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Henry Hitchings's rating
Reader rating
Dir: Terry Johnson.
Cast: Diana Vickers, Marc Warren, Lesley Sharp, James Cartwright, Rachel Lumbert
Description: A revival of Jim Cartwright's comedy-drama about a gifted young singer whose talent attracts unwanted attention. Directed by Terry Johnson and starring former X Factor contestant Diana Vickers.
Trains: Tube/BR: Charing Cross 
Phone: 0870890 0511
Website: www.nimaxtheatres.com
Soaring: Diana Vickers has presence and vocal charisma in the title role
Jim Cartwright’s play, first staged at the National in 1992, is constructed around a virtuoso performance. At its centre is LV, a painfully shy teenager who seeks solace in her dead father’s record collection while her embarrassingly lively mother Mari seeks it in the arms of men.
LV’s secret is that she can exquisitely impersonate the singers her father cherished. Mari belittles LV’s gift, yet when it comes to the attention of her new squeeze, small-time impresario Ray Say, he sees an opportunity too juicy to pass up.
What follows is broadly predictable: The Rise and Fall of Little Voice is amusing, affecting and decidedly old-fashioned. Now and then it rambles, particularly when LV’s admirer Billy is to the fore, and there are some undeniably saccharine touches. But it has emotional marrow as well as passages of spirited horseplay and Terry Johnson’s revival accentuates its pathos and hilarity.
Gallery: Little Voice press night
Lesley Sharp (the lugubriously business-like Louise in Mike Leigh’s Naked), revels in Mari’s chaos and brassy excess. It’s a brilliantly uninhibited performance, especially relishable when Mari is vamping it up to excite her beau.
She inhabits every nook of Lez Brotherston’s lovingly detailed design, abetted by her quietly shambolic friend Sadie (Rachel Lumberg, a delight). Hers is the kind of house where there’s gin in the fridge door — and inside a beanbag.
This doesn’t unsettle Marc Warren’s Ray, a sort of urban gunslinger who could be a refugee from Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights. Warren is poised and creepy; he lacks only a redeeming hint of vulnerability.
The title role is the key. Created for Jane Horrocks, it belongs here to Diana Vickers, previously known for being a semi-finalist in ITV’s The X Factor. While Vickers’s acting may not have great range, it’s winsome. And when she sings she soars.
The most thrilling sequence comes when she slips from Dusty Springfield into Marilyn Monroe, and then dashes through Judy Garland, Marianne Faithfull, Julie Andrews, Shirley Bassey and Edith Piaf. She has presence and vocal charisma, and only when she switches to her own voice, performing a new song by Mark Owen, does she seem less than radiantly polished.
Though the title suggests tragic inflections, this is a feelgood play, and Terry Johnson’s production confidently hits the top notes.
Until 30 January 2010
(020 7432 4220).
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
As many have said Lesley Sharp was way over the top creating a totaly unbelievable character ,Rachel Lumberg was brilliant as the neighbour the best acting in the whole show, Diana Vickers should have had much more of a platform to display her wonderfull and unique voice hopefully this will be a stepping stone for her future.
The set design , lighting and sound were all superb but soory not a show I would recommend
- Barry Holden, North Walsham Norfolk UK
I thought the show was in a word TERRIBLE. The performance of the Mother was over the top, and although I appreciated Diane Vickers with her impersonations of Judy Garland, Shirley Bassey etc, when she broke into song at the end she sounded like a sick muppet.
Don't waste your time. This show is not up to par with a what should have been a professional production.
- Faye Collins, Leatherwood, UK
Saw it last night (21Dec) and it was utterly brilliant. We were blown away by Diana Vickers, both by her wonderful singing and also her surprisingly excellent acting. My wife's an English teacher and very much into the theatre and agrees wholeheartedly.
- Dave Straker, crowthorne,england
I'm amazed at the good reviews this show has got when it clearly isn't a patch on the original or the film. The normally excellent Lesley Sharp overacted and Diana Vickers' singing was simply dreadful. So much of the second act was just thrown away.
- John, London, UK
Too much of Lesley Sharp who seemed to dominate the entire play. Not enough of Diana Vickers performing her cabaret act in the Northern night club. She was on stage for barely 10 minutes doing her impressions of Shirley Bassey etc. plus one song at the end, another 5 minutes. Diana is a highly talented young lady but should have been given more of an opportunity to show us what she is capable of. Highly enjoyable production but would have been even better with more of Diana Vickers in concert.
- David, Harrow, Middlesex
We were less than impressed by Lesley Sharp and thought that her character lacked depth and was sometimes painful to watch. Diana Vicker's voice was wonderfully diverse (surprisingly!) but again, there was not much feeling or thought behind her actions. Well done for first time though!
- Rachel, London, UK
Thanks, for this wonderful, witty comment on Miss Vickers. You made me travel from XXIst century Venezuela to London sixties:
"The most thrilling sequence comes when she slips from Dusty Springfield into Marilyn Monroe, and then dashes through Judy Garland, Marianne Faithfull, Julie Andrews, Shirley Bassey and Edith Piaf. She has presence and vocal charisma, and only when she switches to her own voice, performing a new song by Mark Owen, does she seem less than radiantly polished".
Diana Vickers is a fine new Little Voice in a big role
A BRAVO!!!, for Mr. Henry Hitchings, Evening Standard 21.10.09.
- Hernán Rubin, Caraballeda, state of Vargas, Venezuela
We were very impressed with Diana Vickers in her first theatre performance. We felt she gave a very convincing performance as she conveyed very well LV's shyness. We also thought Lesley Sharp was also excellent as the mother.
- Lauren, London
