Excellent musical numbers in a show about famous writers, sadly let down by its writing.
“1816: The Year Without a Summer” explores the famously gloomy summer spent by Lord Byron, Percy and Mary Shelley, and their companions Polidori and Claire Clairmont at Lake Geneva. A summer that proved pivotal to the creation of Frankenstein. While the show boasts some truly excellent musical numbers, its reliance on audience foreknowledge and a thin, underdeveloped narrative significantly holds it back from achieving its full potential.
The production’s most compelling element is its cast and score. Oliver Kingston delivers a confident, appropriately swaggering performance as the magnetic Lord Byron, though the script allows him little room for nuance. The strongest vocals of the evening came from Francesca Horgan (Polidori) and Kaitlin Price (Claire Clairmont), whose performances elevate the musical moments. The songs themselves are uniformly well-written, and the staging and choreography for the musical sequences were a definite highlight, showcasing the creative team’s clear talent for the musical side of theatre.
Regrettably, the show is significantly let down by its book. The narrative frequently grinds to a halt because too many songs serve only as character-led reflections on feelings. While enjoyable in the moment, this means few songs actually advance the plot, resulting in a production with minimal story or character development.
The script also suffers from assuming a level of knowledge about these Romantic figures that is unlikely for a general audience. The central premise, Mary Shelley’s connection to Frankenstein, is clear enough for most people, however references to vampirism, and the relationships between characters, are confusingly handled. The nature of Mary and Claire’s relationship, for example, is unclear for too long, and it was only towards the final third of the show that I realised they were sisters rather than mother and daughter. The complex, antagonistic working relationship between Byron and Polidori is also underwritten, with Polidori being a doctor employed by Byron, but then they both also seem to hate each other and Polidori is also a writer of some sorts? These dynamic, fascinating historical figures are ultimately painted in broad, flat strokes, particularly Byron, who is portrayed simply as an awful, flouncing man. With minimal growth and a lack of depth, the show leaves the audience wondering what its dramatic purpose truly is.
Finally, some elements of the staging and scene transitions could be more streamlined, and the comedy occasionally falls flat. An unnecessary break of the fourth wall (“just off-stage”) is a cheap joke that lands awkwardly and clashes with the production’s overall tone.
In short, this is a show that feels musically complete but dramatically lacking. With a stronger book to unify its excellent score and strong performances, this could be a major success.
1816: The Year Without a Summer, is playing at the Lion and Unicorn Theatre until the 4th October, and is then playing at the ADC Theatre in Cambridge from the 15th – 18th October.