@ Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, until Sat 14 Nov 2015
Adapted from Sarah Waters’ book by Laura Wade, Tipping the Velvet, directed by Lyndsey Turner, is part music hall, part political theatre and part love story, all impressively controlled by an omnipresent, yet instantly likable chairman, David Cardy.
Beginning with a brief monologue, it becomes clear that the chairman is more than just a narrator, as Cardy controls every action on stage. A seemingly benign master of ceremonies, he takes the audience along for the ride through the life of Nancy Astley (Sally Messham), an oyster girl from Whistable in Kent, whose love for the male impersonator, Kitty Butler (Laura Rogers) leads her to a career as a performer in the big smoke, where success, heartbreak, and an uncertain future beckon.
Perhaps one of the most promising pieces in the Lyceum’s impressive theatre season, this co-production between the Lyric Hammersmith and the Lyceum is perhaps one of the most energetic, gloriously loud and completely inclusive pieces of theatre to grace the stage in recent months. Segueing from Kent restaurant to London digs, to the heart of the age of the music hall, Tipping the Velvet’s story of love, loss and hope is a treat for the senses and comfort for the soul.
While Waters’ book is essentially a love story, it’s also a tale of triumph and acceptance in the wake of extreme odds, which is something that this stage production manages to pay tribute to throughout. While Turner is guilty of sometimes going for the laughs over the tragedies of the piece, Tipping the Velvet is a light in the darkness, a glimpse into a different, often forgotten time in the UK’s history, revealing a society full of hope of the things to come.
Beautiful touches, such as the addition of contemporary songs to the score by Michael Bruce – the inclusion of Bronski Beat’s Smalltown Boy makes one scene in particular completely unforgettable – these modern references, coupled with breathtaking aerobatics elevate Tipping the Velvet to extreme and completely unique heights. Don’t miss it.