Ruth the Musical – Lives laid bare
The premier of Ruth - the Musical has its world premier at Wilton's Music Hall, in London's East End, until 28 March 2026.
This is a substantial piece of musical drama, with relevance to recent history and indeed today, and it is surely not the last time the production will be available to theatre audiences.
Moreover, Wiltons with its original stark and intimate auditorium is the perfect place to premier this production.
We genuinely feel Ruth's claustrophic improsionment, in being unable to escape from her way of life and, of course, from the final hours of actual imprisionment awaiting execution.
The end, when it comes, is startling.
Ruth's short life
Ruth is Ruth Ellis who, in 1955 at the age of 29, became the last woman to be executed in Britain.
This production takes us through Ruth's short life, from a young child abused by her father, to her last few years as a nightclub hostess and the abuse, particularly by her lover Blakley continues.
To achieve this for the audience, Ruth is played three actors.
Me-Li Yap, as a young girl who escapes her father's sexually abuses; Hannah Traylen as Ruth 'managing' a Knightbridge bar, and where having sex with the clientelle comes as part of the job description, and finally Bibi Simpson is Ruth in her cell and awaiting execution and recalling her life to her exectuioner.
All three merge Ruth in a way that protrays her as the complex and flawed character she obviously was.
We can understand and emphasise with her, without in any way justifying that final deadly action, pumping bullets into the back of her lover Blakely.
Among the rest of a fine ensemble, Connor Payne plays Blakley, an obnoxious 'posh boy' who Ellis shoots and John Faal is Desmond Cussons who, being besotted with Ruth supplies the gun and teaches her how to use it.
Being musical drama, in its true sense, the score needs to be integral to the whole, rather than attempting a rollercoaster of 'showstoppers'. and it is.
That there is little applause at the end of each song is an indication of this, rather than us not appreciating the singing performances on the fine threepiece.
Ruth – the Musical embraces a difficult subject with the gravity it deserves (this is not Chicago).
And as the premier of new musical drama one must accept it is not going to be theatrically perfect.
But it makes for a memorable evening in a wonderful old theatre.
And when the production emerges again, we who saw it this time will be grateful for having been there at the outset.
Ruth – the Musical features a score by John Cameron, Francis Rockliff and James Reader, with lyrics by Caroline Slocock and John Cameron and a book by Caroline Slocock.
It is directed by Andy Morahan andDenise Silvey.
(Images : Charlie Flint)
https://wiltons.org.uk/whats-on/ruth/
Ruth Ellis
Ruth Ellis (9 October 1926 to 13 July 1955) was a Welsh-born nightclub hostess and convicted murderer who became the last woman to be executed in the United Kingdom following the fatal shooting of her lover, David Blakely.
Ellis was abused by her father from the age of 11 and became a nightclub hostess as a teenager.
Her life became a stream of relationships with men including Blakely, a racing driver engaged to another woman.
On Easter Sunday, 10 April 1955, Ellis shot Blakely dead outside The Magdala public house in Hampstead, London.
She was immediately arrested by an off-duty policeman and, at her trial in June 1955, Ellis was found guilty of premeditated murder and was sentenced to death.
She was hanged at Holloway Prison a month later, aged 29.
Wiltons Music HallWilton's Music Hall is a Grade II* listed building off Cable Street in the heart of London's East End.
It is the oldest Grand Music Hall in the world and one of very few surviving music halls of the East End retaining many original features.
Wilton's stages over 80 productions each year embracing opera, puppetry, classical music, cabaret, dance and magic.
Wilton's is a unique building with a mid-19th-century grand music hall attached to an 18th-century terrace of three houses and a pub.
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