A sad story wrapped up in music
Lena is the brand new ‘play with music’ written by BAFTA and Olivier award-winner Tim Whitnall showing at Assembly this August.
It follows the Rise and Fall of Lena Zavaroni a child star whose journey was in contrast to the glittering shine of Opportunity Knocks. The show is hosted by Hughie Green – the Simon Cowell in the story although it is also narrated throughout by the Father.
Storywise we travel through the ages from 9 to 35 and hit on some of the biggest milestones, although delving into her life in my post show google I’m surprised other points were missed. I do always think biopic musicals are hard, the ability to showcase the full depth of a life across decades is rarely successful and I think this show suffers from that.
Where I personally felt the show fell short was the way they’ve chosen to allow Lena to remain voiceless. Her story is told by those around her and ultimately without much joy. The father character particularly orates how much of a victim he was in the situation throughout and it reads as playing the victim. His opening speech is so dismissive of the mother and to me he treats her as such in the remainder of the show.
Erin Armstrong is a beautiful vocalist and performer and shines as Lena, particularly in her Opportunity Knocks audition, the room quieting to that magical silence where you can hear a pin drop.
Overall it feels like the writing doesn’t realise its aim to reflect the pressure of media/fame on mental health which could easily still be relevant.