presented by Miracle Theatre
Embark on a whirlwind of love and laughter with Miracle Theatre's latest production, Love Riot.
This vibrant reimagining of Hannah Cowley's revolutionary play, The Belle's Stratagem (which first took London’s West End by storm 250 years ago!) promises an exhilarating journey through a world obsessed with status, etiquette and scandal.
Letty’s father has arranged for her to be married to a man who shows no interest in her. But she is a spirited young woman, determined to defy society's expectations, shape her own destiny and avoid a loveless future.
This uproarious production boasts Miracle's signature high energy, sharp dialogue and memorable comic characters, designed to give audiences plenty to talk and laugh about!
Celebrate our 45th Anniversary with this inspiring show that will captivate teenagers as much as their grandparents!
Love Riot offers a hilarious and insightful experience for everyone aged 7 and above.
Review by Jane Pugh
Love Riot by Jane Pugh 4 June 2024
Gen Z meets the Regency era with a dose of the Baroque, Love Riot by Miracle Theatre brings forth a comedy where adorably bonkers characters argue, fight, dance, flirt and rage over the most critical topic of their (and our) lives – Love.
The play is cleanly and economically written by Hannah Mulder. There are lots of characters, locations and information to be managed, and it's a period piece, too, so understanding the manners and machinations of the day and making it accessible to a 21st century audience, takes skill, dexterity and confidence.
It's a comedy of politics, law and societal norms, where rich girls are chattels to their fathers and then confined by their husbands. But our hero, young Letty Hardy, isn't going down without a fight, no way! She's supposed to marry handsome but dull Doricourt and has to scheme her way out of a loveless marriage with all her wit and guile. How do you send your suitor packing? Scoff a Scotch egg in his face and describe your tongue as yellow. Yes, my stomach really did lurch, which was a shame because my dear friend had made us a delicious picnic. Needless to say, all's fair in love and marriage and whilst the story is slight and the outcome predictable, there's a whole lot of fun to be had along the way.
The actors are fantastic, they know their characters inside out, they're light on their feet and the dialogue exchanges bounce and float across the cool night air. There are five actors playing eight characters so, yes, there are times when the pacing dips or scenes feel extended to accommodate costume changes. It's not too long, it just needs tightening up. One of my favourite characters, Caroline Racket, played by the super-talented Charlotte Merriam, could do with her own subplot to add to the theme of women's survival as Mrs Racket is both match-maker and single, a contradiction that's worth exploring further.
Audiences expect great things from costume designer, Jude Munden, long-time member of the Miracle posse but she and her team really nailed it this time, costumes are thrillingly constructed and made from eye-catching fabrics. And whilst the women's hair flows long and free – perhaps in pursuit of the play's theme, the guileless men, who aren't exactly enamoured by marriages of convenience either, wear wonderfully ridiculous wigs, any of which I'd love to try on. The big surprise for me is the music, it's simply beautiful, smooth and light and framing the story-world from start to finish.
