REVIEW: GRIMEBORN OPERA FESTIVAL: SENSE & SENSIBILITY, THE MUSICAL at Arcola Theatre 19-23 August 2025
“The strongest asset of this production is undoubtedly its cast. Every performer demonstrates impressive vocal ability” ★★★
Neal Hampton and Jeffrey Haddow’s musical adaptation of Sense & Sensibility brings Jane Austen’s beloved Dashwood sisters to the stage with both warmth and ambition. The tale lends itself naturally to operatic treatment: Elinor, composed and bound by duty, lives by reason and society’s rules, while Marianne, impetuous and unrestrained, follows her heart in defiance of them. Their intertwined journeys tell a story of love, heartbreak, betrayal, repression, and social scrutiny, offering fertile ground for music to amplify the drama.
The strongest asset of this production is undoubtedly its cast. Every performer demonstrates impressive vocal ability, with expressive, richly nuanced singing that carries the emotional weight of the story. Rachael Liddell imbues Elinor with quiet strength and dignity, balancing restraint with vulnerability, while her lyrical voice elevates every scene she inhabits. Elora Ledger makes a striking Marianne, her headstrong passion underscored by an impressive and powerful vocal range; her dual role as Lucy Steele is well judged, though the decision to give Lucy an American accent feels puzzling given the character’s Exeter roots. James Beddoe captures Edward’s hesitant charm with comic precision, rendering his faltering romance with Elinor both believable and affecting. Alexandra Cowell tackles three roles with gusto, though at times her tendency to overplay for laughs sometimes blunts Austen’s natural wit and subtlety. Nonetheless, Cowell’s vocal power is undeniable and commanding.
The live trio of piano, violin, and cello are an absolute triumph, delivering a lush, textured score that feels both intimate and expansive. They anchor the performance with polish and sensitivity throughout. The musical material itself is more uneven. The score contains passages of elegance, but too many lyrics veer towards the obvious, reiterating rather than deepening character or conflict.
The dialogue, meanwhile, leans too heavily on advancing the plot, often at the expense of nuance. Characters such as Mrs. Jennings are tasked with relaying missing scenes, while a chorus, stilted both in movement and delivery, fills in narrative gaps. Moments of humour tend towards the broad and obvious rather than Austen’s trademark dry wit. Though amusing at times, the overall effect is one-note, sacrificing the subtlety and precision that give Austen’s dialogue its endearing charm.
The production’s design and staging present its greatest challenges. The bare brick wall of the Arcola, though effective for some productions, jars against the Regency setting of Sense & Sensibility. Fiddly props and brisk scene changes create an impression of haste rather than economy, and the absence of key moments - such as Marianne’s first meeting with Willoughby - occur off-stage, reducing their dramatic impact. Structurally, Marianne’s story arc dominates, leaving Elinor’s resolution underplayed; and her final moments are played for comedy where emotional resonance was needed. With a clearer design concept and more inventive staging; Austen’s world might have been more convincingly realised.
Ultimately, this Sense & Sensibility is uneven but frequently rewarding. Exceptional performances and outstanding musicianship are undermined by underdeveloped staging, dialogue that prioritises plot over nuance, and structural imbalance. However, there is much to admire - and with greater refinement, it could evolve into a work that truly matches the calibre of its cast.
Box Office: Grimeborn Opera: Sense & Sensibility, The Musical - Arcola Theatre
Ensemble:
Elora Ledger
Alexandra Cowell
John Faal
James Beddoe
Rachael Liddell
Matthew Tilley
Creatives:
Alexandra Cowell - Director
Guy Murgatroyd - Musical Director
Jeffrey Haddow - Book and lyrics
Neal Hampton - Music
Elora Ledger - Producer
Charlotte Tingley - Company Stage Manager
Daryl Giuliano - Cello
Felicity Broome-Skelton - Violin
