Peaky Blinders as you've never seen it in dance show The Redemption of Thomas Shelby
By order of the Peaky Blinders: it's time to see Tommy Shelby as you've never seen him before.
A theatrical performance of Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby has officially opened at Birmingham Hippodrome and is sure to be a hit with fans of the TV show and theatre alike.
Scriptwriter Steven Knight admitted at a star-studded pre-party (attended by Birmingham City footballer Troy Deeney) that, while he doesn't really understand how dance works, the audience was in for a treat.
And judging by the standing ovation at the show's close, the cast delivered on that promise.
The show really kicked into life with the second track of the night, 'Devil Inside Me', performed by a live band, and drummer Yaron Engler demanding attention with a theatre-shaking performance.
Written and adapted for the stage by creator Steven Knight, the production began as a prequel, with a scene set in the trenches of the First World War.
The scene acted as a prelude, leading into a more familiar story for fans of the show, exploring Tommy and Grace's tragic romance.
Narration provided by Benjamin Zephaniah, who plays Jeremiah in the BBC One series, added a real Brummie feel to proceedings, serving as the only dialogue in the show.
It is clear, by making use of the TV show's well-known characters, the production aims to bring dance to those who may not see the art as 'for them' - and it achieves this goal resoundingly.
It is not surprising that creator Steven Knight was happy to back the production, as the inverse may also be true, with the show introducing a different crowd to the Peaky Blinders world.
Author Simon Sinek and Robin Saunders are executive producers for Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby, alongside a creative team which includes Moi Tran (set design), Richard Gellar (costume design) and Natasha Chivers (lighting design), with dramaturgy by Kaite O’Reilly.
Also working with the cast is acting director Kim Pearce, illusions director Filipe J. Carvalho, fight director Adrian Palmer, props supervisor Lily Mollgaard, and intimacy director Yarit Dor, with sound design by Moshik Kop.
The show managed to cover every mood imaginable, with a more playful tone filling the stage in act one during 'The Factory'.
Dylan Tedaldi embodied the typical unbearable fat cat in his interpretation of the Factory Foreman, before the Shelbys got a hold of him.
Guillaume Quéau's performance as Tommy however stole the show, embodying the effortless, laid-back masculinity of the character.
This was then flipped on its head in act two, with Tommy battling his demons which came to the fore during the close of act one.
A silk curtain lowered, creating a nightmare-like setting, with the ensemble personifying Tommy's demons, which he fought throughout the scene.
The cast as a whole made a stellar effort, and it was hard to believe that the show was performed by just 19 cast members.
It would be remiss to review this show without mentioning the performance of Musa Motha, who played Barney.
Musa, from South Africa, performs on crutches, after losing his leg in 2010 and has even appeared in Drake's "One Dance" music video.
He seamlessly played the role, with remarkable precision given he is on crutches, bringing a different dimension to ensemble scenes.
Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby will perform at Birmingham Hippodrome on October 2, followed by a London premiere at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre between October 12 and November 6 before embarking on a UK tour in 2023.
Tickets for the show at the Birmingham Hippodrome can be bought at birminghamhippodrome.com.
