Review: Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby at Sunderland Empire
Susan Wear reports back from Rambert's take on the captivating television series
The terrifying and traumatising evils of the first world war trenches open this thunderous adaptation of the Peaky Blinders television series by Rambert.
And just like the TV show, it’s not for the faint-hearted or squeamish. It’s a hold-your-breath, mesmerising, awe-inspiring and unforgettable performance from a troupe of world class-dancers who exude their passion and skill from every stretched sinew.
I love contemporary dance and can never be failed by Rambert, but I have never watched beyond the first gruesome episode of Peaky Blinders. I suspect the opposite might be true for many in the audience at the Sunderland Empire who hadn’t seen ballet before.
It didn’t matter. The spontaneous and lengthy standing ovation was a fair response to the wonderful choreography, by director Benoit Swan Pouffer; the iconic soundtrack (played by a live band on stage) composed and arranged by Roman Gianarthur; and the deceptively simple but hugely effective set and lighting by Moi Tran and Natasha Chivers respectively.
Not to mention the costumes – with more than 1,500 fantastic pieces from the swagger of the suits and caps to 1920s nightclub flappers by designer Richard Gellar. The stage shimmered and shivered with glamour and menace through the story written by the TV series creator, Steven Knight CBE.
And now the dancers. Newcastle-born Conor Kerrigan is the lead as Tommy Shelby, who returns from the trenches to post-war industrial Birmingham ‘already dead’ in the words of the late Benjamin Zephaniah.
Re-organising his family criminal empire, he is transfixed by Grace, danced by Naya Lovell, an undercover agent helping special branch. They dance with flawless artistry and complicit chemistry, through a tale of gang warfare, family tensions, broken hearts, death, revenge and finally redemption.
It’s very much an edited version of the TV incarnation, of course, but every space of every scene is so filled with action and detail it would be good to see it all over again.
Each member of the company brings an individual take on their own character’s challenges – whether they are betting scams, family dramas, gang warfare with some heavy-duty fights, or opium-fuelled degeneration and grief.
Voice credits include stars of the TV series Cillian Murphy and the late Helen McCrory.
The soundtrack also infuses music from the small screen, with contemporary numbers such as Open the Gates, by Laura Mvula, The Last Shadow Puppets’ Bad, and Radiohead’s Climbing up the Walls. The final scene – to Nick Cave’s Red Right Hand - will, as no doubt intended, stay with me for some time.
At a time when the all-powerful TV streamers are blamed for stealing away theatre audiences, Rambert may be turning the tide with this show.
The beautiful Sunderland Empire has always had a name for ballet – in particular, the Birmingham Ballet were once regular visitors – but with Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby, they may have just won some new fans of contemporary dance.
Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Selby is at Sunderland Empire until Saturday (Nov 2). Visit the website for tickets.