Powerful doesn’t even describe the feeling you get while watching THE COLOR PURPLE. You may be familiar with the story, but nothing can prepare you for this uplifting and soul-stirring experience at the Wales Millennium Centre.
As a long-time Broadway fan, I am very familiar with the wonderfully powerful I’m Here, probably the most well-known song from the show. All you need to do is listen to the track to understand why so many have flocked to see this moving adaption.
Based on the Pulitzer-Prize-winning book by Alice Walker, The Color Purple tells the story of Celie (ME’SHA BRYAN), an African American woman who faces loss and adversity throughout her life at the turn of the 20th century.
You may have seen the 1985 film starring Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey. This musical, of course, is another adaption entirely. It takes a more creative and elevated take on the source material.
First of all, let’s get some reaction from a packed audience in the Donald Gordon Theatre at the WMC, who go their chance to see this musical for the first time.
THE COLOR PURPLE – OPENING NIGHT AUDIENCE REACTION
If you’ve read the book, or watched the original Oscar winning movie, the story on stage is still just the same.
Celie must give up her freedom, her children and her life with her beloved sister, Nettie (who was portrayed by DEEARNA MCLEAN) for this performance) – and that’s just in the first few numbers.
If that wasn’t already enough, she is given away for marriage to the abusive and demanding Mister (AKO MITCHELL). She raises his son, Harpo (Ahmed Hamad), who meets the strong-willed Sofia (ANELISA LAMOLA), who shows Celia that it’s possible to take a stand against the male-dominated way of the world and even gives the intimating Mister a run for his money.
After some time, the mysterious Shug (BREE SMITH) show up in town. Celie falls for the singer, and the two form a romantic bond, just as Shug once did with Celie’s husband.
Without spoiling anything, it is not a story that shies away from difficult topics.
It touches on themes of racism, domestic violence, sexual abuse, misogyny and more. On paper, this might seem like a difficult sell for a musical. But it works.
The heart-warming and soulful songs by BRENDA RUSSELL (who had a hit with Piano in the Dark), ALLEE WILLIS and STEPHEN BREY allow us to feel the pain, and the joy, of Celie’s story.
Don’t worry, though; this isn’t a musical that will leave you feeling down.
It’s a story of loss, but it’s also about finding love, faith and hope despite everything else. It’s a hopeful story, and the production team translates that perfectly. It’s funny in parts, and the audience laughed and cried along with every scene. There were even times when the audience cheered in support of the characters on stage!
The music never feels heavy or depressing. It feels like an extra character itself, moving Celie along and pushing her through the story.
The music isn’t the only great thing about this show. The entire cast wonderfully captures the emotion on stage, no matter which emotion that may be.
Me’sha’s performance shines as a breathtaking display of musical and acting talent. Her performance spanned the lifetime of the character. From the pitch of her voice to the way she held herself, we watched as Celie ages nearly 40 years in just 2 hours.
Bree is enchanting as Shug, while Ako stands out with his sometimes-terrifying stage presence. We see the comedic side of both Ahmed Hamad and Anelisa, along with their hard-hitting portrayals of the realities of life in the Deep South at that time. The ensemble has a genuinely moving sound to listen to, and it perfectly blends in with the music that frames the show.
It’s a stunningly beautiful show that will leave you feeling the deepest part of every emotion. It may not be a famously feel-good musical, but it does leave you uplifted. As we are coming to the end of Black History Month, this is the perfect show to celebrate the creative brilliance of this classic story.
Curve and Birmingham Hippodrome have co-produced this stunning production directed by TINUKE CRAIG. It’s an artistically different experience to many musicals today thanks to the simple-yet-impactful stage and costume design by ALEX LOWDE that ensures that the focus is always on Celie. She remains on stage for most of the runtime; the background moves around her as her story flickers through the years. There is some stunning lighting and video designed by JOSHUA PHARO that help to blend each scene seamlessly.
You do not want to miss THE COLOR PURPLE at the Wales Millennium Centre. It will be running until Saturday, with performances at 7:30pm each night with a 2:30pm matinee on Thursday and Saturday. Tickets start from £15.50 and are available now. You can find more details and where to purchase tickets HERE.
You can also read our original feature on the show HERE.
