ASSASSINS
Pleasance Theatre, London
From John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald, Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman bend the rules of time and space, taking us on a nightmarish ride in which assassins and would-be assassins from different historical periods meet, interact and inspire each other to harrowing acts in the name of the American Dream.
concept rendering
concept rendering
ASSASSINS
music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by John Weidman
Pleasance Theatre
director Ray Rackham
musical director Joe Bunker
choreographer Chris Whittaker
scenic design David Esler
costume design Gemma Veitch
lighting design Sebastian Petit
cast: Bronwyn Baud, Padraig Breathnach, Marcia Brown, Paul Burnham, Mark Phillip Compton, Martin Dickinson, John Jo Flynn,
Brandon Force, Alexander Forsyth, Bo Frazier, Tim McArthur, Gary Mannion, Aideen McCartney, Angela Nesi, David Shorter, Nova Skipp
photos by David Esler, Francis Loney
Stephen Sondheim’s 1990 cabaret of killers time-travels through history to present nine men and women who have attempted, some successfully, to assassinate U.S. presidents. With a book by John Weidman, [Assassins] has an episodic, vaudevillian flavour, offering a wry collection of case studies rather than a conventional narrative. David Esler’s design of tatty Stars and Stripes, rebel flags and strings of fairy lights establishes the right atmosphere of tawdry celebration.
– Sam Marlowe, The Times
Pleasance London’s Main House offers a perfect frame for Sondheim’s controversial vaudeville show. David Esler’s set design is edgy and interesting but timeless enough to leave space for audience’s imagination.
– Jonna Nummela, What's On The Fringe
A sixteen-strong cast and band of six deliver an enthralling tour through the circumstances of ten actual or would-be killers of American Presidents in this accomplished production of Stephen Sondheim's acclaimed Assassins. A rustic set, draped with beaten but regal stars and stripes is an early indication that this play is concerned not so much with a portrayal of the American Dream as its disenchanted underbelly. Impeccable casting and tight, spirited choreography ensure that this story of a collective pursuit of some kind of happiness is a believable, riveting one.
–Vanessa Bunn, Extra! Extra!
It’s just over twenty years since Assassins’ original Broadway and London productions in the early ‘90s, and it’s as fresh, witty, surreal and tragic in equal measure as it ever was. The muted recreation of the Texas Schoolbook depository, with silhouetted windows, where Lee Harvey Oswald aims a gun at JFK’s motorcade is a moment of real drama.
– Pauline Flannery, StageWon.com
A dynamic and thought-provoking night of musical theatre that is not to be missed. The musical, set in a vaudeville 'limbo', evokes the showmanship of the American legal system, and the media circus that is often associated with controversial cases. This is a big show and it is well placed on the main stage of the Pleasance. Ray Rackham’s spot-on direction is perfectly complimented by Chris Whittaker’s neat choreography. Assassins is one of Sondheim's best, and this production gives it the platform it deserves.
– Oliver Valentine, UK Theatre Network