I have been asked numerous times about how Rhys Reviews got started (if you are also wondering this, you can check out our Inception-style interview with ourselves at https://youtu.be/2WOTjjB8bH0), and the truth is we started reviewing new musical recordings during the lockdown. This period of time was incredibly tough for everyone, as we were forced into our homes, distanced from family and friends, and the theatre industry was essentially closed for almost two years. This allowed us to not only discover new shows but also shout out those who continued to create, even in such difficult circumstances. This inspired our love of discovering new musicals, and so when I discovered that a brand new musical would be heading to the iconic Porter’s Theatre, I knew I could not miss out. Coming from the wonderful creative team behind Spinning Rock Productions (who we previously worked with by writing a review for their show Luna, which you can read about at https://rhysreviews.com/2023/02/04/luna-production-review/), Deepcuts is a brand new musical that documents the lives of two siblings who find themselves sharing a cramped flat during a period of significant change in both of their lives. The brother-and-sister duo deal with issues such as family dynamics, relationships, and loneliness (despite constantly being in each other’s company within their small home) as they reach major life milestones, with one deeply committing to a new romance and the other seriously considering moving across the world.
One half of the two on-stage performers in Deepcuts was the fabulous Sophie Baker (who seems to be taking over every stage in Cardiff, including, most recently, Pride Cymru with multiple performances, which I was lucky enough to see on the Sunday of Pride), who continued to demonstrate why she is one of the most gifted vocalists in the Cardiff area, delivering beautiful performances throughout. Her character goes on a fantastic journey, brought to life by the talented performer. She begins the show with a much more naïve and innocent view of the world, but as the story progresses she becomes more hardened through a new relationship that leads her into a habit of using illegal drugs. This is not only a sadly familiar progression in the real world, but it also effectively demonstrates the growing distance between the brother-and-sister pairing. Taking on the role of the physically older, yet often overlooked, brother was the incredible James Hales, who not only perfectly captured the pressure of attempting to be the leader of the family while often falling short, but also found opportunities to showcase his musical talents throughout by accompanying himself with an on-stage guitar. As a non-performer, I find the idea of memorising lines and blocking, singing live, and handling the general demands of a performance overwhelming on its own, but James also took on the responsibility of playing both his own and his sister’s accompaniments. That would honestly fry my brain, but James seemed completely at ease balancing these two roles throughout the entirety of the hour-long show. His character discusses a yearning for a different life throughout the production, including a powerful scene where he gets incredibly drunk and ends up booking a flight to the other side of the world. As someone who has made questionable decisions while under the influence, I have never been unfortunate enough to book a once-in-a-lifetime one-way trip to the other side of the planet! This exaggerates the growing distance between the geographically close siblings, with the impending move hanging over them.
The show itself gets off to a fantastic start as the pair reveal the playful relationship they share through a hilarious yet incredibly clever duet titled “Living with a Sibling.” The song is constructed in such a way that the performers alternate the lyrics while finishing each other’s sentences, seamlessly switching between heartfelt moments and comedy, with strong language and insults scattered throughout. Not only is this incredibly clever from a songwriting perspective, but it also perfectly captures the relationship between an older brother and younger sister (which I myself am fortunate enough to be part of in the real world), as they constantly shift from being best friends to worst enemies. This dynamic is cleverly reflected in the structure of the song itself. Having this number as the opening track was a fantastic choice, as it established the key themes, explained the relationship between the two characters flawlessly, and instantly allowed the audience to understand their connection while hinting at events that may unfold later in the story. My favourite song in the entire production, however, was the wonderful “Course by Course”, a solo performance from the older brother documenting the experience of attending a family gathering (which his sister opts not to attend) as he faces a barrage of questions from eccentric aunties about his personal life, relationships, and, most importantly, his impending journey to the other side of the world. This incredibly catchy song is crammed full of brilliant food puns and jokes that mirror the “grilling” people often receive at family events, which not only makes perfect narrative sense but also creates a highly entertaining performance.
Overall, Deepcuts by Spinning Rock Productions is an incredibly relatable and honest exploration of family relationships, with the added pressure of living together in a small apartment. As a work-in-progress performance, this show demonstrates fantastic potential, featuring two grounded, believable characters who navigate realistic, everyday issues that develop in a way that feels authentic to real life. Many audience members will undoubtedly recognise aspects of themselves or their own families in these characters. The staging features minimal changes throughout, helping to ground the story in an accessible and familiar setting that allows the audience to become fully immersed in the production. I would rate this production 4 out of 5 stars!
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