An Asylum On Every Corner

Modus Operandi have chosen an unlikely subject for this new musical by writer/director James Michalos – mental health. Set in the fictitious Ashford Dell Hospital for the Mentally Ill it charts the progress of three patients and the effect the arrival of a new doctor has on them. It’s allegorically making some points about what is happening to the national health service, though in a slightly unclear way.

The opening number is attacked with gusto by the eight strong ensemble, and it becomes apparent that we are in for some excellent group and solo songs. Jack Reid sings and acts well as Dr Zander who runs the centre his mum fought so hard to create and wrestles with a moral dilemma when he’s offered a lot of money to sell the site and then when someone offers the chance to franchise the Ashford Dell like Starbucks (hence the show’s title). He’s also shaken up professionally and personally by the arrival of Simone Craddock’s Dr Gerrison.

I particularly like Jody Tranter’s schizophrenic and Jane Lesley proves herself versatile in a number of roles. My main criticism is that the piece can’t really decide what it wants to be; satire, love story, comedy, ghost story, agitprop… it’s all in here.

It does, however, make some poignant points in song and dialogue. Why, for example, does no one ever send cards to mental patients? Why are mental patients defined by their disease (“he’s a schizophrenic”, “she’s a manic depressive”) but one would never say “oh, he’s a brain tumour, or she’s a broke leg? But the humour is rather broad and the triangular love plot and building development plots peter out rather predictably. The lighting is also very gloomy, which combines with the subject matter to bring the atmosphere down a bit.

All of this is rescued by some lovely songs and fantastic singing. Even the slightly weaker actors of the group are transformed and transported when they burst into song, becoming utterly convincing and compelling. Such is the power of music.