiction presented by a hard working cast of 21. Three very different families are portrayed alongside a mesh of real-life figures including chorus girl Evelyn Nesbit, escapologist Harry Houdini, civil rights leader Booker T Washington and industrialist Henry Ford.

The ambitious scale of this revival often results in a crowded stage - during the opening number it feels there may be as many performing as bearing witness - but for the most part the cast are accurately corralled. An impressive feat, helped along with flashes of choreog...

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Latest User Review

Richard Voyce - 21 September 2011:

This production is astonishing, and has to be seen. Easily the highlight of my theatre-going year so far. Ragtime really is an emotional roller-coaster at which you will laugh, cry, but most of all be astounded by the quality of everything about this production from the cast, the choreography, as near perfect casting as it is possible to get, and the sheer emotional punch of this epic show. See it, see it, see it. ...

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