LIZZIE
30 October 2023
Southwark Playhouse Elephant
5.0 out of 5.0 stars
LIZZIE is a true crime rock musical all about the well known story of Lizzie Borden. This version incorporates several unproven speculations about Lizzie’s life and the murders, some of which seem based on Evan Hunter’s novel Lizzie, but all of which are largely considered as likely in the true crime community.
The musical is loud and wild, with intensely passionate songs, fantastic effects despite the small staging, and a brilliant soundtrack. It’s hard to sit still when the music in a show is this gripping and touching!
The story is beautifully told, with many recurring themes and often aided with the perspective of Bridget Sullivan, the Borden’s live-in maid. It’s a powerful, female driven narrative reclaiming some agency for one of the most famous women accused of murder in all of history. It’s a fast-paced show that barely gives you space to breathe, hitting the audience with one superb song after another, really digging into the impressive vocal range of the cast.
It’s dark and bloody, but also hopeful and powerful, bringing many laughs into a dreary tale of family friction and murder. SIX meets Green Day in this feminist power musical, absolute worth a visit if any of those things appeal to you!