Review: Redcliffe (Southwark Playhouse)

Redcliffe is a new musical by Jordan Luke Gage who is responsible for writing the book, music and lyrics and playing the lead role in the show. Inspired by two men who lived in Redcliffe in the 1700s, this is a story of community, family, fear, and forbidden love.

The theatre space was set with seats on 3 sides, a wooden stage with a water along the end of it and a striking wooden fitting above the perimeter of the stage (Andrew Exeter). I found my eyes were drawn to this frequently as we waited for the show to start, and the sound effects provided help with locating us near the sea.

Photograph by Pamela Raith

The opening number began and my instant thoughts were how much I loved the orchestrations and harmonies. Due to the location of the monitors, it was also easy to keep an eye on MD Ben Tomalin and his various instruments during the show too. I would bet I’m not the only one waiting for a soundtrack release at this point.

The message in the first song comes across loud and clear; you’re never alone in Redcliffe. The district instantly had a close community feel about it, with all of the locals supportive of each other. Until situations come along to be judged in the eyes of the people and their god.

William Crichard (Luke Jordan Gage) and Richard Arnold (Daniel Krinkler) meet by chance. William lives in Redcliffe but has been working in comparatively up-market Clifton, but his return home coincides with Richard coming ashore as his ship is in Bristol for a short time.  Their meeting and subsequent developing relationship is beautiful to watch; you can sense the chemistry the second they meet and as time goes on and they each try to establish how the other is thinking and feeling. This is at a time where even the thought of two men being attracted to each other gave a sense of danger, as the law meant that a physical relationship being discovered could lead to the death penalty. An implied hangman’s noose towards the start of the show focussed this sense of threat as the pair got to know each other.

Daniel Kirkler and Jordan Luke Gage. Photograph by Pamela Raith

The casting (by Will Burton) needs a mention. Every member of the cast plays their role(s) wonderfully and every character is there for a reason. The first act has multiple comedic moments which lighten the mood unexpectedly, often involving Mother (Rebecca Lock) and William's 15 year old sister Abigail (Jess Douglas Welsh) who perform brilliantly together. Between them, the pair get overexcited at the prospect of William finding a suitable girl and getting married. As the siblings’ dad is no longer around, William is feeling the pressure to not only carry on the family name but also the weight of expectation to conform to societal demands and also provide for the family.

There are other lighter moments to distract from the feeling of impending doom that rumbles along as you watch. Abigail’s interest in local lad Arthur (Joseph Peacock) and awareness that they are both going to the same social event is followed by a beautiful performance by the ensemble with fabrics (choreographed by Emma Woods) almost in the style of maypole dancing. This alongside the use of candles later in the show were visually pleasing but also a reminder of traditions and expectations of the time.

Jess Douglas Welsh. Photograph by Pamela Raith

The second act is more of a challenging watch as consequences come to the forefront. Mother has her work cut out as she balances supporting her offspring with her own beliefs and those of the community at large.

The lighting (Matt Hockley) was striking, the bar around the walls was used effectively with colour changes but also a few times flickering during moments of high tension. Similarly lighting at floor level around the stage area focussed the attention inwards when needed.

I also enjoyed the visuals of the costumes (Martin Hanly), they felt like quite a unique style with monochrome print over fabrics.

At the end of the show, the cast position possessions on the stage and speak to the audience as they do so. I personally feel if the items were left in silence this may have even more of an impact. I suspect people who choose to see this show would be inspired to find out more about the history, and the motivation behind the creation of this musical, by the story itself.

As well as playing William authentically, Jordan Luke Gage has created a stunning piece that brings one of way too many stories alive. Redcliffe resonates as you are made to consider this time in fairly recent British history, while simultaneously being reminded of recent events both in the UK and around the world.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Redcliffe is showing at Southwark Playhouse until Saturday 4 July 2026. You can buy tickets here.

If you would like to see my curtain call photographs from this and other shows, please visit my Instagram.

I was gifted a ticket for this show in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Emma Holland PR.