“YOU HAVE KILLER LEGS, I’D LOVE TO PHOTOGRAPH THEM”

By Tanya Howard | Founder, The Live Review London · @glamglitzlondon ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Press Invite

Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical is a stage musical, based on the hit 1999 Hollywood movie. Packed with ‘90s pop classics and faithful to the original plot, the musical brings the cult classic to life. If you are unfamiliar with the film, the musical might be perceived as problematic, shocking, or offensive. However, for those who grew up on the ’90s movie the production offers an enjoyable trip down memory lane. Steering clear of modern updates in a refreshing departure from current trends.

Step-siblings Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil, manipulative monsters flushed with their own sexual prowess, engage in a cruel bet: Kathryn goads Sebastian into attempting to seduce Annette Hargrove, the headmaster’s virtuous daughter. Weaving a web of secrets and temptation, as the two set out to destroy an innocent girl – and anyone who gets in their way – their vengeful crusade wreaks havoc on the students at their exclusive Manhattan high school and the diabolical duo become entangled in their own mesh of deception and unexpected romance, with explosive results…

“YOU CAN PUT IT ANYWHERE…”

Rhianna-Louise McCaulsky, in the role of Kathryn, had a brilliant singing voice. But her attempt to emulate Sarah Michelle Gellar’s iconic role faltered for me at times. She was trying to imitate her speaking style, but it was much more engaging for me when her natural tone emerged. Daniel Bravo succeeded in recreating the role of Sebastian Valmont, played by Ryan Phillippe in the film. Bravo’s embodiment of Phillippe’s characteristics worked well, and I appreciate that I sound conflicting here. But, if you can replicate a role then do, but if not take the role and make it your own.

The character Annette, portrayed by Abbie Budden, seemed to deviate from her supposed wholesomeness in the first act. Her characterisation felt rather promiscuous it diminished the impact of her role as the ultimate challenge for Sebastian. However, in the second act, I felt that Budden really found her feet with the role. This was the show’s opening week though so she could have still been getting to grips with things and it didn’t take away from the overall performance.

Notable performances came from Rose Galbraith as Cecile Caldwell and Jess Buckby as Bunny Caldwell. Galbraith brought the comedic factor to the show and the storyline of her naïve young character. Her rendition of “I’ll Make You Love You” had me in stitches and the routine was really well performed. And let me tell you I was not expecting the Upper East socialite character of Bunny Caldwell to break into a hilarious rendition of No Scrubs. It’s worth seeing Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical Review just for these two routines alone.

“I’M THE ONLY PERSON YOU CAN’T HAVE, AND IT KILLS YOU”

I love the music of the ‘90s and they chose some great songs to include in the soundtrack. The cast are incredibly talented singers, but I did struggle with the Act One finale number. It was sensory overload when multiple characters took to the stage to perform four different overlapping numbers. It was hard to distinguish between them, and it felt more like they were singing over each other rather than in harmony. Aside from this each performance was beautifully executed, both from a singing and dance perspective.

Whilst the music added to the nostalgia, it did occasionally overshadow pivotal and emotional moments. Iconic scenes, like Kathryn’s admission of manipulation, lost some of its dramatic impact due to interruptions by the song bursts. This is a powerful moment in the show addressing societal expectations around women’s sexuality, challenging the double standards between men and women. “God forbid, I exude confidence and enjoy sex. Do you think I relish the fact that I have to act like Mary Sunshine 24/7 so I can be considered a lady?”. This is a topic I feel strongly about, and I feel the song should have come after the powerful speech was complete.

Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical delivers a nostalgic experience with a mix of successes and some missed opportunities. As I said, if you are a fan of the film then I think you will really enjoy the stage show. I think it has all the potential to be a smash hit despite the few issues I had. With it being early days in the production I think a lot of the kinks will be ironed out as the days pass. And for those in the know, you’ll love the portrayal of the final scene with the journal reveal. Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical is a hilarious campy throwback that you won’t want to miss, and is showing at The Other Palace until 14 April.

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Photo Credit: Pamela Raith Photography