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REVIEW | Fun Home, Royal Exchange Theatre - Manchester
- Harry Brogan
- Jul 10
- 5 min read
AD | Tickets gifted in exchange of an honest review. all views are our own
July sees the return of Fun Home making its UK regional premiere as part of the Royal Exchange Theatre's 50th anniversary season. Fun Home is the 2015 winner of best new musical at the Tony Awards and this production produces a striking family drama, powered by powerful direction, that has a moving book and all delivered by a remarkable cast in the round. After not really knowing much about the show I can say I was definitely pleased with the result.
Fun Home follows cartoonist Alison, as she recalls the past while growing up in her family ran Funeral Home, in Pennsylvania, as Alison looks back to moments with her Father and coming out - The past and present collide, lasting family secrets are revealed, and finding unexpected connections, showing the truth of who you are.
Fun Home is based on the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel, written and with lyrics by Lisa Kron, with music by Jeanine Tesori this production is directed by Sarah Frankcom. With a powerful presence throughout, this production never stops emotion for a moment.
Director Sarah Frankcom presents compelling work in this in the round space, the venues auditorium from a first look is small, but though eye openly spacious when inside, and so well used, even fitting a moving revolving stage in the centre is brilliant for a start. Frankcom's direction is a driving force for this production, effortlessly and clearly actioning the material throughout.
A poignant move from Frankcom is with protagonist Alison (Jodie McNee), Frankcom directs the character of Alison, who never leaves the stage throughout the shows just over an hour duration. Frankcom presents Alison, our guide for the night, and the direction of never letting go of a pencil feels like a power move feeling like the character is orchestrating scene by scene while also being majority of the time closely positioned to the drawing desk. This feels even more effective highlighting the character's profession throughout, and the connection between Alison and her dad Bruce Bechdel (Nigel Harman).
Another noteworthy piece of work from Frankcom is towards the later side of the show, as mentioned above the auditorium sees a revolving stage, this was greatly used during the car ride, Frankcom delves into emotions of Alison, by showing Alison in three moments of her life who are presented as Small Alison (Harriet O’Shea), Medium Alison (Alice Audrey O'Hanlon), and Alison (Jodie McNee). During the car ride we are currently in 'Medium Alison's' return to home from college, though during the car ride we are switched to Alison resulting in a moment of reflection for her, attempting to unscramble the past and speak about connections between them both her and her Father. This is a moment that is noted and compelling, there are many moments of highly admired work from Frankcom - for me there's two reasons you leave a show quiet, one is when a show feels underwhelming, another is how a show leaves you with over flowing thoughts of how each part seamlessly pulls together - Fun Home is one of them moments. Frankcom's direction is small but mighty, taking into account the whole audience who sit quietly engaged.
Written by Lisa Kron, Kron's book gives emotion for sure, there's never really a moment that the emotion stops. For me Kron writes a gritty, deep, with a gentle layer of comedy type of a show. Kron explores emotions that are ever so impactful. The word 'caption' is repeated at various moments accompanied by a repeated flowing musical melody highlighting whenever a significant event happens - Alison (McNee) then tries to describe or 'caption' this moment / memory with various descriptions - almost feeling its written and also directed towards us the audience, deliberate or not, it was effective all round. Kron presents the themes of sexuality, identity, mental health and loss, well and with thought and Kron doesn't shy away from the themes, they are faced head on. With the shows dark subject matters, at times Kron sprinkles slight humour, ensuring some range and slight relief from the heaviness. Alison's growing is perfectly distinguished through physical characters that make the story easy to follow. The tone is tense though full of engagement, relationships between characters are established clearly, with an ending with all three Alison's that wraps the show up strongly. Kron creates vivid emotions, well rounded characters and writes what is a weighty musical.
This goes into Kron's lyrics, catchy and memorable that all come together with a dynamic score by Jeanine Tesori. The numbers go from highly funny 'Changing my Major' to then the joyous 'Come to the Fun Home', to then the ballad of 'Ring of Keys'. The shows numbers are full of range which helps the story along, and they are definitely pleasing to hear. Both Kron and Tesori's work go hand in hand and work as a perfect pair.
The cast consists of nine members with each night a team of three young performers take on the roles of Small Alison, John and Christian, at this performance these roles were performed by Harriet O'Shea, Reuben Shepherd (stage debut) and Theo Wake, the three who form the shows 3 teams (Team Maple Avenue for this performance) are excellent.
O'Shea who takes on the role of Small Alison, gives a performance to be proud of with delivering a confident rendition of 'Ring of Keys' is special one that is wonderful, O'Shea's acting being at equal measure. The trio together bring a well deserved applause after their performance of the energetic number 'Come to the Fun Home' and again perform well against their adult co-stars.
Jodie McNee, who steps into the role of Alison, shows a heart-warming and emotionful character, grabbing the attention of the audience throughout. McNee holds and shows the emotions of Alison well. McNee's performance connects well with Nigel Harman's tense performance of Bruce the pairs performances show the connective moments of both their characters, and as I said above Alison guiding position in the show, performed by McNee, certainly does this on-point.
As a small-ish cast they all are pleasing together and deliver a performance that is deeply moving all round.
Bethany Gupwell's lighting design is impressive, and fits to create the mind imagery of Alison's cartoons. Set Designer Peter Butler skilfully compacts a large grand piano, beds, moving TVs into a small in the round setting, ensuring less is more when it comes to this production.
Overall, Fun Home is a surprisingly moving musical that explores growing up. This production of the award winning show does this in the confines of a small in the round setting, making what is already an intense and touching, even more intense and touch adding an extra layer of intimacy for the audience and characters, resulting to make you feel more.
For my first time at the Royal Exchange Theatre, I'm delighted with the venue itself, when it comes to the show Fun Home is impactful from the out set creating a power production.
★★★★★
Fun Home plays at Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester until the 1st of August:
