Play On! at Belgrade Theatre and on tour – Duke Ellington musical review

Play On! is a musical riff on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, set in the infamous Cotton Club in 1940s Harlem. Charming, enchanting, laugh-out-loud funny, and chock full of talent, this show is quite the revelation. Conceived by Sheldon Epps, with a book by Cheryl L West, and starting out on Broadway, where it received three Tony nominations, it has been brought to the UK by the Talawa Theatre Company and is starting its UK tour at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry. Further stops include Birmingham Hippodrome, Bristol Old Vic, Liverpool Playhouse, Salisbury Playhouse, and the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre.

Viola (Tsemaye Bob-Egbe), an aspiring songwriter, comes to Harlem to find her uncle and meet ‘Duke’, the famous band leader at The Cotton Club, so she can follow in the footsteps of her jazz musician heroes. However, when she arrives at the club, she discovers that things are not that fair when it comes to the fairer sex and, in order for her songwriting skills to be taken seriously, she will need to disguise herself as a man.

Renaming herself as Vyman, and with the aid of her uncle Jester (Llewellyn Jamal), she introduces herself to the Duke (Earl Gregory). Unfortunately, he is in the throes of a rocky patch with The Cotton Club’s star singer, Lady Liv (Koko Alexandra). She is his muse, and since the heartbreak, he has been suffering from writer’s block. The Duke hits it off with Vyman and enjoys her songs. He also begins to entertain the idea that it’s not only men who can write music, so he sends Vyman to Lady Liv with the new songs. The Duke hopes this will entice a rekindling of their love, but what ensues is a Shakespearean-fueled farce with some jazz razzle dazzle.

The set, designed by Ultz, is simple but effective. A jazz bar on the left, a dressing room on the right and the band on stage throughout, moving back and forth as they come in and out of the story when required. Paneled walled lights, designed by Johanna Town, and hints of smoke subtly create an atmospheric mood. Less is more, which is the right call here as it allows the cast to shine, and they absolutely do.

With a score comprised of the music of legendary jazz master Duke Ellington, and musical arrangement by Liam Godwin, this production transports you to another time, another place. You don’t need to be a fan to get lost in these gorgeous, timeless pieces. The songs have been meticulously chosen to add to the narrative and they are so deftly woven into the production that they add extra layers to the emotions and expressions of the characters and their journeys.

Every performer sings with incredible power, deep emotion and true expression and the room reverberates with a single note. The dancing is energetic and Kenrick Sandy’s choreography is faultless. There is no standout here as the cast all work together so well as a team and look like they are having a blast doing so. The applause is abundant and the standing ovation from the crowd is well deserved.