Jim Cartwright’s 1992 play has a script that dazzles, full of wordplay and witty one-liners. The family story at its heart is somewhat melodramatic, but the unfolding relationships keep you hooked until the end. LV, short for Little Voice, is a softly spoken girl who lives under the thumb of her boozy and lovelorn Mum. Her only joy in life is found in listening to the extensive record collection she inherited from her father. The tense relationship between mother and daughter reaches fever pitch when LV is ‘discovered’ by one of her mother’s boyfriends and encouraged to share her singing talents on stage.
The story hinges on the ability of the actress playing LV to mimic her various musical heroes - Marilyn Monroe, Shirley Bassey, and Judy Garland amongst others. Elaine Graham has an excellent voice and does a fine job, but some musical icons were more successfully mimicked than others.
The Rise and Fall of Little Voice should really be a vehicle for two strong actresses. However, in this production it is the ensemble who glow (rather than shine), working hard to bring the story to life. Particular mention must be given to Wendy Brindle, who keeps the energy up as Mari, and to Bev Wright as Sadie, whose eye-rolling and poignant silences support both the most comic and heart wrenching moments of the production.
The functional set makes use of the different levels already available in the venue to create the disparate spaces required by the text - LV’s bedroom and the kitchen/living room below - and is particularly good for the club scenes with spotlight and glittery curtains hanging behind. It is unfortunate that this effect is hampered by slow scene changes that occur in partial blackout.This is a solid production and will be of interest to those who are fans of the play, or the more famous Jane Horrocks film.
