REVIEW: THE MIDNIGHT BELL @ THEATRE ROYAL PLYMOUTH

🎭 The Midnight Bell

📍  The Lyric, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Royal Parade, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2TR

🗓 Tuesday 23rd July 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

INTOXICATING SOPHISTICATION

Inspired by the works of English novelist Patrick Hamilton, Matthew Bourne's latest production THE MIDNIGHT BELL has come to Plymouth for the first time, playing on The Lyric stage at Theatre Royal Plymouth.

Beautifully atmospheric, the production transports us to 1930s London where, amid foggy streets, seedy lodging houses and Soho pubs, normal everyday people live their hope-filled lives with great passion.

The titular Midnight Bell is an establishment which attracts people desperate to find love at any cost and seems to be the resting place for broken hearts. The colourful characters in this piece seem to find some kind of solace here even if they do keep themselves to themselves.

The piece has a very strong opening which immediately peaks the imagination. Dominic North moves across the stage with such effortlessness and grace that he instantly entraps the audience into a state of wonder.

One thing that exudes from the stage is the sheer talent of the company. Having seen many of them perform in New Adventures productions in the past, I knew that THE MIDNIGHT BELL was in safe hands with this casting and I was not disappointed by them. Such elegance is an absolute delight to witness. This company really is the crème de la crème of the dance world.

Bryony Pennington caught my eye with her purity and charm as she performed with dignity and decorum. It is always a treat to see Liam Mower perform on stage and here he is playful, precise and overwhelmingly captivating. I really cannot mention each dancer individually but the entire cast were faultless and phenomenal.

In many ways this is very different from any other Matthew Bourne production, but there are still a lot of his trademarks on display. The creatives here have really created a believable world with Lez Brotherston's costume and set design being wonderfully versatile and Paule Constable's epic lighting design being a thing of beauty in itself. The blend of original music from Terry Davies and classic 1930s recordings married together wonderfully and really helped to encapsulate the era perfectly.

There is so much to love about this production, and I would definitely book a return visit, so you may be wondering why I haven't awarded the full five stars. There was one small niggle for me and that was that I didn't feel emotionally connected to the piece. I am aware that I was sat quite far away from the stage last night which meant that I couldn't make out the faces of the performers which I believe was a contributing factor to this. What I love about any New Adventures production is the way the performers act through dance and I felt that had I been sat closer then I probably would have felt more of an emotional connection to the piece.

This is a real ensemble piece, and maybe having a central character would've also helped with this. I'm not sure really what it was but in the grand scheme of things, this is a production that I would highly recommend to anyone. The talent ozzes from the stage and this is certainly a company that knows how to put on a show.

Matthew Bourne's stunning choreography is intimate and complex, full of heart and humour and is danced with flawless precision by an uber talented company, featuring some of the best performers to grace any stage.

THE MIDNIGHT BELL continues performances at Theatre Royal Plymouth until Saturday 26th July. Click here to check availability and to book tickets. You won't be disappointed.

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one reviewer.  

My ticket for this performance of The Midnight Bell was gifted by Theatre Royal Plymouth who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given. 

CAST AT THIS PERFORMANCE:

Dominic North as Bob, a waiter; Ashley Shaw as Jenny Maple, a young prostitute; Michela Meazza as Miss Roach, a lonely spinster; Glenn Graham as Ernest Ralph Gorse, a cad; Bryony Pennington as Ella, a barmaid; Reece Causton as Mr Eccles, a regular customer; Danny Reubens as George Harvey Bone, a tortured romantic; Cordelia Braithwaite as Netta Longdon, an out-of-work actress; Andy Monaghan as Frank, a new customer; Liam Mower as Albert, a West End Chorus Boy

RUNNING TIME (approx):

1 hour 55 minutes, including interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Scenes of a sexual nature and violence; Mental distress; Smoking; Flickering lights and haze

AGE GUIDANCE:

14+