There aren’t very many stage shows that put sex workers at the centre of the narrative. Some might argue that is probably just as well, particularly for those who lean towards a ‘show don’t tell’ philosophy. This is a story that could be tightened and condensed into one of those ninety-minute no-interval shows. Instead, it stretches out to two-and-a-half hours, taking the scenic route through what might, and frankly should, have been a more energetic and punchier story of a hungry (in more ways than one) young man wanting a better life for himself and willing to do whatever it takes to chase his dream.
But it’s not entirely clear what the young man, Joe Buck (Paul Jacob French) wants to actually achieve (apart from sleeping around for money), or precisely why. For that, you’ll have to read the novel on which the stage show is based. You might get a semblance from the sayings from a Greek chorus of ghosts, but even those seem to be, for the most part, not saying anything substantive. There are a few characters with words of encouragement and endearment, notably Joe’s late grandmother, Sally (Joanne Henry).
Rico (Max Bowden), known as Ratso – a name he does not like, which makes his antagonists use it all the more – is meant to be more or less everything Joe is not: short, sick and world weary. Being complete opposites might seem a little basic, but it works sufficiently well, and both actors are convincing in their roles. Readers old enough to remember the 1969 motion picture will find something less uncompromising in this version of the story – at the performance I attended, patrons were giggling at how distinctly unerotic the “sex scenes” – inverted commas mine – were. But there is some redemption in the artistic choices: a fight scene is portrayed in such a way that makes it clear no actor is actually punching another, and yet it is entirely believable, thanks to a combination of the intensity and dramatic tension of the scene in question and some clever lighting design (Andrew Exeter), which impresses again at the end of the scene when flashing police car lights fill the performance space.
There’s a gravitas to French’s singing voice – it’s a delight to listen to, and he’d be a great choice for a rock musical (it was a surprise, at least to me, to note his previous credits include productions of Annie and The Wizard of Oz). The musical numbers themselves primarily drill into personal feelings rather than propel the story forward. A long bus journey, for instance, has a woman shouting various landmarks, city names and random facts about said places (in order to tell the audience how far from the intended destination the characters are), but could this not have been done through song?
Take the songs out, and you might lose the choreography too, which is pretty to look at but ultimately doesn’t add much, and what would be left is a story unencumbered by the embellishments that currently slow it down. It didn’t help that some of the lyrics were difficult to decipher, which had nothing to do with the cast – French’s Southern drawl was excellent – but the acoustics, as Ofsted used to say before their rating system was overhauled, requires improvement. Some of the large cast were woefully underused. The box office was kind enough to go out of their way to give your reviewer a seat in the centre block, but I’m told that from the sides, the view of some still and moving image projections was, to put it kindly, variable. I would strongly suggest some major revisions before giving this show another outing.
Review by Chris Omaweng
Based on the novel by James Leo Herlihy and the beloved triple Academy Award-winning 1969 film, starring Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman, Midnight Cowboy captures the gripping tension of dreaming big whilst trying to survive the grind of New York City.
This powerful adaptation has a book by Bryony Lavery (writer of the Tony-nominated play Frozen), which breathes new life into the classic story, exploring the depths of friendship and ambition, and soundtrack by three-time Ivor Novello Award-winning composer Francis ‘Eg’ White, who has written songs for Adele, Florence + The Machine and James Morrison.
Max Bowden – Rico ‘Ratso’ Rizzo
Paul Jacob French – Joe Buck
Tori Allen-Martin – Cass
Elena Breschi – Delores
Joanne Henry – Grandma Sally
Dean Makowski-Clayton – Student
Christian Maynard – Tombaby
Phoebe Roberts – Chalkline Annie
Tim Rodgers – Woodsy Niles
Rohan Tickell – Mr O’Daniel
Matthew White – Towny
Nick Len, Hollie-Ann Lowe – Swings
Based on the book by James Leo Herlihy
Bryony Lavery – Writer
Francis ‘Eg’ White – Music and Lyrics
Nick Winston – Director, Choreographer and Creative Developer
Andrew Exeter – Set and Lighting Designer
Sophia Pardon – Costume Designer
Yvonne Gilbert – Sound Designer
Charlie Ingles – Musical Arrangements, Orchestrations and Musical Supervisor
Libby Watts – Associate Director/Choreographer
Natalia Alvarez – Associate Set and Costume Designer
Ellie Verkerk – Musical Director
Sarah Jane Price – Casting Director
Lucy Fennell – Intimacy Director
ADAMA Entertainment presents
MIDNIGHT COWBOY
Southwark Playhouse Elephant
4 April to 17 May 2025
