Choc-a-block with catchy tunes and feel-good fun, The Picture House tells the story of Penny and Oscar, a sweet couple torn apart by the Second World War. Though the horrors of war are touched upon, the primary focus of the piece is domestic: three ‘soldier rejects’ attempting to snatch away Penny’s beloved cinema.
The show begins from the moment we enter the theatre. We are treated to music while the cast energetically set up stage. Their improvisational ability is a testament to the strength of their character identities, and this preconditioning feels just as much a part of the show as the main event itself. The cast is full of immensely likable performers and every smile they give feels completely genuine. Lily de-la-Haye is particularly of note for her turn as the adorable Penny, filling her solos to the brim with emotion yet never seeming saccharine, an easy trap for a weaker actor.
The best elements of the show are the musical numbers. The choreography is creative, and there isn’t a dud song on their list. Inspired by the tunes of the time, the musical style complements the show magnificently. The singing itself is well executed (albeit with a few falters here and there), everyone is completely invested in what they are doing and the harmonies are pleasing. Not quite up to this standard are the sections between songs: being a devised piece, it seemed that nearly all of the energy had gone into the big set pieces with the connecting sections being afterthoughts. As such, some of the dialogue sounded contrived. This never mattered for very long, however, as whenever the speech began to grate, we would be treated to another glorious musical number.
What was confusing, though, was the motivation - or, rather, lack thereof - for the villains. After the initial joy of their quirky number faded, I couldn’t help but think ‘wait, what?’ Time should definitely have been taken to develop this, as it creates an uncomfortably large plot hole. I found out only after the performance that the show was a devised piece, so this is a phenomenal achievement by the cast and production team but a couple of changes to the script here and there would tighten up the act to no end. This does not take away from the fact that this is a thoroughly enjoyable show and not in the least bit pretentious. I still have the songs stuck in my head, and so will you.
