Review: Shawshank Redemption celebrates the triumph of the human spirit – Eastbourne

Live theatre has many functions, many stories to tell, many messages. At Eastbourne’s Devonshire Park Theatre this week, the story inches from desperate darkness to blinding sunlight, and the message is of redemption: The Shawshank Redemption. This new production is from the ever dependable stable of Bill Kenwright, and production values are high. Ironically, this prison drama manages very well without Kenwright’s characteristic meticulous attention to detail in terms of sets and costumes. The story’s context is the opposite of lavish. Designer Gary McCann’s set is simply the prison: the yard, the cells, the staircases, everywhere the sense of enclosure. And mid-grey, dark grey, even a hint of green-grey; but always grey.

Even so, swift and seamless lighting changes and minimalist stage furniture create a governor’s office, a cell interior, even the prison library – although that begins life as a mere trolley, rolled on by dedicated trustie Brooksie – a superb characterisation by Kenneth Jay of the endearing but tragic old man who cannot bear the prospect of parole. At a guess, at least half of the audience will have watched the 1994 movie, based on a Steven King short story but evolving into one of cinema’s longest epic tales of justice and injustice. In Shawshank Penitentiary, there are no short sharp sentences. But prior knowledge or not, theatre audiences will not even cast a glance at their wristwatches: the plot burns slowly but inexorably.

The production opened on Tuesday at the Devonshire Park ahead of a UK tour, at some impressive venues, and if there were any frantic first-night headaches at the get-in, it certainly did not show. Director David Esbjornson and his creative team never show a heavy hand, for the story needs to tell itself, engaging and involving its audience as Dufresne’s length story unfolds. The cast of twelve, all male – except of course for the Rita Hayworth poster – are excellent without exception. They might have formed an ensemble in the wrong sense, this bunch of motiveless hardened cons whose personality has been drained by their incarceration. Instead, out of that grey uniformity, each defined character emerges. Whatever their crimes, they are society’s victims – none more so than hapless, illiterate Tommy – an excellent Coulter Dittman – whom Andy tries to help and who might even have held the key to his freedom, before outrageous injustice befalls him.

Jay Marsh, Owen Oldroyd, Leigh Jones, Jules Brown and Kieran Garland complete the roll-call of incarcerated men. As Warden Stammas, Mark Heenehan drips with hypocrisy, and his deputy and enforcer Hadley is cold brutality in uniform. Samarge Hamilton (Kelly) supports efficiently.

And so to the two leads. Joe Absalom’s Andy Dufresne is superb: in the first couple of scenes, his character seems slightly underplayed, but only because he needs to grow from cautious new arrival to resilient, single-minded member of this grim community. Andy is too clever by half, but that becomes his strength as he plots his future freedom.

And then Red: Ellis “Red” Redding, philosopher, confidant to Andy, and as it happens, the prison fixer. He is there, it seems, for life, but as each parole request is turned down, we love him more. Dealt a different hand in life, he would be your favourite elderly neighbour. Ben Onwukwe – reprising his role in the previous 2016 production – lives and breathes the character: every shrug, every long weary exhalation, every touch of incarcerated humour. This is outstanding acting and, yes, Morgan Freeman would give a wry approving nod.

Transposing from iconic movie to live theatre has its challenges as well as its rewards. The reservations are almost nil. Perhaps the very final scenes – spoiler alert – with Andy and Red drinking the sunshine, might somehow have physically and visually captured and reflected that sunshine and that triumph. But it’s a quibble, and far outweighed by the sense of immediacy in a live theatre, where actors and audience unite. So much of theatre is escapism. This is a very different kind of escape, and very far from the breezy caper – think Steve McQueen on a motorbike. This is, to borrow an overused phrase, the triumph of the human spirit. A journey from unbearable depression and unspeakable injustice, to exhilarating freedom. It is raw, compelling drama.

Review by Kevin Anderson