PICK Me Up Theatre kicks off its Monkgate summer season in York with Assassins, Stephen Sondheim's provocative musical that turns the American Dream into a sleepless night.
“Someone tell the story, someone sing the song. Every now and then the country goes a little wrong," wrote Sondheim. "Every now and then a madman’s bound to come along. Doesn’t stop the story, story's pretty strong, doesn’t change the song."
Winner of five Tony Awards, Assassins weaves together the intriguing story of some of the most infamous characters from American history, investigating the personalities behind nine individuals who attempted to assassinate a President of the United States.
"Assassins is part vaudeville extravaganza, part exposé and wholly electrifying, with an incredible score that reveals uneasy truths about the American Dream," says Pick Me Up artistic director Robert Readman, whose production runs until this weekend.
"Hugely resonant in today's celebrity-obsessed society, the story is peopled with desperate characters intent on making their indelible mark. This socially and politically charged story has grown in relevance since its 1991 premiere; you only have to look at the recent events in Dallas and the assassination attempt on Presidential candidate Donald Trump."
Pick Me Up Theatre's principal players in Assassins: back row, left to right, Mark Hird, Conor Mellor, Simon Radford, Juliet Waters, Alexa Chaplin and
Craig Kirby; front row, George Stagnell, left, and Sam Hird. Picture: Matthew Kitchen Photography
The power of Assassins lies in its exploration of the human condition, suggests Robert. "Society celebrates its national heroes. However, more thoughtful self-reflection is required when contemplating cultural identity by an examination of society's most damaged individuals," he says. "We know that Americans are proud that anyone in the United States can grow up to become President. Likewise, anyone can grow up and kill a President.
"The great musical legacy from America is justly celebrated by Sondheim in Assassins, taking all kinds of styles including marching bands, The Cakewalk, Irving Berlin ditties, Carpenters ballads and even Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story."
Readman is a renowned interpreter of Sondheim in York musical circles, having directed five of his musicals so far, the last being Into The Woods at the Grand Opera House in 2014.
“The work of Stephen Sondheim was introduced to me by composer Gordon Caleb, who retired to my village [Bubwith] in the 1990s. He gave me cassettes of Sweeney Todd and Merrily We Roll Along and as soon as I heard them I knew they were quite brilliant. I constantly return to Sondheim's stories because their audacity never cease to surprise and inspire me,” he says.
“In 2002 I was cast as Charles J Guiteau in the York premiere of Assassins, directed by Clive Hailstone, and from that point it has been my number one musical and still is.”
Mark Hird as Guiteau in Assassins. Picture: Matthew Kitchen Photography
Performing Assassins in the John Cooper Studio Theatre, as it will now be called, at the Upstage Centre Theatre, 41 Monkgate, is the perfect match of show to venue, reckons Robert. "The audiences will love the changes to the theatre with very different staging and the very intimate seating arrangements," he says.
"Special 'Presidential' boxes for six people have been built with a full American bar hidden under the main stage. All kinds of American treats will be available in our fun fair-themed foyer.”
Heading Readman's cast are Simon Radford as John Wilkes Booth; Sam Hird as The Balladeer; Alexa Chaplin as Lynnette (Squeaky) Fromme; Jonny Holbek as John Hinckley; George Stagnell as Leon Czolgosz; Conor Mellor as Guisseppe Zangara; Mark Hird as Charles J Guiteau; Craig Kirby as Samuel Byck and Juliet Waters as Sara Jane Moore.
“The Assassins ensemble is just as impressive," says Robert, who has Scott Gonsalves, Holly Surtees Smith, Sam Baxter, James Coldrick, Kelly Stocker, Chris Mortimer, Eleanor Dunn and Lewis Douglas in the ranks. Musical direction is in the hands of Barbara Chan, while technical director Adam Moore is"creating magic with lights".
"When Stephen Sondheim was asked which of all his shows he was most proud of, he said Assassins, the one he thinks is close to perfect. Now that’s a recommendation," says Robert.
Assassins runs until Saturday, at 7.30pm nightly, plus 2.30pm on Saturday. Tickets are on sale at York Theatre Royal, on 01904 623568 and at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk
* Pick Me Up Theatre’s second show of its Sondheim summer show will be Sweeney Todd at 41 Monkgate, York, from August 5 to 13.
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