An emotional fusion of folk and feeling that blurs the line between concert and confession
The tender emotions and story beats punctuating Ohio’s songs feel too raw and honest for a gig, yet its musical craft and time-spanning narrative mean it doesn’t feel like a musical either. Viewed through the lens of performance art, its hauntingly beautiful lyrics, moments of audience collaboration, and immersion in one performer’s experience of tinnitus make perfect sense. Critically-acclaimed folk duo The Bengsons command the stage with a series of emotionally powerful songs woven through a deeply personal story of connection, community and loss.
Entering the Maria Theatre, the Young Vic’s secondary performance space, an audience would be forgiven for expecting a low-key DJ set: a lone Macbook sits in a spotlight, flanked by two mic stands and a chorus of lighting towers. A solitary guitar lingers in the background, shrouded in shadow. But when The Bengsons enter through the crowd, involve the audience in a “sing-it-back-to-me” vocal warm-up, and then use the Macbook to establish the first of many textured soundscapes crafted solely from Abigail Bengson’s voice, it’s clear this will be a warm, collaborative and musically exciting performance.
Whilst Ohio’s narrative is bleak – taking in Shaun Bengson’s loss of faith, his struggles with tinnitus, and a very difficult birth for the couple – the audience’s lasting impression is of being uplifted. There’s a joyful energy to The Bengsons’ command of the stage, chuckling at one another’s jokes and allowing themselves to become lost in an almost spiritual performance. The audience are also encouraged to let the music take them, which is surprisingly easy even for a press-night crowd. Abigail’s infectious energy sees her bounding around the stage, dancing up a storm, tapping out rhythms on her chest. The audience follow her lead, soon humming a backing melody and reading lines for Shaun’s childhood choir director, who spotted a shy boy in need of a purpose. Almost immediately, The Bengsons establish a sense of community and collaboration in the room.
The organic feeling of these moments is what makes Ohio special, as a result of The Bengsons’ deeply personal insights, and their infectious chemistry. Abigail’s voice quivers with real power, her vocal control remarkable; Shaun’s guitar-playing is wonderfully percussive, his singing underpinned by a compelling growl. The role of host best fits Abigail, who takes some early technical issues in her stride: initially cracking a few jokes, before leading an impromptu dance-break with the audience as the technical team swoop in.
Minimal staging enhances this sense of intimacy, but is not without its own power. The whole performance is captioned on a screen behind the musicians, and this is used to devastating effect alongside modulated microphones to immerse the audience in Shaun’s experience of tinnitus. This sequence, in particular, lingers long after the final note fades.
Some musical sections feel a touch over-indulgent, and the captioning occasionally kills comic timing by spoiling the punchline. But this is easy to forgive for such an honest, emotionally wrenching, and exquisitely soundtracked show.
Ultimately, Ohio’s power lies in its honesty and the magnetic performance of The Bengsons. Their joy in performing is infectious, and their vulnerability draws the audience into something that feels less like a show and more like a shared act of remembrance. Whilst its themes are deeply affecting, the experience is one of hope and warmth – a celebration of community, and the healing that music can bring.
Ohio plays at The Young Vic until 24th October, with Wednesday and Saturday matinees. Tickets here.
Reviewers’ Note: This performance stopped 10 minutes before its conclusion as a result of a medical emergency, and did not resume. A script for the final scenes was provided for the purposes of this review.