Seen at Edinburgh Festival Fringe on the 18^th of August 2023

5 stars – fierce and intense musical thriller

It’s 1974 and Skye aims to be the new rock music (white) icon. She is recording with the keyboard player Baron, when the producer Clarke brings a new collaborator, the music arranger and singer Matilda. Including traits of Black music, he claims, will boost the sales. Not only is the collaboration between the artists complicated, but some chemicals in the walls of the studio start to release their psychotic effects on the band.

This musical thriller is an exciting new show written and directed by Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller. The pressure that hovers on the situation is the consequence of racism and of the exploitation of black people in the music industry. In this way, through a piece of new writing, Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller explores themes and dynamics that were present in those years, but nobody talked about, and tells a different story about the production of rock ‘n roll music. He released a very interesting interview on the theme to Theatre And Tonic.

The beautiful music that was written for the show by Aveev Isaacson and Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller throws us back to the 70s atmosphere. The excellent cast (Alyth Ross as Skye, Aveev Isaacson as Baron, Hannah Omisore as Matilda, and Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller as Clarke) makes the tension build up and raise. On top of her impressive interpretation, Alyth Ross has an unforgettable voice. Likewise, Hannah Omisore sparks for her wonderful singing, when the character is allowed to show her potential and is not cornered into a minor role, which once more shows the reigning inequality.

In this show, produced by Black Bat Productions, all action happens in the studio, which coincides with the stage. In one sense, the whole audience is trapped inside. The situation keeps getting worse, as the appearance of weapons coincides with the declining of lucidity in the characters.

My only observation is that the flyers graphic, where the colours of the hippie fashion prevail, doesn’t necessarily convey the fact that the play is a thriller, whereas it is important for the audience to be aware of this.

Tickets and Info: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/in-everglade-studio

Company Website: https://www.blackbat.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackbatuk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackBatUK