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Travelin' Through: Broken Toys @CervantesTheatr

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Things are a bit different at the Cervantes Theatre when you see Broken Toys. You enter through the upstairs dressing rooms and go down to the theatre. It is a circuitous route, much like the story of Marion. You end up in the same place but have taken a different journey. And like what the old prostitute said. It's not the work but the stairs. And there before you is the theatre, but not entirely as I recall it. It feels like an intimate cabaret venue with tables and a shiny stage. And there we are introduced to Marion. Marion grew up in a small town during the Franco regime. A place where looking a bit different could make you the subject of gossip and a threat to your life. And despite being assigned male at birth and the attempts of family and father figures, she was an outsider in her town.  And so Marion sets off on a journey to the city. And in the shadows, she finds a place to hide. But with guidance from drag performer Dorian Delacroix begins to find her voice. Her journe

Trauma and light: The Braille Legacy @CharingCrossThr


I suspect the inspiration for the musical the Braille Legacy currently playing at Charing Cross Theatre is to explore a young man's determination to read and learn.

But instead we get a lot of political intrigue and some unintentionally hilarious musical moments as children disappear after medical experiments go wrong. All set to music.

This is a new musical by Sébastien Lancrenon and Jean-Baptiste Saudray and translated by Ranjit Bolt. It's lush and listenable, but curiously lacking in any emotion or point.


Which is odd since it is a fascinating story set in Paris between 1824 and 1852. It was a military code called night writing developed by a Captain in the French Army that by chance found its way to the Royal Institution for Blind Youth in Paris. Louis Braille who was studying there at the time found a way to improve on it so it would be easier to read. And he did this at the age of fifteen. This alone you would think would be enough material for a musical.

But much of the plot is about Braille's teacher, the evil Monsieur Dufau (Ashley Stillburn). He believes that until there's a cure for blindness the best the children can hope for is to learn how to weave a basket. And suffer the occasional medical experiment.

The piece works best exploring Braille's determination to read and learn in a world where blindness meant to be cast aside.  Making his professional debut as the young Braille, Jack Wolfe conveys the sense of determined and intelligent young man.

The rest of the cast also look and sound great in their black and white costuming. And there is a lot of style in this production with its white lighting piercing the darkness and a double-decker revolve.

But ultimately it feels like a lost opportunity to describe the legacy of Braille and the challenges he overcame. Directed by Thom Southerland is at Charing Cross Theatre until 24 June.

⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎



Photos by Scott Rylander

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